Yeah, I mean if you spend maybe a little upgrading the dangerous breaks, it probably wouldn't be so bad. That luck of rolling the dice, probably some company that buys randoms crates and one crate had bikes.
Louise bought the bike to claim on hubby's life insurance. She gave it 3 stars because she did get a few days alone when he was laid up in in hospital, so not a total waste.
Yeah I'm on your page with that!!! In fact the very thought flashed through my head as the review was being read out!! I could almost hear her saying "it's a pity he ended up in hospital...... note to self, undo the rear brake as well next time and send him out on a rainy day" 😂😂😂😂😂
As a bloke who has recently been hospitalised for 4 days by coming off my bike, I'm sure my girlfriend would agree 100%. For me, I'm just gutted that I spent way more than £82.50 to fall off my steed😅
I don't get why nowadays' bikes lack a proper stand, especially carbon bikes. You're always in risk to get them dropped and break something. What's wrong about a stand? Not cool enough or too much weight? Maybe it's worse aerodynamics, I don't know.
Im an average cyclist as in I cycle most days but it’s purely for pleasure, I adore the countryside and outdoors, canal routes and such. I don’t compete or take it too seriously to be honest. It gives me pleasure, exercise and is amazing for my mental health. I’m also in an average job with average pay, I run a house, a car and have plenty of bills to pay. So an expensive bike has always and probably will always be out of my league. My mates got a bike that cost him £2000 and I’ve ridden that a few times. He’s also had loads of trouble with it. I got a £500 bike and it’s been bloody awesome, never had any trouble with it, it’s comfy, it’s fast enough for me, it’s stylish, smooth, no squeaks or noises. And it does exactly what I want it for. I’ve also had even cheaper bikes in the past and they’ve all been great. If you have the money then good, buy what you can afford but I think there’s a kind of snobbery amongst a lot of cyclists and people in general when it comes to how much something is worth. Yes things might not have all the bells and whistles on but as long as it does the job you require it do, safely and smoothly and it’s within what you can afford then buy whatever you want to and just enjoy the experiences it gives you in getting out there instead of been stuck indoors and staring at a screen. 😊
Most here are average cyclists including me. Have a gravel bike and mid level road which suits me. Completed my first 50 miles and body was broken but enjoyed it as just love going for the ride. Always say high to whom I pass regardless.
@mj-cd9lk. Great comment 👍……… There’s a huge difference between price and value. Moreover choice of bike by ‘ what do I want to do with it and maintaining simplicity ? ’ are great start points.
You have a really good point here. Also thinking of my "fancy" bike. A bike for around £1000 with Shimano Sora (bikes are more expensive here in Sweden). How many times I have miss a fancier groupset? No times!
Amen to your comment! I am the same, I go out a few times a week for some exercise and fresh air, my town was designed with walking and cycling in mind so has great semi rural routes. I have a very cheap full suspension bike with some upgrades added (hydraulic brakes, saddle, tyres) it weight more than Jupiter which is actually an advantage to me, more weight to shift, more effort, more exercise per mile, less time & distance necessary. It suits my body which is good for strength, my torque translating into respectable pace through the gearing but I lack stamina for really prolonged rides.
ya i think the sweat spot for average riders is a bike between 500 to 1500. for that money u should get something that will be reliable and last longer then a day like that bike will last in the vid
I started out just over a year ago with a second hand bike for £300. Terrible mechanical disc breaks and aluminium frame. But it started something, it got me out and about and it got me hooked. A year later and nearly 6000km under my belt after riding almost every day and I've just upgraded to a full carbon gravel. My point being, budget bikes might not be the best bikes, but if treated as an entry point to better things, a sub £90 bike is a wonderful thing.
Exactly, as long as the frame itself is good, and not something completely customized where nothing else will fit, you can just upgrade parts as you have it and things need to be replaced anyway to try change it more into something you like.. My steel frame "hybrid" bike is nowhere near what it was when I bought it 3 years ago. but I've only spent a couple 100 euro's on it in maintenance/replacements in about 40-45k km while it cost me
Yes. This! I started on a $100 Canadian Tire bike: big, chunky, heavy. And ugly!!! Basket, lock, and fenders doubled its value. I used it for commuting, got bitten by the bug, and moved on to better bikes. (Mind, not carbon, but still, better bikes that let me do more.) The cheap bike still gives you the thrill of navigating the world under your own steam. Start wherever you need to and then upgrade as you can.
I see the point but a bike killing (or scaring you off) with bad brakes is not a wonderful thing. Same thing as an unnecessarily stretched out geometry that makes you think your body can't ride road bikes but you just happened to have a reach like a pro sporting a 140 mm stem. Then make it 150 GBP and make sure it ticks all the boxes for a beginner to ride safely and confortably.
Looking at the gap between brake pads and rim it's no wonder they don't work. I think the mechanic failed at his job in this repect. I would have adjusted the brakes so that the brake levers only had half the travel before locking on.
I really do think that bike is worth £82.50. As a workhorse / daily beater / to the shops / gym bike, it's pretty much perfect. My local Argos has these in stock and I'm really tempted to buy one and then plunder my spares box for a few low / no-cost upgrades. Would love to see some videos of you guys doing that - surely Alex has some Dura Ace bits knocking around you could throw on it!?!? 😂 Really enjoy these real-world cycling videos. Top work GCN.
my first road bike was 50 quid, was a btwin and the wrong size but it got me to work everyday for over a year till I upgraded. Saved me money, got me fitter and allowed me to experience London from a different lens.
Love the bike, what I see a great base / starting point. Don’t like any particular shortcoming, then swap it out. I would love a video where you turn this into the ultimate budget commuter.
Seconded. How about using exclusively eBay or other secondhand or budget parts, just as an exercise in how to put together something usable very cheaply?
I agree. I've never spent more than £200 on a bike - I've had too many stolen to leave anything more expensive out in the street. A cheap bike will get me around town and if a component fails I can take it one of the many local bike repair shops, all of whom are glad to have the work, and they'll fix it.
1) On line reviews are not trustworthy. 2) Brake issue is a relatively simple fix. 3) Handlebars and front stem could be changed to shorten up the reach. Might also be a seat post that will bring the seat forward.
Compared to the 82 British Pounds for the bike, changing the handlebars will be relatively expensive. Bringing the seat forward changes the pedaling geometry (seat to pedals vertical alignment) and center of gravity. Maybe it is for the better, maybe not. Road bikes are really front-heavy when you brake, so bringing the weight even more forward might be really bad (not with those brakes though). I agree with the brake issue, but probably new pads are necessary. Maybe new brakes if the hardware flexes too much.
Would like to see a 'sensible upgrades' vid with this bike. Brake pads, handle bar (maybe flip the stem so it's not as aggressive), lower end tires like the Continential Ultra Sport or whatever Perelli's equivalent is. Then compare that to new and used bikes that cost similar amounts to the total package. Would also be a good opportunity to remind people to check every bolt when they buy low end bikes lol.
Si's sly humor made this one of the funniest GCN videos I've seen. And yet so subtle was that humor that it drove home all the stronger his case for the universal power of the bicycle, whatever its price. Si's a happy warrior! Bikes for everyone!
We can all see the gaps there so no surprise the brakes don't work that well and that would be true of a 10k bike with rim brakes too. Yes the calipers aren't dual pivot and the brake blocks are likely poor but still the review should have adjusted them which I'm sure they do for their sponsor bikes like Canyon etc. This is in no way a fair review and yet the bike comes off surprisingly well. However you have to factor in Argos are a box shifter so you have to have basic mechanical skills to buy a bike this way to make sure everything is set correctly and tightened properly. It's pretty obvious the nut for the brake caliper worked loose for someone who reviewed the bike, they may not have checked it. This could be true of any price bike where something is not properly tightened. I think its also important to point out most bike recalls are for more expensive bikes. Despite lower sales a huge number of brands have had to recall carbon fibre forks. There is no way those thick steel forks will ever have a recall on that Argos bike. Lightweight Shimano cranks that fall apart etc where as their entry level cranksets have no such problems. I really can't see anything on this bike that is weak except the tyres maybe. When I was a kid I had a Raleigh Arena road bike and this bike is hugely superior to that in just about everyway. A cheap bike is a bike less likely to be stolen and less of an issue if it is, its great for commuting and general use. Keep your decent road bike for weekend rides where its never out of your sight. You can get angle adjustable threadless stems from about £8 so you can definitely improve the bike fit cheaply and of course the bike will take much bigger tyres so would probably go up to 700x28 maybe more when the stock tyres are worn out. The one thing that stands out to me as a huge positive is the 2x crankset not the terrible 3x cranksets that are a nightmare to dial in especially with a wobbly freewheel. Also the bike would be brilliant for a front hub motor conversion as it has steel forks and strong steel forks by the looks of it. That's not something you can do with most road bikes as they have weak carbon fibre forks often with carbon blades glued to the alloy steerer which has been the cause of so many recalls in the past as the bonding breaks down over time. I feel like this is a decent option for many people and in fact for some people better than spending more money. Cheap bikes use cheap parts and thick steel chains last longer than thin lightweight chains. Greasing a loose ball bearing bottom bracket is cheaper than replacing a sealed bottom bracket.
