[Biking and BMX] Mountain Bike Advice

[Withnail]

So, my bike's fucked (chainset's ripped away from the pedal assembly = new chainset, bottom bracket, chain and cassette... not economical on a bike that only cost £140 to start with!)

There's a whole bunch of bikes on ebay like this: but i've never heard of them, and they sound like they might be v cheap. Anyone offer any advice?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=270005154885

For the sake of £75 + £25 postage, i'm inclined. It'll mainly be used to go to and from work, with the occasional bit of trail stuff, and the even more occasional proper offroad use.

[Zooropa]

Hard to see what the groupset is "Shimano 21 speed" is quite unspecific.

[Withnail]

I was kinda assuming it was just the bogstandard generic one, rather than anything special. Will it make that much difference? I've only really started using my bike again recently after a good 10 years of not cycling, so i know hee-haw.

[Frankie LiDeo]

I have five vouchers for mountain biking lessons/hire. Should I bother, or will I look distressingly rustic?

[Zooropa]

The better the groupset the smoother the changing and less likely it is to jump.
I spent a fortune on a bike, but that's because I intended to do a LOT of cycling, then I went and got a job that needed a car, and I wasn't able to cycle anymore.

Looks not bad, disc brakes are nice.
I'm not a huge fan of full suspension cause it likely won't be able to take panniers on the back should you want to go for a long cycle. That's not a biggie though, depends what you want to use it for!
Front suspension is good, doesn't say if the front forks lock out though, which is good for going uphill.

It's a 19 inch frame, how tall are you? That's a fairly average size, so again depends what you want it for.

It's a steel frame, so it ain't gonna be light and could rust.

[Withnail]

5'7, had an 18" frame on my last bike, can cope with a 19". Cool... think i'll go for one of them. There's a whole bunch.

Don't fancy selling your old bike, no?

[Zooropa]

For 60 odd bucks it wouldn't be a disaster if it didn't turn out to be up to much.
What you using it for, cycling to work and that?

I'm keeping my GT, I'm determined to use it more.
Even if it means 6am rises again to cycle for an hour before work.

[Withnail]

yeah, work - 8 miles a day, not exactly loads, all on road. The odd bit of trail stuff at the weekends once in a while, and very rarely, for downhill stuff, but that'll be once or twice a year type thing.

[Zooropa]

Nice one.
I used to cycle to my other halfs flat in Glasgow a few times a week.
10 miles, all roads.
Took about 45 minutes.

I used to love getting up about 5.30 and cycling home at dawn as the sun was coming up and the place was dead.

[Withnail]

Have to say - I wish i'd discovered it a couple of years ago. i wouldn't be such a fat bastard now, for sure. It's a LOT quicker in town than driving or public transport. Takes me about 20 minutes to work, or 40 minutes if you include showering and changing at work - takes about 45 minutes for 2 buses in the morning. Feck that. Town's a couple of minutes away. I'm feeling it not having a bike now though.

Is there anywhere in Glasgow that sells 2nd hand bikes, without having to trawl the yellow paper?

[Zooropa]

Gear Glasgow on Gibson St in the West End are pretty good. Not sure about second hand bikes though.

There's West End Cycles just off Byers Road too. Again, not sure about second hand ones.
I'd imagine there was, somewhere.

[Lovewookie]

just found this thread.

that bike is bloody awful.

if you want to spend around £100 go for something less complicated than a full suspension, at that price range they are not up to much. You'll be able to get a pretty bog standard hardtail with some forn of front shocks for that I would think.

Bike shops rarely deal 2nd hand bikes due to having to offer a 6 month warranty and can never really be sure of the origins of the bike in the first place.

personally though, If I was going to be biking regularly I'd be looking at spending about £150 at least, just because components are likely to be a bit better and not need quite as much attention, though you do have to clean and lube these things.