Had a Giant Defy 5 from a charity bike shop that had a bunch of bontrager parts added for $300, I traded up from an older schwinn I had bought two weeks ago for a full refund to bring it down to $160.
Trek Alpha 2.3 w/ Shimano 105s . Purchased used for $340 original MSRP $1,600 12 years ago. I can ride this bike for another 12 years and sell it for what I paid for it. A bad bike can turn you off to the sport, buy used.
The best and most fun way to help new people to the sport is to help them look for used bikes. Lets you feel like your are buying a bike but also gets your friend a deal
just got my first road bike 2 weeks ago...... ended up choosing the second hand route - i would say after researching a ton, the general sentiment is definitely correct - "entry level" is way too expensive to be even entry level these days, so the only way was to go second hand. Ended up with a 2017 Allez elite e5 with tiagra, and love it! Buying brand new I would've had to have spent considerably more and still get a lower tier groupset
To be fair, my personal advice to someone looking to get into cycling would be to start with a more rodie hybrid, for example a pinnacle neon or a specialized sirrus 1. If you love it, switch out the handlebars for some drops. Then you find out beforehand if burning a grand on a starter, plus you are more informed on preferred riding position and bike size.
When I started cycling, (in the late summer of 2020) I walked into my local bike shop, chatted for some odd minutes to try and judge the character of the shop owner, and then told him I had a budget of 1000 USD. I asked him to get me riding on a road bike and fitted with all the accessories I had no idea I’d need (helmet, saddle bag, shoes and pedals, hand pump, tubes, lube etc.) with this budget. An hour later I walked out with a Cannondale CAAD2 from the 90’s. I loved that bike and started a great relationship with my local shop. They’d happily field all my idiot questions about the bike I bought, and the continued contact with the shop helped me vet if I’d made a good purchase. Bike was $450, all the random items came out to $400. $850 total.
I built up my current bike but heavily relied on the frame maker and a local bike shop for advice and help along the way (and of course paid them for it, the latter by having them take on tasks I lacked the tools and expertise to undertake, like installing the headset cups and fork crown. It's a fool who does it all on their own. We all rely on others.
I recently rented an older aluminum Specialized Diverge with a 105 groupset, and it was a real eye opener. My recommendation to would-be cyclists is to ignore carbon fiber and top-tier shifting, and keep a laser focus on the touch points-make absolutely certain the saddle and handlebars are comfortable, and you'll enjoy thousands of kilometers of happy cycling. 🚲
100% agree.! I’m a recreational cyclist, what do I need with a full carbon fibre frame and all the others that just makes maintenance costs go through the roof..?
105 compact groupset, alu frame, rim brakes, traditional cable shifting with all of the cables bring outside mounted and correct size is milions times more important than new tech and carbon fibre.
Just bought my first road bike yesterday, picked myself a triban Rc500 in blue from decathlon. I’m absolutely delighted with my bike. I haven’t rode a bike in several years and only ever had the odd very budget mountain bike. Had my first ride out late this afternoon, only had a short ride out, I thought it was okay for a big guy like me at 42 years old 6’ 2” and 22+ stone… did about 5-6 miles around where I live (Glossop) up and down a few fairly decent hills.. I was absolutely knackered when I got home, hoping to keep doing my route most days to build a decent level of fitness and weight loss before hopefully attempting a few more ambitious longer rides 👍
Decathlon, even while raising prices significantly, is the only way to go, if you don't want to get screwed over by greedy bike manufacturers. Ever since covid the prices have been a joke.
@@alberon111 it’s a small world ain’t it! And as for the bloody hills….. I’m slowly working on them slowly… doesn’t help being the size I am but hopefully if I keep up on the hill climbing ill get myself fitter and some of this extra weight will come off so the climbing will become easier.. lol
@@GsxrJohny81 It certainly is! I got the bike to supplement my running which again is a challenge round Glossop but it's all good for fitness I've been through the weight loss journey so all the best, the cycling will certainly help.
In 2020 I bought a Vitus Razor 8 speed with Shimano Claris groupset for about £550. I’ve gradually upgraded it over the past 3 years (saddle/tyres/wheels/pedals) and now have a Ultegra 11 speed groupset. But the original bike was fantastic. Did loads of tough rides on it. I cycle in the Surrey hills. Also did london to Brighton and got up Ditchling on it.
I did that in 2022 got a 2021 Razor Disc discounted(£800) to £629....Sora, TRP Spyre brakes damn good from the off. Since upgraded the wheels to DT Swiss 32mm P19800, full 105(still Spyres, with TRP compressionless cables as good as hydros) and a few cockpit tweaks but the frameset is excellent even a carbon steerer. All the bits that have come off it have gone on a gravel bike I built so nothing wasted...Vitus never get a mention anywhere, but as a qualified bike mechanic I'm well impressed with the quality and spec....
I bought the Canyon Endurace Al 7 as my first roadbike just a few months ago directly from Canyon for 1200€. It has complete 105 and just feels fast, I ride it for about 150km a week and it hasnt made any problems, definitely recommend.
Totally agreed. I bought the Endurace AL 7 Disc around 4 years ago for around 1.400€ back then. Has somewhere around 9.000km on the Frame. 2 longer Bikepacking tours. 1 Race. Totally worth the Money! By now though i am thinking about an Upgrage 😅
@@Detego93 sorry to comment on an old comment, how has the rest of your time been with it? Is it really bikepacking compatible? Currently debating between decathlon gravel or endurance al disc with the only concern that endurace al was not so suited to bikepacking (no mounts, lighter, narrower tyre clearance etc) so I would love to hear your opinion on it after all your usage!
I just purchased an entry level bike to use on my trainer; I spent several weeks shopping the new and used market and ended up with a Triban RC520. It's hard to find a decent used bike, and by the time I factored in shipping costs it made more sense to buy new. I still ended up paying a bit over $1k US with shipping and taxes, but it's new with Shimano 105 groupset. All of the other bikes in this price range came with Sora or similar groupsets.
Just got mine last week. Triban RC100, decathlon discount and got it for just 7500 PH peso or 105 pounds. Came from an MTB and it's my first road bike. For my first road bike I can say it was nice with the price and does the job for a first timer!
Absolutely buy used if you’re starting out. My first road bike was a 1985 Peugeot that I bought about 11yrs ago. I refurbed it and converted it to fixed/single speed. Rode it for many miles, London-Paris, a few other century rides and raced my mates. I’ve just gotten back into cycling after 3yrs off and bought myself a used CAAD OPTIMO 105. £500 and it’s perfect and I’m going to gradually upgrade it as I go
My first road bike was from about 2.5 years ago, bought an old 2016 boardman road comp, served me well. I switched up the saddle and new deeper wheels too. Bike itself was second hand, around £300, plus Chinese carbon wheels, saddle, bottles, lights, helmet, everything you need on a bike, it’s about £700 total. It has served me well.
8 years ago I bought my first roadbike and I was a complete beginner. My reasoning was to get a cheap but good enough bike that if I really enjoyed it and progressed I wouldn’t have to trade it for a more expensive bike very soon. This year is my fourth racing at a decent (master) level and a majority of my training is still achieved on this very bike. My choice? - Canyon Endurace AL with mechanical 105 + rim brakes. Im not paid by Canyon but can’t recommend it enought. Fun, light, comfortable and almost a steal. 😊
Coming back to cycling in my 50’s , my entry level buy was Decathlon’s Van Rysel AF EDR with Campagnolo groupset. It was €1000 at the time (a bit more now). Fantastic bike: biggest problem is that now I’ve caught the bug it’s really difficult to justify upgrading!
The banta between Manon and Ollie is gold and the expressions on Manon's face are priceless. I keep remembering the time she put the window up on Ollie when he use to get dropped all the time lol. Times have changed for sir dropped a lot. Much respect.
I think a good starter bike - one that isn't big box store garbage ( like walmart) unfortunately is around $450 - 700. There are a few good deals from Vitus, Triban, Decathalon, Poseidon and a few others - but bikes are expensive, at least if you want one that isn't going to fall apart withing a year or two ... I started out riding gravel in the 90s on a MTB, flash forward to today and I have only one bike a Ti gravel bike that can tak up to 47mm tires at 700c or 2.1" at 650b two wheelsets for gravel and road rides and I couldn't be happier. I would never have thought I'd end up on a drop bar bike, but those less expensive bikes and years of riding is what led me here. Those cheaper steps are getting harder and harder for people to get. with some " entry" level bikes being $1,000 or more - YIKES !