@@SvnipniCouple second to tighten by unscrewing barrel adjuster and he'd get double the power, no labour involved, but presenter on bicycle specific channel couldn't figure it out.
@@Dolritto Of course he could have done it, but the bike is aimed at the complete beginner, who would assemble & ride it without any adjustment. So it needed to be reviewed that way.
@@TheRip72 "Of course he could have done it, but the bike is aimed at the complete beginner, who would assemble & ride it without any adjustment." Says who? Also, a "complete beginner" isn't necessarily mechanically inept. Bikes are simple machines. You don't even need to know how to ride a bike in order to know how to work on one. "So it needed to be reviewed that way." No, it didn't. All bikes should be properly adjusted before reviewing them, regardless of what they cost.
In 1971 I was 15 and had a holiday job at Halfords. I saved up my meagre wages and bought a bike from them for £33 (less 10% staff discount IIRC). Equivalent to £400 today. Similar to this
@@MrKOenigma Probably more like shorter handlebars, those things were about 5 miles long for some reason (cheap tube bender that couldn't do a shorter jog?) Unfortunately, new handlebars will probably double the value of the bike.
@@MrKOenigma The wheels will be a problem; almost surely are a 7-speed freewheel, so you can't just slap an HG cassette on. There's where I get stuck with all these bikes; "this would be fun to buy and subtly upgrade" but "oh wait, there aren't many upgrades that you can do piecemeal and then I have a set of entry-level parts on a mediocre (at best) frame". I'd probably turn this into a flat-bar single speed beater if I didn't live somewhere hilly.
Si's snarky jokes make these videos so fun to watch. I love content like this though because I ride around on a second-hand Boardman I bought for £180 and it serves me perfectly well. It is satisfying how much utility and performance you can get from cheap bikes.
For years, the only bike I owned were $50 steel frame bikes from Walmart - heavy and not fun to ride. About 5 years ago, I bought a Fuji aluminum frame bicycle with all the trimmings for about $450 and found that I enjoyed riding again. That's all I have to say.
I bought this bike this morning. I was very excited about it. I got the bike, opened it, and assembled it. It seems like a very good bike. I really like it. However, as it is said in the video, the braking is a bit weak. You also need to squeeze the brakes a little bit harder just to get the rims moving. Speaking of position and comfort, as someone who has riden mountain bike for most of its life, the sitting and handle position was not very comfortable for me. Perhabs, i'm not used to these kinds of handles and positions. I might get used to it. Or, i have to adjust the handle myself. I also believe you can adjust the brakes and make it more effective as the default is not effective. In general, i like the bike. I think it's very light and good for daily commuting. 👍
Si, you are an absolute joy to watch. As with all big budget personalities, you have to ask, is it you, the individual that is funny, or do you have good writers!? I know GCN has deep pockets... In particular, the alternative options made me laugh out loud. The running comparison is one i hear often from my peers and I am so glad I'm not the only one that scoffs at such prospects. The helpful comparisons with the car, the train, and rollerskates was even more helpful from a market perspective. Truly, this video combined your wit, knowledge, and experience in a digestible package that even non-bike people could enjoy. Keep this content coming.
£15 for a pair of MicroNEW 2x7 brifters, a couple metres of shift cable housing (the brifters come with new cables but the downtube-shifter housings won't reach the new positions), a roll of new bartape.
@@snowbatsnowbat7197 if you can do the work yourself then great, if you have to pay a shop to install the new components you've turned your £80 bike into a £200 bike, so why not spend £200 on a better bike to start?
At around 12.5kg it is much better than the £300 15kg Amazon Eurobike. And it looks nicer too. OK, you only have 2 front chainrings that are bigger meaning much harder bottom gears, but a cheap secondhand set of compact bars, and a £40 set of Tektro long drop brake callipers will fix its biggest problems. Admittedly, that costs more than 50% of the bike's value but it would still be cheaper than anything on the market. One thing you didn't mention though, does it have appropriate mountings for mudguards and/or pannier racks?
It’s not great, but once again it really raises the question of how bikes now cost 10k. It would make sense if you could buy a reasonable quality bike for 500-1000, but you almost can’t now.
really after seeing this video you still ask that? not even using child labor in china a bike costs 83$, but you doubt in how much costs for all the R&D, industrial design, material engineering, hand labor of capable people, warehousing, distribution and finally retailing for you should be 200$? what are you, 5 yo?
@@whlphil I can save you some time: it'd be the same excuses rattled off by *any* top 'performance' brand - R&D, materials, craftsmanship/production, not to mention marketing/branding/advertising/sponsorship. And then either paying exorbitant sums for 'talent' to sit in a swanky office to run a website or (increasingly rarely) a bricks-and-mortar store...
Yes, agree with other comments - next challenge should be the minimum spend to address the deficiencies ie new pads? Second hand set of normal shaped bars?
I recently brought a 2009 Giant Defy with 9-speed Tiagra, and Mavic Ksyrium SSC wheels for £90 off FB marketplace. A quick service and it rides a treat - two 70 mile rides in Cornwall so far with no issues.
Totally agree,guessing these guys didn't cycle in the 70s and 80s.loved Raleigh bikes,I had a strika and 2 racers,one was the equipe and you allways had a tool to adjust brakes and things.took 5 mins and them block brakes would stop you instantly,rather to instantly sometimes in my case😂
Agree, I remember when I bought my first bike in the late 80's at Schwinn dealer, the cheapest so called 10 speed they had, and it was around 250 usd. The amount of bike you can get for very little cost nowadays is sometimes amazing.
I disagree. If it’s incredibly uncomfortable, poor handling and doesn’t stop, then it would put people off and be dumped in the back of the shed to rot.
yeah, shouldn't be too hard to get the tourney sti levers on it as well, better wheels and a shorter stem and rhm drops would make it a lot more comfortable for beginners too imo.
It's a bargain. All that really matters is that the saddle is comfortable. The bike itself is very poorly assembled. With a good pair of snips and a file cut down the cables so that the first 1-2cm of any cable entering or leaving a cable stop is perfectly straight. Bend the housing where it needs it and ensure there is some lubricant, if it is necessary. This bike could have also been bought in a smaller size and the stem flipped over to give a better fit. There are literally custom computer mounts and chain catchers that cost more than this bike, and most people riding this one will not be going more than 30km/hr.
How about a video where you fix the brakes and riding position? Maybe add some good pedals, get rid of the ugly reflectors then weigh it again. Could be some cheap fixes to make a cheap bike pretty good.
I bought a very cheap road bike a few years ago (albeit not as cheap as this one) because I didn't know if I would enjoy cycling. 3 bikes later and I would still recommend getting something cheap and cheerful as a first bike. As you upgraded yourself (losing weight and increasing power) it makes justifying bike upgrades more easy. And what of that first bike, you may wonder? Well it's now my indoor turbo bike.
Biased report. GCN is all about upgrades. Where is the followup video? 1) Did they purchase the wrong size ? Does the bike offer different sizes? 2) Replace the tires and tubes with TPU tubes and Ultrasport 28mm tires. 3) Replace the brake calipers with dual pivot and cartridge pads. Adjust cables as needed. 4) Replace handlebars/stem with appropriate size. 5) Install pedals from your other bike to match your shoes. Probably can be done for less than 200 USD or less if spare parts are available.
As a Pinarello cyclist I can see the value for a beginner buying this bike. A bit of tweaking and it would be fine for commuting. Disagree that buying a second hand bike for same price would be better value. Loved the video, which made me smile but hopefully got some people on a bike.
I won the lottory and bought a Pinarello Dogma F shade under 13 grand, rode it for a month then gave it away to a guy l saw wheeling home an £82 bike, no wait a minute, that was a dream l had. 😂😂
When I was 32, I was getting sick of the gym. £50 a month, and on my last attendance, the aircon was broke and they had an Aussie soap on all the TVs. And while in Tesco for a pint of milk, there was a 'mountain' bike for £50. I took both items home. Cancelled the gym next day. Saddle cut me in half, to point I was asking GP if a prostate could be damaged. Turned out the fitting and seat post were non standard, and I needed to change both, which cost another £80. I guess I put 1000 miles on it before bottom bracket and brakes were wearing out simultaneously. I bought a 2nd hand Giant for £100. And have been cycling for 20 years now. Moved on to touring bikes. Never been back in a gym. But I still fondly remember that piece of crap, and the lightbulb moment in Tesco, as a pivotal moment in my life.
When I got into cycling, my first buy was a very similar bike to the one Simon is riding, then after sometime I got a Cannondale Caad 10 and that just completely changed my whole perspective about riding lol... Never looked back and eventually started riding a Cervelo S5 ... I think at the end of the day it's all about what you would like to ride and how deep you are willing to go to test tech.
