What a difference a bike makes

ince

Well today I did my first commute home on my GTR road bike and what a difference it made in comparison to my Subway.

On the Sub, 8.6 miles best time of 32 min and I thought I was going to be sick when I got home. Today 27min with an average just over 18mph. To say I’m happy with my new bike would be an understatement.

I now only wish I had taken the plunge and bought a race bike before now. I can even see longer trips home in the future.

Advice to anyone thinking about a road bike for their commute is do it.

il_principe

ince wrote:

Well today I did my first commute home on my GTR road bike and what a difference it made in comparison to my Subway.

On the Sub, 8.6 miles best time of 32 min and I thought I was going to be sick when I got home. Today 27min with an average just over 18mph. To say I’m happy with my new bike would be an understatement.

I now only wish I had taken the plunge and bought a race bike before now. I can even see longer trips home in the future.

Advice to anyone thinking about a road bike for their commute is do it.

+1 I've been saying this until I'm blue in the face!

Glad you're enjoying the roadie!

biondino

PEOPLE CONSIDERING HYBRIDS - READ THIS THREAD AND THEN READ IT AGAIN :twisted: :twisted:

girv73

I've been taking my road bike to work these past couple of weeks as my normal slicked MTB commuter is broken (again). It makes a helluva difference, especially on the 5 mile hill section I face on the way home. Testify!

bratboy

road bikes are made to go fast - that's what they are best at and if that's all you need think no more. :P

blu3cat

totally and utterly agree.

I had to go through the birthing pains of a semi-slicked hybrid for a year until it all snapped into place (including my credit card) and got a nice, shiny road bike.

Now if only there was a way to remove the London traffic on my route home I could really open up.....

lost_in_thought

Where are the people who get upset when road bike users try to persuade potential hybrid-buyers that road bikes are better for road riding?

SHOW YOURSELVES! :twisted:

sarajoy

Oh, me?

I have a road bike! It's still a roadie even if it's a flat bar roadie, innit?

heavymental

Better that the commuter rides the hybrid and builds confidence than leaves the road bike in the garage because they don't feel confident on a bike with 23mm tyres though innit? I get pished off when people suggest that a newbie goes straight for a road bike when they are looking at hybrids. People have got to make their own journeys towards their perfect bike haven't they?

King Donut

I'm glad to hear all this... currently awaiting delivery of my first ever road bike frame after being lured over to the dark side. Spent the last 6 weeks commuting on the full susser after my commuter was sent packing to the big bike park in the sky. Apart from making me look like an absolute dick it has increased journey time by 10+ minutes over 16 miles.

I must admit though, I'm now slightly nervous about moving up the food chain simply with the purchase of one bike.

roger_merriman

heh, well my take is that not every one wants to be a fast commuter though if you are a road bike would seem to be the weapon of choice but if your doing less miles or what ever then a town bike makes more sence, like wise if your going to take a bit of rough with the smooth then maybe a fat tired hybrid is the way.

fossyant

I've been commuting on my MTB (slicked) for the last two years. The road bikes have been used occasionally, and they are much quicker - I'd say 3-4 mph easy.

The only funny thing is I'm scalping nice road bikes on my MTB... :evil:

Just 4-5 weeks away from getting my fixed road bike - my LBS has the frame on order....

benno68

A road bike is for roads, a mountain bike for mountains, a hybrid.... :? a hybrid is nothing but a compromise.

+1 for the roadies.

biondino

King Donut wrote:

I'm glad to hear all this... currently awaiting delivery of my first ever road bike frame after being lured over to the dark side. Spent the last 6 weeks commuting on the full susser after my commuter was sent packing to the big bike park in the sky. Apart from making me look like an absolute dick it has increased journey time by 10+ minutes over 16 miles.

Yeah but on the plus side it must bring back happy childhood memories of trampolines and spacehoppers

Christophe3967

sarajoy wrote:

Oh, me?

I have a road bike! It's still a roadie even if it's a flat bar roadie, innit?

<sighs>

ince

Fair comment for new riders the hybrid is a good starting place. I was in that postion myself a couple of years ago. I just wish I had moved up a little sooner.