Entry level bikes: state bicycle all road, Poseidon redwood, canyon grizl, Merlin malt, vitus substance, pure cycles adventure, Kona rove, I mean the list goes on. These can all be had for less than $1,500 some less than $1,000
My first proper road bike was a Specialized Sequoia, bought in 2003 as a significant step up from previous Raleigh hybrids. It's served me impeccably for 20 years, having gone through several replacement drivetrains. It's a bit of a Trigger's broom, actually, as the frame and the handlebars are the only original parts. I was going to upgrade the groupset to Shimano 105 this year - until I learned that at 20 years old, the alloy frame is probably long past its safe 'replace by' date. So I've recently upgraded to a Canyon Endurace 7 AL. Shimano 105 R7000 groupset, twin chain wheels and 11-speed cassette (52/36 and 11/34), disc brakes. Cost £1.5k all in. Apart from endless fine-tuning to eliminate chain rub with the modernised 105 front derailleur, I've no complaints. It's light, smart.... and so fast! I still have the Specialized as a runabout, but it's now getting a well-deserved rest after 200k+ miles of reliable life. I'd definitely recommend my new Canyon for those looking for 'entry-level-plus'.
I still have my 1991 Giant Kronos which was billed by Bicycling Magazine as an entry level racing bike. It is a CroMo frameset with a Shimano 400 Exage 2x7 drive train. I would later replace the downtube shifters with RSX brifters. A couple years ago I pulled it out of the shed, tore it down, gave it a sexy new paint job and rebuilt it. I love the nostalgia of riding it today.
In 2020, I ditched my crappy Walmart bike and got a real entry-level bike and I love it. A new Specialized Sirrus Carbon Elite or some such thing. $1400 and worth every penny. Within a year, I was in clipless pedals and that improved things even more. My knees and feet are broken, but I can ride 50 miles at an okay pace with minimal pain. The lighter material really makes my knees happy. Aluminum frames at that price range, or cheaper, are too hard on me. I do wish it had more gears, but is okay. Yeah, my knees suck and I use all of them on a typical 50 mile ride. I can't imagine ever needing to replace it - unless I crash badly - so the price is fairly meaningless. It was 2 months after lockdowns and it was so difficult finding any bike but a little persistence got me this and not at an inflated price.
I just got my first road bike Trek Domane AL2. I'm a short woman so getting my first road bike was really tricky. One salesman tried to convince me to buy a bike with a wayyy too big frame telling me that I can just adjust the saddle hight, walked out of that store :D
I started road biking a few months ago and have been running a trek fx 7.3 that I borrowed and have been doing 100-150km per week and it has been amazing, I discovered how much I love road biking and just ordered a trek domane al 2
Being a new cyclist myself, my strength and stamina has increased a lot since I began. Before I bought my bike, I wouldn't have been able to guess that I could be where I am at now. So it's really the effort that will make the most impact and not the bike as long as the bike works well enough. Just upgrade as you go based on what you need.
Secondhand could be a good option but even as someone who’s done bits of bike maintenance for years, it’s a bit daunting. It’s just if there is something that needs replacing that you didn’t or couldn’t notice when buying, that spare part could cost a lot relative to the whole bike, plus maybe mechanic’s fees if it’s a difficult fix or needs specialized tools, so that could blow the whole budget out of the water.
So you can choose between paying a insanely high certain 'new' tax of several thousand and a eventual 'fix' tax of several hundred. You make the error of comparing the fix cost to the used price instead comparing the two total costs. I have never in my life bought a new car or bike and saved a small fortune doing so.
Just bought a secondhand Scott Speedster 20 with a 105 group set. It’s about 5 years old but hardly ever used and is immaculate - it’s basically a new bike. I got it for less than £200 secondhand. Scott now charge £1,499 for the 2023 model year equivalent. It’s a no brainer, go secondhand.
I brought a bike of Facebay for £100, Carrera TDF, Just completed the London to Brighton bike ride on it, looking to get a new bike for next years ride, this video has helped me a lot, thanks
I totally agree with Manon - used is the way to go. I moved recently, and needed a new bike. Found an 80's Guerciotti ALAN cyclocross bike with a 600 groupset, DT Swiss front and Mavic rear for $600. Squeaky clean.
My first bike was a 1957 Royal Enfield that weight about 17 kilos. Its maximum transmission was no more than 46:11. For two consecutive years now I've been riding the Marin Nicasio, a wonderful and very durable device, the best projectile for training on the highway.
Another good way to get in to cycling if it’s possible is the cycle to work schemes from employers, I’ve just used the scheme to buy upgrades for my bike which was wheels , new exposure lights upgraded brake discs and more
I have a 2021 Orbea Avant H50 : alloy frame, rim brakes, sora groupset. I bought it second hand (1st owner only took it for one ride) for 700€ in may 2022. Rode >5000 km over the last 12 monts and rode it on paris-roubaix and liège-bastogne-liège sportives... Could keep up with other riders on 6000€ marvellous bikes. Most important part of your bike is your legs
@@gcntech honestly, I could keep it the way it is but within the next few months I'm planning on buying something like 4000-5000€ worth and I'm gonna keep the other one for training
I would like to second buying a used road bike, I've just bought a 2nd hand Pinnacle Laterite 3 Road bike for £150 & it's the 2020 Shimano 105 version (this bike now only has Sora on post Covid). It was only used for a short commute from new, weighs 9.6kg & has a carbon fibre fork. My main bike is a Ribble Endurance SL e & this bike will serve me over the winter.
My first road bike when I got back into cycling after many years away from it was a 2004 LeMond Toyrmalet that I purchased new as a last year's closeout for $949. It had an aluminum frame with a Shimano 105/Ultegra mix and I absolutely loved that bike. It got stolen by a former friend and I was heartbroken. I think that, had that not happened, I'd still have that bike.
when looking to buy in the past year, Id always looked at used but people had some crazy ideas about what their bikes were worth which often meant newer was the way forward, albeit with lots of sotck issues....Finally went with Ribble as I got my exact spec for a good rpcie ...not cheap but got exactly what I wanted, including a custom colour...and didnt have to miss out on anything i wanted. Even now, only facebook bike selling groups, some people have clearly picked up bikes chepa somehow and are now trying to sell on for huge profits....
Its one of the cheapest carbon bikes out there and has a great value, but the gearing isnt good for beginners that would like to climb a hill (52x36 + 11x28)
@@gcntech the junior development team of lotto dstny is sponsored by van rysel and supplies some of their riders with the edr cf. (I believe woth ultegra groupset but i'm not entirely sure) so it can't be a bad bike then
Brilliant show as usual .... I've built my own bike at much lower cost and get a real buzz from it ... the video of Manon and illi was amazing ..go girls ❤
I really enjoy just being out on a bike, getting some exercise, putting in some distance and a decent speed. I don't need a super expensive bike. My first road bike was the Giant scr, bought second-hand. It was a bit too small, but that didn't stop me. I don't have much choice anyways- I'm 190cm tall, but live in Korea where larger frames are very rare to find. Just recently found another road bike, my size (!), on sale at Giant (over 40% off)- the Contend 3. Simple, good bike. Grabbed it, and will give my old one to my partner (he's shorter, and the bike will fit him).
My advice for entrylevel bikers living where there are hills is to get a gravelbike for tarmacriding because beginners (and especially 100 kg riders like me) need those lighter gears. It is good to have gears where the largest cog behind is bigger than the smallest cog in front. Gravelbikes also can take larger tyres which gives comfort on bad tarmac. Those larger tyres does cost some speed, but not much.
@@jzyyz Good point, but a big problem with second hand road bikes is that they used to be heavy geared, which is destroying the fun for bikers coming fat and not fit into cykling and into the climbs. I think right size is most important when choosing a bike. I live in Oslo, Norway and in this city roadbikes with skinny tyres have become rare, and more and more dropbarbikes are running on 38mm and larger. That means that more gravelbikes are coming to used -market in my town.
Most road bikes now come with a 50/34 x 11-34. 34x34 is plenty even for 100kg riders. If you don't have many hills around, is even excessive. I weigh 90kg but I don't have long, steep hills around here. I swapped the 11-34 cassette for a 12-25 .
@@alessiob8700 I suspect that you are reasonably fit. I dont ecspect that from beginners. I was doing a 270 heightmeter climb last week(11 degrees in the steepest parts),mostly sitting on 40front 42 back cog alongside a fit rider (70kg?) He was relaxing at 127bpm. I was pushing at 145-165 and I had to say goodbye one minute before the top. I was able to go that heavygeared, but not without taking a break. I really need easier gears if I shal go that hill with heartrate in zone 2 or 3. There is of course a correlation about how big your hills are and what cogs you need. My racerbike, a Wilier Triestina Gran Tourismo is good for most rides for me when the hills are not steep with 50-34in front and 11-25 behind, but I am a reasonably fit 61 year old fat biker.
