Cycling - An expensive hobby?

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@rdst_1 I do seriously suggest you trading in an MTB for your hybrid or buying the former in addition to the latter. In your case, an MTB would be highly justified and you won't miss out on cycling outdoors either.

@onlyravi I was at first very tempted by Schnell bikes but they do not seem to be popular. Forum(s) talk about average quality and build issues.
Your take?
Did you research much before buying this one?
Any other brands/models you considered, hybrid or otherwise?
 
eternoMind said:
@onlyravi I was at first very tempted by Schnell bikes but they do not seem to be popular. Forum(s) talk about average quality and build issues.
Your take?
Did you research much before buying this one?
Any other brands/models you considered, hybrid or otherwise?
Click to expand...
The build quality is just as good as other options in the 15-30k range. Me or my friends have never had any issues so far.
I did consider a lot of other option ranging from 12-35k. Depending on who you ask the suggestions will be different.
Pros recommended all expensive brands like SCOTT / Montra / Cannondale costing upwards of 30k for decent hybrid.
Some even said start with anything it does not matter. But having used a Firefox hybrid before (which got stolen) I knew what I wanted. So opted for the cheaper ones.
That said even though the Schnell is relatively cheaper it does not skimp on build quality or finishing.
Why not Firefox again? Comparatively The Schenell was very light in weight and the look and feel and the finishing was far superior than firefox.
Also after taking a test ride I just felt very comfortable on it so went for it.
Approx weight of the Schnell seirra hybrid is about 13kg not more. Its a delight to ride.

OP:
As important as which bike you consider to buy is the fact that what size you buy. I am 5'8" and was advised to buy the M size. But when I took it for a long drive of about 75kms I felt that L size would have been a better choice for me. So do consider that.
 
ashu said:
I am using BTWIN 7S for my daily 12-15km morning run.. Fully satisfied.. you can visit Decathlon store to check out prices..I bought mine from Paytm (Seller sports365) when there was 50% cashback offer. It costed me around 5K :)
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5K is a steal. Good deal.
 
Its never about the machine. Its about the man.

I picked up as hobby two years back and I have easily done 800 kms practice a month without fuss and crossed some 4k miles atleast. I own a Mongoose Tyax Comp and all are still stock and I run them on roads. Of course, as bontrager said you need to pick two.
On a sweet note, keep an eye on OLX. Many let them go at cheap stakes. Pick one of right size and you will understand the importance as it goes.[DOUBLEPOST=1461824960][/DOUBLEPOST]Forgot to say: Ready to spend more as you get addicted.

Now I dont own a car but eyeing on Full carbon road bike and XT groupset XC from the one who nagged for 30k for a cycle.
 
Gears help a lot when traveling uneven roads. Also they help in maintaining high constant speeds. Its simply not possible on regular fixed gear cycles unless you're a serious cycling enthusiast with lots of training. Also, a lot of these bikes are lightweight compared to normal hero cycles
 
^ Looks good. But the rear wheel is steel instead of alloy as in the case of front wheel. so check the total weight of the bike before buying.
 
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Here's my cycle:
view

It's a pre-worshipped (spending too much time on automobile forums these days :P) Hercules Roadeo Hardliner. Since, so many people buy cycle these days and don't know what to do with them a month after.. I decided to save some bucks and get one of those. It's an entry level cycle with 18 gears.

Pros:
1. Have thighs of steel as this requires more effort as compared to my friends who ride btwin :P
2. It was supposed to help me stay fit and burn calories. Does exactly that. A more comfortable bike would save calories.
3. Won't be very sad if it gets stolen (grammar??). And trust me, cycles gets stolen a lot!

Cons:
1. Sometimes I feel like fitting a small engine and show middle finger to my friends who effortlessly ride cycles which cost thrice as much as this.
2. 60km is max I can ride at a time. Though I am still building stamina. So, I expect it to increase.

Is it an expensive hobby?
Definitely not! This is what I've spent so far:
5000 - Cycle
580 - Speedometer
30 - Puncture
200 - Air Pump
5810 - Total!
That's like 3 months of gym money. Plus, its entertaining.

And the thing I like the best - Delhi is a mesmerizing place between 5-7am!
 
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Shubham1401 said:
Here's my cycle:
view

It's a pre-worshipped (spending too much time on automobile forums these days :P) Hercules Roadeo Hardliner. Since, so many people buy cycle these days and don't know what to do with them a month after.. I decided to save some bucks and get one of those. It's an entry level cycle with 18 gears.