Now about these fixed wheel things?

il_principe

ince wrote:

Fair comment for new riders the hybrid is a good starting place. I was in that postion myself a couple of years ago. I just wish I had moved up a little sooner.

Now about these fixed wheel things?

Say hello to the upgrade bug.

Fixed/SS is the logical next step!

cjcp

jashburnham wrote:

Fixed/SS is the logical next step!

Not with you.

Harry182

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Fixed/SS is the logical next step!

Not with you.

How's this for putting a cat amongst the pigeons:

On my 10 km central London commute, I'm 3-4 km/h faster on the road bike than the singlespeed (78" gear). I reckon most of the speed difference is due to the better acceleration and deceleration (ie brakes) on the road bike.

I feel another thread coming on (or maybe I'm on the wrong one.)

il_principe

Harry182 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Fixed/SS is the logical next step!

Not with you.

How's this for putting a cat amongst the pigeons:

On my 10 km central London commute, I'm 3-4 km/h faster on the road bike than the singlespeed (78" gear). I reckon most of the speed difference is due to the better acceleration and deceleration (ie brakes) on the road bike.

I feel another thread coming on (or maybe I'm on the wrong one.)

Not sure what your point is; geared road should* always trump SS road

Although some SS'ers regularly scalp gearies

DavidTQ

I spent out good money on a new hybrid when I first started cycle commuting, the bike lasted all of 6 weeks before I replaced it with a road bike :shock: the hybrid never saw the light of day again. When I first came to the idea of cycle commuting I was completely against the idea of a "racer" mainly becuase I had opionions formed of "racers" from 80's super budget models. I perceived them as being over priced, fragile and uncomfortable for a marginal gain in speed.

It was only the users of this forum that made me even give a road bike a test ride, as soon as I actually gave the bike a go I KNEW it was for me. It just fit like a glove it accelerated so much better I even preferred the steering and brakes etc etc.

I would encourage a new forum user to give a road bike a test ride to challenge their pre conceived notions of what the road bike is like.

girv73

To add weight to the arguments for using a road bike: on my way home yesterday I caught up with a MTBer on a 500ft climb that forms part of my route. I was on the BeOne, he was on a decent looking GT MTB running semi-slicks and he's packing some serious looking quad muscle. I was still tired from a weekend marathon (for me) ride so I'm taking it easy and force myself to sit behind.

It was a struggle to take it easy enough that I didn't overtake him!

We have a decent tailwind and, checking the speedo, he's doing maybe 11-12mph average up the hill. In the same conditions, I could hold 16-17 on the BeOne or 13-14 on my normal slicked MTB commuter. I reckon we would have been equals on the same bike so the speed difference has got to be roadie vs. MTB.

girv73

DavidTQ wrote:

I would encourage a new forum user to give a road bike a test ride to challenge their pre conceived notions of what the road bike is like.

+1

I had an early 90's cheapish racer, and I hated it's fragile wheels and arsey downtube shifters. Useless for commuting to Uni and soon replaced with a MTB.

Now I have a halfway decent road bike and it's a world of a difference.

andy83

i started riding bout 2 years ago properly and rode mountain bike thinking never want a road bike they look funny lol

then bike gave in a year later so put mtb slicks on and upgraded all parts still totally against road bikes, last summer started going on long rides and enjoying it apart from wanting to go faster and longer without bike feeling like it weighted a tonne

been saving for road bike then work agree c2w so go test ride a road bike and literally a minute on it and i said to the bloke in the shop im sold, it was such a comfortable ride

cant wait for the vouchers to arrive now so i can pick up my new steed going to add around 10 mile onto my commute just cos i can and to enjoy the ride

thegibdog

Seems like some people on here really have an issue with hybrids...

I commute on what I would class as a hybrid - a Marin Farifax. I'd rather have a bike with flat bars, comfier geometry and slightly larger tyres than an all out road bike - I find it much more practical for riding in traffic. But then maybe some people would class the Fairfax as a flat bar road bike I suppose?