Quick bike purchase advice needed
 

Hi all,

I'm on the verge of purchasing a light touring bike/commuter and having lost an ebay auction on a Thorn bicycle I've since been offered the bike on a second change offer. This is the bike that I bid up to £420 for:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7197290623

Meantime I've been considering alternatives, like The Ridgback Horizon at £499:

http://www.comptoncycles.co.uk/produ...id=m1b0s21p299

In terms of quality and value for money, which bike should I go for? Will the Thorn represent good value for money even though it has some older components like bar end shifters?

Cheers in advance

Personally, I think the Thorn is a much better value. Bar ends are not 'older', indeed to many they are preferred over indexed shifters for a touring bike. That particular Thorn doesn't have the ability for front low-riders and the cassette looks to be geared a bit high for a touring bike, but the same applies to the Ridgeback. Thorns are great bicycles and SJS has a very good reputation.

Ditto