Help!! Buying a New Bike

abf123, January 6, 2013

I am undertaking the classic John O'Groats to Lands End ride. or JOGLE and I am going to buy a new bike as I currently ride a hybrid which just isn't cut out for the task.

Basically has anyone got any suggestions on what to get?

I have £800 to spend and ideally want a road bike including any SPDs that I need to get and the pedals.

I will have money to upgrade the componenets so basically I am looking for a general all round good bike. I'm looking for a bike that has a good frame that I can just add to as I build up money over the next few months (years) as I want to keep the bike to use regularly after the trip.

Any tips or suggestions welcomed.
Thanks

Tags

have a look at Canyon. They also have some deals going in their Outlet shop at the moment.

posted by londonplayer [651 posts] 6th January 2013 - 14:15

I did LEJOG summer 2012 (Summer - Hah!) on a Trek Pilot 1.2 that is about 6 years old.

Before buying check the route you are using. I was glad not to have bought a fancy carbon frame when I discovered how "off road" some of the sections of my ride were (based on the Sustrans book).

Personally not less than 28mm tyres, a well worn in Brooks saddle and some low gears were much more important than anything else. But I was not racing in a group so took 11 days of riding.

In case they help my blog posts on it are at http://42bikes.warnock.me.uk/category/lejog/

posted by Dave42W [12 posts] 6th January 2013 - 14:31

Done my 2011unsupported JogLe in 12 days on a trek 7.3 hybrid and found it ideal

Agree with the point about tyre size,I had 32mm marathons fitted and even with them on some of the roads in encountered in Scotland where pneumatic drill like...glad I wasn't on 23's.

posted by Chrisbpr [5 posts] 6th January 2013 - 15:11

Hi Dave42W,
what a cracking story you told on your blog - well done. Never seen an 'off road' route taken for the LEJOG's before.
Shame there was no fanfare and loads of people welcoming you to JO'G's - just miserable, wet and misty, I could hear your thoughts, "Oh, is this it then"

Great inspiration though.

Hope the OP gets some inspiration too from it.

Respect,

Trikeman.

Grunt, puff, pant and groan goes the old man - but he gets there in the end. ;o)

posted by trikeman [344 posts] 6th January 2013 - 15:48

Trikeman,

Thanks. I didn't realise it was quite so off road beforehand You have to look closely at Google Maps to tell when you are going off road!

posted by Dave42W [12 posts] 6th January 2013 - 16:20

A rugby-playing colleague, a big lad, did it the wrong way in awful weather on his Giant Defy with some mates. Anything from £500 up would definitely be more than up to the job, the two vital criteria are:
1. it fits you properly,
2. you like it.
Bike weight and spec level aren't half as important as manufacturers would like you to believe.

Some road.cc links:
Entry level bikes
£1,000 - £1,500 bikes
Bike reviews

posted by Simon E [1310 posts] 7th January 2013 - 16:12

Try the ribble bike builder.

Loads of different frames to choose from and you can spec to your budget.
I got an ultralite racing with full shimano 105 group set for under a grand and im over the moon with it.