Regarding the brake problem, first of all adjust them so that the shoes contact the rims with only a small pull on the levers - they are much too far from the rims at present. If that doesn't work, just buy some decent brakes - it would still be far cheaper than the ridiculously expensive bikes that seem to be the fashion nowadays. I use Mafac Racer brakes that I bought in 1965. They work extremely well - good enough for fast descents of Alpine and Pyrenean passes.
@@ngarber referred alot of bikes in my career..the Shimano SLR is good and yes the compressionless is very nice and especially for the rear mechanical disk brake. It does add up when it turns into hundreds of feet though. The adjustment was inexcusable though and those pads have a waxy release compound covering the braking surface that I remove too. A big fan of center pulls too. I was working on my brother's old Sanwa and it has old Shimano 500 center pulls. Kinda neat they have a metal link with a quick release and the cable slide through the link staight to the anchor on the other side. The arms were incredibly stiff almost dura ace like with very nice looking allen bolt chromed hardware. Anyway we always had cheap pads from Taiwan that always worked no matter what garbage the calipers were . The bike needs to be able to make a good emergency stop. Not sure any of the Shimano dual pivots will make the long looking reach on this bike .might have to settle for Tektro dual pivot. Or center pulls set up right will be nice. Have a good day
I paid £300 for my bike ten years ago. Since then I've bought a better saddle, upgraded the tyres, and bought a few accessories. I am careful with maintenance and have replaced wear and tear items. I get a huge amount of pleasure from my rides through the countryside. I reckon this bike will be good for at least another ten years. Great value for money in my opinion
I have a Eurobike [have carbon bikes too I hasten to add] - rattling down Cheddar Gorge a few years back is frightening on a bike with very little braking capabilities especially with the weight of the thing....have since added cable activated hydraulic units which makes it far safer !
A micro scoter if you have given up on life 😂😂. Thanks for discussing the ethical implications on this, it could have been a bit of a deeper discussion though.
It reminds me of my first bike at 18. I’d gotten sick of the train to uni. It was a 100AUD Royce Union racer. The brakes worked about the same as in the video but were sort of usable after adjusting.
My first road bike was pretty much the same thing as the bike on the video. It gave me lower back and wrist pain, and the brakes sucked; however, it did get me hooked to cycling. Now I have pretty decent road bike and MTB. I think it's a good bike to test the waters
A bike is a bike and like you said it's a tool. As long as the brakes are adjusted and everything is maintained, then it's perfectly good! There's far too much snobbery around cycling and bike prices seem to have gone through the roof since I started out nearly 10 years ago. I've got a bike I bought on the Cycle to Work scheme 8 years ago - it should have been nearly £1k, but end of line sale and with the the CTW discount, ended up costing me about £360. I keep thinking maybe I should get a new bike, but when I look at the price of equivalent bikes and the specs, I just can't justify it. If I went out every week racing or training, then maybe I could, but I don't - I'm a casual rider. I also love the style and paintjob of my bike and I haven't found one that looks as nice as mine, not for less than £3k anyway!
It would appear whoever your mechanic is has never even seen a rim brake before. You know they're supposed to be pre tensioned so they grab early in the stroke, right?
@@TheRip72 Well then the verdict/score on a bike test should never be given on an unadjusted specimen. Saying that the brakes are crap when all they need is a 5 minute adjustment job is not good at all.
@@radiocontrolled9181 When you buy a bike from a bike shop, the price you pay includes assembly & set up. When you buy a bike for delivery from an online store, it does not. They were comparing price v price, but they did not add £60 for a minor service, so why should they perform one?
The feature was supposed to represent the bare minimum that somebody new to riding could get started with. That would not include a trip to a mechanic for a service costing as much as the bike itself.
Though, normally not a fan of the ol' "This bike costs almost nothing, let's hope we don't die on it" vids... well, thanx to fun GCN presenters like Si, I'm a fan. And, glad he didn't die on it.
in the guitar world, people often buy cheap guitars and upgrade them (pickups, tuners, bridge etc), and a lot of people swear by this approach. maybe it’s a good base to do the same for such a cheap bike? for example, those cheap chinese wireless shifters … that come in a rim brake version? Ok they will cost ten times the bike. but still. a shimano sora groupset still comes in a rim brake version, does it not? and they are fairly cheap. buy some better tyres and maybe a stem/handlebar to alleviate the stack/reach issue and you’ve probably got a reasonable bike for only a few hundred quid!
@@doctorscoot in this case you would need a new rear wheel as well, for this price I'm pretty sure that it doesn't have a cassette, but a _freewheel(?)_ Probably a better used frame would be a more reasonable choice for the sizing too. The only good thing that I see is a good amount of tire clearance, so you might be able to put a mudguard or some chonkier tires
My first bike after 30 years of not riding a bike was a €125 bottom of the barrel 27.5“ mountain bike with 3x7 Shimano Tourney, V-Brakes and a Freewheel. It is fine for what it is, but after looking around there are some killer deals on Deore components, but that would require a new rear wheel, and I honestly couldn’t find any on ebay that had rim brake and a cassette. At the time there were similar models on offer with mechanical disc brakes for 30-40 more, wish I’d listened to people who told me not to get it, but they never elaborated why 😅. Had to find a few things for myself
@@HNedel I did exactly the same, but with an hybrid with 28" wheels. Wheels market for rim/v and cassette is almost nonexistent. I would have upgraded it, but with a similar amount of money I went for a better specced used bike with only 40€, after selling the lower spec one
@@claudiofiero8523 exactly, if it makes no financial sense, then it’s better to just sell the whole bike, take a small loss, and get something better. I decided to keep that bike even when I got a Tenways E-Bike and a gravel bike, as it is fine for going around in town, absorbs bumps and shifts fine, don’t have to worry it will get stolen 😁
My road bike was about 200 eur, with the first generation Shimano 105 brifters. I paid another about 200 eur for some upgrades - the tires were rotten but otherwise it was in excellent shape. Yet I changed the front gears from 52-42 to 52--39 and the rear from 12-26 to 12-30. New chain, new bar tape, new cables (brakes and shifters), a simple cycle computer, new tires and tubes, wheel reflectors, ... 3600 km in the first year. Excellent value for the money.
It really doesn’t seem THAT bad, all considered. Some detail adjustments and upgrades (better handlebars, brakes) and you have a good commuter and general use bike.
I ride a completely beat to crap Jamis Aurora touring bike on the trainer. Works fine, and beats the heck out of having to swap bikes on and off the trainer.
I have two full-carbon bikes, both bought second-hand. The older of the two is a Scott CR1 with full Ultegra groupset. In 2020 this set me back £220 from an Ebay seller. My more recent one is a Cannondale Supersix with 105 groupset. That one cost the same amount but it came with new wheels and tyres, mudguards and an old Garmin all in! I ride both of these regularly and they are GREAT! At my age, spending thousands would make no sense. I am not going to be any faster anyway. Go second-hand is my advice! 😄
I have three bikes, one a very fast Giant TCR TT from 2005, one is a 2017 Trek Emonda ALR4 which is a wonderful bike, and finally my 1981 Schwinn Sports Tourer. For the pure joy of riding, nothing touches my Schwinn. The Giant cost $5000 back in 2005, the Trek was $1500 and the Schwinn was $20 second hand. Now that is bang for your buck.
This whole bike industry ist just a huge scam. I have a bike from 2019 that was 265€, with the same 2x7 "Tourney", though with a better seating position. I threw the "Alhonga" brakes out and mounted better brakes which I had laying around. Also I threw these stupid shifters off and installed combined brake/shift levers (Also the cheap "Tourney" ones). Now when I compare this to my other 3500€ Canyon 1x12 gravel bike ... Yeah, sure, the Canyon is better. I'd even say it is 2 or 3 times better. But not 15 times better as it should be when looking at the price. So my conclusion is ... unless you are a real pro rider or you're just taking this all too serious, a 350-500€ bike should be fine.
The main problem with the position is, those are classic drops, meant to be ridden in the drops or the hooks, where a person could reach the brakes in a classic position, but the bars are extremely angled up to accommodate the modern position of riding on the hoods. The bars need to be turned down a bit and ridden in the drops to reach the brakes.
Replacing just these might make for a much better experience and still on a super budget. * calipers with dual pivot and some new pads * handlebars and tape * tpu tubes & better tyres after you flat. Could use for errands / gym commute and not be too upset if it gets stolen. Hopefully low risk of theft.
Steel is real. For that money, it's a perfect beater and commute bike. A few upgrades could really make it safer and more reliable. That straight fork is pretty cool.