@@erlendsteren9466 the longest "climb" I have around here is 1.2Km long at 6-8%. The very first time I climbed it, after 20 years of no cycling, I did it with 34x34, sitting, and before the top I was already at HR max. Fitness comes very fast, though. After 2-3 weeks I could tackle it with 34x21-23, standing, and barely getting in VO2Max territory. I think if you go too low with your gearing, it's going to be useful in the very beginning but limiting as soon as you've gained decent fitness. I also come from late 90s/early 2000 cycling, when for junior riders the smallest gear was 39x23, I still need to get my head around the climbing sitting spinning at 90rpm.
My first road bike was a Boardman Road Race (Sora, RRP was £675) from 2012. I had it secondhand for £200 in 2017 and it is a perfect starting road bike. I have upgraded to custom built tubeless wheels and tyres, and the drivetrain to Tiagra 4700 over the years and now is permanently decked out with mudguards and a pannier rack ( I needed to get mounting clips to fit them) and is now my winter/commuter/shopping bike. With a full carbon fork (some competitors use alloy steerer tubes) it was absolutely great value for its price. The modern equivalents are just as good value for money even with inflation.
Have to give a HUGE shoutout to Poseidon. Got my first road bike from them and while it's mostly my indoor trainer bike now it was a fantastic bike for the value (and their customer service was wonderful). They just released a great entry level gravel bike and in the US almost everyone new to cycling is either doing mtb or gravel because of how intimidating it can be to deal with traffic. If you are looking for an entry level bike Poseidon is worth checking out
I bought a Specialized Cirrus for $600, which has 24 speed Shimano Altus and Promax hydraulic disc brakes. It's a flat-bar bike, but comfortable for me, and I can keep up well with cyclists in my club with very nice road bikes. I love the bike, it's my Harley Hog, but I can make it go; with so many gear ratios, there's no hill I can't climb (and I'm 71 YO). Love your show ! Alan.
I have a Trek FX2 hybrid that I bought last August and have been putting 100km+ on it a week the past month. After riding with groups more and feeling out of place I now want to upgrade. There are very few "entry level" bikes, but I think the good thing is I know I'm not entry level and I actually enjoy riding. I'm in Canada so the $2000-$3500 range is what I'm looking at getting myself in to which has a few solid options for me. My plan is to keep riding on my hybrid for now (which also will make me a more powerful rider when I switch) and hopefully I can get a sale in a few months around Black Friday. I think the main thing is to remember there's no rush to upgrade, despite seeing all the nice looking bikes around me. Bike envy is a real thing!
I was in the same boat. I started with an Fx2 and loved it, but I started putting a lot of miles and time on it. Upgraded to a Giant Contend ar1, and I'm really enjoying it.
I just started riding this January with a used Carrera for £100. I soon had the opportunity to buy a used Bianchi Via Nerone 7, freshly serviced with new cables, cassette, derailleurs, chain and bar tape, all for £190 and I love it. It’ll do me for ages to come I’m sure.
My first real road bike is a Sensa Aqulia. Full carbon and Ultegra 8000 group set. cost £1300 in 2019. A similar spec'ed bike was over £2000 at best. in 2021 the Sensa was £1600 but with a 105 group set. So lower spec for more cash. I'm not sure that would equate to more profit though. I think they probably lowered the spec to hit the price point. That is still a great bike for the money. Thing is, I reckon mine is a worthy bike vault candidate. Sure it doesn't look all that special. It sure looks nice, but, for the money it has to be great value buy such a margin, that it makes it 'super nice' in my book. I actually swapped the cranks to new 105's at 165mm I sold the 172mm Ultegra ones and still made a decent profit. Great video Manon made the glasses look hot:)
a super like for manon's bell ringing especially since ollie's wood scrapping attempt was quite similar to the later transformers that he 'liked' so much :)
There are certainly a lot of good comments on what is the best entry bike. When people ask me what is the best entry bike, I simply tell them the one that would fit them the best and is in their price range. I also recommend that they get a bike fit. No matter what price point, if a bike does not fit properly and is uncomfortable when ridden, the rider is less likely to ride the bike.
My first "performance" bike was a Cherry brand 10 speed that I bought in Jr High with my paper route earnings. It had derailleur gears, drop bars, skinny tires, center pull brakes, etc. Although it was crude it was also a huge upgrade over my heavy, clunky 2 speed 26" balloon tired Schwinn my parents had bought me. A couple years later when I was 14 I started working in a bike shop & I bought a Fuji brand bike that was a huge upgrade in weight & quality.
This exactly , my first drop bard bike was an Poseidon X - put over 3,500 miles on it before I felt the need to upgrade - Riding gravel, I wanted more relaxed geometry. But the CX geo on the bike would make most road cyclists very happy.
My 2 bikes - $12 Bridgestone steel frame bike at garage sale in 2005 and $20 Fuji pro team aluminum bike with carbon fork and seat stays on Craigslist in Feb 2020 (have done 30 centuries on my Fuji and planning on #31 this Sat)
I got cube attain pro as my first road bike. Absolutely love it! It was around 1000€ and it made me fell in love with cycling! Also I am 195cm and 125kg and I got a 62 frame. Nothing happened to it over 5 years. Really, job well done as an entry bike!
also good to keep in mind when buying your first entry level road bike - chances are your local bike shop will be way more stoked if you come in with a good used bike that needs some work instead of a not so good new bike that just doesn't work for long ;)
I bought a starter bike about 4years ago for only mere £400 at Evans - 1 of the Pinnacle Laterie 1 bikes guys! It still doing the job, done miles on it, charity rides.... for only 400 at start I finally found a relative cheap 'starter' bike by Evans that offered some kind of quality on it!! Also had Decathlon mid road bikes in past for about £500.. years ago they where offering tons of stuff on spefic bike - the Triban 500...(that that price). You can still get it from them - but like all things now what they are asking for it is to me 'beyond' anyone who is just getting started into cycling!! That a shame with them because they were only brand offering 'more' on spefic bikes for a bargain price... ! As for the Evans Pinnacle Laterie range bikes Laterie 1, 3... great inexpensive getting started road bikes.. Well done Evans chain ... for a change putting out these bikes. These offer long cycling fun, without must cost, and some little way on improvements. I looked at equalivent on Evans on other more well known brands bikes, like Specialized Allez E5... at now a 1000pounds. At end day even that bike is just a normal Rim' brake road bike ..and to me guys which is paying over the odds - for what bike like that basically is!
I've always recommended either the Trek Domane or Specilized Allez. Both are reasonably priced and can take you a long way. Spec with basic components but get some decent tyres. If you begin to take up cycling more often the next thing to upgrade is wheels then components depending on what you want to do. But essentially, don't get into the sport for too much money and end up with an expensive bike gathering dust in the shed. Down the line, when you're really serious you can go up to a carbon frame.
my first road bike was a white Peugeot that I paid 1/2 of the cost( $70) for my 8th grade graduation present! Since then I have only purchased GIANT bikes. I currently have TCX, a Trance, and Avail 2013 with over 60K on it! My son just got a Giant and is doing great as a new rider!
I, like many others, got back into cycling during the pandemic. I wanted a Kona Sutra, or Fuji Touring, but none to be found. I wound up buying an older Miyata 621-ST. I absolutely live this bike and haven't felt the need to upgrade.
Here in the US I was gifted a Raleigh C30. It's a hybrid bike from what I am told, and it rides really well. I have only ever bought Walmart bikes, and riding the C30 is night and day. It was made in the early 2000's, and only needs a tune up to bring it back around. Starting my cycling journey using it.
After riding a Marin Hybrid (city bike) for 12yrs I purchased my first entry level road bike in spring of 2018. It was a 2017 Specialized Allez E5. List price in STL Missouri (middle of USA) back then was $750 USD, but as the new redesigned 2018 current year stock was hitting stores my older model was discounted to $660. It’s Aluminum frame with carbon front fork. It’s been a very good bike for me which I continue to ride to this day. I suspect anything new of comparable quality and components would be well north of $1K USD, which is why I plan on taking care of what I have and soldiering on and riding it into the ground.
My first bike was just shy of $500 back in 1990. It was an aluminium Schwinn 564 that came tricked out with LeMond-style Scott clip-ons. It came with sub-105 Shimano with (!) biopace chainrings. Apply inflation to that, it would be in the $1200 range today, but the quality of today's entry-level $1200 bike is way better than that era. Better frames, wheels and shifting, more gearing, etc. Buying used is the best option by far. Just make sure you buy the correct size and don't settle for a deal by purchasing something too big or small.
There’s a lot to be said for a second hand bike, I’ve dipped my toes in road cycling after years of MTB, brought a second hand Giant Contend SL 1, thanks to eBay upgraded the crank and the breaks to 105 for a full group set, added a pair of Conti GP5000 tires, total spend around £500, huge fun and affordable
Steer clear of the dept stores. I once showed my Dad an El Cheepo bike in a store. The whole seven ton of it, with nasty looking group set and drive cogs. Suss looking derailleurs and tacky wraps and rubber brake blocks. I then took him along to a shop that sold Apollo road bikes. He instantly saw and felt the difference noting the group set and drive cogs didn't have flashing on them. The wheel rims were nicely shaped and the spokes more like blades. Tyre profiles were lean and better quality, more durable. He immediately understood the price difference.
