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Bicycle suggestions, please

The Cockney Rebel

The Cockney Rebel

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jul 17, 2010
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Hello.

I’d like to get myself fit, but I find walking a chore, I no longer enjoy running, and I have zero interest in the whole gym thing.

Therefore, I think I might buy a (mountain?) bike, as I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy that.

Of course, I’d be able to track my progress on my Apple Watch, which interest me.

So, if any cyclists can advise what type of bike to go for, I’d be very grateful.

Been watching a few YouTube videos, and I think a mountain bike would suffice. But should I go for a hard tail, or suspension? What are the pros and cons for each?

What should I be looking for, regarding specs?

I wouldn’t want to spend more than £500.

Thanks in advance for your advice.
 
It would be helpful if you could tell us what type or riding and trails you have around you and plan on riding. If its pavement or relatively flat dirt or hills with rough and uneven ground, that will make a big difference if what kind of bike you plan on getting.

I mainly ride on paved trails and use a triathlon bike.

My bike was on the cheaper end when I bought it and it was about $1,700 USD.

My friends who have mountain bikes, some with hard tails and some with full suspension, have paid upwards of $5,000 USD.
 
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surfzen21 said:
It would be helpful if you could tell us what type or riding and trails you have around you and plan on riding. If its pavement or relatively flat dirt or hills with rough and uneven ground, that will make a big difference if what kind of bike you plan on getting.

I mainly ride on paved trails and use a triathlon bike.

My bike was on the cheaper end when I bought it and it was about $1,700 USD.

My friends who have mountain bikes, some with hard tails and some with full suspension, have paid upwards of $5,000 USD.
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Thanks.

It will mostly be on pavement, I think, but I don't want to limit myself.

Would you say that full suspension & a dropper seat is the way to go?
 
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I suggest you find a local reputable bike store where the folks will know your local trails and let them help you find the right bike for your needs.
Furthermore, you might want to rent for a few rides to see whether you're really liking it and see what you might get into, then decide on the type of bike.
 
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As very much said above, it does depend on how you’d use it.

Full suspension will just add weight and reduce the quality of other components unless you really need it. I’ve done mountain bike races on my hardtail and never struggled (these weren’t downhill races).

You may consider a gravel bike, then later on buy an extra set of wheels with road tyres on. This will allow you along a lot of country lanes but also you can swap the wheels over for road riding. Note you road ride gravel tyres, but you’ll be slower than you would be with road tyres. This is why I say buy them later.

If you want to get a better bike, but second hand. A £500 second hand bike should be a lot better than brand new. If you need advice, try and find a biking nut at work or somewhere. They also may know of other friends selling and a really good bargain could be had.
 
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The Cockney Rebel said:
Thanks.

It will mostly be on pavement, I think, but I don't want to limit myself.

Would you say that full suspension & a dropper seat is the way to go?
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As others have said, talking to a bike shop who knows local conditions would be very helpful. Any decent bike shop will have a variety of bikes for you to try out. Hopefully, they don't try to up-sell you with something you don't truly need.

I think its great you are using this as a way to get back into shape. Don't over think the gear.
For example, My triathlon bike is an aluminum frame with a carbon fiber fork. I can definitely get a lighter full carbon bike but I'm not competing so the extra weight is just more of a workout for me. I'm ok with that.

I will say though, it doesn't sounds like you need full suspension. And as another poster said, you can get a better quality hard tail at your price vs a full suspension. I look at full suspension as something necessary to absorb the impacts of big jumps.
 
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The Cockney Rebel said:
Thank you to everyone for your valued input.

It’s much appreciated.

I think I’ll visit a few bike shops and pick their brains.

Thanks again, be well.
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Visiting the local bike shop is the best option. I think you are in for a bit of a shock what what bikes cost. You're not going to find a quality full suspension bike with a dropper for under 500 pounds. At that price point you're going to have to lower your expectations a bit. Which isn't a bad thing. you're new to cycling. Spend a little, see if you like it, then upgrade to something more expensive later. You don't want to start out with a bike that cost you several thousand only for it to sit in storage year round because you don't like riding.

If you're mostly on pavement and a few trails here or there I'd go with a hardtail. Full suspension would be wasted and will honestly just slow you down on pavement as it will absorb a chunk of your power output. I ride a full suspension on dirt and a road bike on pavement. I only really take the full suspension on road if the weather is poor and I don't think the roadie would be safe.
 
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DR3MCLAREN said:
Visiting the local bike shop is the best option. I think you are in for a bit of a shock what what bikes cost. You're not going to find a quality full suspension bike with a dropper for under 500 pounds. At that price point you're going to have to lower your expectations a bit. Which isn't a bad thing. you're new to cycling. Spend a little, see if you like it, then upgrade to something more expensive later. You don't want to start out with a bike that cost you several thousand only for it to sit in storage year round because you don't like riding.

If you're mostly on pavement and a few trails here or there I'd go with a hardtail. Full suspension would be wasted and will honestly just slow you down on pavement as it will absorb a chunk of your power output. I ride a full suspension on dirt and a road bike on pavement. I only really take the full suspension on road if the weather is poor and I don't think the roadie would be safe.
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Thank you.

I'm intending to visit Halfords on Friday. They have a full suspension bike for £1000, which gets really good reviews.
 
The Cockney Rebel said:
Thanks.

It will mostly be on pavement, I think, but I don't want to limit myself.

Would you say that full suspension & a dropper seat is the way to go?
Click to expand...

If it'll be mostly pavement, I'd recommend a cross or hybrid bike over a mountain bike. You wouldn't need the thicker tires and deeper tread, and they'd be easier pedaling on hard flat surfaces, or even hard-packed gravel bike paths. Specialized makes some good ones 😊.
 
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pshufd said:
Road or mountain bikes usually don't come with them. Garmin sells them and they sync with your watch to get your power metrics on a ride.
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This is probably more than this new rider needs. They would then have to budget for the pedals, shoes, cleats, etc. Honestly, power meter pedals aren't worth it unless you're training for something or actually competing. Strava is free and you can run it from your phone or watch and get just as valuable data there for a new rider.
 
I just bought this for 1200 cdn. I love it. I am a hardtail fan. My other ride is a 95 specialized Rockhopper A1 FS comp with Manitou Ti front suspension it's less than 22 lbs total weight.

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