Similar story: I just went for a long gravel ride (75miles) with my friend. He has a 6.5k Santa Cruz Skitch (like the one Hank rode) and I own, what I have nick named the cheapest gravel bike possible. It’s a Royce Union. Picked that thing up for $300 added a better saddl and brakes and had the exact same amount of fun as he did on the ride. I was not sure if gravel riding would be my cup of tea, so I wanted something cheap. Fancy bikes are fun, but a cheap bike you don’t have to worry about is also great 👍🏻
Replace the drop handlebars and road brake levers with flat bars and basic mtb brake levers, adjust the brakes properly and you've got a decent cheap commuter bike although I doubt the tyres have much puncture protection. An interesting experiment would be to lock the Cross bike with a basic D lock to a bike stand near GCN megabase and next to it lock an old tatty bike with a lock from a pound shop and see which one gets stolen first.
I think given a very few inexpensive modifications (ie the bars and brakes) you could quite easily make the machine fully road worthy and have a lot of fun on it.
All the bikes I've ever had have either had no brakes (my first bike was pedal backwards to stop in 1973) or second hand ones, which have only ever had one brake working.
Do for nipping down the shops, winter rides, or an emergency spare bike when your other bike needs fixing. Tigra front caliper and different bars, clip on mudguards, perhaps marathon plus tryes and it's good to go. Ok, the tyres would double the spend, but you'd have to get them anyway.
Would like to see a comparison after replacing the parts that wear out (tires, brake pads, etc.) with midgrade parts. Maybe Microshift integrated brake/shift levers if the OE can't be adjusted properly. Compared on the same commute. Maybe a comparison after each component replaced. Like a week long test.
My first mtb cost about £80 (in 1992) and it was fine, except for a couple of cables snapping and the tyres wearing out the only thing to complain about was how heavy it was. The brakes on this racer might've worked better if they'd been adjusted to somewhere near the wheels, instead of a mile away. They might improve with some use, but i suspect they're going to be a bit 1980s and this is as good as they'll ever be.
It's probably more than good enough for someone just starting to get into the game. I know the first time I switched over from a mountain bike to a road bike, I was floored. First and only time I ever hit 58mph was on a road bike, a little 1980's 12 speed Royce Union I got from my uncle before he moved away. When the bike you're riding suddenly weighs 20lbs less, the change is astonishing.
I'm a mountain biker, but looking at this video if I wanted a cheap road bike to do some road riding this would be on my radar now. Although I would consider a few upgrades to the brakes (perhaps just a set of better brake blocks at first) and perhaps some better bars and shifters. I'd love to see a video where you took this bike & did some cheap and simple modifications, Halfords / Clarks brake blocks and a few parts off amazon and did a comparison
The problem with streched out position is caused by your bad position of the handlebars. These are old fashioned handlebars, which should be mounted the same way as any other road handlebars with the lower part parallel to the road surface. That means you will NOT get flat surface on TOP of the handlebar upto hoods, but the old with brake hoods in the middle of the bend (hooks). This way the reach of handlebars is reduced. Anyway you shoukd ride it with hands on the lower part of the handlebars
To add to the breaks theme can you do a show compering whats safer ..1 rim breaks that fail to slow you sufficiently on a bend and take you into the ditch 2. Really grippy disc breaks that ballistically catapult you into a brick wall at speeds reserved for f16 ejector seats ?
To make it useful for anything, you'd put flat bars on it, MTB brake levers, non-lethal brake pads, decent tyres, and use it as a disposable commuter bike in a high crime area, after you've insured it for £250. Or go to your local bike recycling charity/workshop (there's at least 1 in many towns/cities; that train up mechanics to do good work on every type of bike {disclaimer: I run one}) and buy a decent serviced/restored/quality-checked bike that would have been a decent/good/splendid one when new, and super-good value at second/third/fourth hand.
I actually owned a Cross mountain bike for my daily commute to school more than a decade ago. The steel frame and Shimano gears on that bike were virtually indestructible, and it was plenty fast for a mounatin bike easily doing 30kph. But it used the same style v-brakes as this bike and they were absolutely useless. Never got into trouble with them tough. Plus it was the bike that got me into pro cycling so I would defenitely go for it. Thumbs up to GCN for reviewing these kind of affordable bikes again ❤
Good video Si. Without buying top tier or 2nd hand components, how much would it cost to upgrade the rubbish parts to get a new, good cheap bike, the brakes and handlebars
O bought A Cross Town bike from Argos several years ago still have it and it's never let me down. Heavy but reliable and the brakes are OK for town ridng.
I would have thought you could twist the handlebars up to bring the brake levers back a few contimetres. The brake levers might have some adjustment. You could also bring the seat forward a centimetre. There is enough space to fit different tyres (and probably an electric conversion). Some mid-range - expensive bikes have next to no clearance reducing your tyre choice dramatically.
What do you think? Was this a good deal? 💸
Turn it into an ebike
I want to know where Si was riding, the road surfaces look x1000 better than where I live - I may move there 😁
Yes, if you throw it on the smarttrainer for the indoor rides during winter :)
Next video: cost effective upgrades for better braking and fit.
Yeah, I mean if you spend maybe a little upgrading the dangerous breaks, it probably wouldn't be so bad. That luck of rolling the dice, probably some company that buys randoms crates and one crate had bikes.
Louise bought the bike to claim on hubby's life insurance. She gave it 3 stars because she did get a few days alone when he was laid up in in hospital, so not a total waste.
Yeah I'm on your page with that!!! In fact the very thought flashed through my head as the review was being read out!! I could almost hear her saying "it's a pity he ended up in hospital...... note to self, undo the rear brake as well next time and send him out on a rainy day" 😂😂😂😂😂
@@aveedub7403 Or, Louise/her hubby/whoever built their bike, is just really bad at building up a bike.
😂 Comment of the week right there
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
As a bloke who has recently been hospitalised for 4 days by coming off my bike, I'm sure my girlfriend would agree 100%. For me, I'm just gutted that I spent way more than £82.50 to fall off my steed😅
I love how GCN brings the proper clear plastic bike stand for the £82.50 bike and often use a stick to hold up 10k+ bikes.
Golden comment
I don't get why nowadays' bikes lack a proper stand, especially carbon bikes. You're always in risk to get them dropped and break something. What's wrong about a stand? Not cool enough or too much weight? Maybe it's worse aerodynamics, I don't know.
@@derhard706 😂
🪵We must make the most of what nature gives us
@@derhard706 The horror!!😱
Im an average cyclist as in I cycle most days but it’s purely for pleasure, I adore the countryside and outdoors, canal routes and such. I don’t compete or take it too seriously to be honest.
It gives me pleasure, exercise and is amazing for my mental health.
I’m also in an average job with average pay, I run a house, a car and have plenty of bills to pay. So an expensive bike has always and probably will always be out of my league.
My mates got a bike that cost him £2000 and I’ve ridden that a few times. He’s also had loads of trouble with it.
I got a £500 bike and it’s been bloody awesome, never had any trouble with it, it’s comfy, it’s fast enough for me, it’s stylish, smooth, no squeaks or noises. And it does exactly what I want it for.
I’ve also had even cheaper bikes in the past and they’ve all been great.
If you have the money then good, buy what you can afford but I think there’s a kind of snobbery amongst a lot of cyclists and people in general when it comes to how much something is worth.
Yes things might not have all the bells and whistles on but as long as it does the job you require it do, safely and smoothly and it’s within what you can afford then buy whatever you want to and just enjoy the experiences it gives you in getting out there instead of been stuck indoors and staring at a screen. 😊
Most here are average cyclists including me. Have a gravel bike and mid level road which suits me. Completed my first 50 miles and body was broken but enjoyed it as just love going for the ride. Always say high to whom I pass regardless.
@mj-cd9lk. Great comment 👍……… There’s a huge difference between price and value. Moreover choice of bike by
‘ what do I want to do with it and maintaining simplicity ? ’ are great start points.
You have a really good point here. Also thinking of my "fancy" bike. A bike for around £1000 with Shimano Sora (bikes are more expensive here in Sweden). How many times I have miss a fancier groupset? No times!
Amen to your comment! I am the same, I go out a few times a week for some exercise and fresh air, my town was designed with walking and cycling in mind so has great semi rural routes. I have a very cheap full suspension bike with some upgrades added (hydraulic brakes, saddle, tyres) it weight more than Jupiter which is actually an advantage to me, more weight to shift, more effort, more exercise per mile, less time & distance necessary. It suits my body which is good for strength, my torque translating into respectable pace through the gearing but I lack stamina for really prolonged rides.
ya i think the sweat spot for average riders is a bike between 500 to 1500. for that money u should get something that will be reliable and last longer then a day like that bike will last in the vid
I started out just over a year ago with a second hand bike for £300. Terrible mechanical disc breaks and aluminium frame. But it started something, it got me out and about and it got me hooked. A year later and nearly 6000km under my belt after riding almost every day and I've just upgraded to a full carbon gravel. My point being, budget bikes might not be the best bikes, but if treated as an entry point to better things, a sub £90 bike is a wonderful thing.
