costs of bicycles in France v UK

[sid]

Ianf

It was the mention of the VERY (£400) expensive handlebars that prompted me to write. It didn't think that you'd made it clear that it was possible to get something reasonable for 160€, but you have now!

I was a member of Glossop Velo. Your reference to the gold transfers made me chuckle, I remember those well. Under 30 minutes on a trusty BSA at 13 years old is very good going!

I have a Dave Lloyd, made to measure frame (Reynolds Special Lightweight), which I've had for over 20 years. He was the first builder to use a jig which you sat on so that he could measure tube lengths, angles etc. It fits like a glove. The equipment looks a little old-fashioned now! Good old Campag!

Back to the Decathlon and the like... Many of these inexpensive bikes are fitted with Shimano kit (gears, brakes, chainsets etc), and whilst they are entry-level kit I think they represent good value for money.

I wholeheartedly agree that you shouldn't buy mail-order, and no, you can't buy one bike to fit everyone.

Bonne route

Sid

 

 

[Nicos]

[quote user="ianf"]Nico: Not always possible to adjust a bike across

such a wide range of people heights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote]

No-one will notice after a few drinks!![Www]

[ianf]

Ahh Sid. Nostalgia here. I still time trial on my Dave Lloyd and for the last four years he has also been my personal coach (see davelloydcoaching.com)(I think). These days I'm struggling a little so last night I did a 10 in 25:49 and my current 25 is 59:05. My other bikes are mainly Condors including a Condor track (I use at Manchester & Newport) and a carbon road bike. All campag off course.

I've raced all events from road races, track to cyclo cross but mainly stick to tts these days. I will be moving full time to dept 53 in about 2 years once my wife has sorted out a british passport. And our seven year old will then have to go to a French school.

[ianf]

'tis true.

[TreizeVents]

Can't trade stories about racing and Time trials, as I have always been a cyclo-tourist.  But I agree with the advice given.  You can get a reasonable bike, good advice and almost certainly get it set up properly at Decathlon http://www.decathlon.fr/FR/index.html and Intersport.  Check the prices and where the nearest store is.  Another chain I like best of all Culture Velo http://www.culturevelo.com/ , gives good advice and is slightly more like a local shop.  Sometimes Bouticycle can be good. http://www.bouticycle.com/index.php?page=contenu2&op=1  Each of these, certainly the Decathlon near me, have small selections of used bikes, allowing you to try something different.  Most people start with cheaper bikes and move up once they know what kind of riding they do, and also what the flaws or inadequacies of the cheaper bike are.  If they never find flaws, then they have the right bike.  I suggest buying several bikes sizes and its absoutely true that a little bike won't fit a big person, and vice versa.  No way.  But if you are doing adjusting a lot for different people, make sure they sell you a long seat post.

I also still suggest you visit a local shop.  Sometimes they have last year's models at a price that is not far off the chain stores.  My local VTT shop can match the big stores quite often.  And you might meet someone interesting, who you can see on market days, and chat about your bike and buy the odd bit if kit you are missing.

One thing I remember well.  A group of us used to get together and ride a bit in my small Yorkshire town.  Only one guy had been a real bike rider, like the guys trading stories.  None of us had the proper cycling clothes, you know, the shirts, shorts, shoes and so forth.  Gradually we found out why cyclists wear such clothing.  It works really well.  So think about that if start to use your bike more.  The right shorts and shirts and shoes make a huge difference to your pleasure.  But we had fun with just regular clothes too.

[Nicos]

Thanks for those links.

It looks like we have a Decathlon in Caen and Flers, and I've just

compared the prices on the internet and they are much the same.

It's certainly a good starting point, although I do feel we should support the locals. (I like the idea of market day!!!)

2 different sized/weight bikes (bought in France) it is then. Thanks to you all for your help!

[Debra]

.

[cooperlola]

I agree, Debra.

