Claud Butler Roubaix?

IMO you would be better off spending the same money on a secondhand bike - you would get much more
for your money.

hth

Chris

Rick said:

My LBS has the bike in the subject line for £399. I must admit, I do like
it. However, the price seems to be the RRP, and like everyone, I like to feel I am getting at
least a little bit of a bargain, rather than paying the full whack. Especially at this time of
year, when there is much price cutting of last year's models going on.

So do people think the Butler's worth the money (according to the salesman, it is the 2004 model,
but he didn't appear very convincing, just agreed with me when I asked if it was)? I'm a beginner,
and 14 stone, so frame weight doesn't make that much of a difference. However, it would be nice to
have something that isn't of use *only* to beginners. I don't want to spend significantly more
than that amount of money though, perhaps a max of £550. For which I could almost get a Saracen
Aubisque (discounted), in the mag ads, though not at my local shops. Would that (or similar) be a
much better bike?

Also, this Butler has a double chainset. Would I suffer without a triple to get up hills, or
would I quickly get used to it? I'm reasonably fit through doing a lot of running, but not
cycling kind of fit.

Be grateful for any advice. TIA!

Richard

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

Quoted message said:

IMO you would be better off spending the same money on a secondhand bike - you would get much more
for your money.

hth

Chris

Thanks for the reply, Chris. Of course, I realise I could get a much better bike second hand, but
there are too many "ifs". *If* it has been well looked after (I don't know much about bikes
mechanically), *if* I find a suitable one for sale with the right frame size, *if* there is one for
sale in my local area, etc etc. I mean, I see many a nice bike in the classifieds in Cycling Weekly
etc, but the ones I might be interested in tend to be in Hampshire or Scotland, etc, and I am in
Nottingham! Plus, if anything wrong there is no guarantee or anything. That's what puts me off
buying second hand. And at least in a shop, you can see a lot of bikes at the same time, whereas
you have to spend a lot of time and money seeing private second hand bikes all over the place, one
at a time.

Thanks for the input, though.

Quoted message said:

Rick said:

My LBS has the bike in the subject line for £399. I must admit, I do

like

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it. However, the price seems to be the RRP, and like everyone, I like to feel I am getting at
least a little bit of a bargain, rather than paying the full whack. Especially at this time
of year, when there is much price cutting of last year's models going on.

So do people think the Butler's worth the money (according to the salesman, it is the 2004
model, but he didn't appear very convincing, just agreed with me when I asked if it was)? I'm a
beginner, and 14 stone, so frame

weight

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

doesn't make that much of a difference. However, it would be nice to

have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

something that isn't of use *only* to beginners. I don't want to spend significantly more than
that amount of money though, perhaps a max of £550. For which I could almost get a Saracen
Aubisque (discounted), in the mag ads, though not at my local shops. Would that (or similar) be
a much better bike?

Also, this Butler has a double chainset. Would I suffer without a triple to get up hills, or
would I quickly get used to it? I'm reasonably fit through doing a lot of running, but not
cycling kind of fit.

Be grateful for any advice. TIA!

Richard

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗

Quoted message said:

Thanks for the reply, Chris. Of course, I realise I could get a much

better

Quoted message said:

bike second hand, but there are too many "ifs". *If* it has been well

looked

Quoted message said:

after (I don't know much about bikes mechanically), *if* I find a suitable one for sale with the
right frame size, *if* there is one for sale in my local area, etc etc. I mean, I see many a nice
bike in the classifieds in Cycling Weekly etc, but the ones I might be interested in tend to be in
Hampshire or Scotland, etc, and I am in Nottingham! Plus, if anything

wrong

Quoted message said:

there is no guarantee or anything. That's what puts me off buying second hand. And at least in a
shop, you can see a lot of bikes at the same time, whereas you have to spend a lot of time and
money seeing private second

hand

Quoted message said:

bikes all over the place, one at a time.

Bought my bike second hand from the LBS. This meant it was cheaper and they gave it the full
service, replacing parts that were worn etc. Also got set of lights and a lock thrown in so that
knocked £40 of the selling price (I had to ask of course). LBS seemed really happy with the sale so
perhaps I should have tried to knock the price down. Was slightly cheaper than equivalents in ebay
too (they seem to be about the most expensive place to buy secondhand bikes). Only problem with
buying second hand from LBS is that road bikes disappear *fast*.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Rick
My LBS has the bike in the subject line for £399. I must admit, I do like
it. However, the price seems to be the RRP, and like everyone, I like to feel I am getting at least
a little bit of a bargain, rather than paying the full whack. Especially at this time of year,
when there is much price cutting of last year's models going on.

