[procrj]

Originally Posted by Juggy

ProCycle is closer to BDA COMPLEX than Toit (on 100 feet road). They also have a branch in Jakkasandra, which may be closer for OP. Check contacts on procycle.in. And why not Decathlon?

Will check it out. Thanks. Decathlon does not service non decathlon bikes

[nareshov]

Originally Posted by Juggy

ProCycle is closer to BDA COMPLEX than Toit (on 100 feet road). They also have a branch in Jakkasandra, which may be closer for OP. Check contacts on procycle.in. And why not Decathlon?

Ah, wasn't aware of their Jakkasandra outlet. Thanks!

Re: decathlon: I heard they don't service non-decathlon sold cycles anymore.

[shyamk]

Interesting points ! However,

1. A bicycle cannot be compared to a motorcycle. The effort, motivation and commitment is far higher towards a cycle.

2. It is hard to expect a decent resale value for a high end cycle. As a buyer, one would think twice when one needs to pay 18 or 15k for a used cycle, when one can get a new one for 20k. Hence, the loss that one makes during resale is very high.

3. It took 10+ years for most people, particularly us Indians, to see through the marketing hype in running shoes. People plonked 6-8k on fancy running shoes, only to use them for general purpose wear. The number of barefoot runners and runners in sandals are just increasing everyday ! I guess it would need another 10 years for us to see through the hype in bicycling.

I hope to be there when the cycling hype dies down so that I can get some nice ones at a bargain ;-)

Shyam

PS: For those folks interested in getting some practical no nonsense advice in buying a bicycle, head over to RR cycles in Madiwala and speak to the owner Rakesh. They have a shop in Marathahalli too.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by shyamk

Interesting points ! However,

1. A bicycle cannot be compared to a motorcycle. The effort, motivation and commitment is far higher towards a cycle.

2. It is hard to expect a decent resale value for a high end cycle. As a buyer, one would think twice when one needs to pay 18 or 15k for a used cycle, when one can get a new one for 20k. Hence, the loss that one makes during resale is very high.

3. It took 10+ years for most people, particularly us Indians, to see through the marketing hype in running shoes. People plonked 6-8k on fancy running shoes, only to use them for general purpose wear. The number of barefoot runners and runners in sandals are just increasing everyday ! I guess it would need another 10 years for us to see through the hype in bicycling.

I hope to be there when the cycling hype dies down so that I can get some nice ones at a bargain ;-)

Shyam

PS: For those folks interested in getting some practical no nonsense advice in buying a bicycle, head over to RR cycles in Madiwala and speak to the owner Rakesh. They have a shop in Marathahalli too.

Shyam,

I'm afraid while I agree with the spirit, I'm going to have to disagree with you on most of the points because they seem mostly ill/half-informed - in no less degree a measure of your choice of trusted advisor. More on that later.

1. YES - You need to work, not just twirl the throttle

2. You would be surprised. People like me are still okay marking down old bicycles fairly but over at bikeszone, we've had folks asking for almost as much as what they paid for the bike (http://www.bikeszone.com/forum/viewt...hp?f=8&t=12477 is a close example, there were others trying to resell for a profit). All courtesy bad economic policies by govt and INR depreciation.

The question to ask yourself is - do you buy any white good for its resale value or for the value it gives you for a peaceful 3-5-7 years of service?

3. You have talked about the hype in bicycling without mentioning what it is. I think there's no hype but I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing. So I can't disagree on what you're saying, unless you actually say what you are hinting about!


RR cycles has a history of being low priced and not offering much else except deals. See threads over at BZ for more details: http://www.bikeszone.com/forum/viewt...p?f=14&t=10374 (read how they tried to sell a large sized frame to someone who neededa small frame - practical no nonsense advise? My foot!) http://www.bikeszone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7729 http://bikeszone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2182

Better dealers in Bangalore are http://www.bumsonthesaddle.com http://www.wheelsports.in and http://www.pedalsandwheels.com - i've used wheelsports and they are top notch.

[shyamk]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

RR cycles has a history of being low priced and not offering much else except deals. See threads over at BZ for more details: http://www.bikeszone.com/forum/viewt...p?f=14&t=10374 (read how they tried to sell a large sized frame to someone who neededa small frame - practical no nonsense advise? My foot!) http://www.bikeszone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7729 http://bikeszone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2182

Better dealers in Bangalore are http://www.bumsonthesaddle.com http://www.wheelsports.in and http://www.pedalsandwheels.com - i've used wheelsports and they are top notch.

