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I'm new to this forum and I hope someone can help me out.

I have recently moved to the UK and I like to cycle. I'm looking for a bicycle with a small budget.

I would mainly use the bike for commuting between home and work. For this reason, I think I would like to have mud-guards on the front and rear (and possibly a cargo-rack), to be able to get to work without getting too dirty. The roads are generally good (asphalted), but sometimes, I'll have to take the side-walk and some of the roads are badly maintained (i.e. a pure road bike will probably damage quickly). Furthermore, it will be slightly uphill and downhill and one way will take about 40mins (google-maps). This will on average be twice a week. Every once in a while I would also like to us the bike to just tour into the country (yes, it's in Scotland) on a Sunday. This will likely be once every two months. Based on this, I am thinking about getting a hybrid bike, a touring bike or a cyclocross bike.

Now I have three main questions:

  1. what type of bike would you advice (any others that I'm overlooking, advantages, disadvantages)?
  2. do you have examples in or around Aberdeen for GBP 150-200?
  3. what size of frame and wheels should I have, if I'm 1.82m tall (6.0')
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  • Welcome to Bicycles @crispijn. My advice to get a used bike, similar to one you have had experience with. Each of the ones you have mentioned in the tags will do the job. Make you get something that's the right size for you.
    – andy256
    Jul 29, 2015 at 0:50
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    Yes, "used" is the primary answer to your question.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Jul 29, 2015 at 2:16
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    GBP 150-200. Is that $300 US dollar? Even used you are not going to get a nice bike for that.
    – paparazzo
    Jul 29, 2015 at 2:26
  • For commuting, get a luggage rack. Cycling with panniers is so much better than cycling with a backpack!
    – gerrit
    Jul 29, 2015 at 9:34
  • @Frisbee - I was just explaining the "mechanism" behind finding a cheap used bike.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Jul 29, 2015 at 11:41

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1) As in Scotland, I would recommend you to look for a second-hand bike (possibly gumtree is a good place to start with, bear in mind that you need to check and make sure the bike is not stolen). The reason is that in the winter, all the salt on the roads will corrode your bike badly.So go cheap, then keep it as winter bike, then upgrade gradually.

Cyclocross would be your choice if you are planning to cycling offroad and over glens.

If you are just going to stick along the coast, a road bike would be enough (and pretty fast too, so you can go to Stonehaven, Montrose, even up to Inverness).

2) A road bike as for starter (second hand) is around £100-150 (Carrera Virtuoso for example, I got one for £110, model 2012)

A cyclocross for starter (second hand) is around £150-200. The higher price reflects that not many people in Scotland buy/own cyclocross (I have yet to see one cyclocross bike in Dundee). A little search around Aberdeen shows Carrera Crixus selling at around £200.

3) 700c wheel of course :-) 26" will be like a toddler-bike for you

Your height is not telling much, but if you are an average guy, 1.82 m would need a 22" (L or 54-56cm), between 21" and 22" also ok-ish. Having said, I'm 1.73 but I need a slightly larger one comparing to my height (20.5" or 52-54 cm), because my back is quiet short, relatively to my legs.

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  • I am starting an Upvote Questions drive, to encourage more voting for questions. My theory is that if a question is worth answering, then it is useful, and so should be upvoted. After all, good questions are what make our site work :-)
    – andy256
    Jul 29, 2015 at 2:06
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    Thanks very much, that is a very helpful answer! I am looking into the road bikes or cyclo-cross. Especially the Cirrus you mentioned looks good!
    – crispijn13
    Aug 10, 2015 at 13:07
  • Glad that it helps, just remember when it's winter and the road is wet/icy, don't use the bicycle :D the salt is terrible, the ice is even worse
    – Nhân Lê
    Aug 14, 2015 at 13:31

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