[ebonho]

Originally Posted by greyhound82

Thanks so much Doc for the price estimate . Thanks much for the awesome suggestions and write up on cycling .

I was using my helmet from 2012(even with two accidents where one is a major one) onwards and from your post only I got to know the life cycle for helmet is around 5 years and the grading of the same

The helmet is the single most important piece of equipment for a cyclist. Unlike motorcyclists, we have nothing else remotely protective when we come off. And in terms of head injury impact, coming off a cycle is as lethal. Oftentimes more because we are so much more exposed and closer to the edge of the road and the falls are often very sudden and pretty violent.

Never save on a good helmet. And protect it exactly as you protect your high end bike AGV or Shoei.

The head inside the helmet remains the same.

Cheers, Doc

[sunbaj]

@Doc can you suggest a dry lube or even better a wax lube available in India. I am currently using a wet lube of Finish line and it is a pain to degrease the drivetrain as it is a sand/dry soil magnet. Am forced to clean the drivetrain almost at every 200 to 300 km.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by ebonho

We all start off like you.

Then when the tap opens it doesn't close.

How much did you spend ballpark 75 days on the road, including pre and post tour expenses?

Perspective ....

These bikes last a lifetime with the right care. And they are high end machines which you do not buy everyday.

If you want to rest the waters before upgrading, the Triban 100 flat bar is a good bike as well.

Cheers, Doc

P.S. The Trek FX1 with a steel fork and Altus/Tourney drivetrain costs about 35k.

I get what you're saying, considering you have been in this sport long enough. I have a bunch of other hobbies too and i just have to make sure everything averages out. Or else its game over.

I will also need to keep aside some money for quality gear, i understand. Hence going above 35 for the bike at this point is a bit tough. Am sure in the future if the bug bites hard and i convert from ordinary commuter/weekend warrior to endurance pro, i will make the required investments. That said i still would like a good bike for my money that i will enjoy riding, looking at, and working on by myself.

So between the Giant escape 3, Raleigh, Fairfax 1 and the Trek fx1, which would make the best purchase decision and why?

I am veering towards the fairfax 1.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/r...commuter-bike/

https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/best-hybrid-bikes

Fairfax 2 looks great too but man these things are knocking me out. Fairfax 2 is 48k. Get outta here!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

I get what you're saying, considering you have been in this sport long enough. I have a bunch of other hobbies too and i just have to make sure everything averages out. Or else its game over.

I will also need to keep aside some money for quality gear, i understand. Hence going above 35 for the bike at this point is a bit tough. Am sure in the future if the bug bites hard and i convert from ordinary commuter/weekend warrior to endurance pro, i will make the required investments. That said i still would like a good bike for my money that i will enjoy riding, looking at, and working on by myself.

So between the Giant escape 3, Raleigh, Fairfax 1 and the Trek fx1, which would make the best purchase decision and why?
.

Don't get me wrong. I started my serious journey into ultra cycling in a 5000 buck Hercules ACT 110.

But there is a huge difference in the sheer riding pleasure of a premium bike. So if you do not want to be upgrading too often, buy the bike that's just a bit too expensive for you currently.

It's good to have a budget in mind. If it's 35k then 35k it is.

Find all the hybrids that are available in your frame size in this budget and swing a leg over all of them and see which one you like riding the most.

Fit and feel

Weight

Fork material (carbon over steel over alloy)

Wheels and tyres (worth their weight in gold currently)

Drivetrain components and gear range

These are my list of points in the order of importance (wheels and fork are a tie actually).

Most modern gears shift beautiful when set up correctly. So as long as I have enough gears, I'm not too fussed about fancy drivetrain stuff.

Cheers, Doc

[AnniHilat0R]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

So between the Giant escape 3, Raleigh, Fairfax 1 and the Trek fx1, which would make the best purchase decision and why?

I am veering towards the fairfax 1.

Will throw a point in, considering the current stock situation, I would strongly advice you to also first check what Brand / Size stocks are available. Know so many friends who spent hours researching but when they finally sorted out their decision, were left disappointed as the bike stock was not available. So I would advice is check with your local shop and online vendors for Brand / Size availability and then jump into your selection.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Fairfax 2 looks great too but man these things are knocking me out. Fairfax 2 is 48k. Get outta here!

Please check out the Scott Subcross 50.

It's inside your budget and is a 24 speed compared to the other 21 speed bikes we've been discussing.

All have steel forks.

Cheers, Doc

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Champ! I didn’t diss any other brands. I know really little of this specific segment so I just listed some brands that “I” know are relatively easily available in most cities off the top of my head. They are not the only brands out there. If I didn’t put any other names down its probably because I’m not readily familiar with the options and names.

Agree there is very little to distinguish between most brands in that segment

Thanks Axe for your clarification. Yes, I didn't imagine you were dissing - just didn't want a newbie interpreting that list to mean those were brands he would probably do best with / should choose from.