Pros:
1. Have thighs of steel as this requires more effort as compared to my friends who ride btwin [emoji14]
2. It was supposed to help me stay fit and burn calories. Does exactly that. A more comfortable bike would save calories.
3. Won't be very sad if it gets stolen (grammar??). And trust me, cycles gets stolen a lot!

Cons:
1. Sometimes I feel like fitting a small engine and show middle finger to my friends who effortlessly ride cycles which cost thrice as much as this.
2. 60km is max I can ride at a time. Though I am still building stamina. So, I expect it to increase.

Is it an expensive hobby?
Definitely not! This is what I've spent so far:
5000 - Cycle
580 - Speedometer
30 - Puncture
200 - Air Pump
5810 - Total!
That's like 3 months of gym money. Plus, its entertaining.

And the thing I like the best - Delhi is a mesmerizing place between 5-7am!
Click to expand...
Precisely, I'm thinking on the same lines, don't want to invest a lot, unless I'm sure of continuing. I owned a black Hercules commuter grade bicycle during high school, which was pretty good almost 15km daily for 2yrs. Feel like buying the same for their rough and tough usage.

adventureguy said:
^ Looks good. But the rear wheel is steel instead of alloy as in the case of front wheel. so check the total weight of the bike before buying.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, though the frame size suggestions on websites suggest I should buy 18 - 21" ones (I'm 5'8" BTW ), I find 26" ones comfortable Or there's size discrepancy which I'm overlooking?

Btwin multi gear hybrid is costing above 15k, out of my budget. Other options include

1.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/mach-city-...orts-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|36


2.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/kross-k10-...orts-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|23


3.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/kross-k80-...orts-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|34


4.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/cosmic-eld...orts-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|50

Apart from the Sioux mentioned above, as suggested I'll visit a showroom and try out some models, but I'm not sure I'll find all of them for testing.

One more thing, is it possible to buy a larger size seat for the bicycle? I feel the ones fitted default as pretty small for my comfort .
 
TBH 5k on a cycle will sound outrageous to my dad who spent his childhood on those classic hero cycles. :)

Anyways, you can adjust your gears to have more resistance so that you can increase the size of your thunder thighs :P
 
drkrack said:
Precisely, I'm thinking on the same lines, don't want to invest a lot, unless I'm sure of continuing. I owned a black Hercules commuter grade bicycle during high school, which was pretty good almost 15km daily for 2yrs. Feel like buying the same for their rough and tough usage.


Thanks for the info, though the frame size suggestions on websites suggest I should buy 18 - 21" ones (I'm 5'8" BTW ), I find 26" ones comfortable Or there's size discrepancy which I'm overlooking. Btwin multi gear hybrid is costing above 15k, out of my budget. Other options include

1.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/mach-city-multi-speed-white-bicycle-SPOMACH-CITY-MUWEBM243470E701B52B?src=grid&tracker=||||/g/sports-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|36


2.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/kross-k10-multi-speed-bicycle-SPOKROSS-K10-MUWEBM243470333E358F?src=grid&tracker=||||/g/sports-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|23


3.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/kross-k80-adult-bike-grey-orange-20-frame-size-SPOKROSS-K80-ADSPOR102561E25BCCE8?src=grid&tracker=||||/g/sports-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|34


4.
https://paytm.com/shop/p/cosmic-eldorado-1-0l-21-speed-mtb-bicycle-grey-and-white-premium-edition-SPOCOSMIC-ELDORPEAC434528B1AB440?src=grid&tracker=||||/g/sports-and-health/bicycles-accessories|21346|50

Apart from the Sioux mentioned above, as suggested I'll visit a showroom and try out some models, but I'm not sure I'll find all of them for testing.

One more thing, is it possible to buy a larger size seat for the bicycle? I feel the ones fitted default as pretty small for my comfort .
Click to expand...
Decathalon almost always have lower price than paytm. Also they have many models to choose from. And yeah, you can buy a larger seat and get it fitted.[DOUBLEPOST=1464663034][/DOUBLEPOST]Also , if you have bad roads, buying the one with shock absorber will help you feel comfortable.
 
drkrack said:
One more thing, is it possible to buy a larger size seat for the bicycle? I feel the ones fitted default as pretty small for my comfort .
Click to expand...