Exactly, as long as the frame itself is good, and not something completely customized where nothing else will fit, you can just upgrade parts as you have it and things need to be replaced anyway to try change it more into something you like.. My steel frame "hybrid" bike is nowhere near what it was when I bought it 3 years ago. but I've only spent a couple 100 euro's on it in maintenance/replacements in about 40-45k km while it cost me
Mechanical disc brakes can be very good. As can some ally frames...
@@michaelhayward7572 Hydraulic dics, 100% Mechanical disc, not so much!
Yes. This! I started on a $100 Canadian Tire bike: big, chunky, heavy. And ugly!!! Basket, lock, and fenders doubled its value. I used it for commuting, got bitten by the bug, and moved on to better bikes. (Mind, not carbon, but still, better bikes that let me do more.) The cheap bike still gives you the thrill of navigating the world under your own steam. Start wherever you need to and then upgrade as you can.
I see the point but a bike killing (or scaring you off) with bad brakes is not a wonderful thing. Same thing as an unnecessarily stretched out geometry that makes you think your body can't ride road bikes but you just happened to have a reach like a pro sporting a 140 mm stem. Then make it 150 GBP and make sure it ticks all the boxes for a beginner to ride safely and confortably.
Looking at the gap between brake pads and rim it's no wonder they don't work. I think the mechanic failed at his job in this repect. I would have adjusted the brakes so that the brake levers only had half the travel before locking on.
Definitely. I noticed that right away.
Complaining is better than turning barrel screws to tension the brakes in
You assume that the wheels are true enough do do this.
Wheels might not have been tru enough 😅
@@colinmoore35 same answer ...That's what spoke tools are for
I really do think that bike is worth £82.50. As a workhorse / daily beater / to the shops / gym bike, it's pretty much perfect. My local Argos has these in stock and I'm really tempted to buy one and then plunder my spares box for a few low / no-cost upgrades. Would love to see some videos of you guys doing that - surely Alex has some Dura Ace bits knocking around you could throw on it!?!? 😂 Really enjoy these real-world cycling videos. Top work GCN.
Alex will have "budget Dura race" written on his grave stone.. I dont think the poor chap will never live that one down 🤣
Geez great price . Winter bike with fenders and different tires why not
@@chrism5433 plenty of clearance for it
my first road bike was 50 quid, was a btwin and the wrong size but it got me to work everyday for over a year till I upgraded. Saved me money, got me fitter and allowed me to experience London from a different lens.
Love the bike, what I see a great base / starting point. Don’t like any particular shortcoming, then swap it out. I would love a video where you turn this into the ultimate budget commuter.
Seconded. How about using exclusively eBay or other secondhand or budget parts, just as an exercise in how to put together something usable very cheaply?
That would be interesting if only to see how much aftermarket parts actually cost. Ships of Theseus…
I agree. I've never spent more than £200 on a bike - I've had too many stolen to leave anything more expensive out in the street. A cheap bike will get me around town and if a component fails I can take it one of the many local bike repair shops, all of whom are glad to have the work, and they'll fix it.
1) On line reviews are not trustworthy.
2) Brake issue is a relatively simple fix.
3) Handlebars and front stem could be changed to shorten up the reach. Might also be a seat post that will bring the seat forward.
Compared to the 82 British Pounds for the bike, changing the handlebars will be relatively expensive.
Bringing the seat forward changes the pedaling geometry (seat to pedals vertical alignment) and center of gravity. Maybe it is for the better, maybe not. Road bikes are really front-heavy when you brake, so bringing the weight even more forward might be really bad (not with those brakes though).
I agree with the brake issue, but probably new pads are necessary. Maybe new brakes if the hardware flexes too much.
I don't live in UK, but I suspect the bike comes in different frame sizes.
If they use name brands' handlebar and stem then probably not worth it. But if they have some old beat up parts, then probably worth a try.
I'll go out on a limb and say probably someone spending £90 on a bike doesn't have the knowledge or tools to make these kind of adjustments.
No need to buy new parts: just turn the handlebar stem backwards 🤣
Now change the brake pads and upgrade the tyres, looks like you have good clearance. Love these videos keep it up👍
Now turn it into a superbike, find some dura ace again
We can start in Alex shed
with Alex's Dura Ace cranks, of course.
Good point, we'll give Alex a shout
Came here to say Alex has loads lying around right. Probably got 105 DI2 just waiting for a worthy bike.
Start with new brakes at first
😂 question. A mechanic checked with it and didn't bother to adjust the calipers?
Even a cheap one can send you to the moon if you squeeze too fast.
Exactly what i thought... have you seen the clearance between rim and pads?!?!?!
The bike is aimed at a newbie who would want to use it out of the box, not somebody willing to pay more for an initial setup.
Not if the rubber pads are more like hard plastic
Would like to see a 'sensible upgrades' vid with this bike. Brake pads, handle bar (maybe flip the stem so it's not as aggressive), lower end tires like the Continential Ultra Sport or whatever Perelli's equivalent is. Then compare that to new and used bikes that cost similar amounts to the total package. Would also be a good opportunity to remind people to check every bolt when they buy low end bikes lol.
Si's sly humor made this one of the funniest GCN videos I've seen. And yet so subtle was that humor that it drove home all the stronger his case for the universal power of the bicycle, whatever its price. Si's a happy warrior! Bikes for everyone!
My mum who passed away in 2021 bless her bought a Cross bike and I enjoyed maintaining it for her for years. I used to think "It's not too bad this"
Did she gave 3 star review?
Not surprised the brakes are pish with that space between the blocks and the rims....probably get a 4mm hex wrench in either side.....
just spending a few minutes to calibrate and adjust the brakes. Id expect at least that to give it a fair shake
We can all see the gaps there so no surprise the brakes don't work that well and that would be true of a 10k bike with rim brakes too. Yes the calipers aren't dual pivot and the brake blocks are likely poor but still the review should have adjusted them which I'm sure they do for their sponsor bikes like Canyon etc. This is in no way a fair review and yet the bike comes off surprisingly well. However you have to factor in Argos are a box shifter so you have to have basic mechanical skills to buy a bike this way to make sure everything is set correctly and tightened properly. It's pretty obvious the nut for the brake caliper worked loose for someone who reviewed the bike, they may not have checked it. This could be true of any price bike where something is not properly tightened.
I think its also important to point out most bike recalls are for more expensive bikes. Despite lower sales a huge number of brands have had to recall carbon fibre forks. There is no way those thick steel forks will ever have a recall on that Argos bike. Lightweight Shimano cranks that fall apart etc where as their entry level cranksets have no such problems. I really can't see anything on this bike that is weak except the tyres maybe. When I was a kid I had a Raleigh Arena road bike and this bike is hugely superior to that in just about everyway. A cheap bike is a bike less likely to be stolen and less of an issue if it is, its great for commuting and general use. Keep your decent road bike for weekend rides where its never out of your sight.
You can get angle adjustable threadless stems from about £8 so you can definitely improve the bike fit cheaply and of course the bike will take much bigger tyres so would probably go up to 700x28 maybe more when the stock tyres are worn out. The one thing that stands out to me as a huge positive is the 2x crankset not the terrible 3x cranksets that are a nightmare to dial in especially with a wobbly freewheel.
Also the bike would be brilliant for a front hub motor conversion as it has steel forks and strong steel forks by the looks of it. That's not something you can do with most road bikes as they have weak carbon fibre forks often with carbon blades glued to the alloy steerer which has been the cause of so many recalls in the past as the bonding breaks down over time.
I feel like this is a decent option for many people and in fact for some people better than spending more money. Cheap bikes use cheap parts and thick steel chains last longer than thin lightweight chains. Greasing a loose ball bearing bottom bracket is cheaper than replacing a sealed bottom bracket.
@@SvnipniCouple second to tighten by unscrewing barrel adjuster and he'd get double the power, no labour involved, but presenter on bicycle specific channel couldn't figure it out.
@@Dolritto Of course he could have done it, but the bike is aimed at the complete beginner, who would assemble & ride it without any adjustment. So it needed to be reviewed that way.
@@TheRip72 "Of course he could have done it, but the bike is aimed at the complete beginner, who would assemble & ride it without any adjustment."
Says who? Also, a "complete beginner" isn't necessarily mechanically inept. Bikes are simple machines. You don't even need to know how to ride a bike in order to know how to work on one.
"So it needed to be reviewed that way."
No, it didn't. All bikes should be properly adjusted before reviewing them, regardless of what they cost.
In 1971 I was 15 and had a holiday job at Halfords. I saved up my meagre wages and bought a bike from them for £33 (less 10% staff discount IIRC). Equivalent to £400 today. Similar to this
Much better value than spending 10,000 quid on a bike.
Now, keep this bike and install some entry level groupset/components.
Some decent but cheap upgrades, like a normal person would do.... Tiagra... Shorter stem....etc
@@MrKOenigma Probably more like shorter handlebars, those things were about 5 miles long for some reason (cheap tube bender that couldn't do a shorter jog?) Unfortunately, new handlebars will probably double the value of the bike.
