[El Mocho]

Think I have managed to persuade the missus to let me have a pure road bike (initially had to compromise and still have the ability to carry the child seat on the back etc)

Only really have a £500 budget but just the other day got offered a secondhand bike (for a little more)

It is off a mate (who is also a dwarf like me) so I'm not worried about being ripped off but I need it all bigging up to make me able to justify the extra £100-200 (then + shoes) I will be spending.

Bike: Opera Bernini (made by Pinarello?)

for about £600 I can have it with the older spec:

Mavic Open Pro Rims
Campag Chorus hubs
Easton handlebar
Thompson stem
Campag Centaur groupset

But he has upgraded it over the last year to:

Mavic Ksyrium wheels
Campag Centaur Carbon chainset
some other chorus parts

which I could have for around £700

Don't know too much about all this bike shiznit so should I go for the bling set up or the cheaper?  Can't find out much about the frame on t'interweb, any of you heard much about them?

Can find out the age of frame and get idea of miles done (although he might have got the frame secondhand himself)

Obviously it is also down to how it fits me and feels etc

[Percy B]

Both options sound good. Probably best to go for the cheaper option in the first instance to see if you're going to get into it, and spend the other £100 on other bits like some decent comfy bib-shorts, helmet, etc. if you haven't got them already. I got some shoes you can have if they'll fit (UK . And I've got a parcel for you from BHope sitting in our office whenever you want to pop in and pick it up!

[El Mocho]

Cheers Percy,

I kinda felt the same. Was also worried I would look a bit of a twat crawling around the Peak if my bike was too bling.

I do have helmet and shorts etc from cruising around on my mountain bike (with the slicks on) but they are pretty cheap.

I am guessing shoes in size  will be too big for me as you are massive and I am tiny (I am stretching in my wifes size 5 pumps as she claims they are too tight)

Just been into shef doing the shopping, if I had checked before I set off would have picked up the parcel. At least not worried about you nicking all my stuff (see above point)(I am guessing it is clothes?)

[lagerstarfish]

 
I thought that a package from "Bob Hope" would be something far more interesting than clothes.

[BB]

Seems like a pretty good deal. There are some cracking bargains out there at the moment. I just picked this up for the missus for £250 which I'm rather chuffed about. Just needed some new tyres and some fresh bartape.