Its a universal problem that every cyclist goes through. Just takes some getting used to. Cycle seats do hurt at the beginning. However your butt will grow a 6 pack and it will stop hurting eventually.

You can buy gel seat covers though. They provide the necessary cushioning (It will still hurt though).
 
Frankly, for just 15kms a day, any cycle will do. I bought an expensive one just because I wanted to do more than 50kms a day.
You can buy Gel shorts to wear under your regular shorts. These short seats do cause pain but as pointed out you get used to it. The floppy gel seats aren't good enough if you want to ride fast IMO and gel shorts are a much better alternative.
 
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rdst_1 said:
Frankly, for just 15kms a day, any cycle will do. I bought an expensive one just because I wanted to do more than 50kms a day.
You can buy Gel shorts to wear under your regular shorts. These short seats do cause pain but as pointed out you get used to it. The floppy gel seats aren't good enough if you want to ride fast IMO and gel shorts are a much better alternative.
Click to expand...

Shubham1401 said:
Its a universal problem that every cyclist goes through. Just takes some getting used to. Cycle seats do hurt at the beginning. However your butt will grow a 6 pack and it will stop hurting eventually.

You can buy gel seat covers though. They provide the necessary cushioning (It will still hurt though).
Click to expand...

adventureguy said:
Decathalon almost always have lower price than paytm. Also they have many models to choose from. And yeah, you can buy a larger seat and get it fitted.[DOUBLEPOST=1464663034][/DOUBLEPOST]Also , if you have bad roads, buying the one with shock absorber will help you feel comfortable.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the clarification & inputs , I was more inclined to buy the classic bicycles mainly because of the comfort of the seat and price of course.

On online ideal frame size calculation, I am advised to buy a frame size between 18 - 21", but I feel the 26" to be more convenient. Is there any particular reason or I'm missing something in calculation?

I used to cycle 10 - 15km daily during 12th std, now after 18 yrs, few extra pounds and two cars in the garage, I'm enthusiastic to ride a bicycle again ; probably this is what we mean by "Life Cycle", I suppose :) :)
 
I love cycling and have owned many.
First bike was a Captain cycle iirc. Then bought Cinderalla and Lady Bird. :D they were actually for my sister but I used them the most lol. Next but bought a BMX-like Rocket. Then 2x Razorbacks because the first Razorback was stolen. At some point we also had the Swing with Shimano gears for which we paid only 3.5k then. Looked really cool but sadly wasn't as durable.
Mr India said:
why do you even need a 20k cycle when a 3-4 k cycle will be just as good.
Click to expand...
Disagreed. No 3k cycle will be as good as a good one which costs 20k.
Last purchase was a Hero Trax for some 5k here and its crap. I actually wanted to ask here first but forgot and they had already bought the bike. :/
Also heard from a "pro" (someone who is like a grease monkey and have used a lot of cycles) that the Firefox is actually not as good as hyped.
What I learned is entry-level (7-8k) "geared cycles" are just gimmicks (are they?) aka just okayish, not great. I'd rather buy a gearless one with good comfort, very good tyre grip and body durability at the same price thought I expect it to cost 40% of a gear cycle.
 
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Thank you all for responding to this thread. Such a many responses made helped provide an insightful perspective of cycling. I had been trying out various cycles in all this while and I do agree with the facts as many reviewers stated. An expensive cycle can really help you cover long distances without much stress. The cheaper alternatives are smooth when new but tend to get squeaky and the ride would become choppy. I also rode bikes for all purposes i.e. Road bikes, Hybrids and Mountain bikes. I found the Hybrids to be the best commuters while the road bikes gave the great sense of fulfilment. Th mountain bikes offered the smoothest ride but didn't pack the same feel as the latter two variants.

My advice to anyone planning to take up cycling is to opt for an expensive bike (Rs. 23,000 - Rs. 45,000) to be able to enjoy cycling as one would picture. Going for a cheaper variant might look sensible at start but you will eventually lose the motivation after your bike starts throwing problems.

Having said and thought all, I have decided to put off my purchase for two reasons.
  1. Nowadays I shuffle between Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and New Delhi thus restricting ability to ride
  2. With my current economic position I cannot justify to myself purchasing a desirable bike
I will however keep an eye for any used bikes hoping to get a good deal.
 
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