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Chris Boyle

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Dear Lazyweb: bike buying advice please [Dec. 28th, 2008|10:58 am]
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My bike is old (over 10 years), rusty, worn, bent, unreliable, possibly heavier than necessary and generally not fun, so I drive more often than is sensible (especially to work). This Christmas I've received some money towards a new one. I know Cambridge and the web are full of bike shops, but don't know which shops/bikes are any good, which is where I'm hoping you can help me. I have the following requirements:
  • Suitable for travel around Cambridge and Milton on roads, cycle paths, perhaps through occasional woodland (I won't be going up any mountains). Road vs. town & trail, help?
  • As non-tiring as possible to ride. I'm guessing a reclining bike isn't economical here, but a good set of gears and lighter frame are?
  • Quick and easy to reliably secure in e.g. central Cambridge, which doesn't seem to have enough available D-lockable objects. Are D-locks still significantly more secure than the alternatives? Bonus points for permanently-attached lights, but that can probably be achieved on any bike, can't it?
  • Long-lasting. I expect to need a good bike for the foreseeable future. It'll be in a shed at home, and under cover at work, but exposed to the elements in town.
  • Value for money (not necessarily cheap). I can spend £600 if it will actually make that much difference to the above. That does include the security considerations though: there's no point buying something that someone will angle-grind the lock off the first time I leave it in a less safe part of Cambridge.
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Comments:
From: [info]lizzip.livejournal.com
2008-12-28 05:19 am (UTC)

(Link)

Townsends - the Light Blue Cycle Shop - are generally very good and is where my family normally goes. Station Cycles (now with a branch in the city centre) also seem to be generally helpful. Both will be able to give you better advice than I can :)

Furthermore, both of them give discounts on production of a CUSU card, if you'd like me to accompany you when buying...
From: (Anonymous)
2008-12-28 09:50 am (UTC)

(Link)

cam.transport are bound to have useful advice. I have a chain and padlock rather than a D-lock, which gives much more flexibility in attaching it to things than a rigid lock.

IME Cambridge is stuffed full of places to lock to if you don't mind a trivial walk to your actual destination - I've never failed to find a place to lock up the Grand Arcade and Park Street bike parks for instance.