Well I am not sure if anyone remembers but I joined here to get some help picking out a Mountain bike, I settled on the bike i wanted with some help . . . and then I made a huge mistake. A friend convinced me I would enjoy a road bike much more and wanted to go on group rides, so I looked at road bikes and ended up abandoning getting that mountain bike I wanted, and got a Specialized Allez Elite, Spending £900 on the bike plus £200 on accessories.
£1100 down and without the bike even being finished (I still have the horrible stock pedals) I have a bike that i just do not agree with.
I hate the limitations, not being able to throw myself around at insane speeds, and there just is not the same adrenaline rush.
Now I do not know what to do, do I sell the bike (I have only rode like 20 miles), or will i get peanuts for it and it’s better to keep?
What would an estimate value be for it? (It is a 54cm)
Any advice or help appreciated.

£200 for it?

It takes time to get used to a bike, 20 miles of riding? That’s my cycle commute to work.
You might want to ride it a bit more first before getting rid.

Start saving up… N+1

Seems rather soon to be getting rid..

But if you did want to get rid of it why not find someone who wants a road bike with an MTB to swap for it?

I hate the limitations, not being able to throw myself around at insane speeds, and there just is not the same adrenaline rush.

Topped 60kph today on a slippery wet and twisty descent. Plenty of rush involved, possibly a little more than I’d bargained for.

It’ll take a few hundred miles before you even start to feel comfortable on the bike let alone begin to learn the limitations of grip.

What they said, road bikes are great fun, just a bit different from mtbs is all 🙂

Though if you have only done such a wee bit riding, can you try taking it back for a refund? Maybe sponge the tyres clean? Say it was stretching your back or something… 😉

Can you afford to also get an MTB? If so, do that and have best of both worlds.

Road bike to ride with friends or groups who like roadie stuff, and MTB for the adrenaline rush fun off road.

The former will keep the fitness up if you don’t MTB so often. Though if MTB is your life, just ride loads off road and you don’t really need the road fitness.

Personally I can’t see why group ride road riding would be more enjoyable. Nothing more dull than staring at someone’s lycra ass or tarmac and riding like I’d be on a cycle machine at a gym, with little variation or technique. All seems to be about rules, rhythm and speed but no actual enjoyment. Off road – fun, no rules, as fast or slow as you want, very social and generally riding in the countryside away from traffic.

Personally I can’t see why group ride road riding
would be more enjoyable. Nothing more dull than
staring at someone’s lycra ass or tarmac and
riding like I’d be on a cycle machine at a gym,
with little variation or technique. All seems to be
about rules, rhythm and speed but no actual
enjoyment.

I guess that if you choose to believe in stereotypes then I reckon you deserve to miss out 😉

Yorklin- I was actually hoping to, but it has been so long since I got it as I had an operation and really forgot about it.
I do understand how it can be great for most people and give a good thrill, but I love feeling like there is an earthquake while im flying down a narrow hillside. I have only rode 20 miles because of the before mentioned operation.
I definitely would not sell for less than half the price I paid as it is untouched.
So I guess that leaves me with keeping it. How do you get the most out of a Road Bike? I just don’t get a great deal of enjoyment out of the ride.

You should get half of the price back if you really want to sell it.

Ride faster…

How do you get the most out of a Road Bike?

I love road riding but, to be honest, not that much in the UK. IME you get the best out of a road bike by
1) using it as training so that you’re fitter when you’re off road
2) keeping your legs in when it’s muddy off road
3) taking it to Europe….

3) taking it to Europe….

Road riding in Europe’s good, I’m always happy to come home though.

Keep it and buy a mountain bike as well..

Nothing more dull than staring at someone’s lycra ass

Depends whose it is tbh

OP 20 miles is not enough.
Give it at least 200 miles and more IMHO before deciding

Its winter get a cheap SS from classified to see if you like MTB in the cold, mud, dark and rain.
Not everyone does just like not everyone likes road bikes – its still to early for you to tell after I assume one ride

How to put someone off mountain biking.

Get them to start on a singlespeed.

My only fear is that if I do ride it 200m plus before selling it . . . the value if i do sell it will be way less i’m assuming?
I have been mountain biking on a shoddy bike for years and love every second so it was always the safer bet but my friend really persuaded me to get a road bike.
For those saying get both. It aint that easy when im spending 14 hours each day getting to and going to college and i have no income.

as above – maybe if you can get a cheap mtb as well, maybe something s/h etc.. See what you prefer over a little time and then make a decision…or don’t..

The value of a 20 mile bike and a 200 miles bike is really not that different, especially on a road bike. Stuff just doesn’t wear out that quickly. You lost the biggest chunk of cash as you wheeled it out of the shop from that point on the devaluation of the bike is pretty minimal.

Get rid while its still worth a bit and get an MTB.

It sounds like you had your heart set on one and ended up with the wrong bike. Don’t waste time riding something you hate.

