Choosing a new bike for commuting

TUnit

Apologies for yet another of these threads I'm sure you are probably getting a bit fed up with them (!) but as you can imagine each person is in a slightly different situation.

Essentially I've been a casual cyclist for years and have recently taken up cycling into work on an adapted mountain bike (i.e. hybrid tyres) , which isn't in perfect condition and isn't really ideal for the commute. I am looking for a bike which would, ideally, last me for many years and with savings on paying for travel means I could probably stretch to about £700, though would prefer something below £500 if possible.

I cycle 11 miles a day (planning on increasing that a little once I have this new bike for fitness reasons) with a large hill (unsure of the change in altitude) in the middle. The roads are in a quite poor condition after the winter, but none of my ride is off road. I take a pannier bag full of gear each day with me.

I have had a few pieces of advice from relatives and colleagues - for example to get a second hand Dawes (super/ultra) Galaxy, a new Dawes Vantage or a cyclocross bike. I am unsure whether any of these are what would be best for to keep for a while. The problem with second hand Dawes Galaxy bikes on sites like ebay are that I like to check what I am buying (when spending £hundreds), as they are obviously a little older and I wouldn't know what condition they are in.

Thanks in advance.

cjcp

Welcome TUnit .

I don't commute with panniers, so I can only give very limited input, but:

1. if you want up the mileage for fitness reasons, I'd consider a drop bar road bike which can take panniers e.g. the Ribble Audax/Winter frame, which should fall within your budget - I think a few people on here ride them; and

2. depending on how large and steep this hill is, I'm not a fan of the cantilever brakes you find on cyclocross bikes (drop bar road bikes have caliper brakes) and I find them much more of a faff than caliper brakes and that you have less stopping power, particularly in the wet. Some cross bikes e.g. the Genesis Croix de Fer, have disc brakes, but this above your stated budget.

lardboy

Hi TUnit, welcome in!

Does your company have a Cycle to Work scheme? This would be a way of making your money go much further. The cost of the bike is split, typically over 12/18 months, and comes out of your gross pay, so you can get 20-40% off the cost of a new bike. It's worth investigating. If you do, then let the good people here know which scheme it is, and they can offer advice as to your best options.

If you can't use C2W, then Ribble will probably give you best bang for buck new, but the classifieds here and of course, eBay could provide you with a great bargain.

TUnit

Thanks for the quick replies. This is the elevation profile of my route:


I think any new set of brakes should be better than what i have currently - the rears don't spring back properly and rub if I use them (so I don't unless its an emergency). [Haven't replaced them seeing as I am looking at a new bike].

I do think my company has a cycle to work scheme, unfortunately I am contracted through an agency for them only until early September so I am unsure as to how useful it could be for me. I discussed it with my father and it turns out the deadline for his work's Cycle to Work scheme was a month or so ago, which is unfortunate!

AndyManc

Add a rear rack and pannier to the bike below and it would be a great choice ..... there are many, many bikes that would suit your needs, browse the net looking for something you like the look of, pick 3 , then come back here asking for opinions.



http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/bad-boy-disc-2009-hybrid-bike-ec016539

.

Ravinder15

Just ordered my Defy 3.5 today
Great Bike with carbon Fork only £525.
Good value for the money IMO.
And was recommended by loads of knowledgeable people on this board.

http://tinyurl.com/yaerwv4

Rav

TUnit

Spent a little time talking to other cyclists at work and a few have mentioned the Boardman bikes at Halfords. They seem to have some good spec gear for the price which is great. What are people's thoughts here?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_502585_langId_-1_categoryId_165534

That's the one I was considering purchasing.

Thanks in advance.

dubnut71

Boardman stuff is good mate, lots of them where I work so I went the different route and got a Specialized Tricross Sport but agree the brakes are indeed a faff and will be changed soon. Great bike though, has taken everything I have thrown at it so far !!!

dubnut71

Boardman stuff is good mate, lots of them where I work so I went the different route and got a Specialized Tricross Sport but agree the brakes are indeed a faff and will be changed soon. Great bike though, has taken everything I have thrown at it so far !!!

00rush

If you are looking for a reasonably fast and comfortable commuter, I would recommend the Specialized Secteur. It has larger tyres (28C) than a regular road bike, and a pretty relaxed geometry which makes it quite comfortable. I don't use a pannier, but I am pretty sure you will be able to fit a rack on the bike. I got a Secteur Sport triple last year for around £700. It is my first bike with drop bars after years of riding a Sirrus hybrid and I would recommend it very strongly.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec019550

Mike400

In a similar boat - im thinking of replacing my current steed (slicked MTB) before next winter

Like you I have panniers (carry lots of crap to work), and I want discs as my current bike has them (mechanical) and I find them strong enough for city riding, (and flying downhill!),and almost maintenance free compared to anything ive had before - once set up properly you can forget about them

I also want drop bars, as we seem to get a LOT of wind round here and more aero positions would make life more comfortable for me

Needs to accept full mudgaurds (I commute all year round)

I use the bike for leisure stuff at the weekends, towing the kids trailer, on a multitude of surfaces so it needs to be tough, besides my commute is a mix of towpath, country roads and urban roads (read potholes)

The bike thats really pushing my buttons at the minute is the Kona Dew Drop

Yes its a bit different, but its got Drop bars, tough 700c wheels, will accept a rack and mudgaurds. It might not be the lightest but I reckon it would take a fair bit of abuse, and you can buy them new for under £600:

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDeta ... ctID=22716