Recommend a commuter bike for me, please.

Keiron Curtis
Keiron Curtis Posts: 126
edited August 2008 in Commuting chat
I'm currently commuting approx 40 miles round trip 4-5 days a week, been using a Carrera Subway 8, bought on Cycle2work scheme via Halfords. While the bike has done the job, it's far too heavy, and I need to move up a notch, with something lighter and faster, but with internal hub gears, any ideas? Hope to get a new bike again through the Cycle2work scheme.
k.curtis

Comments

  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Lighter and faster would be a road bike.

    Why the internal hub gears? by definition anything with internal hub gears isn't going to be significantly lighter or faster than your current ride.

    I think you need an Audax or Sportive Road bike (Road bikes with "relaxed" geometry for long distance riding) with deraillier gears. Clipless pedals.

    You will not look back.

    You'll need to clean it a bit though....
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    gears are for wimps
    <a>road</a>
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    I've been looking for something similar, and your only option is to custom build really, as i haven't found much better than the subways. Although if you get one with a rolhoff hub you'll find there isn't a huge penalty over a compete derraileur setup, generally it is on par with full xtr/xt mtb parts. BUT you're looking at £700 just for the rear hub!

    You could buy a light bike frame and forks, then get the wheels built up and all you'll need is the finishing kit, cranks, brakes, chain and a shifter (which might come with the hub)

    could be worth looking into, but it wont be possible through halfords.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
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  • jeepie
    jeepie Posts: 497
    I've been thinking about getting a more versatile commuter....

    Thorn Audax
    Pearson Carbon Audax
    Van Nicholas Amazon...

    This is all really a pipe dream as these bikes are all ££££££££££££££££££££££££, but still if you are thinking of upgrading and you're using loads then would pay for itself rapidly. Have a look at these and let me know what you think....
  • amircp
    amircp Posts: 132
    I'm also looking for a hub-geared bike as I hate cleaning the commuting bike every few days in the winter (when I also have to clean the weekend bike).

    I've tried a Bianchi Camaleonte with Alfine gears - very smooth. Aluminium fork though.

    Also considering Charge Mixer and Giant EscapeR Subzero. The Mixer seems to have the raciest geometry but I've heard it is a ponderous. It's also very difficult to find one to test (Charge seem to have spent a whole year building the demand up without having much product to sell - strange).

    Others include Trek Soho (not very racy looking) and Cube Hooper. The latter got a bad review due to its wheel and many of other commuters seem to have overly wide tyres for road cycling.

    I would consider a fixie on maintenence grounds - but the thought of commuting every day up and down Edinburgh's hills with my 40+ year old knees ...
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  • the_hundredth_idiot
    the_hundredth_idiot Posts: 813
    OP: What sort of price range are you looking at? You can get some decent commuter bikes with hub gears (Charge Mixer, when they've caught up with the backlog). The hub weighs a bit but you save all the weight of the rear derallieur, front deralliuer, etc so overall you're not that far behind the game.

    If it wasn't that I fancied the style of a road bike, I'd be putting my money on a Chage Mixer (it has the Alfine hub with 8 gears - not as good as the Rohloff with 14 gears, but a darn sight cheaper).
    Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Yes, the Charge seems the obvious choice to me too.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    No no no no no

    Road bike.

    Get a road bike. They are just better, no I can't define it, just get a road bike.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    My suggestions:

    Giant M2/M1 or R2/ R1

    Giant CRS Alliance

    Trek Soho
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • mbolton
    mbolton Posts: 11
    Or get a Bianchi Camaleonte

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