New (cheap) bike advice

Hi guys, I am looking at finally upgrading from my crappy kmart
special, but my budget is still pretty limited. What I mostly have
in mind is commuting (about 15km each way, mostly good cycle
path and residential roads) plus trips to the shops etc. I am more
interested in comfort than speed.

The new owners of the bikeshop around the corner are now
stocking only Giant. I think it is hard to touch Giant at the
entry level, although I would be interested to hear opinions.
The Elwood (http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/bikes/lifestyle/
1138/28964/)
is about $350 and seems to do the job I have in mind. Is
this a good way to go, or should I save my pennies and move
up market? If so, what should I be looking for?

"brucef" wrote in message
oups.com...
Is
this a good way to go, or should I save my pennies and move
up market? If so, what should I be looking for?


I bought a similar bike (the Sedona) a couple of years back when I first
started getting back into getting fit. It's been a great bike and is still
going strong racking up around 100 kms per week. I wish I had've bought the
Elwood though as most of the upgrades I've made have really just made it
into an Elwood. ie more road than dirt orientated with high pressure slick
tyres and taller gearing.
If you spend more you get better quality components and they get lighter,
but as a commuter you need to factor in replacement cost if it's stolen or
damaged too. For my money I think the Elwood suits the tasks you have in
mind for it.

--
www.ozcableguy.com
www.oztechnologies.com

brucef wrote:
I think it is hard to touch Giant at the
entry level


That's the conclusion I came to also (based on zero recent bicycle
experience ;-)

I looked closely at the Giant Elwood but ended up buying a Giant Cypress
City (with the hub gears), and added some soft panniers, lights and bike
computer.

FWIW my Giant feels much nicer to ride than the chain store cheapy now
sitting in the garage gathering dust



G-S

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:12:55 +1000
G-S wrote:
I looked closely at the Giant Elwood but ended up buying a Giant Cypress
City (with the hub gears), and added some soft panniers, lights and bike
computer.

spend the extra for a computer with cadence. It's as important to the
fitness as speed is - the more spin, the more work the heart is doing.

Zebee
- who started at mostly 70rpm, is now mostly 90rpm.

G-S wrote:
I looked closely at the Giant Elwood but ended up buying a Giant Cypress
City (with the hub gears), and added some soft panniers, lights and bike
computer.

Oooh, purty!

FWIW my Giant feels much nicer to ride than the chain store cheapy now
sitting in the garage gathering dust

Give it to me, I'll have it! :-D

BTW Geoff, welcome to aus.bicycle. And incidentally, what exactly
have you been doing in aus.personals?


BTH

Zebee wrote:
G-S wrote:
I looked closely at the Giant Elwood but ended up buying a Giant Cypress
City (with the hub gears), and added some soft panniers, lights and bike
computer.

spend the extra for a computer with cadence. It's as important to the
fitness as speed is - the more spin, the more work the heart is doing.

Zebee
- who started at mostly 70rpm, is now mostly 90rpm.

Ah, you yoong folk today, caaan't do noothin' withoot a machine to
count it with!

Now back in MAH day....


BTH

"brucef" wrote in message

The new owners of the bikeshop around the corner are now
stocking only Giant. I think it is hard to touch Giant at the
entry level, although I would be interested to hear opinions.

Yep sounds good to me - I bought a 1997 Sedona to replace my stolen cheapie
and was blown away by how much better this bike was to ride and how easily I
could go up steep hills.
After much off-road work it was fitted with Zefal guards, Cateye lights and
Schwalbe semi slicks and has served as my main commuter for the last 7
years. Being plain black it tends to look like any old bike so this one
hasn't been stolen yet #8-)
Faults have been nonexistant, I have worn out the entire drive train once
but this was reasonably cheap to replace components, and readily available
from my LBS.
Hub gears (Giant Cypress) sound like a good option as they are less prone to
wear and adjustment problems.
Let us know what you choose

Blueroo

"brucef" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi guys, I am looking at finally upgrading from my crappy kmart
special, but my budget is still pretty limited. What I mostly have
in mind is commuting (about 15km each way, mostly good cycle
path and residential roads) plus trips to the shops etc. I am more
interested in comfort than speed.

The new owners of the bikeshop around the corner are now
stocking only Giant. I think it is hard to touch Giant at the
entry level, although I would be interested to hear opinions.
The Elwood (http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/bikes/lifestyle/
1138/28964/)
is about $350 and seems to do the job I have in mind. Is
this a good way to go, or should I save my pennies and move
up market? If so, what should I be looking for?


You've had a couple of replies so far from satisfied low to midrange Giant
owners so I'll add my vote in favour of the make. My first bike after
getting back into cycling was a Giant Sedona LX and I still love riding it.
If you're going to commute 30km daily you should at least have a bike that
goes and stops sweetly and is a pleasure to ride. You gets what you pays for
and even the cheapest Giant is a giant :-) step beyond a K-mart garbage scow
for only $100-$150 more. IMHO the worst sin of the chain store bikes is the
appalling no-name pressed tin V-brakes which flex and twist while you look
at them. A close second is the nasty rims, steel hubs and galvo spokes.
The Elwood you are looking at has Tektro V brakes and Shimano levers which
are at least decent. It has the entry level Shimano Altus transmission group
and you have to move up a bit in price to get to the 27 speed Deore group.
However, if you keep it lubricated and adjusted the Altus stuff works pretty
good.
I'd say do it now. The Elwood, or perhaps the comfort MTB equivalent Sedona
with road tyres will do what you want.

If you were to save up and move up market you could do it and still stay
with Giant and your local bike shop. What you get for more money is more
sophisticated derailleurs, chainwheel, cassette and shifters, a low
maintenance sealed cartridge bottom bracket, low maintenance sealed
cartridge wheel bearings, better rims and if you like discs on a road bike,
disc brakes. All nice bling to have if it won't take you too long to save up
but otherwise the bike you can afford now will give you an enjoyable, safe
and reliable ride.

Peter
Queensland.

BT Humble wrote:
G-S wrote:
I looked closely at the Giant Elwood but ended up buying a Giant Cypress
City (with the hub gears), and added some soft panniers, lights and bike
computer.

Oooh, purty!

FWIW my Giant feels much nicer to ride than the chain store cheapy now
sitting in the garage gathering dust

Give it to me, I'll have it! :-D

BTW Geoff, welcome to aus.bicycle. And incidentally, what exactly
have you been doing in aus.personals?


BTH


Hi over here too BT

err aus.personals?!

Sorry... not me.


G-S

BT Humble Wrote:
Now back in MAH day....
BTH

Yep... back in that day how did you measure cadence ???? Did you do it
the way they do in spin classes, place hand above thigh and count the
number of times it hits your hand in 10 seconds ? while riding the bike
at the same time ??


--
MikeyOz