Bike and Shop advice

I am going to start a commute soon from Isle of Dogs in London into
Liverpool Street. Approx 4 miles.

Looking for a bike suitable for this and been looking at a Marin
Larkspur or may be a Ridgeway Genesis Day 01. Looking to spend about
500-600 including kit (lights, locks, bag, etc - no helmet as I already
have a reasonable Giro).

Popped into Cycle Surgery and Evans around Spitalfields market today.
Cycle surgery originally had a decent chap helping me but was pulled
away and some disinterested fellow just said they are all much of a
much ness and any hybrid bike with in your price range would suffice
(not those exact words but attitude and meaning was close enough).

Next was Evans - very helpful chap, suggested a Trek bike - a 7.3 (one
with disc brakes for 430 or without for 380). Said he couldn´t
recommend a Specialized as they couldn´t stock them in this particular
branch cause of cycle Surgery being on their doorstep (think he
mentioned a couple of other names).

Can anyone recommend a bike/s or shop. I liked the Evans attitude but
they had limited selection cause of Cycle Surgery. Cycle Surgery were
just plain unhelpful. I am happy to pay recommended prices as long as I
get some very good service and helpful advice.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Can anyone recommend a bike/s or shop. I liked the Evans attitude but
they had limited selection cause of Cycle Surgery. Cycle Surgery were
just plain unhelpful. I am happy to pay recommended prices as long as I
get some very good service and helpful advice.

Go up Brick lane and buy some old second hand crap tomorrow. It is an easy
ride a good bike wouldn't make any real difference. I wouldn't have thought
it was even four miles from Island Gardens. At least with a crap bike you
won't need to worry about it getting nicked.

I don't know if it was Cycle Surgery or not but the last time I got a bike
serviced was a place in Spitalfields. They adjusted my rear derailleur for
no reason so it wasn't correctly indexed and before I had time to adjust it
back it had folded into the back wheel spokes taking the hanger with it.

Go up Brick lane and buy some old second hand crap tomorrow. It is an easy
ride a good bike wouldn't make any real difference. I wouldn't have thought
it was even four miles from Island Gardens. At least with a crap bike you
won't need to worry about it getting nicked.

Don't do that, because you'll be supporting the bike-theft trade of
London! And most likely it will be re-stolen for sale somewhere on
Brick Lane unless you get a decent lock. It's a sad fact..

wrote:
I am going to start a commute soon from Isle of Dogs in London into
Liverpool Street. Approx 4 miles.

Looking for a bike suitable for this and been looking at a Marin
Larkspur or may be a Ridgeway Genesis Day 01. Looking to spend about
500-600 including kit (lights, locks, bag, etc - no helmet as I already
have a reasonable Giro).

Popped into Cycle Surgery and Evans around Spitalfields market today.
Cycle surgery originally had a decent chap helping me but was pulled
away and some disinterested fellow just said they are all much of a
much ness and any hybrid bike with in your price range would suffice
(not those exact words but attitude and meaning was close enough).

Next was Evans - very helpful chap, suggested a Trek bike - a 7.3 (one
with disc brakes for 430 or without for 380). Said he couldn´t
recommend a Specialized as they couldn´t stock them in this particular
branch cause of cycle Surgery being on their doorstep (think he
mentioned a couple of other names).

Bought a bike from same Evans shop, gears were incorrectly adjusted and
handlebars came loose after one day - the proverbial death trap.

Took it back to get re-checked, took it out of the shop and gears came
off again.


Can anyone recommend a bike/s or shop. I liked the Evans attitude but
they had limited selection cause of Cycle Surgery. Cycle Surgery were
just plain unhelpful. I am happy to pay recommended prices as long as I
get some very good service and helpful advice.

