Carrera TDF 2012 Review
Purchasing a road bike on a very tight budget can be challenging to say the very least. Really, you are going to be left with two options – either purchasing a bike second hand, or else purchasing an entry level bike, such as the Carrera TDF or Vanquish road bike, which you can purchase from Halfords for the low, low price of just £299, which is amazing value for the bike that you get.
A Road Bike That Stands Out From The Pack
The Carrera TDF is a bike that stands out from the crowd, thanks to its unique and eye catching black and yellow colours, placed there in honour of the Tour De France, that adorn its aluminium frame. The TDF in this bike’s name also reflects this. This is a bike that is sure to get you noticed. However, it is not the lightest bike in the world, weighing nearly 11kg even with the pedals on. Before you shout that this is such a heavy bike, it is important to remember that this is an entry level bike, and not a very expensive high performance carbon bike that can easily end up costing you over £1000. This is something you will be able to notice when you take it out on the road since it does take a lot longer to wind up. Once you build up some fitness and get used to the heavier feel of this bike though, you will quickly begin to overlook this.
Gears are Ideal for Flat Riding
The gear ratio setup on the bike in addition to the weight of the frame makes it harder work than you would expect when you are pushing up a hill. The gears featured on this bike are a standard 52-38 cassette up front, with a nice 12-26 on the backend. This is done because the overwhelming majority of the people buying this bike don’t have a lot of riding experience, so they wouldn’t immediately think to do something like use a 50/34 compact chain set in the front that would be a lot easier when it comes to getting up hills. Unless you are already an extremely fit and strong rider, you won’t be spending a lot of time riding through the hills. And if you are that experienced, you will probably have a higher end bike
than this anyway. If you are planning on primarily sticking to level ground say, on your way to and from work, and are not dealing with a lot of steep inclines, you will have a much easier time.
Perfect for First Time Buyers
For the novice riders that this bike is targeted at, the setup of this bike is very nice. The headset is nice and big, the bars are wide and the stem is long. This makes it a very comfortable bike for your commute to work or just spending a lot longer riding around. If you are a student looking for a bike, this is a good one thanks to its low cost, as well as for the first time buyer who is looking for a budget bike.
Written by: Quatos