Newbie wanting advice.

[Lee bb]

I'm seriously thinking of taking this sport up. You guys will probably reply to these kind of questions all the time but I'm looking for advice on what kind of bike to get and where to get it, kinda cheap to start off with, what tools, energy bars etc. what clothes to buy, basically everything really. Thanks , lee

[Pete Appleby 3]

Pop down to Kirkcowan cycles and Fergie will sort you out with everything you need and no bullshit, tell him I sent you at least give him a call http://www.kirkcowancycles.co.uk/

[Supermurph09]

Having recently taken up the sport a few months ago I was lucky enough to get a bike through the cycle scheme at work. One thing I would mention is that when factoring in costs, you'll need shoes, pedals, helmet, some good shorts (dont scrimp on cost here!), jersey, jackets, inner tube, patches, pump, bottles, cages, base layer, gloves, glasses........... I got a Specialized Allez for £575 and I'd estimate I've spent around £500 on the bits listed. But with that said, I LOVE CYCLING! Why I never took it up before I will never know! Bite the bullet, get the kit and enjoy your riding!

[Lee bb]

Thanks guys. I've saw the shop before when passing through with work but never actually went in. Yeah I will give him a call or go on if I'm up that way. Thanks again

[ls28harry]

Get down to Smiths and buy a good selection of mags with reviews and advice about bikes kit and accessories before you go splashing your cash. You'll still make a few mistakes but not as many. Try to be specific about what type of riding you will do and what bike will suit this the best.

[Lee bb]

I bought cycling weekly but didn't seem that impressed with it to be fair, well not for the newbie starting out anyway. I'll get myself there to see if there's more of a collection of bike magz

[scooby]

Yeah i aint keen on cycling weekly mag either..just stick to the web for new tech info & goodies...i got my 1st roadie from halfords great prices there for the bike bug starter..

[More beers than gears]

Ask yourself questions first: 1. What type of riding do I want to do? Commute, Touring, racing, time trialling, mountain biking, urban riding? A mixture of more than one of these? The answer to this question will start to tell you what type of bike, clothing and equipment you will want. If you're just starting try to keep your costs as low as possible. Nothing more frustrating than spending a fortune on something only to find a few months later that you're bored with it. If you want to do road riding but are unsure about what type, an Audax/winter type bike makes a reasonable all rounder to start on.

Make sure you get measured up for your bike so you get one that fits. The better bike shops will have jig that looks vaguely like a bike that they sit you on and adjust parts of it to see what size frame you suit. You don't need a bespoke measuring service which they charge for- just a general one which should take no longer than 5 minutes.

Which branded bike and groupset are the source of many arguments but any of the well known ones should be fine for a beginner (e.g. Giant, Trek, Dawes, Ridgeback, Specialized, Genesis etc).

Clothing wise, at this time of year you will need a couple of short sleeve jerseys (use one as base layer with the other as a top layer), arm warmers, helmet, shorts worn under cycling tights or leg warmers, waterproof jacket, full fingered gloves, cycling shoes if you get a bike with spd pedals and waterproof overshoes.

As for brands I've had stuff from the likes of Aldi/Lidl through Lusso, Endura, Giordana, Altura to Assos and Goretex. Frankly, I've found that whilst they're not as good as Assos and Goretex, pound for pound Aldi (Crane sports) and Lidl stuff offers the best value for money and you're certainly well on the way to diminishing returns once you go beyond the likes of Lusso and Altura.

Re energy bars - a banana and some previously boiled new potatoes go a long way. If you insist on spending a fortune on energy bars/drinks I would recommend dextrosyl tablets in place of energy bars (you can get them from a chemist over the counter) and SIS Go energy powder for consideration. The SIS energy bars are OK too (and no I don't work for or have any connection with SIS).

Tools - 2 tyre levers, 2 spare inner tubes carried with you, a puncture repair kit, look at what types of fastenings have been used on the bike that you buy and let that guide you as to what tools to get, generally bike manufacturers tend to use 3 or 4 different sized screws and bolts for holding most of the bike together, so 3 or 4 separate hex keys could be a cost effective solution to buying a bike multi tool, thats the way I do it. A supply of zip ties is handy to bodge roadside repairs until you get home.

Oh, best to get your bike locally from a reputable bike dealer so you can be assured of back up service if things go wrong. Might be more expensive than an Online deal but the Online dealer isn't there to help you out with things going wrong in the warranty period unless you send it back to them!

[Known by my posts [FBF]]

Tyre boot, every one seems to forget that most essential piece of kit, I carry one and also the cheap option of an old toothpaste tube cut into a large patch.
A slit in the tyre and the ensuing large bang doesnt seem to bad when you can fix it.
Also Chain tool and a quick link, finding yourself usually miles from home, spinning your pedals and going no where with your chain laid like a snake on the road some yards behind, does warrant these small extra tools.