Absolutely agree with going secondhand. I bought a Cannondale CAAD10 with a 105 groupset for 430 USD and I honestly am so happy with it. I go riding every possible day and have already done a metric century on it.
very interesting reading all this having just bought entry level endurance road bikes for my wife and myself. We have a 5 day charity ride from Genoa to Nice taking in a few mountains and I had no idea what to buy. I went to a Decathlon store, in Paris where I live, but struggled to get any service. I then went to a specialised bike store where their only option was the Trek Domane Al 2 gen 4 at 1100 euro. I saw that the reviews were fine and just bought two of them. We at least got great service from the store and proper fittings. We are heading to Chartres tonight and will do a first ride tomorrow and follow up with a shorter ride on Sunday. We are excited to see what they are like. First time using a Garmin as well hopefully it all goes well. Many of your videos have been very useful. Cheers.
I just bought my first road bike, and got a second hand 2015 Argon 18 Radon with Shimano 105 group set for 800$CA. The condition of the bike is A1, it was very well taken care of and looks brand new. I am very happy with this used find. If i had to buy new i would have go with Decathlon, but then you can also easily get a cheaper used Decathlon. I think used bikes are the best option for beginners, but do look carefully at the condition so you don't have to spend more to replace parts.
Started on a koga miyata roadwinner from the year 2000, got it second hand for like 300€. The frame broke this summer, so I got a new (to me) 2018 trek emonda SL6 pro for 1300€ and I absolutely love it! Always loved riding, the emonda is by far the nicest bike I've owned so far. I do work on my own bikes a lot, which made second hand a no-brainer to me
I bought a Bianchi with Sora and rim brakes last year at $1400 and that was a big purchase, I know that in the scheme of bike-dom that isn't that crazy of an amount of money but when my friend was interested in tagging along and looking to replace the bike he sold a few years back it was straight to Facebook Marketplace with $200 and a loose idea of what to look for, found a 12 year old Raleigh with a mishmash Shimano/Sram drive-train, added some decent aluminum flat pedals and a new saddle and it was pretty good. I do think that there is a bit of a lack of options between $220 Walmart/Kent "special" and $900 Fuji Sportif, stuff that comes to mind is stuff like the Mongoose Grit, a couple of Tribans, and if you want to be Quirky: the State 4130 Road, but not a hell of a lot else. It'd be nice if there were more options. Side note: if you are looking for an entry level bike with wide tire clearance and an upgrade path, look at the Mongoose Grit, it is pretty amazing how nice it is for the price.
My first real road bike was a Kuwahara Titan, bought used from a bike shop $326.00 Canadian. It was light fast and durable. 12 speed with down tube suntour group set. June of 1996, great bike
Entry level use to be 105 or Rival, with Sora and similar for commuting, but with the entry of electronic groupsets those days are long gone. Those group sets was on bikes for less then 800 euro, now they are found on bikes well over 2k in less then 10 years, and even more for electronic version. No other market seen such s price increase during the same time. not even close.
My first road bike I got last week is an old 1991 Specialized Siruss I got for free at my local bike shop. The shop specializes in making old used bikes safe for those who need a bike. I got it for free because I volunteer with them to fix & restore their donation bikes. It needs a chain, but that isn’t difficult to install. Otherwise the bike is in excellent condition. My main bike is a retro Trek mountain bike.
"Entry level" is kind of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the lower price point offers affordable bikes for beginners who many not be sure they're going to like the sport. On the other hand, these low-end bikes are usually heavier, have less gear range, cheaper tires, etc - making them hard to ride. My first bike in 2016 was a Wal-Mart 26" Roadmaster Granite Peak mountain bike. $80. Steel frame, rim brakes, twist Shimano shifters (that never worked right), and a measly 7 speed cassette. It weighed a chunky 39 lbs. It was hard as hell to ride, but I kept riding it for a full year until I broke it in early 2017. By then, I was in love with the sport so I invested in a proper entry level mountain bike - about $500. Aluminum frame, 29" wheels, WTB Nano tires, hydraulic disc brakes, SRAM components front/rear, weight is around 29 lbs. My first ride on that bike was like a magic carpet ride. I couldn't believe how much easier it was to climb, descent, etc. Steep climbs that I had to "granny gear" with my old bike, I was gliding up on my new one in the middle chainring.
Best entry level: Old 70s-80s steel road frame, (schwinn, raleigh, 80s trek, etc) bought from a shop that'll sell second hand, or from someone's garage. Take it into a shop for a 100-200 tune up and sizing, and ride it until you recognize something else you want to be doing with your riding. Commute? stick with the steel frame. Race/exercise? buy a newer one after saving up. You can go sub 500$ and get something that will feel and look cool.
I got a merida scultura 400 with shimano 105 group set for 1000 last week love it amazing the difference between the shimano claris I had on my old bike
For my first roadbike I built my Orbea Orca frame with some older Campagnolo components. . Frame from 2007 and components and wheels from 1997. . . cost point about 600 euro and it rides like a dream
For the price of a junk Walmart bike (about $200), a used 20 yo trek road bike is all that I can find near me. And it will be rather heavy and in super rough shape. I've been looking for months.
I was recently knocked off my bike suffering several major injuries and completely wrecking my bike. Getting insurance quotes for a replacement has really brought home how crazy the market is and how little you get for the money these days
Bought a Merida Crossway 20 ‘hybrid’ - out of fashion, I know!! Picked it up for around £600 last year & love it! 40mm Kenda tyres. Smooth down the centre with a bit of grip to the sides. Seems to everything this side of wet rocks! Covers the road well, too. Just does pretty much everything well.
I have bought new - but only direct-to-consumer (Ribble) on sale. I have bought loads of used bikes because the value is so much better - I’ve bought off eBay, facebook bike groups, and the Pro’s Closet (not always the best deals, but good selection). Lots of options :-) I now have six bikes!
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What was your first road bike? 🚲
An aluminium frame Fuji SL I bought from my friend was my first road bike. Real first bike was a Raleigh folding bike.
Had a Giant Defy 5 from a charity bike shop that had a bunch of bontrager parts added for $300, I traded up from an older schwinn I had bought two weeks ago for a full refund to bring it down to $160.
Motobecane Grand Jubile, with Reynolds 531 steel frame, and the smallest, lightest rear mech I've ever seen - a Huret Grand Jubile.
First bike Carrera Virtuoso and now....... A carrera viargo 2020 still entry level but carbon
Trek Alpha 2.3 w/ Shimano 105s . Purchased used for $340 original MSRP $1,600 12 years ago. I can ride this bike for another 12 years and sell it for what I paid for it. A bad bike can turn you off to the sport, buy used.
The best and most fun way to help new people to the sport is to help them look for used bikes. Lets you feel like your are buying a bike but also gets your friend a deal
Used bikes are great! Even better if you've got a friend that can help you out 🙌
Agreed. My bike pals were tripping over themselves to help me find a 2nd hand bike to get started on
The wont do those videos as they are a PAID SHILL Channel
just got my first road bike 2 weeks ago...... ended up choosing the second hand route - i would say after researching a ton, the general sentiment is definitely correct - "entry level" is way too expensive to be even entry level these days, so the only way was to go second hand. Ended up with a 2017 Allez elite e5 with tiagra, and love it! Buying brand new I would've had to have spent considerably more and still get a lower tier groupset
Sounds like you picked up a great bike! Those Allez are great value, we would love to see it in the bike vault! 👉 gcn.eu/app
To be fair, my personal advice to someone looking to get into cycling would be to start with a more rodie hybrid, for example a pinnacle neon or a specialized sirrus 1. If you love it, switch out the handlebars for some drops. Then you find out beforehand if burning a grand on a starter, plus you are more informed on preferred riding position and bike size.
When I started cycling, (in the late summer of 2020) I walked into my local bike shop, chatted for some odd minutes to try and judge the character of the shop owner, and then told him I had a budget of 1000 USD. I asked him to get me riding on a road bike and fitted with all the accessories I had no idea I’d need (helmet, saddle bag, shoes and pedals, hand pump, tubes, lube etc.) with this budget.
An hour later I walked out with a Cannondale CAAD2 from the 90’s. I loved that bike and started a great relationship with my local shop. They’d happily field all my idiot questions about the bike I bought, and the continued contact with the shop helped me vet if I’d made a good purchase. Bike was $450, all the random items came out to $400. $850 total.