And there are so many similar inquiries out there in this thread, so yeah - just wanted him and others to understand there are a LOT of decent budget-friendly cycles out there appropriate to the stated purpose, so it bears some looking around if you're in a place where other brands are on offer AND you've got good associated service people. One of the things I've liked about this thread is how often the Triban 100 gets recommended... you could say it's an underdog brand-wise and quite economically priced, but it really seems to be doing its job well and representing great bang-for-the-buck.

Sales pricing (not these days maybe, but in a more normal environment) can also get a rider some good upgrades and maybe aptly swing him/her in the right direction.

I find my (older) Merida completely annoying for how many times the Merida name is stuck all over the bike: multiples on grips, neck, saddle, seat-post, handle, rims... and at least six places on the frame - A silky, smooth runner that I've hardly had to service or adjust since the initial - but this one thing makes me averse and I hardly ride it...

...That kind of thing.

Thanks,
Eric

BTW - Doc - man - your personal transformation is almost unbelievable - and truly inspiring.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Thanks Axe for your clarification. Yes, I didn't think you were dissing - just didn't want a newbie interpreting that list to mean those were brands he would probably do best with / should choose from.

There are so many similar inquiries out there, so yeah - just wanted him and others to understand there are a LOT of decent budget-friendly cycles out there appropriate to the stated purpose, so it bears some looking around if you're in a place where other brands are on offer AND you've got good associated service people. One of the things I've liked about this thread is how often the Triban 100 gets recommended... you could say it's an underdog brand-wise and quite economically priced, but it really seems to be doing its job well and representing great bang-for-the-buck.

Thanks,
Eric

Its just that there are so many options out there online...and probably very few in stock to actually see and get a feel of!

I will step out tomorrow and visit a few shops around to see what they have and get an eye in. What would your recommendation be, since we are at it.

Motorcycles seem far easier to decide about.

[greyhound82]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Its just that there are so many options out there online...and probably very few in stock to actually see and get a feel of!

I will step out tomorrow and visit a few shops around to see what they have and get an eye in. What would your recommendation be, since we are at it.

Motorcycles seem far easier to decide about.

If you are in Bangalore , try out Bums On The Saddle store or Cycling Boutique( Am not associated with them , bought some components and accessories from them online. They were pretty helpful )
Another option is building one from components within your budget again I hope the above stores will help you on the same( you can choose to build one as per your requirement )

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by ebonho

About 8000. Have put approximate prices alongside each.
1. Bib Shorts 1500
2. quality helmet 2000
Cheers, Doc

Originally Posted by ebonho

The helmet is the single most important piece of equipment for a cyclist. Unlike motorcyclists, we have nothing else remotely protective when we come off. And in terms of head injury impact, coming off a cycle is as lethal. Oftentimes more because we are so much more exposed and closer to the edge of the road and the falls are often very sudden and pretty violent.

Never save on a good helmet. And protect it exactly as you protect your high end bike AGV or Shoei.

The head inside the helmet remains the same.

Cheers, Doc

Where do you buy the accessories from? The online prices don't seem to to be much higher than what you have given. For reference, I looked at the helmets on bumsonthesaddle
The range starts from 2500 and goes all the way to 27k. Which among these can be equated to an AGV of the motorcycle world?

I was looking for padded MTB shorts, and the cheapest I could get was for around 3.5k. That was from decathlon and looked like surfing broadshorts

PS: I have not had chance to physically look at accessories outside of decathlon. Their helmets didn't look very confidence inspiring to my inexperienced eyes and hence the search for something better.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Where do you buy the accessories from? The online prices don't seem to to be much higher than what you have given. For reference, I looked at the helmets on bumsonthesaddle
The range starts from 2500 and goes all the way to 27k. Which among these can be equated to an AGV of the motorcycle world?

I buy my shorts and most other stuff from Decathlon.

Quality at a decent price, with ironclad no questions asked returns policy.

Works for me.

For the pros, sky is the limit. An orbit where you find names like Castelli and the like

I rather buy more often than buy something that is supposed to last but costs the same as 4-5 times the normal stuff.

Everything ages and dies. And you get bored too.

My helmet is a Bell. Though Decathlon sells a couple of very decent In-Mould EPS helmets.

Cheers, Doc

[Red Liner]

I never thought I would one day be banging away on a bicycle thread on teambhp, but how the pandemic changes things. Even last year, I didn’t really care too much about getting a bicycle, but just like doc, a trip to the North East put things in perspective and I decided to get in some good habits in addition to the many I was already working on.

Back to topic though, and I have been reading a fair bit. So things like the sora group set, carbon forks etc do make a good difference. I looked up the triban 500 as well.

https://road.cc/content/review/decat...ad-bike-259930

Seems massively well rated. 60k? Double my budget.

The fairfax from Miran says that everything can be upgraded later on the bike. Is that a sensible way to approach this?

This is also my thought process. I am just getting started into the world of cycling. I would like a nice bike, that is good to look at and makes me want to ride every day (just like my KTM). But I also know that in a couple of years, when things get more serious, I will also have more money at my disposal to throw at this hobby. Maybe an upgrade then makes sense?

