whats the best type of bike for commuting?

chris_bass

Hi

I started commuting in june on my hard tail mtb and thought id probably just do 2 or 3 days a week and mainly in the summer so didnt think much about what bike to get. But i enjoy it so much that i have been cycling everyday for the best 3 months or so, even in the cold and the snow, so now i'm thinking about an upgrade to my bike to make the journey even more enjoyable!!

what type of bike would you recommend? my route is about a 22 mile round trip (give or take half a mile or so!) and all on road, it has a few hills in it, nothing too serious but a couple that i dont look forward to!

I currently have the gt aggressor xc1 http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_512507_langId_-1_categoryId_165499 which has been great so far, 2500 miles without a problem really, just a snapped gear cable!

jonny_trousers

Ah, the age old question! It's incredibly subjective and comes down to numerous factors. What are you more comfortable with: flat or drop bars? Do you need a rack and full mudguards? Does your route ever go onto anything rougher than tarmac? How much money do you have to spend? How much money do you want to spend? Will you use your commuter bike for rides beyond the journey in and out of work? Are you in among heavy traffic? Are you only on roural roads? Then there's frame material to consider also.

There is a very good argument for not spending a great deal of money on a commuter (unless you have super secure storage at work) as it's really about getting you from A to B safely and comfortably, but on a commute such as yours you may want something that can offer a little speed too.

Tell us a bit more about what you think you might like and we'll be able to help you further.

Skippy2309

the best type is one you like and is comfy.

I commute on either my fixed gear or a geared bike depending on my mood. just be prepared for it to pick up a couple of scratches here and there.

main thing is the comfort factor, a bike with drops gives you loads of hand positions and is a little faster

cjcp

What those guys said. Also, if you're enjoying your riding this much, do you think you might want to ride on the weekend, too? If so, off-road, road or a bit of both?

chris_bass

sorry, i realise the above question was a bit vague!!

the route is all tarmac and i'd keep my other bike so if i did want to do any off roading at the weekends or the roads are a bit snow covered or something. and i have a very secure place to store the bike at work and keep it indoors at home (had a bike stolen and moved them inside since!)

as far as price goes, i'm not too sure, what kind of price do road/commuter type bikes start getting good? i'd want a reasonably decent one as i'd want it to last a long time and as the bike i have now does the job and is reliable i'd rather save up and get a better one than get a cheapish one only to have to replace it or upgrade it quickly. but having saqid all that i dont want to go over the top and buy something that is more highly spec'd than i'd ever need. again i feel that was a little vague, sorry! but i dont know a lot about road bikes!

i wouldnt need a rack but mud guards would be needed.

jeremyrundle

An impossible question to answer, what car would you suggest people buy to drive :!:

Before you go to the expense of a new bike, have you considered simply putting good road wheels on the one you have, I will only ride a mountain hardtrail, and now have four, one fitted with DSI no puncture tyres for road alone.

However my main one on all three others is the Maxxis wormdrive, on a personal note I have yet to find a better one.

benpinnick

I've commuted for a while now, but recently (say a year ago) moved to a flat-bar road bike. Nothing fancy, just a Carrera from Haylofts, but its been great. My road bike was faster, but I just found the flat bar road bike was a better overall option for position, comfort and carrying ability.

Its also nice to keep the MTB real clean, and let the commuter take a bit of a pasting, with only occasional cleaning.

MichaelW

With any commuting bike you have to consider the worst case use and any secondary uses. 22miles RT is long enough to benefit from some sportiness in your steed.
Since you already have an MTB you don't have to consider snowy conditions so I would go for some kind of road bike.
I would not use a competition race bike but go for something with more practical features:
Tyre clearance for 28mm + mudguards.
Threaded eyelets for luggage rack and mudguards
Long-drop caliper brakes
The transmission could be a standard double or a compact double depending on your strength.

Road race bike are OK if you want to use them for racing. The more practical features That I have described will give you a bike capable of some touring. They are sometimes called Audax, light touring, winter training bike. A good example is the Kinesis TK2, quite a popular one
http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/product.php?id=39

cyberknight

For commuting 10 miles each way i use...

