Do good value for performance bikes have to be American?

After not having a bike for many many years, I am about to buy a new
one. It is for general riding in London, commuting and some long rides
e.g. in the Cotswolds. Almost all on road but perhaps some off road on
reasonable tracks. I am not bothered about suspension but would like
to have SPD type pedals with an option for normal shoes.

For £599 I was offered a Trek 7500 FX with non-suspension forks and
wheels that have more spokes than the website version (to suit city
roads), plus dual use pedals (suitable for spd and normal shoes) and a
rear luggage rack. The bike is shown on the manufacturer web page:
http://www.trekbike.co.uk/bikes/2004/city/fx/7500.php

A friend that has been bugging me to get a bike said he has that frame
and that it was good. He said I should take a look at the equivalent
Marin. I suppose he must mean the San Anselmo £595
http://www.marin.co.uk/marin-2004/bi...php?ModNo=2456
or the Lucas Valley £599
http://www.marin.co.uk/marin-2004/bi...php?ModNo=2460

I was an enthusiastic cyclist in my younger days and even entered a
couple of races. I have done a fair amount of cycling in recent times
(including African mountains and deserts) but only on borrowed or
hired bikes. Now that I have to make a purchase decision, I am now
astonished about how technology and the market has changed.

The bike shops are now dominated by bikes from American companies. In
addition to the Trek, I was also offered Cannondale and Specialized
but they were even worse from my point of view because they had big
markings boasting about the fact that they were American and/or made
there. I would like to be able to consider a non-US bike if possible
without compromising value for money.

I know that specification is not everything, so I will try riding the
options before buying. I am fairly comfortable with the idea of going
to a 'proper bike shop' to get good after sales tweaking but I want to
get the basic decision close to ideal.

What do you guys think of what I have been offered? Are they really
the best value, or is there another make (model suggestion would help
too) from another country that I should consider? Surely America
cannot have the entire market sewn up. If anyone has a good second
hand one I might consider it too.

Many thanks

Jo Stoller wrote:

Many thanks

Orange: http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/main/main.php
Dawes: http://www.dawescycles.com/
Orbit: http://www.orbit-cycles.co.uk/
Edinburgh Co-op: http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/

YMMV WRT price.

If you want a good value bike - try

http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/

Their own brand bikes get consistently good reviews as being exceptionally good
value for money.

Also consider Dawes bikes. The Discovery range is good value.

Cheers, helen s




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Simonb wrote:
Jo Stoller wrote:

Many thanks

Orange: http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/main/main.php
Dawes: http://www.dawescycles.com/
Orbit: http://www.orbit-cycles.co.uk/
Edinburgh Co-op: http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/

The Orion City 2x9 looks good at £495:

http://www.orbit-cycles.co.uk/orion3.shtml

On 14 Jun 2004 13:25:30 -0700, (Jo Stoller)
wrote:

Are they really
the best value, or is there another make (model suggestion would help
too) from another country that I should consider?

My bikes (ie last bike(crashed) and last bike but one(stolen)) usually
come from Ridgeback who can be found at
http://www.ridgebackbikes.co.uk/.

They don't actually build frames in the UK but I don't think many
people do these days, with the exception of custom builds. They are,
however, refreshingly not Merkin.

I was happy with both Ridgebacks that I owned.

On 14 Jun 2004 20:41:50 GMT, dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers
wrote:
If you want a good value bike - try

http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/

Their own brand bikes get consistently good reviews as being exceptionally
good value for money.

Also consider Dawes bikes. The Discovery range is good value.

Seconded. Just got a Discovery 201. Very happy with it compared to my
old Carrera Crossfire.

I'm not sure just how British their bikes are anymore, though.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

Doctor J. Frink wrote:

I'm not sure just how British their bikes are anymore, though.

Confirmed by my LBS -- Fort (Czech Republic) makes the Dawes Audax frame.

But most US frames are made in TW anyway.

In article ,=2 0
says...
The bike shops are now dominated by bikes from American companies. In
addition to the Trek, I was also offered Cannondale and Specialized
but they were even worse from my point of view because they had big
markings boasting about the fact that they were American and/or made
there. I would like to be able to consider a non-US bike if possible
without compromising value for money.
=20
=20
cannondale do good frames, and both mine have been made in the usa, but=20
at your price point, you wont get good good componets on a 'dale frame.=20
Excelent basis for upgrades though. Most frames these days are however=20
manufacured in tiwan irrespective of the country of assembly and=20
trademark, the exception being custom frames, but again, not at your=20
price point. Oh and components wise, you'll probably end up with shimano=20
(the miccrosoft of the cycling world) and I *think* these are made in=20
japan. It's dificult to be patriotic, and almost imposible at around=20
=A3500.
--=20
..paul

If at first you don't succeed...
Skydiving is probably not the sport for you.

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 21:56:43 +0000 (UTC), paul
wrote:

price point. Oh and components wise, you'll probably end up with shimano
(the miccrosoft of the cycling world)

Is that comparison made on their market share, or the quality of their
products (or both)?

There's certainly nothing wrong with dominating a market if you're
producing good stuff, but not if you abuse the position to keep down
those that would.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

in message , Jo Stoller
') wrote:

After not having a bike for many many years, I am about to buy a new
one. It is for general riding in London, commuting and some long rides
e.g. in the Cotswolds. Almost all on road but perhaps some off road on
reasonable tracks. I am not bothered about suspension but would like
to have SPD type pedals with an option for normal shoes.

The bike shops are now dominated by bikes from American companies. In
addition to the Trek, I was also offered Cannondale and Specialized
but they were even worse from my point of view because they had big
markings boasting about the fact that they were American and/or made
there. I would like to be able to consider a non-US bike if possible
without compromising value for money.

There are actually plenty of good non-US manufacturers, but, unless
you're prejudiced (and I know people who are) many of the big American
brands do offer good value for money. Of UK-built bikes in the sort of
robust hybrid category you're thinking of Dawes and Orange are names to
consider (but beware that the low-end models in each range have frames
made in Taiwan). If you're prepared to consider European as well,
Nicolai make bikes at least as good as the best of the big American
brands. And there are many others.

What do you guys think of what I have been offered? Are they really
the best value, or is there another make (model suggestion would help
too) from another country that I should consider?

Best value for a robust but performant hybrid is probably the Edinburgh
Bicycle Co-op's Revolution Courier (frame made in Taiwan, I believe,
but to EBC's design).

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; "If I were a Microsoft Public Relations person, I would probably
;; be sobbing on a desk right now" -- Rob Miller, editor, /.