Been offered a Raleigh Airlite 100 I think it’s a 2009 or 10 one in white. Bloke wants £130 for it. Any cop or not?

If you want to hate road bikes forever, go for it.

Avoid like the plague- down tube shifters are terrifying for a beginner. Also I don’t know where they got the “lite” from- it’s heavier than my mountain bike by quite a bit. A truly hideous bike. When I worked in a shop we got sent one of these on sale or return from Raleigh to see what reception it got- we felt guilty when we sold it to someone.

I’d hold out for something a bit dearer but nicer from a “proper” road bike manufacturer like a Giant SCR/Defy, Specialized Allez or Trek 1000/1200 or 1.2/1.5.

So crap then basically. Not sure if I’ll like road cycling but wouldn’t mind trying.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/specialized-allez-triple-54cm/1028172559

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/trek-1000-racing-bikeexcellent-condition-not-specialized/1028962273

Wee bit more but if you don’t like road riding on these you won’t like it on many bikes.

Not sure what frame size I am. I’m 5ft 10.

A bit of a minefield that- it depends on the manufacturer.

As a rough guide my experience (I’m 5’10”) you’ll need-

Giant- Medium or Large (borderline on this).
Most companies that use centimetres you’ll be a 56cm, possibly a 58 in some brands but not many.

Probably better trying some. Didn’t want to spend mega money incase I don’t like it. I’m just intrigued by the idea when watching on tv and browsing the odd magazine. And as something to help strengthen my leg muscles as I’m awaiting microfracture surgery for cartilage damage. And for recovery from that when I’m allowed.

I bought / built my first ever road bike last autumn and I really enjoy road riding, it adds a whole new dimension to my offroad riding as well as the benefits of additional strength and stamina (which is why I started).

As for size and manufacturer, go to your LBS and try a couple of bikes for size, as reach is important for a road bike. I ride a smaller sized frame than convention says I should, and have ridden hundreds of miles comfortably, so regard any size chart as, at best, a guide.

Deciding which make to buy is as difficult as deciding which make of mtb to buy, and as I ride a Raleigh I would consider them a “proper” manufacturer, although they still have a lot of catching up to do. Fashion plays a huge part in the popularity of certain brands, so a cheap bike is not always a bad bike, just not popular. Of course, it could be cheap because it’s a complete dog….. so caveat emptor.

Like neilm said go and try some out before buying. If you get one secondhand and its the wrong size you will hate it and might even do more damage than good with your recovery.

I ended up getting a Triban 3 from Decathlon. I’m 5’7″ and tried a Allez at Evans that was a 52 and that was nice, a Carrara at Halfords in a 52 was way too small and the guy in Halfords hadn’t got a clue so I walked away.

I went for the Decathlon one as it had a 2 year warranty and was £250 cheaper than the Allez which I couldn’t justify if I didn’t like road riding. Hopefully, if I decide to upgrade, the Decathlon one has had good reviews so I could get a decent price if I sell it.

Decathlon Bolton had a few of the older ones in red with the carbon fork in 54 size last week so may be worth nipping in as they will let you ride one for size but only in store but gives you an idea.

Friend of mine got one of these second hand cheap off ebay and it’s a quality bike:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Amrosio-Solaro-Roadbike-56cm-/251321681500?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3a83f0865c

Avoid like the plague- down tube shifters are terrifying for a beginner.

as someone who started riding a road bike at age 10 with down tube shifters as did most other cyclists i know, you really dont know what youre talking about, those brake lever shifters are a new invention for the weak willed leisure cyclist, anyway its nice to take your hands off the hods while changing gear.

I’m 5’10.5″ and I used to have a 54cm Allez. 32″ inside leg.

Project, I started on downtube shifters. They are terrifying. There is a safer, easier alternative now, it’d be silly going for a bike that doesn’t have them.

your limited experience says they are terrifing, so are spd pedals,look and time pedals,hard seats,fixed wheels etc etc, but us cyclists all use them, so stating without any reason down tube shifters that have been in use for many many years are dangerous is a bit of a stupid answer to someone asking for advice on a s/h bike.

You’re making a lot of assumptions here.

I rode downtube shifters for 3 or 4 years. I do not have limited experience with them. I started out with toe clips- they were even scarier. I don’t see why I should encourage someone who has an alternative to use outdated, unsuitable technology. I know this is singltrackworld and using outdated nonsense is trendy, but for most riders it’s pointless when there is kit that exists to make life easier for the same price. Your input is not helpful.

Anyway, the downtube shifters are only one of the bike in the OP’s post’s issues. It has many other things that make it a bad bike.

Can you replace these downtube shifters though to sti shifters?

Even if you can, with the cost involved of adding new brake/gears you might as well get one of the slightly more expensive options with lighter/ better frames.

It was more just to test the water to see if I enjoy being on the road or hate it. Then if I do go and buy something decent.

Yes you can replace the downtube shifters, but as dantsw said, the expense is not worth it.

Downtube shifters are pretty cheap, brake lever / shifters are not, plus there are all the new gear cables, downtube cable stops, bar tape, plus the time involved.

Better off spending another £100 on a different bike.

As for toe clips and downtube shifters being dangerous, that’s a bit of an overstatement isn’t it? After all, that’s all there was for the best part of 40 years and plenty of retro types and students still use them on a daily basis.

I think if I bought it and tried the initial tube shifters, which I have used in the past when I was a young teen and used it to get my fitness up and then maybe spend about £700 if I like it.

If you buy a decent second hand bike for £700 and dont like it, a few months later it will still be worth £700 to sell on!!

At 5ft 10, you might just fit one of the last red 54cm Decathlon Triban 3’s for £300. They have a carbon fork which the later white model doesn’t for same price.

They’ve been going on ebay secondhand, for upwards of £250 (crazily close to the price new), so if you don’t like it you won’t lose much.

Or there is the Viking Roma on ebay for £240 new. Didn’t get a good write up by Bikeradar due to the high gearing and the stretched bars, but its a good discount and probably better than the Airlite still.

Its all irrelevant if you’ve only got £130 or so, but I would steer clear of downtube shifters if you can. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’re dangerous, but since technology has moved on, why not take advantage.

£700 you say?

http://www.mekkbicycles.com/Mekk-Pinerolo-Al-10.aspx

I rode downtube shifters for 3 or 4 years

.Still got them on a couple of bikes and I have not died yet .Cant afford to upgrade as sti levers cost to much.So im up to 35 years using them !!

Hopefully I wont die On L`eroica where I will have to use downtube shifters and toeclips (using tubs as well)