Which cycle to buy?
Calling all the Cycling enthusiasts, particularly in NCR/ Delhi ---
Winter 2008-09 is starting and afternoons will soon be bearable. It would be the best time to pedal across North India. Let’s plan from casual Sunday rides to week long rides in the Himalayas to cycling to Pushkar Mela. In looking for like-minded cycle people, I came across two Delhi groups – Delhi Critical Mass and Delhi Cycling Club by ITDP. Maybe the two are connected at some level. I haven’t explored them yet. Drop in a word/comment; Get linked if you are up for a ride.
Click here for a calendar of cycling expeditions in India.
I need help in buying a cycle.
Budget - 10K-15K
Requirement - Long distance mountain biking + Portability
I am tall - 5ft 10 inches
Looking for very dependable, high quality gears and chain
Please recommend a suitable model, also the best cycle stores in Delhi that offer a range of accessories.
I found Target Firefox quite comfortable but have been told I can go for still better cycles.
Would like to test ride the cycle in Delhi before placing an order.
One thing I learnt - Figure out whether you want to cycle off-road on slopes or you want to go fast on flat roads. MTB bike with fat tyres for the former, Road bike with thin tyres for the latter.
April 5th, 2010 - 15:24
From ganesh, pedal yatri mail:
Hi Munish,
I ditto both Jeremy and Jasbir. I have a Merida Matts 20-D (24 speed with disc brakes) and a Trek 3700 (21 speed with V-Brakes) and both bikes perform well but have their pros and cons as follows:
Merida Matts 20-D: Lighter, Faster, superb to ride but the disc brakes can be fussy.
Trek 3700: A little heavier than the Merida and slower (probably due to the 21 speed) but an absolute darling of a fuss-free bike.
Both the bikes cost about the same (18K-ish) if your budget will stretch that far. Otherwise, as Jeremy says, look for a second hand one. There are some good examples available every now and then and these bikes can be a steal for what you pay for them. Just be patient. You will find one. Whatever you do, please steer clear of the ‘clunkers’. I still have mine (a 21 speed dual suspension lovingly called lohe ka haathi) for emotional reasons but never bring it for our group rides.
All the best,
Ganesh
April 5th, 2010 - 15:25
From anand sinha, Pedal yatri mail:
There is a nice analogue about cars and bikes I heard from someone in the Pedal Yatri group a few weeks ago. They basically segmented cycles into three categories depending on what you want to spend.
- The 1st segments is pretty much anything under 10K. These may either be duds with lots of supposed extras/features that will break down and frustrate the rider, or will be a solid, but slow and heavy cycle. These will include the Firefox, Atlas, Hero, LA Sovereigns etc This is the Ambassador or Maruti 800 of the category.
- As you move to the 15K – 25K range you will find bikes that are very competent for hard off-road trails and long distance rides. There is a quantum leap in ride quality and handling between these and the 1st segment mentioned above. These include the entry and mid level cycles from international brands like Cannondale, Trek, Schwinn etc. This is the City, Corolla, Civic, Safari, Scorpio segment – refined yet cost conscious.
- And then you get into the 35K+ range which is really for professionals and serious enthusiasts. The difference between these and the 2nd segment is not that noticeable for most riders, and only those who really push their cycles to the limit will be able to take advantage of the improvements. This would include the Trek 6000 series and above, Cannodale F5 and above etc. This is the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Outlander, Pajero and upwards segment – you’re not really going to notice the difference till you exceeds the limits of normal use.
I would suggest you send out an email to various groups inlcuding PY, Bikeszone, Indian Cyclist Network, Delhi Cycling Club and see if anyone is selling anything from the 2nd or 3rd segment. If there is something on offer that’s less that 2-3 years old then you will have a bargain with a lot of mileage to go.
April 5th, 2010 - 15:26
From dileep prakash, pedal yatri mail:
the selection of a bicycle would depend on what you would use it for most.
in case you going to do a lot of mountain biking you need a mountain bike. mountain bikes have a short geometry (frame length) and 26 inch wheels.
in case you are doing long rides – you need a touring bike – which have a longer frame and larger tyres (28 inches)
in case you are going to mostly ride in the city – a hybrid bike is the best option – they have a medium geometry and a wheel size of 700 cc.
bicycles with suspensions are tougher to ride and require more effort since much of the momentum is lost in the shock absorption system. disk brakes are good but not necessary. the regular V shoe brakes are very effective for coming to a sudden halt…
so think about all these factors and then do another round of research.
i think the octane is of mountain geometry with 26 inch wheels.
feel free to ask more questions.
best
dileep
April 6th, 2010 - 11:32
By ajay jaiman, from pedal yatri mails:
Before the BikeFlation overtakes us entirely, here is a slight bit of contrarian advice: While for most part I agree with all the advice on this subject I would like to say that it is not the end of the world if you (not necessarily aimed at Manish) can not afford to spend the 25k or 30k on a bicycle.
Set a budget and then buy the best bike you can get for that money. Remember not to get seduced by the superficial stuff – if you are on a tight budget avoid the rear shocker, and disc brakes and the fancy stickers… Next question, how do you set a budget? Look at your phone and your car – if you spent more than 15k on your phone and more than 5 lakhs for your car then it is unlikely that you can not afford a 25k bike. However if your answer to both the above questions was a negative (especially if your primary transport is a motorcycle) then it is fair to have amore conservative budget.
And if you do have a smaller budget, then take heart from the following:
- If you are cycling for health and fitness then a lighter bike gives you no benefit at all. Actually a heaver bike is better.
- Even though I am not an official spokesperson I can say that PedalYatri is not a racing group. It is not about coming first… though it definitely is courteous to not delay the rest of the group…
- There is a young man in our group who rides a standard issue Hercules and to my knowledge always stays in the front of the pack. Caveat – if are using a heavy bike practice before joining the group so that you are not a drag on the whole group…
As an aside, some of you may have heard of Heinz Stücke who has been a riding a since 1962 and has ridden over 500,000 kilometres and visited 192 countries. He has not changed his cycle ever — he still uses his three-speed bicycle that he acquired in 1962. And if I recollect correctly Freddie Hoffman, also called Million-Mile Freddie has done two round-trips to the moon (has cycled over a million kilometres) on a not-such-a-fancy-bike.
Happy cycling!
-AJ
August 31st, 2010 - 07:08
hi ,iam frm delhi jst bought firefox target 3mth back now lookg to upgrade to trek 3700 or 4500 .if any one has these models and wants to sell i would b lucky to have them.my id is yashsinghkalsi@gmail.com.thks yash
December 12th, 2010 - 12:52
please suggest where can i get a , 15k bike in delhi please recommendwhich is easy to maintain . also which accesories and safety features are an absolute must.i am relatively new to cycling but i would love to initiate it. i dont mind a heavy or a light one. if you could suggest addresses of where they are available and which make iwould be grateful. thanks anurag