I want to get a bike in an attempt to get fitter - a mountain bike or hybrid type thing probably.

Does anyone know of any good deals going on in post-Christmas sales, or have any other advice?

Looking to spend ~$500 (less if I can get something decent for that).

Thanks.

Got my wife a 29inch diamondback from BigW pre Xmas and it was only $300. Disc brakes, alloy everything. Best $300 bike I've ever seen. She loves it.

James said...
"Frofeited" property ! ! , maybe should of checked the spelling, J

i before e except after c

I got a basic MB from Big W for $60. So what if it doesnt have all the suspension bits and pieces its only for slogging up the local roads and hills for fitness.

Mobydisc said...
Saw a $12,000 bike at the local bike shop last week. You might be able to get it for $10K now.

That would be a pretty good saving.

Was it made in Australia?

If you really want to buy me a crissie prezzie one of these would do.
for around 15k


But i'd rather have better racing wheels on it for $6k

Get a 29er

Mobydisc said...
I think the $12K bike I saw is the same as the one above, the Pinarello. So its already $3K cheaper in Sydney than Perth. Why are they so expensive?

A mate bought one (Pinerello) and it was about 8k far from top of the range, very nice bike

T 11 said...
I struggle to understand why anyone would buy a cheap and nasty bike from a Kmart or BigW type store, you are really playing with yours or someone elses life. What happens when the cheap components, spokes, brake cables rust out in a couple of years, heandlebars, head stem, pedals, seatpost wheels etc start breaking and falling off? if you are still alive, is the department store going to fix it for you? Remember half the time they are assembled by a kid out the back not a proper bike mechanic.
You can still buy lower end bikes of a reputable brand from about $400
at least then the bike shop will service it for you.

My $100 el cheapo full alloy Huffy MB hasn't broken anything and is still going strong 10yrs later. As for assembling that is what I do not some kid out the back of Kmart etc. Also if you need someone to service your pushie then FFS you better get someone to blow your nose for you as well.

FWIW I did go into my local bike store, when looking for my wifes bike B4 Xmas, their cheaper stuff was the same quality as the Huffy, Dunlop etc etc for double the price as at the major retailers. Their equivalent of the 29er with less components was +$800 vs what we paid for $300 at Big W. As for cheap bikes being rubbish here in Cairns there are heaps of very old very cheap bikes that are onsold by backpackers and students, they squeak a lot but they get around a lot too. Nothing's broken off that I can see.

AND NO the local store wouldn't pay for your insurance or medical bills if their bike in some god awful unlikely chance does break something off and you are injured. What happened to personal responsibility for yourself and your equipment? Soapbox over and out.

if you check what your getting at the big stores you can often pick up something really well made. look out for alloy components instead of steeland better tyres already fitted.
all my bikes are rebuilds from the tip , but often the basic starting point was a kmart huffy.
one day at the bike shop, they asked when i was going to buy a bike from them ,and said it would mean stopping buying components, which i buy a loy of
take your pick

Mobydisc said...
I think the $12K bike I saw is the same as the one above, the Pinarello. So its already $3K cheaper in Sydney than Perth. Why are they so expensive?

The frame is the cost on these bikes. This one is their flagship the dogma. The frame on its own retails for about 5-6k. The cost comes from the type of carbon used and that the frame is perfectly balanced and symmetrical. You also pay a couple of grand for the name Pinarello - synonymous with road bikes.

Once you've paid that for the frame its up to you what you put on it. Group sets - so cranks, shifters brakes etc start from around 600 and up to 8000 dependent on what you want - bog standard alloy to hi tech carbon and titanium.

Then there is the wheels - 300 for a basic set - 6k for something special, around 1-2k per wheelh for a good set of carbon clincher racing wheels.

so that's you're road bike sorted, now you need a time trial bike........


Cycling makes windsurfing and kiting look cheap.

poor relative said...

Cycling makes windsurfing and kiting look cheap.

and somewhat less gay

www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=18586.0

These look like a lot of fun

I've had bikes from K-Mart, BigW, eBay and cheap locals... ~$600 will get you something decent, but $1800 will get you a bike that feels great to ride.
Or you could build your own from parts... I used to be a Shimano fan, now I'm an Avid/SRAM fan... my X0 gear changes/brake so precisely they're a pleasure to use. Shimano stuff I was always tuning.

BTW: Cycling on the road is probably the most dangerous thing you can legally do in Australia. (Save the postie comments)

Mr Milk said...

As for the claim that road riding is dangerous......bovine excrement. Except in the rain, when you've got no brakes and no grip. . . . . .

. . . . . . and when that text that just came through to the f-wit driving the car behind ya, is just soooo important that it needs to be read/replied to ,like NOW ! ! J

Depends on what the gang is doing. IMO A friendly toot lets people know you are there. Remember we don't usually have mirrors and even loud cars are surprisingly quiet from the front. I can't hear you due to wind noise at much above 30.
Go past leaving a good gap, specially if you are on a much repaired road. A bike gets bounced around a lot more than a car does.
Be a bit patient. A few hundred metres at 30 instead of 80 only adds a few seconds to your journey, less than missing one change of lights due to the cretin in a 4WD in front of you who is waiting to go straight ahead in the optional left turn lane[}:)]