new bike?

Nick said:

I've ridden and maintained bikes for about 30 years. I mostly use them for
bashing around town, but also want to do the occasional medium length ride,
and also tour for a couple of weeks a year (only 40-50 miles a day).

My last bike (old Dawes frame, which over time I'd fitted up with chainwheel
etc to suit) has been pinched (O tempores, O mores...), so I'm looking at a
replacement up to about £400. Possibilities:

<snip>

How about a Dawes Horizon? You can pick one up in Last Year's Colour
for under £400 and you've get everything you need in a good solid
tourer. A good tourer is usually a fine "do anything" bike.

Quoted message said:

In this price range (and for my intended use) I want to steer clear of
suspension and gadgets, or MTB style things (too much engineering for my
purposes) but want a lightish quality bike that will be suitable for both my
intended uses. And should I go for dropped handlebars rather than flats? I'm
used to drops, but fancied a change.

Do you fancy a change because drops are being a problem? If so, change,
but change for the sake of change isn't really worth it. The main
problem with drops is they take some getting used to and/or comfort
issues with the forward position leaning too much weight, but you've
clearly done the getting used to them bit. You can always retrofit flat
bars to a Horizon.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Interesting, thank you. Where can I pick up these bargain bikes?

Nick

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Nick said:

I've ridden and maintained bikes for about 30 years. I mostly use them for
bashing around town, but also want to do the occasional medium length

ride,

Quoted message said:

and also tour for a couple of weeks a year (only 40-50 miles a day).

My last bike (old Dawes frame, which over time I'd fitted up with

chainwheel

Quoted message said:

etc to suit) has been pinched (O tempores, O mores...), so I'm looking at

a

Quoted message said:

replacement up to about £400. Possibilities:

<snip>

How about a Dawes Horizon? You can pick one up in Last Year's Colour
for under £400 and you've get everything you need in a good solid
tourer. A good tourer is usually a fine "do anything" bike.

Quoted message said:

In this price range (and for my intended use) I want to steer clear of
suspension and gadgets, or MTB style things (too much engineering for my
purposes) but want a lightish quality bike that will be suitable for both

my

Quoted message said:

intended uses. And should I go for dropped handlebars rather than flats?

I'm

Quoted message said:

used to drops, but fancied a change.

Do you fancy a change because drops are being a problem? If so, change,
but change for the sake of change isn't really worth it. The main
problem with drops is they take some getting used to and/or comfort
issues with the forward position leaning too much weight, but you've
clearly done the getting used to them bit. You can always retrofit flat
bars to a Horizon.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 12:42:27 GMT, Nick <nickandoscar@REMOVE THIS TO

REPLYtiscali.co.uk said:

Interesting, thank you. Where can I pick up these bargain bikes?

Check out the ads in the back of various mags?

Depending on how big you are you could also check out the Edinburgh
Country '03 (from EBC) this is (or was a couple of years ago) a rebadged
Horizon. They only have 55cm frames left but they are a few pennies under
400.

Colin

Nick said:

Interesting, thank you. Where can I pick up these bargain bikes?

Nick

Go here: www.google.co.uk
Enter: 2004 Dawes Horizon

Check first result - £400.

Google *is* your friend 😉

--
Chris

in message <[email hidden]>, Nick

('nickandoscar@REMOVE THIS TO REPLYtiscali.co.uk') said:

I've ridden and maintained bikes for about 30 years. I mostly use them
for bashing around town, but also want to do the occasional medium
length ride, and also tour for a couple of weeks a year (only 40-50
miles a day).

My last bike (old Dawes frame, which over time I'd fitted up with
chainwheel etc to suit) has been pinched (O tempores, O mores...), so
I'm looking at a replacement up to about £400. Possibilities:

1) Ridgeback Storm, but I'm worried that the frame geometry means this
will be hard to ride for any distance; certainly for touring.

Nothing wrong with the frame geometry; 'compact' frames are well liked
by tourers and road racers these days, said to be stiffer. Quite wide
tyres of you intend it only for tarmac use. Reasonable quality build
kit.

Quoted message said:

2) Specialized Sirrus/ Sirrus Sport (2004 model reduced), but the
ratios look a bit high for me (I can't see myself using 52:11)

On the spec, a very nice bike. If you've got 24 gears, what does it
matter if you don't think you'll use one of them? Mind you, I'm pretty
sure if you had it you would use it.

Quoted message said:

3) Marin Larkspur

Again, looks fine. The CroMo fork will probably be more forgiving than
aluminium.

Quoted message said:

4) Ridgeback Velocity or Bullit.

On the whole the Velocity looks a better bike for road use than the
Storm (in particular that fork should be more forgiving) but the build
kit isn't as good. The Bullit has better build kit.

Quoted message said:

In this price range (and for my intended use) I want to steer clear of
suspension and gadgets, or MTB style things (too much engineering for
my purposes) but want a lightish quality bike that will be suitable
for both my intended uses. And should I go for dropped handlebars
rather than flats? I'm used to drops, but fancied a change.

For road riding (unless in very urban situations) I would always prefer
drops.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; All in all you're just another hick in the mall
-- Drink C'lloid