I've managed to save £200 for a bike. I went on places like Gumtree and eBay and can confirm that there are bikes out there for less than £200. I did not buy any of these.
My big plan with running London Marathon was to show it is accessible to all and it really is, however if you want to do it cheaply then you've got to be willing to work for it. I took a charity place and had to raise £1,625 to run. I could buy a £200 bike but would have to service it myself or ride with issues, something that would affect my ability to even finish as well as my overall time (though the latter doesn't really matter).
With this in mind I put a deposit on a bike, a Specialized Allez from a few seasons ago that probably highlights me as an amateur. This is not a problem in the slightest - the less people think I can ride quickly, the less they'll be expecting me to. I've seen a lot of bikes today and even test rode a £1,000 Giant, 1/9 of the cost of the bike the guy who works in the stores own, suggesting cost will definitely affect performance. However, 'get you round' end of season bikes are still around £350-£400.
Also this is the right time of year to be buying. A good friend of mine has been cycling for a while and told me that people are looking to upgrade their bikes or get rid of them over winter as no fool wants to ride when it's cold and wet. Only me.
So £200 down with a £150 bill and no bike, today was insightful but came good in the end as I have a £60 pair of Sauconys to break in ready for the Half Marathon in October. A five mile run is a great way to remember those crisp, purple notes you used to own.
No comments:
Post a Comment