So do people think the Butler's worth the money (according to the salesman, it is the 2004 model,
but he didn't appear very convincing, just agreed with me when I asked if it was)? I'm a beginner,
and 14 stone, so frame weight doesn't make that much of a difference. However, it would be nice to
have something that isn't of use *only* to beginners. I don't want to spend significantly more than
that amount of money though, perhaps a max of £550. For which I could almost get a Saracen Aubisque
(discounted), in the mag ads, though not at my local shops. Would that (or similar) be a much
better bike?

Also, this Butler has a double chainset. Would I suffer without a triple to get up hills, or
would I quickly get used to it? I'm reasonably fit through doing a lot of running, but not
cycling kind of fit.

Be grateful for any advice. TIA!

Richard

i too was looking a the cbr, but i think the cbm would be better

give eBay a go- seems alright and these were the first 2 i found

cbr:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3643075439&category=7298

although you might wanna look at the cbm:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3643074793&category=7298

20 quid postage and when it arrives id suggesting taking to LBS for a quick once over so add about 30 onto the price and you got a bargain!

Yup I understand excatly what you mean about the ifs. A couple of things that I would say
in response;

1. Try your LBS (Local Bike Shop) for secondhand bikes. A decent shop wont let you out of the door
with something unsuitable or unsafe. Sorry I dont know your area but if you ask around in this
group for good shops in the Notts area im sure there will be plenty of people ready to recommend
somewhere.

2. A Claud Butler of any spec these days is a pretty low end machine that might well put you off
cycling altogether. Im not being a snob here - the bikes are basically marketed to be pretty and
not much else. The spec of the components used means that once you start to ride it hard or
extensively you might end up with more mechanical problems with a brand new model than an older
one with decent quality kit. I think they are owned by Falcon now (at least they were 10 years
ago when I bought one of their mountain bikes) and they trade on the heritage and name rather
than the quality of the product.

Check out www.shimano-europe.com and www.campagnolo.com to get familiar with the "groupsets" that
bikes come fitted with - this along with the frame specs (too varied to generalise) will be a good
indicator of what you are buying. Im not too familiar with campag gear but shimano wise, anything in
the 105/ultegra/dura ace bracket is good quality race or distance worthy kit that you can rely on to
work well and be lightweight. The Tiagra and Sora groups are more aimed at the upper end of the
leisure market and will still be perfectly good albeit heavier and maybe not so reliable (consisting
of more plastic). My guess would be that £399 will get you a nice 3-4 year old bike with 105 bits.
£550 will get you an ultegra equiped thoroughbred of a similar age. Be careful with aluminium frames
at that age due to metal fatigue - i would go for a Reynolds 531 model - indestructible!

Good luck in your search - and I would certainly echo the other contributors advice - steer well
clear of eBay - unless you are selling ;-)

Cheers

Chris

Rick said:

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

Quoted message said:

IMO you would be better off spending the same money on a secondhand bike - you would get much
more for your money.

hth

Chris

Thanks for the reply, Chris. Of course, I realise I could get a much better bike second hand, but
there are too many "ifs". *If* it has been well looked after (I don't know much about bikes
mechanically), *if* I find a suitable one for sale with the right frame size, *if* there is one
for sale in my local area, etc etc. I mean, I see many a nice bike in the classifieds in Cycling
Weekly etc, but the ones I might be interested in tend to be in Hampshire or Scotland, etc, and I
am in Nottingham! Plus, if anything wrong there is no guarantee or anything. That's what puts me
off buying second hand. And at least in a shop, you can see a lot of bikes at the same time,
whereas you have to spend a lot of time and money seeing private second hand bikes all over the
place, one at a time.

Thanks for the input, though.

Quoted message said:

Rick said:

My LBS has the bike in the subject line for £399. I must admit, I do

like

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it. However, the price seems to be the RRP, and like everyone, I like

to

Quoted message said:

feel I am getting at least a little bit of a bargain, rather than

paying

Quoted message said:

the full whack. Especially at this time of year, when there is much price cutting of last
year's models going on.