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... o-09-34691

available from halfords and for the price its a great bike as it can take rack,guards etc .

These are good as well...
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sport-1-54-57-69567468/

or ..
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c018341

The Rookie

Looking at the latest Virtuaoso the other day, I thought the rack mounts at the dropout have been deleted now.

I use a Carrera Gryphin based commuter, got the frame cheap and built it up to be the commuter I want.

As I run a rack and panniers (I carry a laptop each way) I went flat bar and most my finishing kit is MTB stuff.

Simon

cyberknight

Yes the gryphin is a nice bike from what i have seen of it.

If your bike of choice does not have points for mounting guards+ rack do not over look them as you can also use a seat post rack for lighter loads, use P-clips to install a rack and look at clip on guards like the crud ones that i use.

You can also look into saddle bags as well as another way of carrying stuff.

I think it is down to whether you prefer drops or flat bars, i am a drops guy i even just sold my subway 1 to fund a winter road bike.

MrChuck

If you're sticking to the tarmac then what you don't need is suspension, fat tires and MTB gearing, but beyond that whatever takes your fancy really. You might want mudguards and a rack, and personally I'm not keen on skinny road tires for day in/day out commuting, but apart from that get what you like!

tailwindhome

What's the best car for driving to work?

MichaelW

If your commuter bike of choice doesn't have luggage rack and mudguard eyelets, you've made the wrong choice and you will be back here sooner or later to ask how to velcro/ziptie or otherwise kludge the accessories onto your frame.
Just having the eyelets doesn't mean you have to use them but it extends the usefulness of any bike tremendously/

kurako

For warm dry weather its hard to beat a road bike for comfort and ease of use. Carbon is a bit of overkill TBH. You just worry about it getting dinged/ knicked whenever its out of your sight. There are some very nice alu bikes out there though. Just try a few to see what's the best fit for you. You'll feel the benefit of lighter bike/ thinner tyres on a long journey.

When the weather is crappy like now stick to the MTB.

MrChuck

TailWindHome wrote:

What's the best car for driving to work?

So are Land Rovers as good for commuting as Fiestas?

I don't think it's such a daft question.

mattv

I have found that a decent 100mm full-sus is actually quicker for me to get to work. 5 miles each way, mostly on-road, but the occasional jump onto footpaths and cycle lanes. I had a road bike but the gearing wasnt right and I had to slow down for cornering and find drops in curbs. Also the MTB is much more responsive with better brakes for when the muppet car drivers pull out on me!

The Rookie

What is right for you is VERY personal, for some an MTB is better, my commute is across rough country lanes so I went 26" wheels with 1.50 tyres for a bit more give than a road bike would have, 2 work colleagues use the same road once a week for triathlon practice and have to slow down in places as its hurting their arms.

My flat bars are about 3" lower than the saddle for a riding position similar to being on the hoods.

Simon

meanredspider

MTB for winter (Ice tyres, pot holes, wet-weather brakes, general robustness)

Road bike for the rest of the year (quick)

daveyroids

Seems like you have has plenty of sound advice already but thought I would share with you what I use.

I have a cheap hard tail that I predominately use in this season. It is stable and I have a spare set of wheels for it, which means I can change tyres quickly for bad road conditions. Otherwise I use a road bike with drop bars. The road bike is much faster and easier to ride. I can shave 10 - 15 minutes off my journey time when compared to the mountain bike.

The route I take is tarmac and is a mixture of roads and cycle tracks. It is around a 26 mile round trip. I do find that the road bike is a small inconvenience when negotiating some of the lumps and bumps on the tracks but I find the speed of the bike more than makes up for the hassle.

