Said goodbye to freelance work and started a new job so I can’t swan off to the trails/jumps when I feel like it. I want to fit a ride in after work but its all road & country lanes round here. My BFe wasn’t really designed for that. I’ve been thinking of buying a road bike but don’t want to spend loads on one as I don’t know how much use it will get. What sub £400 is worth looking at either new or used?

I got a Specialized Allez Comp 16 a couple of years ago for £400 – very pleased with it.

Decathlon Triban 3…

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-red-road-bike-id_8274036.html

IIRC there’s a decathlon/BTwin roadie for £299 and it beats the pants of £500 bikes. someone will be along shortly with better info than that….

edit. see /\

I got a Specialized Allez Comp 16 a couple of years ago for £400 – very pleased with it.

They always do well in the value for money stakes.

Put up a request in the WTD section, go 2nd hand for your budget. My 2nd hand Allez was £250 IIRC from here. Spesh get a bad rep from the road snobs, once I swapped the stem (stock was 130 for a 54cm, 100 is much better) it was comfy and it’s light. Upgraded it gradually over time but it’s my transport about town/to work.

They hold their value as other road noobs seek them out. The fit is really important! If you don’t know about how it works for road read up a little and try and see if you can sit on the same size as you’re looking for in a shop. ‘Compact’ sizing is a bit different, but there’s loads on this on teh interwebz.

Maybe build if you’ve got the tools to? If I was shopping again I’d go for a steel frame but it was easy just to get a complete. If your local roads are a bit pot holey a slightly larger tyre may help too (28-32) but some frames don’t like a larger tyre. I use 700×22 conts which are nippy but harsh at times.

Buy cheap buy twice. Your bound to enjoy it and want to upgrade straight away. T
hats what happenes to me anyway. Id look for something s/h for about £600 you’d get a proper bike then.

BTwin or second hand…

What size are you after?

54cm Ribble for £300

Ask nicely and I’ll throw in a set of Crud Roadracers that fit it very well. 🙂

Decathlon +1

Guy I work with has one, it’s decent for the money

Decathlon Triban 3 is really shockingly nice- wheels aren’t great but otherwise it’s all way above expectations. Carrera TDF is also good though the spec’s a bit leaner throughout. Neither are “buy cheap buy twice”, you might get hooked and want something lighter/cooler but you’ll not need to, though it wouldn’t hurt to stick better tyres on. You could easily spend the same amount on a used bike and get a total biffer.

At that sort of price, you basically have to accept that it’ll have really basic parts on it (I.e. if Shimano it’ll probably not even have Sora) but it’ll all work. It’ll obviously be pretty heavy.

The difference between £500 and £1000 bikes is huge. At a grand, it seems as though you can get a decent road bike that would last well and be fine for the odd race.

So if your budget is a strict £500, I’d be going second hand.

I’ve got a flat barred pub/knock about Decathlon bike that uses the same frame and wheels as the Triban 3.

The Frame

– very stiff, turns in nicely, tracks well, stable and predictable.
– Paint is very tough, and good quality.
– A wee bit harsh, but not really a problem.

The wheels

– Heavy, but have stayed true, have worn well and bearings are fine two years in.

The build quality is at least as good if not better than my Specialized. Paint higher quality than my Kinesis frame.

My 2 pence. I put up a thread on road bikes on here a few years ago, and ended up being offered a thousand pound bike (ridden a few times) for 500 pounds. Full Ultegra groupset.

Many years later, I’m still riding it (rode it to town and back today) with different wheels, but mostly still stock.

Worth a try?

EDIT: Seller had the receipt from JE James, with their address on it, so totally legit.

Oh yeah- if £400 is the budget then that almost covers the Triban 5, which goes up to Sora, and I think different lighter rims. Both have the carbon fork.

Triban 5 has a full sora groupset and carbon seatstays. 3 and 5’s are both nice bikes, but change the tyres for something better and the saddle and its great for the money.

Cheers for the replies, I accept at £400 I will get basic spec just after a few pointers. I’m 5’8” 31 inside leg, will need to sit on a few to get an idea of size.

Unless its stupidly hilly, then a Langster or something similar. No gears, less expense, same fun.

I ride mine more than my geared bikes and can drag it up most climbs around here without my knees exploding.

..or second hand at that budget as low end groupsets feel terrible.

I’m 5’8” 31 inside

My Ribble could fit..

You’re welcome to a test ride. 🙂

Triban 3 is now Triban 3B or something; they’ve taken away the carbon fork. Still a super bike though.

ir-bandito were are you based?

my custom made (for me at 5′ 8″) 653 tubed and campag veloce groupset for £350 – see my add if you want more infro….or the Triban is ace

ir-bandito were are you based?

I’m in Northumberland.

Any use?

+1 for the Triban3. I’ve had mine for about 9 months now and its great. I didn’t use it over the winter, but I’ve been back out on it recently and I love it. I did my first 100k ride on Sunday without any problems, and overtook plenty of people on £1000+ bikes going uphill 🙂

Check the back of Cycling Weekly, for sale section on bikeradar and here. eBay. See what you can get hold of second hand. At 5′ 8″ a medium frame should be ok 52/54. Occasionally you can get a bargain.

The Triban is pretty good though.

bamboo – I’d put that down to your ability rather than the bike 😆

A second hand road bike is much less likely to be trashed than an mtb.

My approach was to put a status on facebook asking if anyone wanted to sell me a bike – £40 later I had an old Peugeot with STI shifters and it’s been running ever since. Pink halo twin rails for looks though.

taxi25 – Member
Buy cheap buy twice. Your bound to enjoy it and want to upgrade straight away. T
hats what happenes to me anyway. Id look for something s/h for about £600 you’d get a proper bike then.

PISH.

Hammerrite, I agree but it just goes to show that a mega bike isnt required to go fast! 🙂

Have a look at Merlin Cycles in Lancashire.
Their own brand road bikes seem pretty good for the money.