Way to go! A trusted local bike shop is priceless
I built up my current bike but heavily relied on the frame maker and a local bike shop for advice and help along the way (and of course paid them for it, the latter by having them take on tasks I lacked the tools and expertise to undertake, like installing the headset cups and fork crown. It's a fool who does it all on their own. We all rely on others.
I recently rented an older aluminum Specialized Diverge with a 105 groupset, and it was a real eye opener. My recommendation to would-be cyclists is to ignore carbon fiber and top-tier shifting, and keep a laser focus on the touch points-make absolutely certain the saddle and handlebars are comfortable, and you'll enjoy thousands of kilometers of happy cycling. 🚲
I realised this after upgrading... More expensive, more aero, lighter and stiffer turned out to be a downgrade
100% agree.! I’m a recreational cyclist, what do I need with a full carbon fibre frame and all the others that just makes maintenance costs go through the roof..?
105 compact groupset, alu frame, rim brakes, traditional cable shifting with all of the cables bring outside mounted and correct size is milions times more important than new tech and carbon fibre.
Week 18 of asking for a ‘The UCI has no jurisdiction here’ T-shirt
Jersey
Keep it going ❤
Go bother the GTN guys. That's their claim to fame 😅
Keep it going 👍
Keep up the good fight
Just bought my first road bike yesterday, picked myself a triban Rc500 in blue from decathlon. I’m absolutely delighted with my bike.
I haven’t rode a bike in several years and only ever had the odd very budget mountain bike.
Had my first ride out late this afternoon, only had a short ride out, I thought it was okay for a big guy like me at 42 years old 6’ 2” and 22+ stone… did about 5-6 miles around where I live (Glossop) up and down a few fairly decent hills..
I was absolutely knackered when I got home, hoping to keep doing my route most days to build a decent level of fitness and weight loss before hopefully attempting a few more ambitious longer rides 👍
Decathlon, even while raising prices significantly, is the only way to go, if you don't want to get screwed over by greedy bike manufacturers. Ever since covid the prices have been a joke.
I paid £599 for my bike which was reduced from £649, I feel I got a pretty good bike overall for the money.
Well there's a coincidence, I'm from Glossop and also just bought a RC500, don't you just love the hills round here 🤣
@@alberon111 it’s a small world ain’t it!
And as for the bloody hills….. I’m slowly working on them slowly… doesn’t help being the size I am but hopefully if I keep up on the hill climbing ill get myself fitter and some of this extra weight will come off so the climbing will become easier.. lol
@@GsxrJohny81 It certainly is! I got the bike to supplement my running which again is a challenge round Glossop but it's all good for fitness
I've been through the weight loss journey so all the best, the cycling will certainly help.
In 2020 I bought a Vitus Razor 8 speed with Shimano Claris groupset for about £550. I’ve gradually upgraded it over the past 3 years (saddle/tyres/wheels/pedals) and now have a Ultegra 11 speed groupset. But the original bike was fantastic. Did loads of tough rides on it. I cycle in the Surrey hills. Also did london to Brighton and got up Ditchling on it.
I did that in 2022 got a 2021 Razor Disc discounted(£800) to £629....Sora, TRP Spyre brakes damn good from the off. Since upgraded the wheels to DT Swiss 32mm P19800, full 105(still Spyres, with TRP compressionless cables as good as hydros) and a few cockpit tweaks but the frameset is excellent even a carbon steerer. All the bits that have come off it have gone on a gravel bike I built so nothing wasted...Vitus never get a mention anywhere, but as a qualified bike mechanic I'm well impressed with the quality and spec....
I bought the Canyon Endurace Al 7 as my first roadbike just a few months ago directly from Canyon for 1200€. It has complete 105 and just feels fast, I ride it for about 150km a week and it hasnt made any problems, definitely recommend.
Good purchase
Totally agreed. I bought the Endurace AL 7 Disc around 4 years ago for around 1.400€ back then. Has somewhere around 9.000km on the Frame. 2 longer Bikepacking tours. 1 Race. Totally worth the Money!
By now though i am thinking about an Upgrage 😅
@@Detego93 So did you go ahead with the upgrade?
@@sssssneaker yeah, got the Rose xLite 06 now… different Game.
@@Detego93 sorry to comment on an old comment, how has the rest of your time been with it? Is it really bikepacking compatible? Currently debating between decathlon gravel or endurance al disc with the only concern that endurace al was not so suited to bikepacking (no mounts, lighter, narrower tyre clearance etc) so I would love to hear your opinion on it after all your usage!
I just purchased an entry level bike to use on my trainer; I spent several weeks shopping the new and used market and ended up with a Triban RC520. It's hard to find a decent used bike, and by the time I factored in shipping costs it made more sense to buy new. I still ended up paying a bit over $1k US with shipping and taxes, but it's new with Shimano 105 groupset. All of the other bikes in this price range came with Sora or similar groupsets.
Just got mine last week. Triban RC100, decathlon discount and got it for just 7500 PH peso or 105 pounds. Came from an MTB and it's my first road bike. For my first road bike I can say it was nice with the price and does the job for a first timer!
Got a used Giant Defy Advanced Pro carbon for $700 and it's so comfy! Did long rides in it with noticeably less discomfort compared to my old bike.
I got my first proper road bike a month ago. 2014 Dawes Giro 200, im the 3rd owner in the cycling group ive joined and honestly, it's fantastic.
Absolutely buy used if you’re starting out. My first road bike was a 1985 Peugeot that I bought about 11yrs ago. I refurbed it and converted it to fixed/single speed. Rode it for many miles, London-Paris, a few other century rides and raced my mates. I’ve just gotten back into cycling after 3yrs off and bought myself a used CAAD OPTIMO 105. £500 and it’s perfect and I’m going to gradually upgrade it as I go
My first road bike was from about 2.5 years ago, bought an old 2016 boardman road comp, served me well. I switched up the saddle and new deeper wheels too.
Bike itself was second hand, around £300, plus Chinese carbon wheels, saddle, bottles, lights, helmet, everything you need on a bike, it’s about £700 total. It has served me well.
In New Zealand our bikes cost 20% more than in Europe and the USA and the used market people want 90% of retail for used bikes, just insane.
8 years ago I bought my first roadbike and I was a complete beginner. My reasoning was to get a cheap but good enough bike that if I really enjoyed it and progressed I wouldn’t have to trade it for a more expensive bike very soon. This year is my fourth racing at a decent (master) level and a majority of my training is still achieved on this very bike. My choice? - Canyon Endurace AL with mechanical 105 + rim brakes. Im not paid by Canyon but can’t recommend it enought. Fun, light, comfortable and almost a steal. 😊
Coming back to cycling in my 50’s , my entry level buy was Decathlon’s Van Rysel AF EDR with Campagnolo groupset. It was €1000 at the time (a bit more now). Fantastic bike: biggest problem is that now I’ve caught the bug it’s really difficult to justify upgrading!
The banta between Manon and Ollie is gold and the expressions on Manon's face are priceless. I keep remembering the time she put the window up on Ollie when he use to get dropped all the time lol. Times have changed for sir dropped a lot. Much respect.
I think a good starter bike - one that isn't big box store garbage ( like walmart) unfortunately is around $450 - 700.
There are a few good deals from Vitus, Triban, Decathalon, Poseidon and a few others - but bikes are expensive, at least if you want one that isn't going to fall apart withing a year or two ...
I started out riding gravel in the 90s on a MTB, flash forward to today and I have only one bike a Ti gravel bike that can tak up to 47mm tires at 700c or 2.1" at 650b
two wheelsets for gravel and road rides and I couldn't be happier. I would never have thought I'd end up on a drop bar bike, but those less expensive bikes and
years of riding is what led me here. Those cheaper steps are getting harder and harder for people to get. with some " entry" level bikes being $1,000 or more - YIKES !
Entry level bikes: state bicycle all road, Poseidon redwood, canyon grizl, Merlin malt, vitus substance, pure cycles adventure, Kona rove, I mean the list goes on. These can all be had for less than $1,500 some less than $1,000
Merlin Malt G2P with Tiagra...crackin bike and only just over £800 ;)
Triban rc520 with 105 groupset
My first proper road bike was a Specialized Sequoia, bought in 2003 as a significant step up from previous Raleigh hybrids. It's served me impeccably for 20 years, having gone through several replacement drivetrains. It's a bit of a Trigger's broom, actually, as the frame and the handlebars are the only original parts. I was going to upgrade the groupset to Shimano 105 this year - until I learned that at 20 years old, the alloy frame is probably long past its safe 'replace by' date. So I've recently upgraded to a Canyon Endurace 7 AL. Shimano 105 R7000 groupset, twin chain wheels and 11-speed cassette (52/36 and 11/34), disc brakes. Cost £1.5k all in. Apart from endless fine-tuning to eliminate chain rub with the modernised 105 front derailleur, I've no complaints. It's light, smart.... and so fast! I still have the Specialized as a runabout, but it's now getting a well-deserved rest after 200k+ miles of reliable life. I'd definitely recommend my new Canyon for those looking for 'entry-level-plus'.
