Advice for commuter

Shortone

Hi All,

I have been cycling to work for the past few months on a converted hardtail e.g put slicks on and removed the front suspension. The problem is I am finding that I am running out of gears quickly and not managing to reduce my time to work much at all. I live in Cumbria and the round trip is 24miles up hill and down dale. My current plane is to sell our second car which is guzzling fuel and commit to using the bike and car sharing when i am too knackered. I have discovered that my employer has a bike loan scheme that will allow me to purchase a bike at a reduced cost an pay out of my salary.

I will have between œ400-œ650 to spend. One of the issues I am having is that I am a real shortarse at 5'0 with an inside leg of 27". My MTB is a 14" Kona !! I will be riding all year round so need something that will cope with the wet and hills so ideally a triple.
Pannier attachments would be nice.
I am also going to sound like an old man ( I am only 33) but I fractured my spine in 95 and don't want an all out racer with low profile frame as I know I will feel the pain when it gets cold.

I am currently looking at the following bikes.
Trek 1.0 or 1.2
Dawes Audax Sport (really like this but the sport only seems to be a compact not triple)
Ribble 7005 Winter Training/Audax 2007 Tiagra 9 Triple

I have always fancied one of the Dawes Galaxy range but its only the Ultras that they do in my frame size

Has anyone got any other suggestions or can help me with my choice.

I have a good selection of shops in my area Wheelbase,Evans, Grizedale MTBS but all are trying to sell me there licensed brands so thought I would ask an unbiased audience for advice.

Cheers

Shorty

DavidTQ

If you want comfort and performance take a look at the giant SCR range, road bike nimbleness but with a slightly more relaxed frame, and more comfort orientated position options. Carbon fork equipped models should be well with your price range.

Shortone

Thanks for that David I will go take a look

Unknown

"giant SCR range, road bike nimbleness but with a slightly more relaxed frame,"

More relaxed yes, but compared with a flat barred still pretty extreme if your back is an issue I'd have thought.

d.j.
"Like a true nature's child,
We were born,
Born to drink mild"

Wynne G Oldman

Not sure about the sizes, but this website is worth checking out. They do the cycle2work scheme. Under this, I got a Dawes Super Galaxy for roughly œ380 (œ670 advertised price). They also do mail order.
http://www.bikesheduk.com/

---

"on your bike" Norman Tebbit.

Shortone

Thanks for the feedback.
I have just been into wheelbase to try the Pilot and have found that they do not make one small enough I had ago on a Trek 1000/1200 and decided a 43 is just about right.

I also popped into Askew cycles and had a look at the SCR 2.0 seems like a nice bike and the XS which is a 42 fits great I may even go for the womans version as the frame length felt even better. The price is looking good too œ569 incl mudguards and pannier. I will have a look at bikeshed though and see what the options are there.

What are people thoughts on the Tiagra groupset ? This is what comes with the SCR the 1200 comes with a 105 rear but is œ650 for the basic bike, I also get the feeling that the geometry is too low for what I am after.

Thanks

Shorty