[ZSZRANDRF900]

Originally Posted by p_b82

I second the get a decent bike comment - I bought myself a Scott hard tail 27 speed MTB with front forks, and have put on road orientated tyres... was a *lot* for me at the time of £350, but you can get so much better bikes out there for less now - and trawl the 2nd hand's.

Make sure the bike is as light as you can get away with in your price bracket, and then try it before you buy it - i'd go to a proper bike shop to get a frame fitting idea, being 6'4" obviously I need a larger frame than some - but the biggest which I assumed would be what I needed, was not comfortable - was reaching too much and put a lot of stress on my lower back and reduced efficiency at the pedals.

I have used a cateye style speedo on my bike for years, tracks total Odometer while the batteries last (just replaced with the 3rd set!) and a host of other trip stuff... though I am sure that you can get fancier ones, or things that tie into phone apps now.

I ride to an average speed on a journey - my aim is to get back fit enough to match 15mph on a 15 mile trip with a mixture of flat (mostly) and hills due to living in bristol...

I used to do this loop, where I had no hills to start it (and only a half mile rather than 1.5miles) to get to the cyclepath with MTB tyres on, so I should be able to crack it soon, but still way short last night after only 10 miles and 12mph average.... damn those hills lol

I am off on Holiday next friday, so once i am back i will be looking to buy a 2nd hand bike.