Beach to Beach ride bike choice?

Swift1966

Hi, i've gone and done something silly and agreed to take on the challenge of riding 160miles over two days. Training going well but starting to see the limitations of my Boardman Hybrid Pro. I will soon have £2500ish to spend on something more suitable and would appreciate some advice on what to buy and gearing ratios for any bikes suggested. Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

cougie

Two days of 80 mile rides ? Your Boardman would cope with that - but a racer would give you a better position.

Absolutely no need to spend 2.5k on the mission though. Any decent bike over say £500 is up to the job and if you pay over a grand or so I doubt you'd notice any more improvement.

As to gear ratios - what do you weigh and what do you climb like ?

Swift1966

Thanks for taking the time, i'm 5'10'' and 17stone, 45yrs old and climb like the old fat bloke that i am.

MichaelW

What are the limitations of the hybrid pro? Seems like a fine enough bike to me.
You may want to add some bar-ends or a set of clip-on aerobars for alternate hand positions.

cougie

Its the South Downs you ride over isnt it ? So not Alpine terrain, but you could go with either a triple chainring or a compact with low sprockets on.

Losing weight would help you massively more than buying the lightest weight bike you can.

And make sure you get some miles in now.

Swift1966

Sorry for being dull but high numbers for the front and low numbers for the back equals lower gearing for climbing? The training began weeks ago, two trips to the gym a week and one ride to work 28 mile round trip, plus a group ride of around 30 miles on the weekend. The weight thing could be harder to put right i just feel hungrier now but am eating better food. The budget was high as i am really enjoying riding and am looking to do more rides through out the year eg. London to Brighton etc. I was looking to buy something really good so i don't end up wanting to up grade again later and end up with a garage full of bikes,but i understand the logic in your advice.

Swift1966

Michael W, the Pro is a good bike, great for my trip to work, the only things that i find limit it are the upright position in the wind and the gearing when i'm training with my mates. I would like to treat myself aswell, i'm enjoying riding more so thought i'd get some advice from people that know before parting with my cash. Thanks for replying.

cougie

It is diminishing returns really. Once you go over a grand or so - you pay big bucks for any improvements and to be honest most of us wouldnt be able to feel these differences on a ride.

Buy decent, but not over the top would be my advice. See how you get on with a full summer of riding and you've still got £1500 in your pocket. That would buy another nice bike or maybe some kick ass wheels. You can also flog the bike you do buy and you wont take that much of a loss even.

If the climbs are steep you want low numbers of teeth on the front inside chainring, and high numbers of teeth on the back bottom sprocket.

At 17 stone I think a triple chainset is probably your best bet - but I dont really know the Downs. Can you ride any of the route and see how you get on ?

Swift1966

Good advice, doubt very much that we will get to the Downs before the event but we are following the training info supplied and my mates seem to be drawn to every hill in our area and don't spare me. Thanks for the gearing info i was at a total loss as to how it all works, triple it will be.

Bikefotos

Sorry for being dull but high numbers for the front and low numbers for the back equals lower gearing for climbing?

Hi Swifty, Big chainring on front and low sprocket on back means a tough gear to push - so not good for climbing. Not sure about the Downs , but I don't think there are any major hills there, so go for a bike with a compact set up. That's 2 chainrings , usuallly 50 and 34 and a 12-27 9 or 10 speed cassette on the back. That should get you up anything and save weight over a triple set up.
Shop around for a bike and find one that you like the look of - it makes you go faster and feel better. Then check out the reviews. If yu buy a cheaper one the componets won't be as good so look for a decent groupset - 105, ultegra.
Get out on the bike as much as you can. Don't worry too much about hills yet - that will come when your fitness improves. Go a little further each time and don't worry about how fast you go either.
Good luck. When is the event?

Bar Shaker

I'm doing this ride too.

Any bike with a compact gear set should be fine.

MaxwellBygraves

I would say go and get the bike you want, as long as you can afford it and you are enjoying your riding.
Don't be under the illusion that it'll make you a pro, but it's nice to have nice stuff that you can be proud of. You'll only want it later anyway.

re-cycles

I'm also doing the ride, and I'm taking a recumbent. From what I've been told the pace isn't that fast and the group naturally splits into smaller groups of similar performance, so I really wouldn't worry too much.

Swift1966

Thanks everyone for the advice which all makes sense and i'll use it when making my decision. Funnily enough when i passed my motorbike test the instructor told me to go out and buy the bike i really wanted and not the sensible one, he wasn't wrong and if i can afford it i think i'll do the same but this time i'll be more informed thanks to you guys. To everyone else doing the ride thanks for the reassurance and hope you have as great a time as i plan to.

Lycraphobia

Get yourself a second hand Raliegh Grifter, it's got 3 gears , and awesome fast downhill due to it's 40lb weight lol.

Only joking buddy. It's me Rob lol

Swift1966

I used to have Grifter, I rode it to Romford and back from Greenwich when I was a lad and it almost killed me back then. You only keep me around to make you look slim anyway.

hokum

I did this ride last year (and again this year). Your bike should be fine. There were lots of people on hybrids and many ancient, creaky mountain bikes with the saddles set too low.

As a beginner I found there were a few nasty hills - one particularly unpleasant patch of them toward the end of the first day - but overall it's a really nice ride. Challenging without being ridiculous and beautiful scenery.

tarbot18

H ii did the coast to coast last year whitehaven to newcastle on my old 2002 giant mtb which wieghs 33 lbs and ye the kills where hard going but it was fine you ll be ok on your baordman , im doing the shropshire highland challenge this june think i might take my new scott s50 for that though.............

tim_wand

If you really want to spunk the whole £2.5 k and you want something really special that will last a lifetime and put big grin on you face every time you ride it then IMO get a Lynskey sportive Ti built up with Ultegra and ProLite Kit.

You dont say if you are carrying kit or credit card touring. If you are carrying a bit of kit then Look at something like the Van Nicholas Amazon.

I do a different coast to coast each year and once I ve got the time will do a LEJOG and I use a planet X Kaffenbach which I built from a Frame for about £500.

If I had £2.5 k to spend though then it would go on a Ti Lynskey or even PX Ti sportive
(read anecdotal stuff about Lynskey supply problems)

Received great service and advice reference Ti bikes and tourers from Fat Birds in Hunstanton (Top People)