ALDI bike sale (starting on 05/10/2011 Wednesday)

[elfrog]

My flat bar road bike is still going well, about the size.. it fits me just about right and I'm a fairly standard height 5' 10", It will be too big for you if you are under about 5' 7".

You guys made me a bit paranoid about the bike so I was a little edgy the first time I took it down a big hill. I ended up running out of gears, the top speed doesn't seem all that fast but I didn't crash and die lol. I also ended up going back and getting the bike computer and pump. After having read the standard 28 Kenda tyres are 500 grams each, I decided I can deal with thinner tyres after all and ordered some 23 Michelin's and since I have a pump I'll get some latex tubes That will bring the bike into the high 11. something kilos and should at least roll decent.

It does ride a little bit harsh on the rough surfaced roads out in the bush but I guess that's just the aluminium way

[elfrog]

$25 torque wrenches from Saturday !!

http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/2827_19359.htm

I got one of these last year, best deal ever if you are playing with cars and need one but it's not for bikes

[rkelsen]

$25 torque wrenches from Saturday !!
http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/2827_19359.htm

I got one of these last year, best deal ever if you are playing with cars and need one but it's not for bikes

Actually, you can use it for doing up cassettes and cranks.

[jimsheedy]

you dont really need a torque spanner for that though

[XClemX]

Hmm battery charger sounds good...pity I'm in sa and don't have an aldi near bh

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[newhli]

Has anyone recently seen the bike tool set in stock at any of the Aldi stores in Melbourne? I went to the one in Melbourne (Franklin st) this morning but they have run out of stock. I know I can get one from an online store with the same price, but I would like to get the tool set for the weekend.

Thanks in advance.

PS. If anyone is interested there are still a few flat bar road bikes at Aldi Melbourne (Franklin St) as of this morning.

[elfrog]

Hey just updating the old flat bar bike. It originally weighed 12.4kilos. I've now put the aldi bike computer on it which must have weighed 100 grams or so but put some decent 220 gram 23c tyres on it which I got for 50 bucks. The current weight of the bike is 11.7 kilos and that's a weight I can live with so now I'm really happy with it. But of course it's cost me 300 bucks rather than 250 :p. Well not really since I still have a pair of heavy 28c tyres I might never use. There are still heaps of these bikes at all the ALDIs as far as I've seen everyone wanted the cheaper $129 dollar hybrids and left the flat bar bikes there. You might pick one up on special in a week or two

[CommuRider]

@elfrog I've been to 3 Sydney Aldis and none of them are selling the roadie. Maybe it's a test market for Victoria before they roll it out elsewhere. Just sell the tyres over ebay to get some of your money back.

[jimsheedy]

Seen them at market place leichardt

[CommuRider]

If I pass the area I will have a look

[rob76]

You guys made me a bit paranoid about the bike so I was a little edgy the first time I took it down a big hill. I ended up running out of gears, the top speed doesn't seem all that fast but I didn't crash and die lol. I also ended up going back and getting the bike computer and pump. After having read the standard 28 Kenda tyres are 500 grams each, I decided I can deal with thinner tyres after all and ordered some 23 Michelin's and since I have a pump I'll get some latex tubes That will bring the bike into the high 11. something kilos and should at least roll decent.

Are the wheels double walled? Do they seem sturdy enough, or do you see yourself getting new wheels for this bike?

[elfrog]

You guys made me a bit paranoid about the bike so I was a little edgy the first time I took it down a big hill. I ended up running out of gears, the top speed doesn't seem all that fast but I didn't crash and die lol. I also ended up going back and getting the bike computer and pump. After having read the standard 28 Kenda tyres are 500 grams each, I decided I can deal with thinner tyres after all and ordered some 23 Michelin's and since I have a pump I'll get some latex tubes That will bring the bike into the high 11. something kilos and should at least roll decent.

Are the wheels double walled? Do they seem sturdy enough, or do you see yourself getting new wheels for this bike?

The wheels are one of these two, I can't see any need to replace them, probably one of the better parts on the bike?

http://starsrim.no18.cuttle.com.cn/engl ... asp?id=433
http://starsrim.no18.cuttle.com.cn/engl ... asp?id=445

They seem ok the main things on the bike that are not so good are the handle bar which is steel and the bottom bracket which is a cup and cone. The crank too has steel rings and I bet it's heavy.

I had another alloy bar which was less than half the weight so I put that on. It's under 11.5 kilos now still with the original tubes and goes _alot_ faster with those Michelin tyres on it and seems to be smoother too (oddly). Another thing that might be heavy is the fork because the stem in that is steel but really I just think the frame itself must weigh a lot. I could replace the seat and crank and tubes have it go under 11 kilos. But I can't sensibly replace anything else until they wear out so that's just how it's going to have to be.

Still I think it's a good bike for the price, I'm enjoying it, Those $129 Hybrid bikes they had at the same time seemed to weight not much more, if any more at all, just picking up the boxes down at aldi.

[AndrewBurns]

I got the $129 Aldi hybrid bike, weighed about 16kg stock but since then I've added mud guards, a rack, rack bag, pump, lights, tools etc, probably weighs more like 18kg now...

I've gone nearly 300km with it now, starting to commute to and from work on it. 22km each way, takes me about 1 hour 8 minutes, average speed around 21kph but I'm trying to drive that down to 1 hour.

[elfrog]

Well my weight picking arms are no good then, wont take you long to get bike legs pushing 18 kilos. I've got the flat bar down to 11.3kilos. I'm averaging 32km/h on my little 3km ride into town now, it gets easier and faster each time. There's a fair bit of drag in the crank so I want to take the bearing cages out and run loose bearings in there. Still got to get those latex tubes too

[Kralz]

If anyone has brought the flat bar road bike, could you please tell me how many teeth are on the largest and smallest sprockets for both the chain rings(crank) and the rear wheel? And also is it a freewheel or free hub(cassette)..? Thanks...

[elfrog]

Hey guys I thought I'd update this!. I ended up buying a SRAM Force carbon framed road bike after I bought this ALDI bike because it inspired me to get back into riding. The thing as much as I like the road bike and I use it a lot, I can only use it on the road and good roads. So because I like to ride on gravel back roads I still LOVE this ALDI bike, I put the original tyres back on it and I ride it everywhere, to town, through the forest like a mountain bike (but it's faster than a mountain bike on hard pack roads and tracks), up fire roads, on the highway. It's really a good do anything go anywhere bike which is the part I really like. I often spend a full day just cruising around in places I have no idea where I am only guided by the gps on my phone and it's a really good day out. I've started to get attached to the bike because I've been so many new places on it.

I replaced the crank bearing with a sealed cartridge just because I wanted to and the rear cassette wobbles a bit (always has) but otherwise it's been perfect and a really good bike and seems like it will be for many many more years yet.

[ftssjk]

interesting.
my first bike was a giant TCX 1 with sram rival gear.
I only ride it on cycleways, even though its a cyclocross.
i took the nobby tyres off and put gatorskin 25mms on them.

i want to buy another bike but i cant justify it yet as i haven't been riding much
i only ride on cycleways..

maybe i should buy a cheap bike my bro can use half the time.

[Michael A]

I bought the 120 lumens light in 2011. I got some use out of it but yesterday the charger died, so I cannot charge it, as it's a female plug. I might be able to replace it at Jaykar, but the annoying thing is that. Cannot change it on trickle overnight. It has to be unplugged after 3.5 hours.