Time will tell the meaning of the word hype used in this context ;-)

Maybe your experience with RR cycles varies, but when I took the bent handle bar of my Fiji to Rakesh, he was the only guy who able to mend it, while both BOTS and wheelsports gave up on it.

Further, according to both BOTS & wheelsports, the front derailerur of my FIJI is a complete mismatch and needs to be replaced, while Rakesh was able to tune is perfectly well.

Three brevet rides and a bunch of 100km rides later, it is still going strong.

And there are a host of my friends who have had cycles given up by others (damaged hubs, missing spokes), but Rakesh has been able to get them back on the road.

Shyam

[Juggy]

Originally Posted by shyamk

Time will tell the meaning of the word hype used in this context ;-)

Shyam, I agree with your 'running shoes hyped' anecdote!! Been there, done that! And hard to find anything wrong in your initial contention. I Quote 'Spending 20-30k STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BAT for a cycle is something I would never ever suggest. The buyer needs to understand his motivation levels and his ability to continue cycling (in terms of time available).'

Strangely, in my limited experience, some of these 'high-end shops' don't endorse the 'beginner hype' some folks here feel for riding the 'best u can almost not afford'!!

[kumar2007]

Originally Posted by shyamk

Time will tell the meaning of the word hype used in this context ;-)

Maybe your experience with RR cycles varies, but when I took the bent handle bar of my Fiji to Rakesh, he was the only guy who able to mend it, while both BOTS and wheelsports gave up on it.


Shyam

A bent alloy bar straightened out is not safe. Maybe that's why the better shops gave up on it?

[madhu33]

Originally Posted by madhu33

I bought bought FUJI Traverse 1.3(Hybrid ) on 13/10/2013.

It costed me Rs 29500/-. (I started the hunt with a budget of rs 18000/- )
Took it out for a spin today morning for the 1st time .
And hell : The suspension lock out cap which was there when i started off was missing by the time i was back after a 15 km ride.
Attaching pic of the same .



This is not what you want after spending that much on a cycle.



I think it is mistake by going in for a lesser known brand "FUJI"
I bought this from BIKE SHARK Borivli(w) . The guy there - Dhiren has been cooperative so far. But it now needs to be seen that he is actually able to help me on this very promptly.
Again i repeat it is indeed disheartening to see things falling apart right from the 1st ride itself after having spent a fortune.



Regards
Madhu
9867889940

Originally Posted by madhu33

Edit update :
I had written emails to Advanced Sports international - USA(owner - Fuji brand) and also the Indian dealers listed on their website - M/s Long Shine international pvt ltd on 17/10/2013 and also to Fomas cycles and Cyclocraft.

I got a call back from M/s Longshine international(Ms Phiroza) on 18/10/2013 confirming that the issue would be resolved asap.
However she was unable to commit any date .
She indicated that the required part would be imported from Taiwan and this would need at least 15 days .
So fingers crossed for now.

And yes in the meanwhile i have taken my bike out for a spin totally for 4 times now (done approx 50kms) . No more issues so far.
Keeping my fingers crossed.

The suspension lock out cap had come but some how they could not fit it on my fork. I had to then write again to Advanced sports INC &Long shine international. They have finally replaced the complete fork of my bike.
Fortunately i have got satisfactory after sales service and warranty claim settlement from FUJI.
Completely into cycling now a days and enjoying.
I begun on 17/10/2013 and have rode approx 400kms so far.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by Juggy

Shyam, I agree with your 'running shoes hyped' anecdote!! Been there, done that! And hard to find anything wrong in your initial contention. I Quote 'Spending 20-30k STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BAT for a cycle is something I would never ever suggest. The buyer needs to understand his motivation levels and his ability to continue cycling (in terms of time available).'

Strangely, in my limited experience, some of these 'high-end shops' don't endorse the 'beginner hype' some folks here feel for riding the 'best u can almost not afford'!!

Juggy my friend,

You are mixing two things - price with willingness/motivation. The motivation is key, no two ways about it - like I have said elsewhere earlier, unlike a treadmill, there's precious little use for a stationary bike. You can't even dry your clothes on it, unlike the treadmill!

As for price - Its just how the market is - helped in no small measure by the INR depreciation and our government's short sighted policies.

Let me ask you a different question - do you get a car or even a car-like object in anything less than two lakhs in India (say BLR?) - the starter is a nano, right?

