Am I mad...

Kiblams

...for continuing (sp?) to commute on my 31+lbs, 26" wheeled SS beast?

I am beginning to think that a road bike might be the ticket since I decided to give the 10miles in 30minutes challenge a go and only manages 10 in 40 I am very short on cash at the moment with the wedding coming up, so unless I can find one in a scrap yard it looks like I am stuck.

Anyone else in the same boat? or does eveyone on here ride their 2k competition bikes to work?

AidanR

If you haven't already, stick some slicks on it. CRC do some pretty cheap IIRC. Lockout the suspension if you can.

But really, you're getting more of a workout than if you used a lightweight roadie.

Kiblams

AidanR look at my sig. Thanks for the kind advice though

AidanR

Ah, oops :oops:

Nah, I'd say that's perfect for commuting - it's actually pretty similar to my ride (Pompino SS).

Kiblams

No worries, though I am sure your Pompino is far from weighing 31lbs! :shock:

I think the weight is the thing that is bothering me the most, and maybe the smaller wider tyres?

SimonAH

Hi,

Yup, roadbike.

I spent a couple of months running back and fore on a full suss that was apparently made by melting down tanks and reforming them into a 'bike shaped object'. Bloody Claude Butler too - how is that for taking a grand old name and cranking out a Morris Minor on two wheels?

Anyway, replaced with a cheap roadbike. Halfords Carerra Vanquish frame but with good components, total cost under two bills.

My god though, my commute time is down by 20%. I've started playing SCR obsessively and actually don't dread getting on it at the end of the working day.

The only downsides are;

1) Can't jump on and off pavements to perform highly illegal red light avoidance measures.
2) Have to find well CCTV'd places to lock it up (sprayed the old one matt black, no worries, park it in the bronx with a teatowel tied to a lampost(THAT ugly))
3) Need to swerve arouind potholes.

Screw the 'workout' advantages! That's like comparing walking half a mile with a motorcycle in your rucksack versus five miles with great views and finishing with a grin rather than looking like a model for Edvard Munch.

If you can get hold of something at a decent price though, you might want to consider a cyclocross solution? Sort of the best of both worlds?

I hate to admit it though, but despite some fairly challenging terrain I'm seriously considering the fixed route- which goes right back to having the motorcycle in your backpack really.......

We are none of us perfect!

Peace and love.

AidanR

I reckon my Pomp weighs about 26lbs, but I'm lugging around another 4lbs of lock. I've got 35c tyres on it too (Edinburgh cobbles!).

Kiblams

AidanR wrote:

I reckon my Pomp weighs about 26lbs, but I'm lugging around another 4lbs of lock. I've got 35c tyres on it too (Edinburgh cobbles!).

Really!?! The Pompino built up for the Bikeradar review was only 20lbs! :shock:

Yeah I ride to work with a pretty stuffed pannier, and of course my own bulk (all 16.5st of it :oops: )

AidanR

Mine's built up a bit more solidly than theirs

Kiblams

AidanR wrote:

Mine's built up a bit more solidly than theirs

More solid or cheaper?

5lbs is still a fair amount, my MTB is under 28lbs and that 3lbs less really makes alot of difference in how the bike feels, so the 6 down to your Pompino would probably be amazing!

AidanR

It might be a tad lighter than that - I'm guessing. But it's got 29er wheels on it, fat tyres, a suspension post and mudguards. It's designed to be able to handle towpaths during the winter, not just roads. But no, it wasn't built up cheaply!

tailwindhome

If you buy a road bike your journey to work will be shorter as you'll be about 3-4mph quicker

Or no quicker but a lot easier

Only you can make the judgement on wether or not that's worth the spend.

If you do decide to spend the cash,and it doesn't have to be expensive, don't rule out the second hand market and the bike radar classfieds. There are bargains to be had.



Just remembered that ITBoffin (one of the regulars round here) had a single speed conversion for sale which would be perfect for you. He may be worth a PM

ETA this is it

cat_with_no_tail

Kiblams You're not mad at all. Your bike is also a damn sight batter equipped for commuting than what I'm currently using.
This should all change in a few weeks though

fnegroni

Kiblams wrote:

...for continuing (sp?) to commute on my 31+lbs, 26" wheeled SS beast?

I am beginning to think that a road bike might be the ticket since I decided to give the 10miles in 30minutes challenge a go and only manages 10 in 40

Your problem is not the bike weight, nor the fact that it is 26".
The problem is the SS...

Gears are, how can I put it without offending anyone... the evolution of bikes!

You want to go faster? get a rear derailer at least.

Then build up cadence at higher speeds and you'll be a lot faster. SS is not to go fast, is only to lower maintenance.
An SS race bike would be lighter, but not much, and you would still be in the wrong gear most of the time...

Besides, you didn't tell us what the total climb was over the 10 mile distance. If you have a 5 mile 1 in 5 climb in it... well 40 minutes is pretty impressive.

whyamihere

I'm going to provide an opposite view, and say "MTFU".

I used to commute to college on an SS mountain bike. 38/12 gear ratio, 1.5" slicks, 78.8 GI. I still struggle to match the times I set to college on that thing using a road bike... It was 7.15 miles, I was doing it in 22 minutes (just under 20mph average). The roads between my house and college weren't great, so the MTB was faster for a lot of the time. Also, there was a fairly steep hill in the middle. Being unable to shift down meant I had to force the bike into going fast in order to keep my cadence comfortable. I wouldn't want to use one for the 16.5 miles to uni, but for under 10 miles, a slicked up MTB would still be my choice.

cjcp

.

Kiblams wrote:

so unless I can find one in a scrap yard it looks like I am stuck.

Anyone else in the same boat? or does eveyone on here ride their 2k competition bikes to work?

My local tip has a collection of bikes or frames. They cost £10. Might be worth checking whether yours has anything.

I'm with whyamihere though . I sometimes commute on my mtb - during the winter, it's a 32-mile round trip. It's stuck in one gear - looks like the 48x15 or something. Slicks make a big difference.

Kiblams

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Can't afford a new bike and most advice given for making the current commuter better is already on it, so it looks like I am stuck as is for the time being. I would consider putting a rear derraileur back on, but there is no mech hanger on the frame :? and as far as I am aware axel mounted deraileurs require special hubs (?) so again I am stuck as is.

I guess keep on riding a shed a few pounds seems to be the only option for now.

Thanks again guys.