It is a very difficult question to answer and really depends on what you want to do on your bike. A recent “non scientific” survey in the Daily Telegraph compared our best selling men’s road bike, the Specialized Allez (£600), with a £13,000 hand built racing bike. The conclusion was that, over a one-mile course, every £400 spent would save 1 second in time. So, if speed is your thing and you’ve got £13,000 to spend..!
For the rest of us price, or should I say Value for money, is an important element of any purchase.
Maybe I should reverse the question and ask: How much are you willing to spend on a new bike? Start by putting the price to one side and consider what type of bike you want. We stock a wide variety of styles including: Road bikes, Mountain Bikes, Multi use Bikes, Shopping bikes, Touring bikes, Folding bikes, Electric bikes and even unicycles. Your experience and interest level will also influence your likely budget. Are you: a novice, enthusiast, competitive or expert?
I doubt that there is anyone who now considers a major purchase without first of all doing their own research, whether you are looking for a bike, a washing machine or a new TV, you will almost certainly have “Googled” it and will probably have looked on eBay for a bargain. You don’t have to look far to find a new bike advertised for £100 or less and second hand ones for much less.
Well, I know nothing about washing machines (ask my wife), and not a great deal about TV’s. But, 25+ years in the bike trade has taught me a thing or two about bikes. I can tell you that the temptation to shop by price alone is unlikely to bring happiness and, as my Grandfather used to say: “ There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
We do not recommend spending less than £200 on a new adult bike. Below this price the product will be of poor quality, unnecessarily heavy, uncomfortable, require regular maintenance and will cost you more to maintain over time.
Some of our best selling recreation bikes retail for between £200 and £350. At this level we keep things simple with quality components, ensuring both comfort and reliability.
Between £350 and £600 you will find a large range of quality, reliable and fast machines with, for example, mountain bikes strong enough to attack rough trails.
Above £600 bikes become more serious and, although frames will generally be made of Aluminium, the level of components (gears, brakes, wheels, forks etc.) will improve as you move towards £1000. Above £1000 most manufacturers will begin to offer frames made of Carbon fibre and before you know it you will be up to £13,000! If carbon fibre is what you want, please remember that not all carbon fibre frames are equal, indeed many of the cheaper ones, normally available mail order, are heavier than aluminium frames offered by the top brands.
We will be delighted to see you in store and will give you as much time and advice as you may require. For those of you wanting to do some initial research, a good start can be made by searching for the independent website: “The Cycling Experts”.
You can view our extensive range in store or on our website: www.leedsbicycle.com. We offer four ways to buy, including “Click and collect” and have finance packages to suit most budgets. All bikes collected in store will be built and ready to ride.