Even then, a GOOD starter car is say the alto 800, which comes closer to three lakhs, right?

let me not even go into how its otherwise considered perfectly fine to advise spending 30-40k STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BAT for a phone that becomes history in less than two years :-)

Let me ask you a different question - how many miles have you ridden on how many bikes (esp the foreign brands/Indian montra/firefox etc)?

IMNSHO - there is a very small number of people who have logged serious miles (say anything over 2-3k or more) on such bikes, and find cycling to be like the 'running shoes hyped' anecdote! If you still believe that way after logging many miles, let's connect - I would love to fully hear your contrarian opinion!

Please also share your experience on the "Strangely, in my limited experience, some of these 'high-end shops' don't endorse the 'beginner hype'" as well.

[kumar2007]

Originally Posted by Juggy

Shyam, I agree with your 'running shoes hyped' anecdote!! Been there, done that! And hard to find anything wrong in your initial contention. I Quote 'Spending 20-30k STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BAT for a cycle is something I would never ever suggest. The buyer needs to understand his motivation levels and his ability to continue cycling (in terms of time available).'

Strangely, in my limited experience, some of these 'high-end shops' don't endorse the 'beginner hype' some folks here feel for riding the 'best u can almost not afford'!!

Highlighted the most important line of your post.

Read Phamilyman's post above for a more complete explanation.

[kumar2007]

Okay, I think my previous post was inadequate.

When you do long rides, especially far away from home, you need reliability. A lot of that comes with better quality components. A lot of what you pay for goes towards comfort too, again a requirement for long rides.

What Phamilman said is also true. No one bats an eyelid about spluging for an iphone, but half of that for a bicycle which will give you many more years of life, is considered an over spend?

[karan86]

What began as a hunt for a decent bicycle with a budget of 8-9k, finally bought a Maxit MX100 hybrid from hyper city for 15,500, did visit firefox to find similar bikes for about 18-19k, however those ones had disc brakes, which i find unnecessary for a bicycle, build wise in the 15-20 price bracket, almost all available brands offer similar products with different names.
Had to decide between a Kemmel for 7k, which had no front deraileurs, and has a very large distance between the seat and the bars, making it uncomfortable even for a 6 footer like me, between an Oyama and the Maxit, the Oyama was 2 grands more, although felt heavier than the Maxit.

The Good:- Has Shimano tourney 3x7 shifters, shimano rear cassette, alloy construction, no disc brakes, front suspension which works well, rides well, 1 year warranty.
The not so Good:- Hyper city is not a specialist bicycle store, they sent me a bike without any manual which had poorly shifting front cogs. I tried DIY, watching youtube, ended up breaking the front deraileur adjuster barrel :-).

Accessorries:- Bought a planet bike 3 Led blinky for 199, the bracket around the seat pole has cracked somehow and makes the lamp move 360 degrees now.
Bought a Btwin air pump for 199, works alright.

Verdict :- Have ridden about 100 odd kms in a week, took time adjusting to using the front half of my foot to pedal, keeping the heel off it, as i figured is the right way to do it, thanks to youtube. The wheels are narrow since it is a hybrid, i managed to find a drainage cover on the streets, the one which is vertically grilled, and the grills run parallel to moving traffic, since i was experimenting, the front wheel did manage to find its lower quarter stuck inside, have to careful about those :-)
TO sum it up, the bike is fun, rides smooth, does its job :-)

[Aditya]

Indian racing driver Karun Chandok, has launched a charity cycling event called “KC500 presented by Montra”. The ride will cover a distance of 500 km from Chennai to Kodaikanal, with stopovers at Pondicherry, Tanjore and Madurai.

Link to News Article

[a4anurag]

Bt'win ROCK RIDER 5.0

Hello to all!

Have been reading and following this thread silently from the past 4 months (since the time the cycling thing entered my head). Back to the cycling world after a gap of 10 years so I am considering myself as a Newbie

Budget: 10K maximum.
Brand: Anything.

Flashback - Early Sept'13:

Started reading the details on other forums for bikes available in 10K range. 90% of the sites (incl T-BHP) recommended the RR 5.0. After a few days my enthusiasm was lost and pressure at work place was such that I hardly got time to sleep. Days passed and then came mid-November where a Hyd T-BHP'ian bought an RR 5.0. Started bombarding him with questions on the ride and feel of the RR 5.0. He was pretty happy with it. Made my mind up for the RR 5.0.

06.12.2013:

Went to Decathlon, Hyderabad to just look at the bike and have a TD of it before purchase. Spoke with the sales guy and he explained about it. Gave a Trial bike and asked me to go around for TD. Just rode around their building and found it to be good. Came back to the store and just paid the cash!