I still have my 1991 Giant Kronos which was billed by Bicycling Magazine as an entry level racing bike. It is a CroMo frameset with a Shimano 400 Exage 2x7 drive train. I would later replace the downtube shifters with RSX brifters. A couple years ago I pulled it out of the shed, tore it down, gave it a sexy new paint job and rebuilt it. I love the nostalgia of riding it today.
In 2020, I ditched my crappy Walmart bike and got a real entry-level bike and I love it. A new Specialized Sirrus Carbon Elite or some such thing. $1400 and worth every penny. Within a year, I was in clipless pedals and that improved things even more. My knees and feet are broken, but I can ride 50 miles at an okay pace with minimal pain. The lighter material really makes my knees happy.
Aluminum frames at that price range, or cheaper, are too hard on me.
I do wish it had more gears, but is okay. Yeah, my knees suck and I use all of them on a typical 50 mile ride.
I can't imagine ever needing to replace it - unless I crash badly - so the price is fairly meaningless.
It was 2 months after lockdowns and it was so difficult finding any bike but a little persistence got me this and not at an inflated price.
I just got my first road bike Trek Domane AL2. I'm a short woman so getting my first road bike was really tricky. One salesman tried to convince me to buy a bike with a wayyy too big frame telling me that I can just adjust the saddle hight, walked out of that store :D
how would u rate the bike?
I started road biking a few months ago and have been running a trek fx 7.3 that I borrowed and have been doing 100-150km per week and it has been amazing, I discovered how much I love road biking and just ordered a trek domane al 2
Being a new cyclist myself, my strength and stamina has increased a lot since I began. Before I bought my bike, I wouldn't have been able to guess that I could be where I am at now. So it's really the effort that will make the most impact and not the bike as long as the bike works well enough. Just upgrade as you go based on what you need.
Secondhand could be a good option but even as someone who’s done bits of bike maintenance for years, it’s a bit daunting. It’s just if there is something that needs replacing that you didn’t or couldn’t notice when buying, that spare part could cost a lot relative to the whole bike, plus maybe mechanic’s fees if it’s a difficult fix or needs specialized tools, so that could blow the whole budget out of the water.
So you can choose between paying a insanely high certain 'new' tax of several thousand and a eventual 'fix' tax of several hundred. You make the error of comparing the fix cost to the used price instead comparing the two total costs. I have never in my life bought a new car or bike and saved a small fortune doing so.
Just bought a secondhand Scott Speedster 20 with a 105 group set. It’s about 5 years old but hardly ever used and is immaculate - it’s basically a new bike. I got it for less than £200 secondhand. Scott now charge £1,499 for the 2023 model year equivalent. It’s a no brainer, go secondhand.
24:50 harking back to the days when Ollie showed his true feelings towards the humble cowbell 😂
He loves the cowbell really! 🔔
I brought a bike of Facebay for £100, Carrera TDF, Just completed the London to Brighton bike ride on it, looking to get a new bike for next years ride, this video has helped me a lot, thanks
I totally agree with Manon - used is the way to go. I moved recently, and needed a new bike. Found an 80's Guerciotti ALAN cyclocross bike with a 600 groupset, DT Swiss front and Mavic rear for $600. Squeaky clean.
My first bike was a 1957 Royal Enfield that weight about 17 kilos. Its maximum transmission was no more than 46:11. For two consecutive years now I've been riding the Marin Nicasio, a wonderful and very durable device, the best projectile for training on the highway.
Another good way to get in to cycling if it’s possible is the cycle to work schemes from employers, I’ve just used the scheme to buy upgrades for my bike which was wheels , new exposure lights upgraded brake discs and more
Thanks for the mention Ollie. Will be watching with interest when that video comes out.
I have a 2021 Orbea Avant H50 : alloy frame, rim brakes, sora groupset. I bought it second hand (1st owner only took it for one ride) for 700€ in may 2022. Rode >5000 km over the last 12 monts and rode it on paris-roubaix and liège-bastogne-liège sportives... Could keep up with other riders on 6000€ marvellous bikes. Most important part of your bike is your legs
Super cool to hear you've tackled some amazing events! Do you think you'll ever upgrade the trusty steed or are you happy with how it is?
@@gcntech honestly, I could keep it the way it is but within the next few months I'm planning on buying something like 4000-5000€ worth and I'm gonna keep the other one for training
I would like to second buying a used road bike, I've just bought a 2nd hand Pinnacle Laterite 3 Road bike for £150 & it's the 2020 Shimano 105 version (this bike now only has Sora on post Covid). It was only used for a short commute from new, weighs 9.6kg & has a carbon fibre fork. My main bike is a Ribble Endurance SL e & this bike will serve me over the winter.
My first road bike when I got back into cycling after many years away from it was a 2004 LeMond Toyrmalet that I purchased new as a last year's closeout for $949.
It had an aluminum frame with a Shimano 105/Ultegra mix and I absolutely loved that bike.
It got stolen by a former friend and I was heartbroken.
I think that, had that not happened, I'd still have that bike.
when looking to buy in the past year, Id always looked at used but people had some crazy ideas about what their bikes were worth which often meant newer was the way forward, albeit with lots of sotck issues....Finally went with Ribble as I got my exact spec for a good rpcie ...not cheap but got exactly what I wanted, including a custom colour...and didnt have to miss out on anything i wanted.
Even now, only facebook bike selling groups, some people have clearly picked up bikes chepa somehow and are now trying to sell on for huge profits....
I'd say the best value for money is the Van Rysel EDR CF 105 from Decathlon.
Have you ever tired one of these out?
Its one of the cheapest carbon bikes out there and has a great value, but the gearing isnt good for beginners that would like to climb a hill (52x36 + 11x28)
@@diesel9677 maybe, but they will be on the smaller ring only
@@gcntech the junior development team of lotto dstny is sponsored by van rysel and supplies some of their riders with the edr cf. (I believe woth ultegra groupset but i'm not entirely sure) so it can't be a bad bike then
Brilliant show as usual .... I've built my own bike at much lower cost and get a real buzz from it ... the video of Manon and illi was amazing ..go girls ❤
Love you both separately and together it’s just pure knowledge and easy watching. Two best presenters for sure.
I really enjoy just being out on a bike, getting some exercise, putting in some distance and a decent speed. I don't need a super expensive bike. My first road bike was the Giant scr, bought second-hand. It was a bit too small, but that didn't stop me. I don't have much choice anyways- I'm 190cm tall, but live in Korea where larger frames are very rare to find. Just recently found another road bike, my size (!), on sale at Giant (over 40% off)- the Contend 3. Simple, good bike. Grabbed it, and will give my old one to my partner (he's shorter, and the bike will fit him).
My advice for entrylevel bikers living where there are hills is to get a gravelbike for tarmacriding because beginners (and especially 100 kg riders like me) need those lighter gears. It is good to have gears where the largest cog behind is bigger than the smallest cog in front. Gravelbikes also can take larger tyres which gives comfort on bad tarmac. Those larger tyres does cost some speed, but not much.
It's harder to find a 2nd hand gravel bike for as cheap as a decent older used road bike, especially if you care about getting the right size.
@@jzyyz Good point, but a big problem with second hand road bikes is that they used to be heavy geared, which is destroying the fun for bikers coming fat and not fit into cykling and into the climbs. I think right size is most important when choosing a bike. I live in Oslo, Norway and in this city roadbikes with skinny tyres have become rare, and more and more dropbarbikes are running on 38mm and larger. That means that more gravelbikes are coming to used -market in my town.
Most road bikes now come with a 50/34 x 11-34. 34x34 is plenty even for 100kg riders. If you don't have many hills around, is even excessive. I weigh 90kg but I don't have long, steep hills around here. I swapped the 11-34 cassette for a 12-25 .
@@alessiob8700 I suspect that you are reasonably fit. I dont ecspect that from beginners. I was doing a 270 heightmeter climb last week(11 degrees in the steepest parts),mostly sitting on 40front 42 back cog alongside a fit rider (70kg?) He was relaxing at 127bpm. I was pushing at 145-165 and I had to say goodbye one minute before the top. I was able to go that heavygeared, but not without taking a break. I really need easier gears if I shal go that hill with heartrate in zone 2 or 3. There is of course a correlation about how big your hills are and what cogs you need. My racerbike, a Wilier Triestina Gran Tourismo is good for most rides for me when the hills are not steep with 50-34in front and 11-25 behind, but I am a reasonably fit 61 year old fat biker.
