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Originally posted by carpmart

My son and I want to do some cycling this summer, just on cycle tracks, v light off road and grass trails and we need a couple of bikes. We are both 5'8" although he is 14 and still growing, whilst I have 'peaked'

Can you recommend where I can buy a couple of suitable machines?bicycles can be divided roughly itno 3 categories:
a) road bikes aka racing
b) off-road bikes aka moutain (mtb) all terrain (atb)
c) hybrid

a) are for heads down, light frames with light wheels with narrow tyres for zooming on roads.

b) have thicker tyres and smaller (testicular clearance ) more robust frames to take pounding off road. they can have suspension on front and on the rear. NB - if you plan to use it only on road, fit slicks as the knobblies slow you down a fair bit.

c) I'd rather not talk about. (since I have no interest in those hence no FA about them).



I am more than happy to buy second hand if someone has one or more for sale or several people have got one?

I would recommend looking on ebay - htat is where I bought my last couple of bikes from. My recommendation is to consider a mountain bike, 18 inch frame max. for you with front suspension. if your budget stretches to hydraulic disc brakes, then for for it.



What do you get for your money? Is lightness the key for more money?

do not be tempted to go for full suspension at low budget.
quick and rough guider.
sub £ 100 full sys = crap e.g. Argos /Tesco

£ 250+ you are in decent front suspension territory

£ 500+ full suspension with hydraulic disc brakes

£ 1,000 + full suspension with built in lightness and decent componentry

£ 2000 + carbon fibre goodness and is just showing off!

these are new prices in shops; on ebay you can almost halve that, either on last year's models or nearly new s/h.

the more you pay, the better the components are - i.e. realiable under pressure, work longer, need less adjustment, perform better, are lighter etc.

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Originally posted by big_wasa
Look in the proper bike shops. Look for last years model or even 2007 models.

Ive just bought a really nice bike to go to work on in the nice weather. Its new but a 2007 model and was about 1/3 list price.

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Originally posted by carpmart
I am still unsure of the makes (brand) of bikes I should be looking at?

I don't want an Argos/Tesco/Halfrauds special, rather something a little more quality!

What should the frame be made of, Aluminum or steel? (can't afford carbon fibre)
When you are in the decent bike territory, there is nothing wrong with steel. It is ok skool, much like using a crossflow instead of a BEC but fashion dictates function so majority frames are aluminium. It is probably esier to make a mediocre aluminium frame weigh less than a decent steel one, but for your purposes, we'll stick to aluminium.

Please can someone post an example of a nice quality bike on ebay so I can baseline my search!

Thanks!

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