There's just a huge difference between those who want to potter to the baker's for a baguette occasionally and those who cycle everywhere.  Whether you have a cheap or an expensive bike, it is likely to gather dust if you are not a particularly enthusiastic cyclist and spending loads of money may not be the way forward for everybody.  I wouldn't be seen dead in one of those funny little cars that can barely go above 30kph but there's no doubt that they are the perfect mode of transport for some.  Horses for courses.  And if a cheap bike means that people cycle just a bit then, hooray for that.  Each to their own, I say.  My 100 euro bike is great for me - it has a comfy seat, a nice big basket on the front, and handlebars I don't have to bend double to reach.  I'm not embarassed to ride it and I don't care if others think it's cheap and nasty - I get value for money from it and would have resented paying more for something I don't use much.  Buying it here just seemed logical - I could take it back if it needed any adjustments/repairs (which it hasn't, btw) - and it did not strike me as pricey compared with a Halfords or similar equivalent - plus I didn't have to transport it across the Channel.

[TreizeVents]

Hi Debra,

I do try hard, but often email (how I write and how people read) is not the

clearest way to communicate.  On the other hand, sometimes there are

disagreements that are real, and you "feeling guilty" or seeing

"apparent snobbery and pomposity" is nothing to do with what I write

or mean (or nothing intended about guilt or snobbery).  I don't know what

happened in this case.  But if one knows about something, and I know about

certain bikes, and repairs and setting up, it is hard to NOT sound like I know

something.  That is NOT necessarily snobbery or pomposity, although it

could be easily seen that way, of course.

There is a huge range between a "cheap bike" and a bike for a

“serious long distance racing”.  I never thought you or anyone should buy

their first bike for serious long distance racing, spending hundreds of

euros.  Especially if there is no chance they will ever do that kind of

riding.  Totally out of the question,

unless you are really loaded and money does not matter.  But I do insist

there are criteria other than "low price", for bikes, for food, for

tools and for everything.  Those criteria are complicated and I am

actually pretty sure you would agree with me, in general.  For example if

one buys a pot or pan, you don't always get the cheapest one, sometimes you

look for a thick bottom, a well fixed handle and a bit of quality, for which

you pay a few euros more.  When I recently succumbed to the "cheap

price" syndrome and bought a pair of hedge shears, and later a strimmer,

made in China, and so cheap I could almost use it once and throw it away...

that's just what I did.  The shears broke the first time I used them, and

the strimmer lasted half a summer.  Dumb move on my part.  Someone

should have been there at the time and stopped me from making a mistake. 

Same with bikes, although they are a bit more robust and usually can last for

some time, even if they are cheap and mail order.  So if someone asks me

about buying a "cheap bike", sometimes I try to claim that is not the

right question.  The right question is to buy a bike that suits your

needs, is well set up, and is at a price you can afford.  Not the same

thing as cheapest.  There are also ethical and other considerations which

I try to take into account, although not everyone does.  I certainly

prefer to buy locally and support small shops or small producers, but I don't

always do that.  But I do think about it

each time.

As for repairs, you are really lucky to have an ace bike repair person

around.  Not everyone is so lucky. 

But I have to say that I have seen many many bikes lying around in

garages, not being used because they "have a puncture", or the

"gears don't work" or the chain is totally rusted out or

whatever.  And I do believe, from all my experience, that the cheaper bits

on a bike are more likely to go wrong and are harder to fix or adjust. 

Ask your OH about that, don't believe me.  These days many of the bits are

reasonable quality, and the problem might not arise.  But I assure you that you do not want to buy the cheapest bike

with the cheapest bits in all circumstances.  You may think that I am

talking rocket science about a bike being “set up” properly.  I don’t

think it is rocket science, but I do think you have to know something.  I

said that I see with my eyes, on the road, every day, bikes which are being

ridden and simply are not set up properly.  I say that is BAD, even though

the people riding them don't even know it’s a problem.  I am sorry, we seem

to disagree.  Even something simple like

the height of the saddle is often wrong.