So do people think the Butler's worth the money (according to the salesman, it is the 2004
model, but he didn't appear very convincing, just

agreed

Quoted message said:

with me when I asked if it was)? I'm a beginner, and 14 stone, so frame

weight

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

doesn't make that much of a difference. However, it would be nice to

have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

something that isn't of use *only* to beginners. I don't want to spend significantly more than
that amount of money though, perhaps a max of £550. For which I could almost get a Saracen
Aubisque (discounted), in the

mag

Quoted message said:

ads, though not at my local shops. Would that (or similar) be a much better bike?

Also, this Butler has a double chainset. Would I suffer without a

triple

Quoted message said:

to get up hills, or would I quickly get used to it? I'm reasonably fit through doing a lot of
running, but not cycling kind of fit.

Be grateful for any advice. TIA!

Richard

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗

Yup I understand excatly what you mean about the ifs. A couple of things that I would say
in response;

1. Try your LBS (Local Bike Shop) for secondhand bikes. A decent shop wont let you out of the door
with something unsuitable or unsafe. Sorry I dont know your area but if you ask around in this
group for good shops in the Notts area im sure there will be plenty of people ready to recommend
somewhere.

2. A Claud Butler of any spec these days is a pretty low end machine that might well put you off
cycling altogether. Im not being a snob here - the bikes are basically marketed to be pretty and
not much else. The spec of the components used means that once you start to ride it hard or
extensively you might end up with more mechanical problems with a brand new model than an older
one with decent quality kit. I think they are owned by Falcon now (at least they were 10 years
ago when I bought one of their mountain bikes) and they trade on the heritage and name rather
than the quality of the product.

Check out www.shimano-europe.com and www.campagnolo.com to get familiar with the "groupsets" that
bikes come fitted with - this along with the frame specs (too varied to generalise) will be a good
indicator of what you are buying. Im not too familiar with campag gear but shimano wise, anything in
the 105/ultegra/dura ace bracket is good quality race or distance worthy kit that you can rely on to
work well and be lightweight. The Tiagra and Sora groups are more aimed at the upper end of the
leisure market and will still be perfectly good albeit heavier and maybe not so reliable (consisting
of more plastic). My guess would be that £399 will get you a nice 3-4 year old bike with 105 bits.
£550 will get you an ultegra equiped thoroughbred of a similar age. Be careful with aluminium frames
at that age due to metal fatigue - i would go for a Reynolds 531 model - indestructible!

Good luck in your search - and I would certainly echo the other contributors advice - steer well
clear of eBay - unless you are selling ;-)

Cheers

Chris

Rick said:

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

Quoted message said:

IMO you would be better off spending the same money on a secondhand bike - you would get much
more for your money.

hth

Chris

Thanks for the reply, Chris. Of course, I realise I could get a much better bike second hand, but
there are too many "ifs". *If* it has been well looked after (I don't know much about bikes
mechanically), *if* I find a suitable one for sale with the right frame size, *if* there is one
for sale in my local area, etc etc. I mean, I see many a nice bike in the classifieds in Cycling
Weekly etc, but the ones I might be interested in tend to be in Hampshire or Scotland, etc, and I
am in Nottingham! Plus, if anything wrong there is no guarantee or anything. That's what puts me
off buying second hand. And at least in a shop, you can see a lot of bikes at the same time,
whereas you have to spend a lot of time and money seeing private second hand bikes all over the
place, one at a time.

Thanks for the input, though.

Quoted message said:

Rick said:

My LBS has the bike in the subject line for £399. I must admit, I do

like

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it. However, the price seems to be the RRP, and like everyone, I like

to

Quoted message said:

feel I am getting at least a little bit of a bargain, rather than

paying

Quoted message said:

the full whack. Especially at this time of year, when there is much price cutting of last
year's models going on.

So do people think the Butler's worth the money (according to the salesman, it is the 2004
model, but he didn't appear very convincing, just

agreed

Quoted message said:

with me when I asked if it was)? I'm a beginner, and 14 stone, so frame

weight

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

doesn't make that much of a difference. However, it would be nice to

have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

something that isn't of use *only* to beginners. I don't want to spend significantly more than
that amount of money though, perhaps a max of £550. For which I could almost get a Saracen
Aubisque (discounted), in the

mag

Quoted message said:

ads, though not at my local shops. Would that (or similar) be a much better bike?

Also, this Butler has a double chainset. Would I suffer without a

triple

Quoted message said:

to get up hills, or would I quickly get used to it? I'm reasonably fit through doing a lot of
running, but not cycling kind of fit.

Be grateful for any advice. TIA!

Richard

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