I also have fitted a set of trekking bars to the mountain bike. This makes the bike look ridiculous but the comfort and hill climbing capabilities are improved.

shouldbeinbed

I have a revolution cross that is my main commute ride at the moment, cyclocross bikes are built with clearance for mudguards and usually racks (22 miles r/t - panniers will nicer for you if you're carrying much stuff/use a backpack now) and its a bit of a 3/4 way house from a MTB to a full on roadie.

the tyres are a tad wider (32-35) than a roadie (23-28 ) so are a but more comfy, the frame gometry is a bit more relaxed too and the brakes (IMO) easier to keep sweet, its also geared more MTB stylee with a better granny ring or two than a roadie for your unfancied hills (tho I suspect a lot of that problem will be the MTB) and is more accomplished on rougher terrain for if you get bored of the same ride and fancy a bit of variety and different less tarmaccy scenery.

n.battison

I would say the easiest answer would be a hybrid, they offer the speed of a road bike but the comfort of a MTB.

fastbatard

As many have said it's a personal thing. I have tried an old mtb, a couple of hybrids, a B'Twin Sport1, a Specialized Allez road bike and have finally settled on a Specialized Tricross as my commuter bike for my hilly 14 mile commute.

I find the drop handlebars of the cyclocross bike offer excellent comfort with the multiple positions. The wider tyres offer more comfort on poor road surfaces than the skinny tyres of road bikes and it takes full mudguards which are essential for year round commuting.

If you fancy trying a road bike though I'd recommend the B'Twin Sport1 as cyberknight pointed out. It's great value at £270, put some crud roadracer mudguards on and if you decide you don't like it or find you love it and want something better you can easily sell it if you keep it in good condition. I got £180 back for mine after a few months.

Good look, but beware, you may not get it right 1st time!!!

jonny_trousers

fastbatard wrote:

Good look, but beware, you may not get it right 1st time!!!

Aint that the truth?

I started on a hybrid, assuming that it would be the most practical/comfortable (it wasn't) and then moved onto a Fuji single speed with drop bars bought off eBay. I then bought a Pearson Touche as it is considered a great all-weather single-speed, but something about it left me a little cold (alu frame perhaps?). I got knocked off that and so have decided to keep my commuter simple and will go back to the Fuji. I'll treat myself to a nice road bike once I get enough money together, but don't plan to commute on it much.

For me, moving from flat bars to drops was the best of all upgrades.

meanredspider

fastbatard wrote:

Good look, but beware, you may not get it right 1st time!!!

May make sense to buy secondhand until you find what you like. Then buy a new version if you need/want to

iPete

I've used my Allez for over a year and 8500 miles now and think its a great commuter, it is adapted with panniers etc.

However, after using my MTB for snow days, I think a Cyclo Cross with discs would be the ultimate.

Why?

I love the stopping power my mtb has on discs
I love drop bars, using the MTB in the wind isn't fun
I would love to have one bike, for this it needs to be able to take winter (studded 700x35) tyres and slim fast summer tyres.

jonny_trousers

I totally agree with the above. Cotic X Sunday with discs - all boxes ticked.

godders1

TailWindHome wrote:

What's the best car for driving to work?

Eh? On a car the steering wheel, seat, wheels, tyres, brake type, transmission etc etc etc are all much of a muchness (at least as far as your average driver is concerned). With bikes there are a variety of options for all of those things (or their bike equivalents).

Ok there are 1 or 2 alternative options with cars (4x4 etc) but it's not THAT silly a question.

Having commuted for a couple of years on a fairly bog standard Dawes flat bar hybrid with 35mm tyres I intend to upgrade next year to something with hub gears (regular winter cleaning of drivetrain is no fun at all) and probably disc brakes. Will probably get something with (or will fit) 28/25mm tyres also for a bit more pep.

Genesis Day 1 alfine is looking favourite at the moment.

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cro ... fine/specs

turnerjohn

Cross bikes the way to go.
Forget expensive carbon as its needs to be able to take a knock or two ! ....oh and it could easily be nicked !
I use a Planet X Uncle John with a mix of components from old DuraAce 9speed to XT rear mech...just fitted Avid BB disk brakes for better wet weather stopping :-) .
My advice; dont spend to much, go for strength rather then weight, puncture reducing tyres (Schwable Marathons are top for that!) and if (like me) your commuting in heavy traffic, get strong breaks....just in case !

The Rookie

turnerjohn wrote:

get strong brakes....just in case !

Corrected for you!

I hate strong breaks, they hurt!

Simon

EKE_38BPM

n.battison wrote:

I would say the easiest answer would be a hybrid, they offer the speed of a road bike but the comfort of a MTB.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. That is so funny.

Got to remember this one. Funniest post of the year!