CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Buying a used a bike

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  1. Ed1
    Member

    Looking for another bike ideally used tourer I think.

    Since getting my bike last summer I have done about 1700miles. I have been using it to go to work once a week and at weekends.

    AS I cycle more I find my bike a bit small it’s a size large I am just over 6 foot. Because I live in the country very few of my journeys are less than 5 miles so I thought may be a tourer would best so I could cycle everyday to work in summer.

    I was looking on line last week and decided what I need is something like a dawes galaxy ideally steel frame, I noticed a dawes galaxy on line in soul cycle size 58 steel frame on Monday for £375 and went to buy it on Thursday but it was sold the day before.

    I was wondering where is the best place to buy a used bike on line or just keep checking the bike shops web sites. I was thinking a steel frame size 58 or 59 a tourer or another bike I could add a butter fly as not sure if fit enough for a racer, also the narrow wheels may not work so well in the pot holes on my road so tourer may be best.

    I bought a brooks from cycle discount in Germany for 50 but think may be steal frame bike would be better still as wrists still get numb from vibration although part of that is having a flat bar with only one handlebar position.

    I have been noticing the bikes that go past my house on ncr 75 most do not have flat bars unlike in edinburgh where flat bars are the most common so bars may be part of the issue on my regular 12 mile journey.

    I see on line some bikes are 20 or 30 year old would I be correct in assuming I should avoid anything with old wheel sizes as tires could be problematic?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    Lotsa questions (all valid).

    My first reaction is to say 'spend a bit of time searching here for previous posts' - but I am aware that "Search" can be a bit unsatisfactory.

    Generally I would say -

    'Convention' has it dropped bars are 'better' for longer distance (reasons - can get lower in headwinds and more places to put your hands). But they don't apply to or suit everyone - borrow a bike with drops before you buy one.

    'Older sizes' any non 'mountain' bike less than 30 years old will have 'standard' 700c rather than 27 1 1/4".

    BEST option is to get one on ebay described as 27" wheels when you *know* it's 700, but...

    Meanwhile phone up Eastsidebikes and ask if they have anything.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. Uberuce
    Member

    I find flats are perfectly comfy for thirty miles at a time, but above that I need bar extenders or my wrists are a ruin by the time I'm done. The downside of them is that your hands are off the brakes and shifters.

    Numb hands from vibration suggests your fork and/or front tyre are the culprits. An aluminium fork with a skinny tyre is the harshest combination. Steel and carbon are both good for reducing the buzz, as are bigger tyres. If that doesn't work it's maybe time to think about light suspension, but that's a lot of weight and energy.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. gembo
    Member

    Noticed the new EBC tourer comes in three models. The highest spec ( curiously the same price as the one below) has butterfly bars, not seen them for a while. Mostly I cycle with my hands on the hoods of the brakes which is the same as bullhorns as others have pointed out. Drops only really used into the wind. I can occasionally be found with hands close together applying frog leg brakes from the flat bit of the bars. But this is rare. So the butterfly bars have more options but they look kind of odd. Drops used to be a way of reducing the likelihood of bike getting nicked as to many thieves and people who buy bikes from thieves, drops look odd. The bicycle thieves I met one in Wester Hailes were very intrigued by the frog leg brakes. Bicycle thieves like bikes too.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. sallyhinch
    Member

    I love my butterfly bars, and they attract a lot of attention (some people don't like the way they look). They definitely sorted out the problem of numbness on longer rides and I was never going to go down onto the drops anyway, so they really work for me.

    I got my steel frame tourer from Common Wheel in Glasgow. They seem to be able to get their hands on some nice old-school steel frames. They're not as cheap as some of the other bike recycling places and quite slow but if you email them your requirements they will look out for a frame for you, and then build it up to your spec (at least that's what they did for me). I've had mine for almost six years now and it's been pretty much perfect for me.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. sallyhinch
    Member

    PS this is the result (as delivered - it since got a Brooks saddle and a kickstand)

    https://cityexile.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/saracen.jpg

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. gembo
    Member

    @sallyhinch, nice bike. The butterfly bars on the EBC one are set at a higher angle, your set up is flatter, indeed in the picture the saddle and the bars run nicely in parallel with the line between the bricks and the Harling./ artex

    Note also world yarn day festival in edinburgh today and maybe yesterday?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    "Meanwhile phone up Eastsidebikes and ask if they have anything."

    Yes, they quite often have nice old tourers in. I had my eye on one a while back, but it was too big for me - would have suited you nicely I suspect.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. crowriver
    Member

    @sallyhinch, that's a lovely bike but I'd put drop bars on it personally.

    If I ever get around to building up my steel framed MTB tourer project I'm going to try butterfly bars on it.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. sallyhinch
    Member

    @Crowriver The original frame did have drop bars so it would be easy enough to revert but the one and only time I tried a drop bar bike, I braked suddenly and went over the handlebars so I didn't fancy trying them again.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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