Size: L

Total Cost

RR 5.0: Rs 8999

Accessories:

1. Stand: Rs 499
2. Pump: 499
3. Gel Saddle cushion: Rs 139
4. Bottle Holder: 139
5. Bell: FOC
6. Bottle: FOC
7. Allen Key: FOC
8. Spanner: FOC

Total Damage: Rs 10275.

Pending Purchases:

Helmet: The one helmet that I liked had a slight crack on it so the sales guy asked me visit again in a day or two as they will get the fresh stock of helmets after which I can buy it. It had an warning lamp on the rear too. MRP: 1699.

Gloves: Need Suggestions

Free Service:

6th month from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

I am happy with the look and feel of the cycle and the purchase @ Decathlon. The sales guys says that the tyre pressure should be between 40-45 psi.

The cycle doesn't give a cheap (low cost) feel as the attention to detail is very good, like in places where the cables are in contact with the frame a rubber cover is given to avoid scratches and damage to the cable.

I did drive for the first time today for 6 kms. Tired and I am feeling a bit pressure on my palm and a sore bottom. I know that this will get sorted out after practice as the body should get used to it. Will update accordingly.

OT: These guys sell around 20-25 RR 5.0 every Sunday. Which I feel is a good number for a budget cycle.

Now let the pictures do the talking:





















Smaller yet significant things:





Cheers,
Anurag.

[shijinpr]

Its almost 1 year I am Into cycling. Did a Nandi Hills Ride on 24 Nov, Sunday. It was on the Bangalore cycle day so thought of skipping the same and head towards Nandi Hills.

We started from our Whitefield home at 4 am. Took Whitefield-Hoskote Highway-Siva's Road-Devanahalli-Nandi Hills route.

Took the first break after 34 Kms (do not know the place, Devanahalli was 4 kms from here) at 6 am. Had a early morning nuts and raisins breakfast.

The next stop was Nandi Foot hills at 745 am. Had a relaxed breakfast of Idly, Vada, Coffee. Set off for the mega climb. It started at 9 am. It was my first Nandi Ride, other two buddies it was 2nd and third respectively.

I did pedal for the first 3 kms and I was stadily loosing my steam. I told my buddies to countinue with the Climb and took a break. I planned myself, I will climb for one km take a break, pedal for one more, repeat the cycle and reach the top. Quite an easier one.

Pedalled for 1 km, took a break, completed the next km, by then I was about to collapse. Need to go for next 3 more kms and the steep incline and curves really drained juices out of me.

Told to myself its just 3 kms and I am top of the hills and with a new determination started the climb. Could pedalled for next 500 mts had to stop. Took a break and started the climb and this time its was only for 300 mts. The distance steadily declined and finally resorted to pushing the bike which was also not too easy.

Finally I perisited and reached top at 930am after a full 1.5 hours. My buddies was waiting for ame they were really happy to see I finally made it. The ODO meter showed 61 kms. I was almost a dead man, took the parking ticket secured our bikes, and though of taking a stroll. Oh, I was merely not able to walk and settled to a cement bench and it felt heavenly, told my buddies to carry on with their stroll.

Relaxed, had few swigs of electral. After 15 mts I was feeling better. Had some nuts and rasins and relaxed for another 15 mts and I could feel that I am regaining the lost strength.

By then my buddies joined and the thought of pedalling another 61 kms was giving all of us jitters. The sun was showing its full power.

Unlocked our bilkes, had a snicker meal and set off at 11 am. The ride down oh, boy its a unique experience. Pure rush of adrenallin, the fresh air on your face, what it took 1.5 hrs up-hill, literally crawling towards the last leg. was completd in a mere 10 mts. I clocked the max speed of 52 kms, the highest I have experienced in cycling.

It was quite sunny and we were making good progress. Reached Devanahalli town at 1145. Had a hearty meal of Burger ans shake.Took two more breaks and reached home at 1445. Below is the stats:

Distance 127.2km, Elevation 1,415m, Moving Time 7:18:24, Calories Burned:4,023 .

My mother asked me how do you feel, told her I know now, how clothes would feel after a tumble in the washing machine.

Had a hot shower, had my proper lunch, slept for 2 hours. Woke up, took my family for spin.

Next day I was feeling great Went to office, eager to share the ride details with my colleagues!!

Asked to myself, will I attempt for the next Nandi hills ride and the answer was a big YES!!