Budget Womens Road Bike wanted

[IainR]

I'm after a road bike for the missus.

Basically I haven't much to spent, £200-£300 max. I know spending £500 plus gets me a better bike but I don't have it so that's not worth adding.

It's her first road bike, and will be used for touring the roads in Snowdonia and maybe a few triathlons.

So firstly anyone got a second hand womens bike for sale. I'm guessing around a 50cm frame, she's 5'6 - does that sound about right?

Anyway of the new bikes I've seen, I've heard some good reports of the Halfords Carrera bikes as good budget bikes.

what are the other main options?

The other ones I've seen on Ebay have been the Raleight airlight 100 and 200's.

Decathlon bikes are too much too. Should she enjoy it and get into it more seriously then we'll see about spending more, but she doesn't know exactly what she wants yet, so I reckon getting a cheaper bike for a few years is the option.

I've just got a bottom of the range Dawes 200, which is fine for touring the countryside.

Cheers for any advice, but seriously spending more isn't an option. Sorry for saying that again but cyclists seem to have bottomless wallets where their bikes are concerned.

[AllanT]

Try this one, it's a snip....

http://www.tredz.co.uk/details.aspx?cgid=&id=7916&cid=

If you want something a bit cheaper, try the specialized Allez..

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/?acti...l&prodID=37464

I wouldn't spend much less that £500 on a bike, if you want something to last. That is unless you can find a second hand one which has been well looked after (you need to know what you're buying then), or an end of the line model (last years bikes always seem to go a lot cheaper).

[IainR]

Thanks Allan.

But seriously that's all I have to spend.

I'm also not going to spend over £500 quid when she doesn't know what she wants exactly. The only way to find out is spend hours on a bike, so getting her a cheaper one seems a solution.

The Dawes 300 looks inviting and I've only heard good things about them.

[AllanT]

Thanks Allan.

But seriously that's all I have to spend.

I'm also not going to spend over £500 quid when she doesn't know what she wants exactly. The only way to find out is spend hours on a bike, so getting her a cheaper one seems a solution.

The Dawes 300 looks inviting and I've only heard good things about them.

In that case I'd strongly suggest you look at the second hand market, but make sure you know what you're going to buy before you get it. Otherwise you'll waste a couple of hundred quid on something you don't want and will never get the value of if you sell it.

It also has to be pointed out that the cheaper the bike, the less the probability that she will enjoy riding it. I know it sounds strange, but it is true.

[dominion]

The other ones I've seen on Ebay have been the Raleight airlight 100 and 200's.

Last years Raleighs are currently discounted in Evans,

http://www.evanscycles.com/dept.jsp?dept_id=3803

I'd be more inclined to buy a second hand road bike than a second hand mountain bike as it's less likely to have been ridden off a 10ft drop!

[IainR]

Allan, I enjoy road riding and I ride a Dawes 200 which is about as low down the road bikes as you go. I think too many riders put their attention into their bike rather than a decent set of lungs.

[AllanT]

Allan, I enjoy road riding and I ride a Dawes 200 which is about as low down the road bikes as you go. I think too many riders put their attention into their bike rather than a decent set of lungs.

But some of us put a lot of attention into both our bodies and our bikes. I agree there are a lot of riders who put too much store on how much their bike costs, and not enough on developing their own personal fitness.

However it's undeniable that the more expensive the bike, the more enjoyable riding it gives (at least in my experience) and the more likely you are to stick with it.

Also it's not just about the weight of the bike - remember quality components have a greater longetivity, and reduce the needs for upgrades - so you can end up spending less in the long run by making a greater initial outlay.

Best to wait and save up for a if you're short of money, then your wife can consider how much she's going to put into her riding and work out what expenditure that justifies.

Before I started riding I pretty much knew how far I wanted to go with it, and how much I was prepared to commit to it in the longrun. I still ended up getting a new bike, but I got a lot more life & enjoyment out of my intial bike (which is still going as a winter/training bike, than if I'd just bought something cheapo.

Again, as already said, if you're trying to save money and get more for it, then look at the second hand market.

Also my bike is my main form of transport, and by using a light durable bike, it makes it far easier & faster for me to use it to get around than if it was a heavy bike.

[IainR]

OK Allan real world situation here.

I have a wife, 2 dogs, a mortgage, car repayments, windows repayments, insurances etc etc.

When I said I have 200-300 I lied, I have less than that but have managed to put off a few things til later in the year.

Seriously thanks for the advice, but right now that is all the outlay I can afford.

I know paying more buys me a better bike, but I;d rather spend this, see how she goes on and then see how funds are in a few years time.

[dominion]

Food for thought?

http://www.cyclingplus.co.uk/forum/t...91&whichpage=1

[Mrs Rice Pudding]

Iain

I am too looking for a inexpensive road bike to keep me sane as I have been injured for a while and need a new focus away from running. I have been to look at the carrera virtuoso and was pleasantly surprised, I also took the airlite 100 for a quick ride and liked it too.

I think I'm leaning towards the carrera, they do them in medium and large I think, the medium was the right size for me and I'm an inch taller than your missus.