Mtb’ing is more fun. Fact. Why ride if you’re not? Unless someone can explain how riding at 20mph is fun sharing space with cars? Considering if you rode a motorbike at that speed you would be going super slow….

I waste enough time on the road and I hate it. Every bloody pedal stroke. (Commute)

Ypu, has to be said, road riding is dull dull dull. Most on here do it, although that’s only because golf went out of fashion.

You’re young, if you want some excitement then get an MTB and get out and do some skids. Road riding is midlife crisis territory, get out while you can, or you could end up like joefm – stuck in a hateful little rut

Pooves

Loddrick smells of shite and is ridden by poofs.

Oh, look how easy it is to make stupid comments 😉

I’m happy if its a muddy rut….

Well for obvious reasons I am not willing to sell at the low price i could get.
So i guess my next question is, What is a good Hardtail i could look at that is affordable but functional.
I will probably have to go second hand so a more common recommendation the better.
is the rockhopper good?

I guess that if you choose to believe in stereotypes then I reckon you deserve to miss out

+1

20miles is nothing, I’m 200 into a pair of shoes that don’t quite fit and a saddle that’s giving me some nasty sores. Both are better than they felt after the initial 20 miles, let alone getting used to an entire new sport.

Get off the internet, join a proper cycling club, go on some club runs, then form an opinion.

20miles on your own is probably as miserable as road riding gets, anti-social, with no sense of achievement, and unless you’re blessed from the front door, probably no interesting roads!

Oh i don’t know, solo road riding is pretty good, much prefer to ride MTB with others but road is great solo.

In fact, today i met some chaps i was on holiday in Spain with (Ciclo Montana) rode up a long hill with a couple of lads on nice road bikes then found myself descending into Hebden Bridge with a former UK National fell running Champion – all before riding up Cragg Vale, the longest continuous road climb in England.

A very nice day out 🙂

Has your friend that talked you into it not dragged you out for a few rides?

Feel for you really, but for what you,d get for it you’d probably be able to get a decent second hand 120-140 hardtail. As some else mentioned have a look round for any swap offers. Quite a lot come up as injuries and so forth can force people off the mtb’s. i think people are being quite pessimistic about the price you’d get. Seems to be more demand for road bikes atm.

Personally it depends who you ride with as well. I have a good small group of lads I go out on the road with. Push each other well. I have a even smaller group I go mtbing with again we improve each other every time we go out. I’m the only one that does both and love them both for different reasons. But hate my commute!

No my friend it turns out does not ride much anymore. He was sure he had a plan to go to France and cycle across the country, but that never happened, with school and all its pretty hard to sort any good road bike holidays out.

Beat him up. Borrow some bombers! A bit of a lesson there fella. Follow your first instinct. I had similar sort of thing hence why I now have 3 bikes. As stw demands :). But I have a job and supportive wife! If your that unhappy sell it. But research the second hand prices. Look at classifieds and fleebay for a guide. It’s a pain in the ass but if your not gonna ride it get rid. I also agree you’ve not ridden it enough. I’ve had my mtb for 2 years and still tinkering to get it right. My road bike is getting changed soon as well. But I’m fussy!

Personally, i would keep it and save up for a mtb over the winter.
My reasoning is thus, weather is going to get progressively worse from now on and the trails will be pretty awful for a few months. The road bike can keep you fit and riding when the trails are a horribly boggy mess.
Just a thought.

If you can only afford one bike I think it’s better to have a mtb. Mountain bikes can traverse all kinds of terrain including roads. Road bikes…. well….

Cycling club, http://www.axevalleypedallers.org.uk/ , seriously you’re missing out on a whole world of cake stops.

Swap it for a cyclocross.

Best of both worlds if your trails aren’t too rocky.

Swap it for a cyclocross.

Definitely the worst of both worlds

Road riding is dull but it serves a purpose. I have only just started getting into it and have already found myself loads faster on the MTB. I would never swap MTB for road, MTB is just so much more fun!

20 miles isn’t much to give it a shot…my first road ride was about this long and it was a pretty miserable experience (I wasn’t wearing enough layers and froze my ass off). I stuck with it and now quite enjoy it especially when I know the tails are grim. Riding a different bike also keeps my interest up in the MTB and stops me getting bored of the local trails. I also like the ack of faff..I can just ride from my doorstep because the midlands isn’t blessed with off road riding.

I’d say tat I enjoy off road riding more, but if I can only get out on my road bike I’ll take that because its better than not riding.

You mate sounds like a tit fir talking you into a road bike and then saying he isn’t ride much!

Put it on eBay with a realistic ‘buy it now’ price for 30 days and tick the box that lets people make offers on it: add the bike on a weekend as generally there’s no insertion fee… No sale, no cost to you. Get a decent offer, and you’ll be able to buy a 2nd hand mtb for the same money.
Keep riding the bike while its on eBay and you’re not losing out either way.
Good luck…

maybe stop asking for advice and make up your own mind what you want.