👀
@@gcn Maybe some Ali express upgrades and see just how cheaply you can turn it into a half decent bike?
@@MrKOenigma The wheels will be a problem; almost surely are a 7-speed freewheel, so you can't just slap an HG cassette on. There's where I get stuck with all these bikes; "this would be fun to buy and subtly upgrade" but "oh wait, there aren't many upgrades that you can do piecemeal and then I have a set of entry-level parts on a mediocre (at best) frame".
I'd probably turn this into a flat-bar single speed beater if I didn't live somewhere hilly.
Si's snarky jokes make these videos so fun to watch. I love content like this though because I ride around on a second-hand Boardman I bought for £180 and it serves me perfectly well. It is satisfying how much utility and performance you can get from cheap bikes.
For years, the only bike I owned were $50 steel frame bikes from Walmart - heavy and not fun to ride. About 5 years ago, I bought a Fuji aluminum frame bicycle with all the trimmings for about $450 and found that I enjoyed riding again. That's all I have to say.
I bought this bike this morning. I was very excited about it. I got the bike, opened it, and assembled it. It seems like a very good bike. I really like it. However, as it is said in the video, the braking is a bit weak. You also need to squeeze the brakes a little bit harder just to get the rims moving. Speaking of position and comfort, as someone who has riden mountain bike for most of its life, the sitting and handle position was not very comfortable for me. Perhabs, i'm not used to these kinds of handles and positions. I might get used to it. Or, i have to adjust the handle myself. I also believe you can adjust the brakes and make it more effective as the default is not effective. In general, i like the bike. I think it's very light and good for daily commuting. 👍
Si, you are an absolute joy to watch. As with all big budget personalities, you have to ask, is it you, the individual that is funny, or do you have good writers!? I know GCN has deep pockets...
In particular, the alternative options made me laugh out loud. The running comparison is one i hear often from my peers and I am so glad I'm not the only one that scoffs at such prospects. The helpful comparisons with the car, the train, and rollerskates was even more helpful from a market perspective.
Truly, this video combined your wit, knowledge, and experience in a digestible package that even non-bike people could enjoy. Keep this content coming.
seems like a great deal! throw another 82.50 at it for other breaks and handlebars and it should be alright!
£15 for a pair of MicroNEW 2x7 brifters, a couple metres of shift cable housing (the brifters come with new cables but the downtube-shifter housings won't reach the new positions), a roll of new bartape.
@@snowbatsnowbat7197 if you can do the work yourself then great, if you have to pay a shop to install the new components you've turned your £80 bike into a £200 bike, so why not spend £200 on a better bike to start?
Brakes.
No wonder you had brake issues, those brake blocks to rim had room to squeeze a small replicate of the titanic through!
Yeah, adjust your damn brakes! They'll have plenty of stopping power if you adjust them marginally correctly.
There was a pro rider (Sean Yates, I think) that set his brakes up that way on purpose so he could keep riding in the event of a spoke breaking.
Not adjusted correctly then!
At around 12.5kg it is much better than the £300 15kg Amazon Eurobike. And it looks nicer too. OK, you only have 2 front chainrings that are bigger meaning much harder bottom gears, but a cheap secondhand set of compact bars, and a £40 set of Tektro long drop brake callipers will fix its biggest problems. Admittedly, that costs more than 50% of the bike's value but it would still be cheaper than anything on the market. One thing you didn't mention though, does it have appropriate mountings for mudguards and/or pannier racks?
Yeah, but most people buying this bike won’t know how to even change bars (and tape) and definitely not the brakes.
This bike doesn't need new calipers, just tightening.
Put some respect on the euro bike's name
12kg you lucky lucky bastard, try my 26kgs Fiido ebike 😂lol y don't know you're born.
It’s not great, but once again it really raises the question of how bikes now cost 10k.
It would make sense if you could buy a reasonable quality bike for 500-1000, but you almost can’t now.
That’s also another really interesting video follow the making of a superbike and the cost input, why is it so expensive etc
Theyre £10k so some stockbroker can show off cycling in Richmond Park
Don’t buy one then stop being so jealous 🤢
really after seeing this video you still ask that? not even using child labor in china a bike costs 83$, but you doubt in how much costs for all the R&D, industrial design, material engineering, hand labor of capable people, warehousing, distribution and finally retailing for you should be 200$? what are you, 5 yo?
@@whlphil I can save you some time: it'd be the same excuses rattled off by *any* top 'performance' brand - R&D, materials, craftsmanship/production, not to mention marketing/branding/advertising/sponsorship. And then either paying exorbitant sums for 'talent' to sit in a swanky office to run a website or (increasingly rarely) a bricks-and-mortar store...
Such a hilarious and entertaining video! I totally enjoyed it! Si has such a knack for making videos awesome! Thanks, mate!
Yes, agree with other comments - next challenge should be the minimum spend to address the deficiencies ie new pads? Second hand set of normal shaped bars?
Looks like the brake levers are too far down the bars, and the bars need twisting down ... I reckon a bit of playing, and you could improve that
I recently brought a 2009 Giant Defy with 9-speed Tiagra, and Mavic Ksyrium SSC wheels for £90 off FB marketplace. A quick service and it rides a treat - two 70 mile rides in Cornwall so far with no issues.
Anything is better than running. That's why I'm now cycling.
I’ve just purchased this. Need to lose a bit of timber. You’ve inspired me 🙌🏻
Those brakes can be adjusted! The fact that the lever hits the handlebar is a setup problem not a bike problem. Mechanic: 1star
Agreed.
Totally agree,guessing these guys didn't cycle in the 70s and 80s.loved Raleigh bikes,I had a strika and 2 racers,one was the equipe and you allways had a tool to adjust brakes and things.took 5 mins and them block brakes would stop you instantly,rather to instantly sometimes in my case😂
Honestly doesn’t seem so bad for a complete beginner looking to get into the sort
Agree, I remember when I bought my first bike in the late 80's at Schwinn dealer, the cheapest so called 10 speed they had, and it was around 250 usd. The amount of bike you can get for very little cost nowadays is sometimes amazing.
I disagree. If it’s incredibly uncomfortable, poor handling and doesn’t stop, then it would put people off and be dumped in the back of the shed to rot.
yeah, shouldn't be too hard to get the tourney sti levers on it as well, better wheels and a shorter stem and rhm drops would make it a lot more comfortable for beginners too imo.
@@Rob6020 You are too exquisite compared to the normal "that bike is too expensive" guy, they do like to ride sh1t indeed
@@fortis143 Whoa whoa! Stop expending dude, you will be soon near a pinarelo value
If better handlebars and dual pivot brakes were installed, the bike would be suitable for basic training in flat areas.
During lockdowns, I wore a 10kg weight vest and headed for the hills, with that bike I'd be halfway there.
Single pivot brakes work well too.n Just get them adjusted properly.
It's a bargain. All that really matters is that the saddle is comfortable. The bike itself is very poorly assembled. With a good pair of snips and a file cut down the cables so that the first 1-2cm of any cable entering or leaving a cable stop is perfectly straight. Bend the housing where it needs it and ensure there is some lubricant, if it is necessary. This bike could have also been bought in a smaller size and the stem flipped over to give a better fit. There are literally custom computer mounts and chain catchers that cost more than this bike, and most people riding this one will not be going more than 30km/hr.
How about a video where you fix the brakes and riding position? Maybe add some good pedals, get rid of the ugly reflectors then weigh it again. Could be some cheap fixes to make a cheap bike pretty good.
I bought a very cheap road bike a few years ago (albeit not as cheap as this one) because I didn't know if I would enjoy cycling. 3 bikes later and I would still recommend getting something cheap and cheerful as a first bike. As you upgraded yourself (losing weight and increasing power) it makes justifying bike upgrades more easy. And what of that first bike, you may wonder? Well it's now my indoor turbo bike.
Biased report. GCN is all about upgrades. Where is the followup video?
1) Did they purchase the wrong size ? Does the bike offer different sizes?
2) Replace the tires and tubes with TPU tubes and Ultrasport 28mm tires.
3) Replace the brake calipers with dual pivot and cartridge pads. Adjust cables as needed.
4) Replace handlebars/stem with appropriate size.
5) Install pedals from your other bike to match your shoes.
Probably can be done for less than 200 USD or less if spare parts are available.
As a Pinarello cyclist I can see the value for a beginner buying this bike. A bit of tweaking and it would be fine for commuting. Disagree that buying a second hand bike for same price would be better value. Loved the video, which made me smile but hopefully got some people on a bike.
Thanks for clarifying what bike you own, it made all the difference
@@dh7314yeah lol, and l say this as a Ferrari driver 😆🤣😆
I won the lottory and bought a Pinarello Dogma F shade under 13 grand, rode it for a month then gave it away to a guy l saw wheeling home an £82 bike, no wait a minute, that was a dream l had. 😂😂
When I was 32, I was getting sick of the gym. £50 a month, and on my last attendance, the aircon was broke and they had an Aussie soap on all the TVs.