If you are going to buy a bike join LCC to get discounts, though I will
be lobbying LCC to stop promoting Evans with a discount.

tom wrote:
Go up Brick lane and buy some old second hand crap tomorrow. It is an easy
ride a good bike wouldn't make any real difference. I wouldn't have thought
it was even four miles from Island Gardens. At least with a crap bike you
won't need to worry about it getting nicked.


Don't do that, because you'll be supporting the bike-theft trade of
London! And most likely it will be re-stolen for sale somewhere on
Brick Lane unless you get a decent lock. It's a sad fact..


Woukldn't something bog-standard from Decathlon suit your purposes?
They seem to have mountain bikes, hybrids and road bikes at v. low
prices, and I expect that the Surrey Quays shop is convenient for the OP.

said the following on 05/08/2006 20:56:

Can anyone recommend a bike/s or shop. I liked the Evans attitude but
they had limited selection cause of Cycle Surgery. Cycle Surgery were
just plain unhelpful. I am happy to pay recommended prices as long as I
get some very good service and helpful advice.

I've only had dealings with Evans via the CTC shop, and the experience
means I won't bother with them again. If you have a look in this group,
you may find one or two other people unhappy with Evans! Your
experiences sound like neither shop deserves your business though. The
comment to the effect of not recommending a bike just because they don't
sell it would make me think they're more interested in selling you
anything at all rather than the bike you want.

One thing about the bike, for road use you don't need the extra expense
and weight of disc brakes. A well set up set of V-brakes or cantilevers
will be more than adequate.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Well as a follow up - I popped into another CycleSurgery the next day -
the branch in Holborn. The task was actually a bike for my daughter
who is three and a half. Anyway - had a fantastic service there, they
let my daughter loose on the bike, and we bought her a Ridgeback
Melody. It didn't come with stabilisers and it was needed. Offered a 10
discount on them (which wasn't much) - then I asked for a new one as
the one they got off display was scratched. Anyway - long and short,
they sold me the bike and threw the stabilisers in for free. When they
took the bike away for adjustements etc I ended up speaking to a very
ice salesman who took me around and explained the bikes and differences
(obviously subject to range they hold - this branch had no Specialized)
- I liked the look of the Marin Larkspur. He took out a Marin Fairfax
and explained the frame sizes and adjustements etc as I had no clue
about any of this.....ending up walking away thinking that the Fairfax
is much nicer! (although 150 GBP more)..........I would be back there
when I am ready to purchase which hopefully be a few weeks when I drop
my daughters bike for a first service!

Any recommendations for a bike similar say to a Marin Larkspur or a
Marin Fairfax? The salesman did comment that for the same price range,
a Giant offered better value for money but the Marin had better frames.

wrote:
I am going to start a commute soon from Isle of Dogs in London into
Liverpool Street. Approx 4 miles.

Looking for a bike ...[snip]
Can anyone recommend a bike/s or shop.

try Wharf Cycles (close to Cascades) 21-23 Westferry Road, Docklands,
E14 8JH Call: 020 7987 2255. Decathlon at Surrey Quays also worth a
look.

best wishes
james

I must say that decatlon didn't really offer value for money. A similar spec
here, I am talking about components here were the same price for a trek etc
and at least you know it's trek not decathlon make. Unless it's on sale!!

Go for a ridgeway etc, my decathlon wasn't very good (got nicked anyway).

"Al C-F" m wrote in
message ...
tom wrote:
Go up Brick lane and buy some old second hand crap tomorrow. It is an
easy
ride a good bike wouldn't make any real difference. I wouldn't have
thought
it was even four miles from Island Gardens. At least with a crap bike you
won't need to worry about it getting nicked.


Don't do that, because you'll be supporting the bike-theft trade of
London! And most likely it will be re-stolen for sale somewhere on
Brick Lane unless you get a decent lock. It's a sad fact..


Woukldn't something bog-standard from Decathlon suit your purposes? They
seem to have mountain bikes, hybrids and road bikes at v. low prices, and
I expect that the Surrey Quays shop is convenient for the OP.