Check out all the bicycle websites and they always seem to focus on expensive new bikes and new technology at crazy prices. Hell, you might want to spend over £ 300 on a bike ride, so getting a complete road bike for under £ 300 seems like a tall order.
But unsurprisingly, there are bikes out there that have the right specs and cost up to £ 300. We asked Decathlon and Halfords how they did it.
Much depends on the economies of scale of the brands – Halfords is the largest bike seller in the UK and Decathlon has a global reach, so both can place large orders. And Decathlon has its own factories that collect and ship bikes to the UK from Portugal and France.
Peter Lazarus of Decathlon says buyers’ inquiries are becoming more and more complex. So if a few years ago he had three bikes for under £ 300, he only has one, the Triban RC100, for £ 280. And the women’s spec ensures that both tires are 28mm wide for improved ride comfort and grip.
Halfords improved their Carrera bikes in response to users. Halford bike design manager Justin Stevenson points out that buyers of the £ 300 Carrera Zelos aren’t just new riders. There are also seasonal mountain bikers who want to hit the road and seasonal cyclists who want to use a different bike. “They need comfort, flexibility, security, brightness,” he says.
“We have developed Zelo to meet these needs. For your convenience, we have specified memory foam saddles. They are very comfortable and attractive, so beginners can sit on them in padded shorts, but they are still suitable for a more experienced cyclist wearing cycling shorts. “
Another important feature is the pike protection, which is why Halfords has fitted a Kevlar coating to its 28mm tires from established bicycle tire maker Kenda to prevent punctures.
Halfords has installed disc brakes on all of its Carrera 2021 wheels. In addition to the additional braking force, says Stevenson, it is possible to install much wider tires with enough ground clearance for the occupant up to 40mm wide. I want to extend the impeller.
Decathlon has aluminum frames with external cables at £ 280 RC100 and £ 300 Carrera Zelos. And they both have a steel fork. The riding experience isn’t as enjoyable as the carbon forks, which both brands will talk about below, but they both prove it’s suitable for the target audience.
“Our goal is to ensure that the bike is designed for real life and can ride while being sold,” explains Decathlons Lazarus. “Buyers shouldn’t change tires or other parts, bikes should be poorly maintained, simple and reliable.
“These bikes are mostly used for short distances at moderate speeds,” he said. “We use British wheels as a benchmark for the Triban product line. There is no other market where so many riders use an all-season downhill rod. “
At this price you will find solid commodity at the entry level. The Carrera Zelos consists of a Shimano Tourney 2×7 speed groupset with a compact 50/34 chain and an 11-28 cassette. “It should have combined shift levers and brakes,” says Halfords’ Stevenson, “so that new drivers don’t have to take their hands off the wheel to shift gears.
Carrera bikes: which model is right for you?
“There are enough distances to get most people out of the mountains,” he said. “We want to offer a wider range, but we limit ourselves to Shimano components.”
The Decathlon Tribe RC100 now has a single 40 tooth chain with an 8-speed 11-28 microwave cassette and a front derailleur. This helps with maintenance and reliability and reduces the bike’s weight to 10.8kg, explains Lazarus. The women’s bike has combined brake and shifter levers as well as secondary brake levers, while the men’s RC100 has a single brake transmission.
“All you have to do is buy the right bike for you,” says Stevenson. “Even when they sell online, many shoppers buy bikes from the Halford store, so we have a chance to see if shoppers have ordered too many bikes for them. We also have size suggestions on the website to encourage them to order the right ones.” Size. “
So yes, you can buy a new road bike for £ 300. And it’s likely to better suit the needs of the modern driver and be more comfortable and reliable than ever. However, if you’re looking for a longer ride or more uphill, pay more attention to the price of features like wider gears and a carbon fork.
FOR SALE TO ALL
While some brands are offering this model, most of them are still producing a new bike for each model year. Sometimes it is fundamentally revised – in which case we would probably discuss the introduction in detail. However, brands don’t do this for every model every year, so sometimes the latest version just has a new paint job with some special changes, e.g. The latest version of the group or saddle or handlebar change.
Whether it’s a major change to the bike or just a new paint job, there are likely to be deals on outdated models, so if you buy before the end of the year you can save on a bike that costs close to $ 500.
When buying a retail bike, add some salt to measure the result – remember that the tester rated the bike at the suggested retail price, not the original price you are looking for.
Reusable bikes
Another option is to look for a used bike. We have suggestions for solving it with actions and actions. It’s a little more difficult and requires more feet than buying a new Decathlon and Halford bike, but sometimes you get more money when the bike is well maintained. For example, if you are a member of a cycling club, you will be very successful if a member of the bike club lights up to make room for someone else.
You don’t want to buy an invisible bike and before you spend any money, it’s a good idea to have a different opinion than someone who knows what to look for in terms of wear.
Remember, you’ll have to pay for bike maintenance or new parts and tune the new bike for free in the shop – Halfords provides a lifetime safety check for these bikes. You also have a place to go back if something goes wrong. Plus, you can use the bike as a work schedule when buying a new bike from a dealer, saving you money and upgrading at no extra cost.
But do your best and there are some great deals out there that you will see for a nice new kind of good road bike without breaking the bank.