And while in Tesco for a pint of milk, there was a 'mountain' bike for £50. I took both items home. Cancelled the gym next day.
Saddle cut me in half, to point I was asking GP if a prostate could be damaged. Turned out the fitting and seat post were non standard, and I needed to change both, which cost another £80.
I guess I put 1000 miles on it before bottom bracket and brakes were wearing out simultaneously.
I bought a 2nd hand Giant for £100. And have been cycling for 20 years now. Moved on to touring bikes. Never been back in a gym.
But I still fondly remember that piece of crap, and the lightbulb moment in Tesco, as a pivotal moment in my life.
£82.50 and they even included the dork disc 👍
a bargain
When I got into cycling, my first buy was a very similar bike to the one Simon is riding, then after sometime I got a Cannondale Caad 10 and that just completely changed my whole perspective about riding lol... Never looked back and eventually started riding a Cervelo S5 ...
I think at the end of the day it's all about what you would like to ride and how deep you are willing to go to test tech.
Regarding the brake problem, first of all adjust them so that the shoes contact the rims with only a small pull on the levers - they are much too far from the rims at present. If that doesn't work, just buy some decent brakes - it would still be far cheaper than the ridiculously expensive bikes that seem to be the fashion nowadays. I use Mafac Racer brakes that I bought in 1965. They work extremely well - good enough for fast descents of Alpine and Pyrenean passes.
Yes. Even the cheapest Shimano brakes and some compression-less housing would not be expensive.
@@ngarberShimano brake housing is much better than the stuff on the bike now. It's not expensive either usually half the price of compressoinless.
@@stevengagnon4777 Of course, but that bike only needs a few feet of housing. Either way, it's a cheap improvement.
@@ngarber referred alot of bikes in my career..the Shimano SLR is good and yes the compressionless is very nice and especially for the rear mechanical disk brake. It does add up when it turns into hundreds of feet though. The adjustment was inexcusable though and those pads have a waxy release compound covering the braking surface that I remove too. A big fan of center pulls too. I was working on my brother's old Sanwa and it has old Shimano 500 center pulls. Kinda neat they have a metal link with a quick release and the cable slide through the link staight to the anchor on the other side. The arms were incredibly stiff almost dura ace like with very nice looking allen bolt chromed hardware. Anyway we always had cheap pads from Taiwan that always worked no matter what garbage the calipers were . The bike needs to be able to make a good emergency stop. Not sure any of the Shimano dual pivots will make the long looking reach on this bike .might have to settle for Tektro dual pivot. Or center pulls set up right will be nice. Have a good day
I paid £300 for my bike ten years ago. Since then I've bought a better saddle, upgraded the tyres, and bought a few accessories. I am careful with maintenance and have replaced wear and tear items. I get a huge amount of pleasure from my rides through the countryside. I reckon this bike will be good for at least another ten years. Great value for money in my opinion
i would have been rolling round the floor laughing if it got robbed while having a coffee
I have a Eurobike [have carbon bikes too I hasten to add] - rattling down Cheddar Gorge a few years back is frightening on a bike with very little braking capabilities especially with the weight of the thing....have since added cable activated hydraulic units which makes it far safer !
A micro scoter if you have given up on life 😂😂. Thanks for discussing the ethical implications on this, it could have been a bit of a deeper discussion though.
For sure. We'll have a look at another video.
It reminds me of my first bike at 18. I’d gotten sick of the train to uni. It was a 100AUD Royce Union racer. The brakes worked about the same as in the video but were sort of usable after adjusting.
Flip the stem and get a more comfortable riding position?
Hard to tell because it is so short, but it looks like it may not have any rise at all.
My first road bike was pretty much the same thing as the bike on the video. It gave me lower back and wrist pain, and the brakes sucked; however, it did get me hooked to cycling. Now I have pretty decent road bike and MTB. I think it's a good bike to test the waters
Surely now, you need to send Hank down Alpe d’Huez on it😂
To go down he’ll have to go up it first.
In fact, why not just make Hank do hill reps up an Alp for a day/week/month/year
After that horrific city bike, I suspect this will be too easy. Perhaps Ventoux 3 ways challenge on it, that will represent a proper challenge.
A bike is a bike and like you said it's a tool. As long as the brakes are adjusted and everything is maintained, then it's perfectly good! There's far too much snobbery around cycling and bike prices seem to have gone through the roof since I started out nearly 10 years ago. I've got a bike I bought on the Cycle to Work scheme 8 years ago - it should have been nearly £1k, but end of line sale and with the the CTW discount, ended up costing me about £360. I keep thinking maybe I should get a new bike, but when I look at the price of equivalent bikes and the specs, I just can't justify it. If I went out every week racing or training, then maybe I could, but I don't - I'm a casual rider. I also love the style and paintjob of my bike and I haven't found one that looks as nice as mine, not for less than £3k anyway!
It would appear whoever your mechanic is has never even seen a rim brake before. You know they're supposed to be pre tensioned so they grab early in the stroke, right?
Exactly! 🤦 Probably a Gen-Z snowflake
Yep, that immediately stood out to me as well!
They only looked at it, not serviced it. The feature was supposed to represent bare minimum, which does not include initial adjustment by a mechanic.
@@TheRip72 Well then the verdict/score on a bike test should never be given on an unadjusted specimen. Saying that the brakes are crap when all they need is a 5 minute adjustment job is not good at all.
@@radiocontrolled9181 When you buy a bike from a bike shop, the price you pay includes assembly & set up. When you buy a bike for delivery from an online store, it does not. They were comparing price v price, but they did not add £60 for a minor service, so why should they perform one?
Fully agree with the statement at the end - for £82.50 you can get a quite decent bike 2nd-hand without the shortcomings of this bike.
why didn't the "mechanic" tighten the brake cables?
The feature was supposed to represent the bare minimum that somebody new to riding could get started with. That would not include a trip to a mechanic for a service costing as much as the bike itself.
Though, normally not a fan of the ol' "This bike costs almost nothing, let's hope we don't die on it" vids... well, thanx to fun GCN presenters like Si, I'm a fan. And, glad he didn't die on it.
in the guitar world, people often buy cheap guitars and upgrade them (pickups, tuners, bridge etc), and a lot of people swear by this approach. maybe it’s a good base to do the same for such a cheap bike? for example, those cheap chinese wireless shifters … that come in a rim brake version? Ok they will cost ten times the bike. but still. a shimano sora groupset still comes in a rim brake version, does it not? and they are fairly cheap. buy some better tyres and maybe a stem/handlebar to alleviate the stack/reach issue and you’ve probably got a reasonable bike for only a few hundred quid!
@@doctorscoot in this case you would need a new rear wheel as well, for this price I'm pretty sure that it doesn't have a cassette, but a _freewheel(?)_
Probably a better used frame would be a more reasonable choice for the sizing too. The only good thing that I see is a good amount of tire clearance, so you might be able to put a mudguard or some chonkier tires
My first bike after 30 years of not riding a bike was a €125 bottom of the barrel 27.5“ mountain bike with 3x7 Shimano Tourney, V-Brakes and a Freewheel. It is fine for what it is, but after looking around there are some killer deals on Deore components, but that would require a new rear wheel, and I honestly couldn’t find any on ebay that had rim brake and a cassette. At the time there were similar models on offer with mechanical disc brakes for 30-40 more, wish I’d listened to people who told me not to get it, but they never elaborated why 😅. Had to find a few things for myself
@@HNedel I did exactly the same, but with an hybrid with 28" wheels. Wheels market for rim/v and cassette is almost nonexistent. I would have upgraded it, but with a similar amount of money I went for a better specced used bike with only 40€, after selling the lower spec one
@@claudiofiero8523 oh right … that puts a spanner in the works!
@@claudiofiero8523 exactly, if it makes no financial sense, then it’s better to just sell the whole bike, take a small loss, and get something better. I decided to keep that bike even when I got a Tenways E-Bike and a gravel bike, as it is fine for going around in town, absorbs bumps and shifts fine, don’t have to worry it will get stolen 😁
My road bike was about 200 eur, with the first generation Shimano 105 brifters. I paid another about 200 eur for some upgrades - the tires were rotten but otherwise it was in excellent shape. Yet I changed the front gears from 52-42 to 52--39 and the rear from 12-26 to 12-30. New chain, new bar tape, new cables (brakes and shifters), a simple cycle computer, new tires and tubes, wheel reflectors, ...
3600 km in the first year. Excellent value for the money.
And now make a second video where you invest 200£ to make it a decent commuter bike
£200 is overkill. £100 tops, most of that tyres
£200 is burning cash, may as well buy a 2nd hand bike
It really doesn’t seem THAT bad, all considered. Some detail adjustments and upgrades (better handlebars, brakes) and you have a good commuter and general use bike.
Swap the groupset to a Tiagra or 105 and the ridiculous handlebars for something sensible and see if the frame is any good...
