LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Monty Dog · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 52

For someone new to riding, getting a proper 'bike fit' is critical - some shops charge for the service whereas otheres will deduct it from your purchase price. Many shops offer this service from a £25 basic fit all the way to a £150 'consultation' with the likes of Cycle Fit in Covent Garden. Even if paying for it, there is still an advantage in that you probably save on not buying additional stems and bars to get your position right. The most important dimension for purchasers is reach, not saddle height - you can adjust your saddle height easily, but once you wheel your bike out of the shop, adjusting reach usually requires a change in components and at worst a new frame. There are many factors which influence 'reach' including morphology, flexibility and technique - get it wrong and you can end up with neck and back problems. Saddle height is a lot less complex and plenty of info is available on the web. Paying for a bike fit and then searching online for a bike of the right size can still represent a saving - particularly if looking for a 2007 model on closeout. BTW Planet-X have an excellent reputation and often have good deals. Ribble Cycles also provide good value, but service is less good - you can buy an identical bike from either Ribble or Condor, and save for the stickers, the Ribble one will cost £1500 and the Condor £2500 - go figure!

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coruskate/1866799364/in/photostream/ # side view
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coruskate/1865977227/in/photostream/ # top view

and on its first outing too :-(

Sharp left turn at bottom of steep hill, rider in front attempts to turn too tightly, slides out, lowsides; I swerve to avoid him rather more sharply than the wet ground really permits and drop the bike on its right side.

With any luck it's just those two bits - and the LSST jacket - that need replacing, but I'm taking it into Condor so they can check the frame dent's not unsafe and have a proper look at the headset (which I wasn't happy with beforehand anyway) too. Whoever invented the integrated headset really needs a kicking, it's truly a dumb idea.