But bikes are lovely, and they are robust.  They can work for ages without

any maintenance, and even with damaged or worn out bits.  I thought my

views were clear and firm, not in any way snobbish or  pompous.  I

unreservedly say that anyone riding any bike for any purpose is a step forward

to human peace and justice, and above all for a bit of fun (except for some

young people on urban areas whose tyres should be shot).   But if

someone asks my advice, I will NEVER tell them to get the cheapest bike by mail

order.  Never.

I cannot comment on whether bikes are cheaper in France than Britain, and I

didn't.  I would have to compare that Sterling site with Decathlon,

Auchan, Culture Velo or other sites I know.  Of course the details on the

Sterling site (and most sites selling cheaper bikes) are really a bit vague so

that I cannot tell what quality the bits are.  But I am sure they will

last under reasonable conditions.

Sorry for the bad communication, but I fear we have a couple of actual

disagreements, mixed with the inadequate communication.  For example, you

may think that the only thing that matters is that "you support your

family, not the local bike shop".  But I would say that the entire

French economy, even the global economy, supports you as well, and its a good

idea to be aware of that.  Where and how you shop matters in all spheres

of life!  (Is that the kind of sentence

you think is pompous and snobbish?)  I

am so glad to hear people enjoying cycling, I just can’t express it. 

[ianf]

Debra : I'm amazed. Pomposity? Don't be silly. I love cycling in all its forms and have always done everything to encourage peeps to ride bikes rather than pollute my atmosphere with their cars ................... and if you re-read my posts carefully (and 3 winds') you'll see that we have only offered sound advice. Indeed if you talk to those in the cycle industry they will give the same advice. After all, you wouldn't but a new car from a supermarket who didn't have the skills to make sure it was ready for the road and who could show you how to adjust the seats, mirrors etc, would you? Why should bicycles be any different? They are used in traffic and at speed down hills and so on so you need to be able to control it (and your position on the bike has a big say in this), have sufficient air in the tyres and ensure that the brakes work. Pomposity? No. Helpful and kind advice, freely given? YES!!!YES!!!YES!!!

[Debra]

.

[Nicos]

Well then- hello there!!!

Yep- I am the original poster.

I'm really grateful for all the advice given me here- and yes- I will

buy the bikes in France, and now know the pro's and cons. So thank you

all for your help!

Such a shame that people take offence so easily when they have fantastic advice to pass on.

Just a thought- maybe a larger selection of icons might help??

I'm going to be gently pestering you all ( hope you don't mind???) for a while longer as there is so much I need to find out.

I'm more than happy to share my knowledge when I can.

Debra- you are more than welcome to borrow one of our bikes if someone puts a curse on yours!!![:-))]

[Debra]

[img]http://bestsmileys.com/excited/3.gif[/img] [img]http://bestsmileys.com/bouncing/3.gif[/img]

[Ford Anglia]

Having owned, ridden and yes, even built, bikes from the UK and france over the last 20 years or so, (since taking cycling up again), I feel that it will depend on how much use the bike gets, and what SORT of use, as to how much to spend.

My eldest lad started with cheapo bikes, but was soon into lightweight and strength, (the two together DO NOT come cheap), and now owns TWO bikes, a Trials bike that's worth around £1600, on which he competes, and a titanium framed VTT, the frame for which came off e-bay at a bargain price.

I have a Ti framed VTT too, using the Raleigh Special Products frame, it's VERY light, springy, (a bit like being on a mini-hovercraft), and virtually bomb-proof. I built it after my Halfords alloy framed bike got nicked[:(]

The wife rides a lady's Giant which she loves, although it is heavy..........

The youngest rides one HE built, using a Scandium frame, cost loads, but weighs just over 20lb all up. He doesn't ride it so much now, as he's driving, but keeps it spotless.

I've had mine 10 years, it's done quite a few miles, and I maintain it myself. It's even survived my eldest riding trials on it in France, (until I caught him). I'm not sure quite how a cheap cycle would stand up to that sort of abuse, but if you just ride roads, rough ground and firetracks, etc, what does it matter?