This would make a great indoor Zwift bike
THat's actually brilliant. An 82.50 trainer to keep the sweat, wear and tear, etc... off the 12k fancy bike
I ride a completely beat to crap Jamis Aurora touring bike on the trainer. Works fine, and beats the heck out of having to swap bikes on and off the trainer.
I’m looking for second hand broken bikes on eBay for zwift. This is cheaper! Should I get this?
@@AAKhanivore Can't you find a used bike locally?
@@rlm4471 for cheaper than that with a group set that is not knackered? Don’t think so!
I have two full-carbon bikes, both bought second-hand. The older of the two is a Scott CR1 with full Ultegra groupset. In 2020 this set me back £220 from an Ebay seller. My more recent one is a Cannondale Supersix with 105 groupset. That one cost the same amount but it came with new wheels and tyres, mudguards and an old Garmin all in! I ride both of these regularly and they are GREAT! At my age, spending thousands would make no sense. I am not going to be any faster anyway. Go second-hand is my advice! 😄
Genuinely seems like a good deal.
let's see a build series on the 82.50. what would it take to make it a solid commuter bike? Bet it could be made decent for under 250!
You buy 10 of those for storage.. you can leave them outside the store unlocked 😁
storage of what
You mean as a decoy, so that they don't get to your good bikes in the storage?
I think thieves are more intelligent rather than to steal this bike
If you had trash bikes on your front I wont go inside
As always, I love your sense of humor. Thanks for another entertaining video!
About time the GCN cheap bike was actually a new cheap bike and not just an old second hand one
I have three bikes, one a very fast Giant TCR TT from 2005, one is a 2017 Trek Emonda ALR4 which is a wonderful bike, and finally my 1981 Schwinn Sports Tourer. For the pure joy of riding, nothing touches my Schwinn. The Giant cost $5000 back in 2005, the Trek was $1500 and the Schwinn was $20 second hand. Now that is bang for your buck.
This whole bike industry ist just a huge scam. I have a bike from 2019 that was 265€, with the same 2x7 "Tourney", though with a better seating position. I threw the "Alhonga" brakes out and mounted better brakes which I had laying around. Also I threw these stupid shifters off and installed combined brake/shift levers (Also the cheap "Tourney" ones). Now when I compare this to my other 3500€ Canyon 1x12 gravel bike ... Yeah, sure, the Canyon is better. I'd even say it is 2 or 3 times better. But not 15 times better as it should be when looking at the price. So my conclusion is ... unless you are a real pro rider or you're just taking this all too serious, a 350-500€ bike should be fine.
The main problem with the position is, those are classic drops, meant to be ridden in the drops or the hooks, where a person could reach the brakes in a classic position, but the bars are extremely angled up to accommodate the modern position of riding on the hoods. The bars need to be turned down a bit and ridden in the drops to reach the brakes.
I think that's astonishing value for money. You wouldn't be worried about locking it up outside the shops or station too!
Ooo look at you not worried about losing £82:50.
@@stepheng8779 😂
I love the amount of irony. ;-)) And how to stretch a documentation about a cheap bike that long. Well done. It´s hugging my sense of humor.
Replacing just these might make for a much better experience and still on a super budget.
* calipers with dual pivot and some new pads
* handlebars and tape
* tpu tubes & better tyres after you flat.
Could use for errands / gym commute and not be too upset if it gets stolen. Hopefully low risk of theft.
Steel is real. For that money, it's a perfect beater and commute bike. A few upgrades could really make it safer and more reliable. That straight fork is pretty cool.
Similar story:
I just went for a long gravel ride (75miles) with my friend. He has a 6.5k Santa Cruz Skitch (like the one Hank rode) and I own, what I have nick named the cheapest gravel bike possible. It’s a Royce Union. Picked that thing up for $300 added a better saddl and brakes and had the exact same amount of fun as he did on the ride.
I was not sure if gravel riding would be my cup of tea, so I wanted something cheap. Fancy bikes are fun, but a cheap bike you don’t have to worry about is also great 👍🏻
Looks like a great deal for that price. I appreciate how Si pointed out that it was still fun and would get people moving more.
Replace the drop handlebars and road brake levers with flat bars and basic mtb brake levers, adjust the brakes properly and you've got a decent cheap commuter bike although I doubt the tyres have much puncture protection. An interesting experiment would be to lock the Cross bike with a basic D lock to a bike stand near GCN megabase and next to it lock an old tatty bike with a lock from a pound shop and see which one gets stolen first.
I think given a very few inexpensive modifications (ie the bars and brakes) you could quite easily make the machine fully road worthy and have a lot of fun on it.
All the bikes I've ever had have either had no brakes (my first bike was pedal backwards to stop in 1973) or second hand ones, which have only ever had one brake working.
Do for nipping down the shops, winter rides, or an emergency spare bike when your other bike needs fixing. Tigra front caliper and different bars, clip on mudguards, perhaps marathon plus tryes and it's good to go. Ok, the tyres would double the spend, but you'd have to get them anyway.
Front brake blocks were miles away from the rim, adjust them properly and you’ll get better braking 😊
Would like to see a comparison after replacing the parts that wear out (tires, brake pads, etc.) with midgrade parts. Maybe Microshift integrated brake/shift levers if the OE can't be adjusted properly.
Compared on the same commute.
Maybe a comparison after each component replaced. Like a week long test.
My first mtb cost about £80 (in 1992) and it was fine, except for a couple of cables snapping and the tyres wearing out the only thing to complain about was how heavy it was.
The brakes on this racer might've worked better if they'd been adjusted to somewhere near the wheels, instead of a mile away. They might improve with some use, but i suspect they're going to be a bit 1980s and this is as good as they'll ever be.
It's just nice to see a UK GCN video filmed on a sunny day!
Have you made a wish yet?
It's probably more than good enough for someone just starting to get into the game. I know the first time I switched over from a mountain bike to a road bike, I was floored. First and only time I ever hit 58mph was on a road bike, a little 1980's 12 speed Royce Union I got from my uncle before he moved away. When the bike you're riding suddenly weighs 20lbs less, the change is astonishing.
I'm a mountain biker, but looking at this video if I wanted a cheap road bike to do some road riding this would be on my radar now. Although I would consider a few upgrades to the brakes (perhaps just a set of better brake blocks at first) and perhaps some better bars and shifters.
I'd love to see a video where you took this bike & did some cheap and simple modifications, Halfords / Clarks brake blocks and a few parts off amazon and did a comparison
The problem with streched out position is caused by your bad position of the handlebars. These are old fashioned handlebars, which should be mounted the same way as any other road handlebars with the lower part parallel to the road surface. That means you will NOT get flat surface on TOP of the handlebar upto hoods, but the old with brake hoods in the middle of the bend (hooks). This way the reach of handlebars is reduced. Anyway you shoukd ride it with hands on the lower part of the handlebars
Ah, those GCN youngsters! 😅😁
I think yooustruk the perfect tone for this bike review. Keep up the good work.
To add to the breaks theme can you do a show compering whats safer ..1 rim breaks that fail to slow you sufficiently on a bend and take you into the ditch 2. Really grippy disc breaks that ballistically catapult you into a brick wall at speeds reserved for f16 ejector seats ?
I had something very similar, it rode OK and was great value for money, I used it as a second bike for a few years and have only just replaced it.
To make it useful for anything, you'd put flat bars on it, MTB brake levers, non-lethal brake pads, decent tyres, and use it as a disposable commuter bike in a high crime area, after you've insured it for £250. Or go to your local bike recycling charity/workshop (there's at least 1 in many towns/cities; that train up mechanics to do good work on every type of bike {disclaimer: I run one}) and buy a decent serviced/restored/quality-checked bike that would have been a decent/good/splendid one when new, and super-good value at second/third/fourth hand.
I actually owned a Cross mountain bike for my daily commute to school more than a decade ago.
The steel frame and Shimano gears on that bike were virtually indestructible, and it was plenty fast for a mounatin bike easily doing 30kph.
But it used the same style v-brakes as this bike and they were absolutely useless. Never got into trouble with them tough.
Plus it was the bike that got me into pro cycling so I would defenitely go for it.
Thumbs up to GCN for reviewing these kind of affordable bikes again ❤
The frame looked quite good! If you had put some new bars, new tyres and an old 105 groupset of ebay, it looks like it could go well.
Good video Si. Without buying top tier or 2nd hand components, how much would it cost to upgrade the rubbish parts to get a new, good cheap bike, the brakes and handlebars
O bought A Cross Town bike from Argos several years ago still have it and it's never let me down. Heavy but reliable and the brakes are OK for town ridng.
I would have thought you could twist the handlebars up to bring the brake levers back a few contimetres. The brake levers might have some adjustment. You could also bring the seat forward a centimetre. There is enough space to fit different tyres (and probably an electric conversion). Some mid-range - expensive bikes have next to no clearance reducing your tyre choice dramatically.