Originally Posted by steveeg

Have been looking at buying a road bike for ages and am now desperate to get something SOON! Used to do a lot fo running and walking, but want to avoid sports with impact due to calf problems. So my intention is to buy a road bike to use for exercise and as a daily runabout, eg going to lectures. I don't want to spend masses of money as I will have to leave it outside during term time (potential for weather dammegae or theft).

My original plan was to spend the minimum possible, so I was happy with the first bike I test-rode, a £300 Giant OCR. Then I thought I might as well try the £450 Giant SCR 3.0, a test ride which surprised me greatly as it was £150 more fun! Then went to a different bike shop and tried a Dawes Giro 400 for £360 which seemed, how should I put it, but equally interesting given the price. Today went to another LBS and tried an Ideal Ritmo 2005 for £430, a brand I had never heard of, but again, got on fabulously with the bike, lots of fun.

And then one shop is offering their last Schwinn Comp 2005 for £600 (alledgedly a £1k bike) which would surely be awesome fun?

I live in Cambridge where there are no less than 31 LBSs! It's like a can of worms, the more bikes I test ride the more indecisive I become! Have read bike forums and all urge newbies to buy the bike which fits - but it is soo difficult to tell what fits best – and to buy from a LBS for customer support – but there are too many of them to choose!

Is Ideal at all recognised as a brand? With Dawes am I just paying for the name (that's what one LBS worker said)? Isn't Giant the best value as biggest company (said another LBS worker)? Isn't Ideal the best value as no advertising (said a third)? Or does it not really matter what my 1st bike is as will be a learning experience, and I should try to minimise my losses?

Any comments most appreciated!

Steve