Anyone into bikes on here?

Youngie

Well-known member
I’m after some help if possible

my eldest is wanting me to take him out on his bicycle more with the spring/summer fast approaching

during the last lockdown I bought a 2nd hander off Facebook for about 30 quid (a rhino mtb with full suspension ) and it is a good enough bike but it’s gonna need a lot of work to maintain it ( new brakes, tyres, inner tubes etc... and only some of the gears are working.

I don’t want to spend a fortune on a new one as I am not that into it

any recommendations for under £300? Not bothered about full suspension just something that is happy on roads/cycle lanes and woodland tracks etc
 
Personally I would try to call up your local bike shop and see what they have. You may pay a little more but in my experience they tend to ensure its serviced better and they'll help you out down the line.
 
I’m after some help if possible

my eldest is wanting me to take him out on his bicycle more with the spring/summer fast approaching

during the last lockdown I bought a 2nd hander off Facebook for about 30 quid (a rhino mtb with full suspension ) and it is a good enough bike but it’s gonna need a lot of work to maintain it ( new brakes, tyres, inner tubes etc... and only some of the gears are working.

I don’t want to spend a fortune on a new one as I am not that into it

any recommendations for under £300? Not bothered about full suspension just something that is happy on roads/cycle lanes and woodland tracks etc
Just make sure you get a bike which suits 90% of your riding, not 10%.

It doesn’t sound like you will ever need full suspension, you probably don’t even need a hardtail (single suspension). A hybrid or a gravel bike might be best, especially at that price.
 
At that price point I would suggest it's like what Andy posted. You could get stuff which 'looks' good but won't stand the test of time . Keep it simple and consider better tyres etc down the line.
Most of the brand's will be using the same spec from the same factories .
Let us know what you're considering. Please do contact your local bike shop if possible. They may also have some decent used stuff that they will have serviced.
Best of luck.
 
Which is your local bike shop? Skinnergate in Stockton (and Boro) are excellent. Really helpful and they know their stuff.
 
I’m at the top of Acklam so I’m pretty central
I like this rhino that I have but can’t seem to find them anyway?

I have seen muddy fox, decathlon and stuff on Halfords like Carerra
 
I’m at the top of Acklam so I’m pretty central
I like this rhino that I have but can’t seem to find them anyway?

I have seen muddy fox, decathlon and stuff on Halfords like Carerra
 
Personally I wouldn’t take a free bike from halfords. So many horror stories between people I know and myself
You're right, especially for their low-end bikes, but it's not really Halfords fault regarding the quality for the price. That's just the quality you will get from a big store, with bikes you can physically see. I don't even think it's horror stories, I think it's just how things are, you're just paying for what you get effectively.

For Halfords to charge £300 for a bike it probably needs to cost £150 to make, maximum, as the remaining £150 needs to pay for all those massive units, rates, loads of staff and advertising etc.

The thing is a lot of people think £300 will get them something decent, whereas in reality a £300 bike today, is a £175 bike from 20 years ago, it's not going to be great, unfortunately.

Personally, I think most people in this scenario should focus all their cash on parts that matter, frame, groupset and wheels. Don't rob from these areas to get suspension (which is going to add weight and also likely be mostly redundant, it's a wasteful hindrance). So, get a hybrid for the best bang for buck.

A local bike shop will have the best knowledge and ensure that all the money is focused in to the right areas, so this is probably the most efficient way, and ensure you get roughly the right size (although not a bike fit, which is a completely different animal), and type.

2nd hand maybe 2-3 years old, will get the best deal, but is riskier for condition and sizing (check with manufacturer size charts).

Decathlon online is good, but you need to know what you're looking for really.
 
if you can spend a little bit more check out this lot

 
You're right, especially for their low-end bikes, but it's not really Halfords fault regarding the quality for the price. That's just the quality you will get from a big store, with bikes you can physically see. I don't even think it's horror stories, I think it's just how things are, you're just paying for what you get effectively.

For Halfords to charge £300 for a bike it probably needs to cost £150 to make, maximum, as the remaining £150 needs to pay for all those massive units, rates, loads of staff and advertising etc.

The thing is a lot of people think £300 will get them something decent, whereas in reality a £300 bike today, is a £175 bike from 20 years ago, it's not going to be great, unfortunately.

Personally, I think most people in this scenario should focus all their cash on parts that matter, frame, groupset and wheels. Don't rob from these areas to get suspension (which is going to add weight and also likely be mostly redundant, it's a wasteful hindrance). So, get a hybrid for the best bang for buck.

A local bike shop will have the best knowledge and ensure that all the money is focused in to the right areas, so this is probably the most efficient way, and ensure you get roughly the right size (although not a bike fit, which is a completely different animal), and type.

2nd hand maybe 2-3 years old, will get the best deal, but is riskier for condition and sizing (check with manufacturer size charts).

Decathlon online is good, but you need to know what you're looking for really.


My issue with halfords are many; I bought bikes from them before I knew any better, and suggested them to several people as we all got into cycling, the range of issues we had were crazy. I was nearly given the wrong model of a bike which was £300 cheaper, but spotted it on handover, and in a group of 5 buyers, 4 of us had parts come apart or detached while cycling due to being put together poorly, stranding us miles away from home and someone came off their bike as a result. Over a period of about 4 months we were all given refunds and kept the bikes it was that bad. I sold mine end bought elsewhere. The amount of people I hear with similar stories just make them impossible to recommend.
 
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