@@erlendsteren9466 the longest "climb" I have around here is 1.2Km long at 6-8%. The very first time I climbed it, after 20 years of no cycling, I did it with 34x34, sitting, and before the top I was already at HR max. Fitness comes very fast, though. After 2-3 weeks I could tackle it with 34x21-23, standing, and barely getting in VO2Max territory.
I think if you go too low with your gearing, it's going to be useful in the very beginning but limiting as soon as you've gained decent fitness.
I also come from late 90s/early 2000 cycling, when for junior riders the smallest gear was 39x23, I still need to get my head around the climbing sitting spinning at 90rpm.
My first road bike was a Boardman Road Race (Sora, RRP was £675) from 2012. I had it secondhand for £200 in 2017 and it is a perfect starting road bike. I have upgraded to custom built tubeless wheels and tyres, and the drivetrain to Tiagra 4700 over the years and now is permanently decked out with mudguards and a pannier rack ( I needed to get mounting clips to fit them) and is now my winter/commuter/shopping bike. With a full carbon fork (some competitors use alloy steerer tubes) it was absolutely great value for its price. The modern equivalents are just as good value for money even with inflation.
Have to give a HUGE shoutout to Poseidon. Got my first road bike from them and while it's mostly my indoor trainer bike now it was a fantastic bike for the value (and their customer service was wonderful). They just released a great entry level gravel bike and in the US almost everyone new to cycling is either doing mtb or gravel because of how intimidating it can be to deal with traffic. If you are looking for an entry level bike Poseidon is worth checking out
I bought a Specialized Cirrus for $600, which has 24 speed Shimano Altus and Promax hydraulic disc brakes. It's a flat-bar bike, but comfortable for me, and I can keep up well with cyclists in my club with very nice road bikes. I love the bike, it's my Harley Hog, but I can make it go; with so many gear ratios, there's no hill I can't climb (and I'm 71 YO). Love your show ! Alan.
UK/Europe: Triban or used
US: Something from Bikes Direct. Not a lot of used stock unless you're in one of the few massive cities.
I have a Trek FX2 hybrid that I bought last August and have been putting 100km+ on it a week the past month. After riding with groups more and feeling out of place I now want to upgrade. There are very few "entry level" bikes, but I think the good thing is I know I'm not entry level and I actually enjoy riding. I'm in Canada so the $2000-$3500 range is what I'm looking at getting myself in to which has a few solid options for me. My plan is to keep riding on my hybrid for now (which also will make me a more powerful rider when I switch) and hopefully I can get a sale in a few months around Black Friday. I think the main thing is to remember there's no rush to upgrade, despite seeing all the nice looking bikes around me. Bike envy is a real thing!
I was in the same boat. I started with an Fx2 and loved it, but I started putting a lot of miles and time on it. Upgraded to a Giant Contend ar1, and I'm really enjoying it.
6 months ago my first bike was a used 2014 Focus Culebro 2.0. Ultegra groupset, 9.5 kilos. I absolutely love it. 260 pounds
I just started riding this January with a used Carrera for £100. I soon had the opportunity to buy a used Bianchi Via Nerone 7, freshly serviced with new cables, cassette, derailleurs, chain and bar tape, all for £190 and I love it. It’ll do me for ages to come I’m sure.
My 1st road bike was a second hand orbea. Cost around £150. Great bike. Second hand bikes offer a lot of value.
As long as you know what you are looking for, you're right.
My first real road bike is a Sensa Aqulia. Full carbon and Ultegra 8000 group set. cost £1300 in 2019. A similar spec'ed bike was over £2000 at best.
in 2021 the Sensa was £1600 but with a 105 group set. So lower spec for more cash. I'm not sure that would equate to more profit though. I think they probably lowered the spec to hit the price point. That is still a great bike for the money.
Thing is, I reckon mine is a worthy bike vault candidate. Sure it doesn't look all that special. It sure looks nice, but, for the money it has to be great value buy such a margin, that it makes it 'super nice' in my book.
I actually swapped the cranks to new 105's at 165mm I sold the 172mm Ultegra ones and still made a decent profit.
Great video Manon made the glasses look hot:)
Love watching GCN. Helps me get motivate and unwind before my first ever century!!
Ooooo exciting! Need some last second research? 👉ruclips.net/video/0jWzjdueA2w/видео.html
@@gcntech oh yes. Definitely have watched and rewatched this many times.
a super like for manon's bell ringing especially since ollie's wood scrapping attempt was quite similar to the later transformers that he 'liked' so much :)
Just returned to cycling. Got a Fuji Altamira, carbon, Ultegra, FSA and Mavic. $850 675 pounds.
There are certainly a lot of good comments on what is the best entry bike. When people ask me what is the best entry bike, I simply tell them the one that would fit them the best and is in their price range. I also recommend that they get a bike fit. No matter what price point, if a bike does not fit properly and is uncomfortable when ridden, the rider is less likely to ride the bike.
Low key love that Dr. Bridgewood dropped an Edgar from Men in Black reference and Manon completely missed it.
Was Manon even walking the planet when that came out 🤔
@@jonburnell532 had to sleuth things, but it looks like she was! Real close, though 🤣
@@kiefermr Well sleuthed 👍 🕵️♂️
My first "performance" bike was a Cherry brand 10 speed that I bought in Jr High with my paper route earnings. It had derailleur gears, drop bars, skinny tires, center pull brakes, etc. Although it was crude it was also a huge upgrade over my heavy, clunky 2 speed 26" balloon tired Schwinn my parents had bought me.
A couple years later when I was 14 I started working in a bike shop & I bought a Fuji brand bike that was a huge upgrade in weight & quality.
Also, Advent X is definitely a decent drivetrain. It works very well and is very good for the price point.
This exactly , my first drop bard bike was an Poseidon X - put over 3,500 miles on it before I felt the need to upgrade -
Riding gravel, I wanted more relaxed geometry. But the CX geo on the bike would make most road cyclists very happy.
I’ve got the 2021 Specialized Allez E5. Groupset isn’t amazing but defiantly a good bike. Done 10000+km on it. Nothing has needed replacing yet
My 2 bikes - $12 Bridgestone steel frame bike at garage sale in 2005 and $20 Fuji pro team aluminum bike with carbon fork and seat stays on Craigslist in Feb 2020 (have done 30 centuries on my Fuji and planning on #31 this Sat)
4:33 because it doesn’t have electronic shifting. Imagine if those days had proprietary battery packs then trying to make it work today. 🤔 💭
I got cube attain pro as my first road bike. Absolutely love it! It was around 1000€ and it made me fell in love with cycling! Also I am 195cm and 125kg and I got a 62 frame. Nothing happened to it over 5 years. Really, job well done as an entry bike!
Mannons and ollie's working relationship is a special thing!....😂😂😂😂😂
Just got a madone 3.5 with 500 miles on the clock and all done in Spain. Brand new condition. 470 quid. A steal.
I got Merirda endurance sculpture and it's the one from 2022 with dic brakes for less than 420
also good to keep in mind when buying your first entry level road bike - chances are your local bike shop will be way more stoked if you come in with a good used bike that needs some work instead of a not so good new bike that just doesn't work for long ;)
I think part of the stokedness is that older bike tech is easier to work on.
I bought a starter bike about 4years ago for only mere £400 at Evans - 1 of the Pinnacle Laterie 1 bikes guys! It still doing the job, done miles on it, charity rides.... for only 400 at start I finally found a relative cheap 'starter' bike by Evans that offered some kind of quality on it!! Also had Decathlon mid road bikes in past for about £500.. years ago they where offering tons of stuff on spefic bike - the Triban 500...(that that price). You can still get it from them - but like all things now what they are asking for it is to me 'beyond' anyone who is just getting started into cycling!! That a shame with them because they were only brand offering 'more' on spefic bikes for a bargain price... ! As for the Evans Pinnacle Laterie range bikes Laterie 1, 3... great inexpensive getting started road bikes.. Well done Evans chain ... for a change putting out these bikes. These offer long cycling fun, without must cost, and some little way on improvements. I looked at equalivent on Evans on other more well known brands bikes, like Specialized Allez E5... at now a 1000pounds. At end day even that bike is just a normal Rim' brake road bike ..and to me guys which is paying over the odds - for what bike like that basically is!
Welcome back Manon. Found out from IG. Congratulations!
Aluminium frame are fine , carbon is plastic and is more susceptible to explose in a low speed coolision
I've always recommended either the Trek Domane or Specilized Allez. Both are reasonably priced and can take you a long way. Spec with basic components but get some decent tyres. If you begin to take up cycling more often the next thing to upgrade is wheels then components depending on what you want to do. But essentially, don't get into the sport for too much money and end up with an expensive bike gathering dust in the shed. Down the line, when you're really serious you can go up to a carbon frame.