Would a budget hybrid around 35k work well for me for a few years, and then be kept as a second bike? Who knows if my interest veers towards road or MTB?

Or should I get something like the rc500 which seems to be really well rated everywhere for 60k? Does it really provide double the value or more over the Fairfax or something similar in the 35k range?

I should do a round of all the shops now and start getting a feel of things.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Back to topic though, and I have been reading a fair bit. So things like the sora group set, carbon forks etc do make a good difference. I looked up the triban 500 as well.

https://road.cc/content/review/decat...ad-bike-259930

Seems massively well rated. 60k? Double my budget.

The fairfax from Miran says that everything can be upgraded later on the bike. Is that a sensible way to approach this?

This is also my thought process. I am just getting started into the world of cycling. I would like a nice bike, that is good to look at and makes me want to ride every day (just like my KTM). But I also know that in a couple of years, when things get more serious, I will also have more money at my disposal to throw at this hobby. Maybe an upgrade then makes sense?

Would a budget hybrid around 35k work well for me for a few years, and then be kept as a second bike? Who knows if my interest veers towards road or MTB?

Or should I get something like the rc500 which seems to be really well rated everywhere for 60k? Does it really provide double the value or more over the Fairfax or something similar in the 35k range?

You seem to be asking questions that are a mix of basic level (should I go for an MTB vs a road bike) and in depth (sora vs claris vs 105 components).

I'd suggest another additional route - give cycles from friends and acquaintances a try to get a feel of what's the difference. It'll need a bit of beg, borrow and luck but given Bangalore's bhpian numbers, you should get a fair set of options.

If you are still in this quandary without a clear light at the end of tunnel by July, (and assuming your height falls between 5'5 and 5'11), I can offer you a good amount of trials on two hybrid cycles - a Cannondale Quick 7 and a Merida Speedster 105 sometime next month first half, once I land up in Bangalore. Meanwhile, I'd recommend doing the rounds with other bhpians to see if you can get other hybrid, MTB and road bike trial options too.

I should do a round of all the shops now and start getting a feel of things.

Yes. Please do. Cycles can not be decided based on armchair analysis. Push for trial options. Start with Decathlon - IIRC they used to allow that within the premises.

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

https://road.cc/content/review/decat...ad-bike-259930

Seems massively well rated. 60k? Double my budget.

The fairfax from Miran says that everything can be upgraded later on the bike. Is that a sensible way to approach this?

Would a budget hybrid around 35k work well for me for a few years, and then be kept as a second bike? Who knows if my interest veers towards road or MTB?

Or should I get something like the rc500 which seems to be really well rated everywhere for 60k? Does it really provide double the value or more over the Fairfax or something similar in the 35k range?

I should do a round of all the shops now and start getting a feel of things.

Hey Red Liner, I ride the Triban RC500 and a Hercules ACT110. The Triban is a really nice bike, which has almost what one could want - the 9-speed Sora is sorted and smooth to operate, the disc brakes provide all weather braking ability, the frame is comfortable and not too aggressive for long distances too. The wheels are tube-less ready, and it weighs just about 11 kg, so its not to bad there either.

It is fairly comfortable - the carbon forks along with the 28c tyres are adequately comfortable. But on very bad roads, I miss my ACT110 which feels like an SUV in comparison. But on well paved roads, there is nothing to complain.

Downsides? Despite having disc brakes, braking performance and feel would largely be similar to rim brakes. Mainly because these are mechanical brakes I guess, my sis-in-law's Cannondale CAAD12 with hydraulic discs felt awesome, I got disappointed with these brakes after trying that!

What's more? It is 'Doc Approved'

I don't want to add to your confusion, but there is RC120 which is very competent too at about 40K (right in the middle of RC100 and RC500) And that one has almost everything the RC500 has, except that the drivertrain are inferior. That could be a very good place to start off and experiment.

Like Ninjatalli has suggested, Decathlon offers test rides within their premises. Could give you an idea of what to expect.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

You seem to be asking questions that are a mix of basic level (should I go for an MTB vs a road bike) and in depth (sora vs claris vs 105 components).

No no. All I was saying was this.

Budget hybrid 35k = lower upfront cost, yes lower quality set up, but potential to see where interests go in the future and buy an upgrade years down the line.

Mid budget but high specced Triban 500 = road bike that’s qualified as a commuter, can take wider tyres, can be set up to do different things, yes double the budget, but better components? Spend once, spend wise?

This spend once spend wise is something I have followed to the T in motorcycles, and now I seem to be getting the same advice here. Just biting that big bullet upfront is getting to be tough. So now I wonder what my advice on top level gear to wAnnabe bikers probably sounds like…foolishness lol.

Yes, wil take you up on your offer. Unbelievably, I hardly know any BHPians in Bangalore. Bit of a introvert. You might need to introduce me to some lol.