FIrst time rider

[d3nn15chu]

I'm planning to get a bicycle but unsure of what bike to get. I have looked up on a few which is:
1) condor flat bar road bike- https://www.reidcycles.com.au/condor-fl ... oduct-tabs
2) reid urban X1 - https://www.reidcycles.com.au/urban-x1.html
3) osprey road bike - https://www.reidcycles.com.au/osprey-ro ... 77113.html

I want a good one so that i would not need to change bikes after getting used to riding. I looked at the specifications but it seems jiberish to me. Please help!

[AUbicycles]

The members here could tell you a lot about the bike - but I feel that it would be far more effective if you let us know about what you want from a bike - how often do you expect to ride, what distances, which general location.

With this information, we can better establish the style of bike that will best suit and you will immediately cut out all of the bikes that are unsuited. There are also plenty of other brands out there as well that may have suited and good value bikes, but let us know a bit more.

[Jawa]

Cant comment on the bikes personally, never ridden a Reid. In saying this on face value the Osprey appears to be a more complete package. Plus, Reid's all come with lifetime warranties on the frames & forks so cant go wrong there.

Quick tip though if its your first bike, don't spend too much on it. Think of it more as a point A to point B kind of thing. Reason I say this is because should you get into cycling it wont be too long before your lusting after something more premium that you just have to have.

Source: first hand experience

[jules21]

all of those bikes are OK. manufacturing these days is so advanced that they will all provide a quality ride. the exception is some of those awful K-mart bikes built from porous steel and only good for 2 rides. those bikes aren't in that category.

when you ask for advice from enthusiasts on a 'good bike', some will attempt to steer you towards high-end equipment. this stuff is a luxury and you can feel free to spend more on it, but you don't need it, especially when starting out.

[rodneycc]

Not the Condor!
Go the Osprey that one is ok.

[northvegas_12]

Quick tip though if its your first bike, don't spend too much on it. Think of it more as a point A to point B kind of thing. Reason I say this is because should you get into cycling it wont be too long before your lusting after something more premium that you just have to have.

Source: first hand experience

+1 for this guy. First bike just get something cheap and reasonable, as I can assure you once you get the bug you will want to buy something better and at a higher level. Plus to avoid arguments with the wife/partner etc you will want to upgrade once rather than several times That is also from first hand experience haha

[Duck!]

Not the Condor!
Go the Osprey that one is ok.

+1 to this. Reids range fron fairly reasonable down to utter crap; the Condor falls squarely in the latter camp.

[tcdev]

Plenty of good advice above on these particular bikes. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

"Don't spend much on your first bike, because you're going to buy the wrong one!" is an age-old adage in cycling. However, IMHO it's a double-edged sword.

Firstly, those spouting that advice have well-and-truly been bitten by the cycling bug. However, there's no guarantee that you will do the same, or at least to anywhere near the same extreme. People cycle for different reasons, and some find themselves using a bicycle regularly - usually for practicality - without giving any further thought to it. And if you're one of those people, you're better off spending a little more and getting a dependable machine, rather than something that will require an upgrade down the track.

Secondly, the enjoyment of cycling can definitely be influenced by the bike you're riding. Riding some heavy, clunky, uncomfortable, unreliable 3-speed department store BSO is not going to be a pleasant experience at all and likely to reduce the chance that you'll get bitten by the cycling bug.

So, by all means buy a lower-end bike, but buy something that will give you a positive experience, and possibly hold some sort of resale value. That way you're not stuck whether you end up happy with the ride you have, get bitten by the bug and upgrade, or simply hate it and relegate it to the shed for 12 months before it ends up on Gumtree.

[jules21]

Secondly, the enjoyment of cycling can definitely be influenced by the bike you're riding. Riding some heavy, clunky, uncomfortable, unreliable 3-speed department store BSO is not going to be a pleasant experience at all and likely to reduce the chance that you'll get bitten by the cycling bug.

True in principle, but I have road bikes ranging from Tiagra (2008 model from when I got back into cycling) to Ultegra Di2 (the old 10 spd, but much nicer than Tiagra).

They both ride fine. I race on the Ultegra-equipped bike, but I don't enjoy riding it any more.

[d3nn15chu]

Thanks for the input guys, i think i will go with the osprey since it will have a better resale value and also better quality stuff in it. hopefully it will all turn out good!

[bychosis]

So what sort of riding are you going to do? A drop bar bike is suited to road riding, and riding faster in general. The Urban X1 will be more comfortable on a sunday cruise with the kids as it will be a bit more upright and might be more suitable for riding in high traffic areas (for commuting). As you sit more upright you can see 'better' around you.

I haven't ridden either, nor any Reid bikes. The Urban looks OK on the face of it and the Osprey too. The condor is at best entry level and at worst, not suited at all if you get a cycling bug.

[Rural Rider]

Regardless of anything else right now - both sides of the argued equations presented to you above are equally valid. What it comes down to is where you are at right now, this very moment. A good reason to listen to those that say don't buy anything big budget for your first bike is because if all this is new to you, you don't know quite yet how you will feel and what you want to do 12 or 18 months down the line. If you spend on something now that is big money, before you have established a riding pattern and routine, you may regret the purchase later finding out that the Bike you have isn't ticking boxes and you need to sell and upgrade.

On the other hand ... if you are the kind of person that knows early on they have a specific passion or need for a particular type of Bike or Riding situation, then the lack of time in the saddle may play less of a role and you might just want to buy a great mid range Bike right off the bat and then assess the situation 12 - 18 months down the line. Having been there before, I can see both sides are absolutely well reasoned - it is really up to you to work out

A - What is my budget?
B - Am I prepared to pay more for something a bit better?
C - Am I commuting?
D - Am I purely recreational?
E - Road Bike - Mtn or Cross?

Research is the most important thing you can do right now ... read, read ,read ... search old threads and read articles. Educate yourself on the differences between various types of bikes and what they can and can't offer you. Better still, go to some Local Bike Stores and sit on different Bikes and see how they feel. You will quickly find out if you like a flat bar Bike with more relaxed geometry or a road bike with Hoods and Drops and a more aggressive attitude. You can ask questions all day but if you don't know what you want, nobody will be able to tell you - you can only find out by engaging yourself in the process directly.

RR