Aluminium is a great option for those getting into the sport! 🙌
my first road bike was a white Peugeot that I paid 1/2 of the cost( $70) for my 8th grade graduation present! Since then I have only purchased GIANT bikes. I currently have TCX, a Trance, and Avail 2013 with over 60K on it! My son just got a Giant and is doing great as a new rider!
I, like many others, got back into cycling during the pandemic. I wanted a Kona Sutra, or Fuji Touring, but none to be found. I wound up buying an older Miyata 621-ST. I absolutely live this bike and haven't felt the need to upgrade.
First bike was a 2014 Scott Speedster 20, great bike. Only recently upgraded to a Foil RC 30 as a graduation gift for myself.
Here in the US I was gifted a Raleigh C30. It's a hybrid bike from what I am told, and it rides really well. I have only ever bought Walmart bikes, and riding the C30 is night and day. It was made in the early 2000's, and only needs a tune up to bring it back around. Starting my cycling journey using it.
After riding a Marin Hybrid (city bike) for 12yrs I purchased my first entry level road bike in spring of 2018. It was a 2017 Specialized Allez E5. List price in STL Missouri (middle of USA) back then was $750 USD, but as the new redesigned 2018 current year stock was hitting stores my older model was discounted to $660. It’s Aluminum frame with carbon front fork. It’s been a very good bike for me which I continue to ride to this day. I suspect anything new of comparable quality and components would be well north of $1K USD, which is why I plan on taking care of what I have and soldiering on and riding it into the ground.
8:03 Manon is in love with Ollie's hair 🥰👀
My first bike was just shy of $500 back in 1990. It was an aluminium Schwinn 564 that came tricked out with LeMond-style Scott clip-ons. It came with sub-105 Shimano with (!) biopace chainrings. Apply inflation to that, it would be in the $1200 range today, but the quality of today's entry-level $1200 bike is way better than that era. Better frames, wheels and shifting, more gearing, etc. Buying used is the best option by far. Just make sure you buy the correct size and don't settle for a deal by purchasing something too big or small.
There’s a lot to be said for a second hand bike, I’ve dipped my toes in road cycling after years of MTB, brought a second hand Giant Contend SL 1, thanks to eBay upgraded the crank and the breaks to 105 for a full group set, added a pair of Conti GP5000 tires, total spend around £500, huge fun and affordable
Steer clear of the dept stores. I once showed my Dad an El Cheepo bike in a store. The whole seven ton of it, with nasty looking group set and drive cogs. Suss looking derailleurs and tacky wraps and rubber brake blocks. I then took him along to a shop that sold Apollo road bikes. He instantly saw and felt the difference noting the group set and drive cogs didn't have flashing on them. The wheel rims were nicely shaped and the spokes more like blades. Tyre profiles were lean and better quality, more durable. He immediately understood the price difference.
Absolutely agree with going secondhand. I bought a Cannondale CAAD10 with a 105 groupset for 430 USD and I honestly am so happy with it. I go riding every possible day and have already done a metric century on it.
very interesting reading all this having just bought entry level endurance road bikes for my wife and myself. We have a 5 day charity ride from Genoa to Nice taking in a few mountains and I had no idea what to buy. I went to a Decathlon store, in Paris where I live, but struggled to get any service. I then went to a specialised bike store where their only option was the Trek Domane Al 2 gen 4 at 1100 euro. I saw that the reviews were fine and just bought two of them. We at least got great service from the store and proper fittings. We are heading to Chartres tonight and will do a first ride tomorrow and follow up with a shorter ride on Sunday. We are excited to see what they are like. First time using a Garmin as well hopefully it all goes well. Many of your videos have been very useful. Cheers.
I just bought my first road bike, and got a second hand 2015 Argon 18 Radon with Shimano 105 group set for 800$CA. The condition of the bike is A1, it was very well taken care of and looks brand new. I am very happy with this used find. If i had to buy new i would have go with Decathlon, but then you can also easily get a cheaper used Decathlon. I think used bikes are the best option for beginners, but do look carefully at the condition so you don't have to spend more to replace parts.
Started on a koga miyata roadwinner from the year 2000, got it second hand for like 300€. The frame broke this summer, so I got a new (to me) 2018 trek emonda SL6 pro for 1300€ and I absolutely love it! Always loved riding, the emonda is by far the nicest bike I've owned so far. I do work on my own bikes a lot, which made second hand a no-brainer to me
I bought a Bianchi with Sora and rim brakes last year at $1400 and that was a big purchase, I know that in the scheme of bike-dom that isn't that crazy of an amount of money but when my friend was interested in tagging along and looking to replace the bike he sold a few years back it was straight to Facebook Marketplace with $200 and a loose idea of what to look for, found a 12 year old Raleigh with a mishmash Shimano/Sram drive-train, added some decent aluminum flat pedals and a new saddle and it was pretty good.
I do think that there is a bit of a lack of options between $220 Walmart/Kent "special" and $900 Fuji Sportif, stuff that comes to mind is stuff like the Mongoose Grit, a couple of Tribans, and if you want to be Quirky: the State 4130 Road, but not a hell of a lot else. It'd be nice if there were more options.
Side note: if you are looking for an entry level bike with wide tire clearance and an upgrade path, look at the Mongoose Grit, it is pretty amazing how nice it is for the price.
My first real road bike was a Kuwahara Titan, bought used from a bike shop $326.00 Canadian. It was light fast and durable. 12 speed with down tube suntour group set. June of 1996, great bike
Entry level use to be 105 or Rival, with Sora and similar for commuting, but with the entry of electronic groupsets those days are long gone. Those group sets was on bikes for less then 800 euro, now they are found on bikes well over 2k in less then 10 years, and even more for electronic version. No other market seen such s price increase during the same time. not even close.
My first road bike I got last week is an old 1991 Specialized Siruss I got for free at my local bike shop. The shop specializes in making old used bikes safe for those who need a bike. I got it for free because I volunteer with them to fix & restore their donation bikes. It needs a chain, but that isn’t difficult to install. Otherwise the bike is in excellent condition. My main bike is a retro Trek mountain bike.
"Entry level" is kind of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the lower price point offers affordable bikes for beginners who many not be sure they're going to like the sport. On the other hand, these low-end bikes are usually heavier, have less gear range, cheaper tires, etc - making them hard to ride.
My first bike in 2016 was a Wal-Mart 26" Roadmaster Granite Peak mountain bike. $80. Steel frame, rim brakes, twist Shimano shifters (that never worked right), and a measly 7 speed cassette. It weighed a chunky 39 lbs. It was hard as hell to ride, but I kept riding it for a full year until I broke it in early 2017.
By then, I was in love with the sport so I invested in a proper entry level mountain bike - about $500. Aluminum frame, 29" wheels, WTB Nano tires, hydraulic disc brakes, SRAM components front/rear, weight is around 29 lbs. My first ride on that bike was like a magic carpet ride. I couldn't believe how much easier it was to climb, descent, etc. Steep climbs that I had to "granny gear" with my old bike, I was gliding up on my new one in the middle chainring.
Best entry level: Old 70s-80s steel road frame, (schwinn, raleigh, 80s trek, etc) bought from a shop that'll sell second hand, or from someone's garage. Take it into a shop for a 100-200 tune up and sizing, and ride it until you recognize something else you want to be doing with your riding. Commute? stick with the steel frame. Race/exercise? buy a newer one after saving up. You can go sub 500$ and get something that will feel and look cool.
I got a merida scultura 400 with shimano 105 group set for 1000 last week love it amazing the difference between the shimano claris I had on my old bike
I got the same
Nothing else compares for the price
For my first roadbike I built my Orbea Orca frame with some older Campagnolo components. . Frame from 2007 and components and wheels from 1997. . . cost point about 600 euro and it rides like a dream
For the price of a junk Walmart bike (about $200), a used 20 yo trek road bike is all that I can find near me. And it will be rather heavy and in super rough shape. I've been looking for months.
Bought a 2021 caad 13 last year and love it, 105 and rim brakes. Just over £1000, Starting to upgrade parts on it now
Got a lightly used carbon Ribble with Ultegra for 600 2 years ago. Love it.
I was recently knocked off my bike suffering several major injuries and completely wrecking my bike.
Getting insurance quotes for a replacement has really brought home how crazy the market is and how little you get for the money these days
Bought a Merida Crossway 20 ‘hybrid’ - out of fashion, I know!!
Picked it up for around £600 last year & love it! 40mm Kenda tyres. Smooth down the centre with a bit of grip to the sides. Seems to everything this side of wet rocks! Covers the road well, too. Just does pretty much everything well.
I have bought new - but only direct-to-consumer (Ribble) on sale. I have bought loads of used bikes because the value is so much better - I’ve bought off eBay, facebook bike groups, and the Pro’s Closet (not always the best deals, but good selection). Lots of options :-) I now have six bikes!
just picked an "entry level" for £120. Very lightweight aluminium with sora group set. Brilliant!