new commuter/new bike and no clue

calonuk

Hi, I am new to the forum and hope someone can help

I have just started commuting to work and until my boss agrees to the CTW (hopefully this week) i am borrowing bikes for the 7 miles into work. I have had a quote from the local store for th ctw scheme and they have recommened the following bike. I have very little/no knowledge about bikes. I would be very grateful for any feedback on the bike. I do plan to use it on weekends taking the kids out.

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-LTS-CLS-Pr ... _39768.htm

many thanks

rjsterry

Don't know it in detail, but it looks perfectly capable. It depends what your commute is like. Unless part of it is off road (or this is where you are planning on taking the children), the front suspension is probably a bit superfluous - if you are riding mainly on road, it's just extra weight. Otherwise it looks like a good place to start.

Shall we be expecting posts about what road bike to get around October then?

SimonAH

+1 to RJS. Cube make good solid bikes but you should be able to get a better spec bike for the same money if you drop the suspension, and unless you're going off tarmac then those forks are just extra weight to lug around and will slow you down a lot.

SmellTheGlove

No harm lugging a bit of extra weight if you're also aiming to keep fit, but that said, the fewer moving parts (e.g. suspension) the better - ultra-reliable is a golden rule of the commuter.

(Reminds me to check my tyre pressures)

bails87

SimonAH wrote:

+1 to RJS. Cube make good solid bikes but you should be able to get a better spec bike for the same money if you drop the suspension, and unless you're going off tarmac then those forks are just extra weight to lug around and will slow you down a lot.

Even if you are going off road you're probably better off without that suspension. As others have said, Cube are decent, so try to get something with rigid forks.

Wrath Rob

To ask the obvious question, a 7 mile commute over what sort of terrain? If its all road then a road bike or (shudder) a hybid would be a better choice. For some mild off-roading, e.g. tow paths etc. a hybrid or a rigid mountain bike (as others above have suggested) would be fine. If you're commuting across single-track countryside then a hard tail (i.e. front suspension only) or full suspension mountain bike would be best.

Lets start there and then we can narrow down your choices.

shouldbeinbed

For mixed, trail & road you could consider a cyclo cross, bigger and thinner wheels than a MTB so you'll go far faster on the road and still cope with hills, gravel, bad weather riding etc

What will you be carrying on a regular basis? If more than a book and a butty then condider something that you can put a rear rack onto for carrying options without a sweaty back

If you're just on decent roads consider a road bike (aka racer)

lemoncurd

If you are new to cycling I'd go for:

largish slick tyres
no suspension
flat handlebars

Something like this:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/bad-boy-2010-hybrid-bike-ec020195

chadders81

The new Boardman hybrids look alright as well.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534

Just be prepared to start looking for a road bike within six months.

calonuk

Thanks for all the info. This is my route at the moment.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/29261064

At the moment i am over weight and unfit but after 3 weeks i am managing to get into work in 35min and get home in 40. first week took a lot longer LOL. I am hoping that once a few more weeks have passed i will be changing the route for a longer one to help fitness.

Why in 6 months should I expect to get a road bike? does this happen to everyone?

I will take the kids out on bikes and it would be nice to have the option of the front forks these ones can be locked so i won't use them on the road runs.

With regards to weight to be honest I dont think the weight will be an issue as i am carrying enough so little bit extra on the bike means should shift my weight quicker.

This is the ride i hope to build up to might be a little off as cannot see the track as well as i would like.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/30124884


Just to say i have taken your advice on board and i am going to change to this bike instead
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Hyde-Comp- ... _39736.htm

MichaelW

Personally Im a fan of disc brakes for winter commuting, they carry on working in all conditions.
The Boardman is a nice, well-specced commuter with all the threaded eyelets you need to fit and carry stuff such as:
bolt-on mudguards (SKS chromoplastic) a rear luggage rack, f/r lights, some kind of bag/pannier, puncture repair kit.

Do you have any alternate uses in mind?
Touring, endurance day rides, exploring tracks and trails, pootling along country lanes, heavy shopping, etc

calonuk

MichaelW wrote:

Personally Im a fan of disc brakes for winter commuting, they carry on working in all conditions.
The Boardman is a nice, well-specced commuter with all the threaded eyelets you need to fit and carry stuff such as:
bolt-on mudguards (SKS chromoplastic) a rear luggage rack, f/r lights, some kind of bag/pannier, puncture repair kit.

Do you have any alternate uses in mind?
Touring, endurance day rides, exploring tracks and trails, pootling along country lanes, heavy shopping, etc

At this point in time i am unsure i think as time goes on and fitness improves anything is possible. This has all started because i cannot afford to run the car any more and the fitness was an added bonus. but i am really enjoying it now and will probably take to cycling a lot more in free time as well.

SimonAH

Hi, The Mountain Bike, Hybrid, road bike progression is one that most of us (myself included) have followed, In my case the progression took about 6 months.
Basically as you start to find that you are enjoying the cycling for it's own sake rather than merely a route to losing a few pounds and getting to work cheaply then you'll want a better tool to do it with, and if you're on the road then that tool is a road bike. It just is.

I also go out with my daughter by the way, at least once a week, and whilst my tyres are 24mm and run at 100psi and my forks are carbon rigid it's very rare that I feel the want for fatter rubber or suspension.

At the end of the day go with what you are most comfortable with, but I have wasted a fair amount of money on the 'wrong' bike (and cycled a lot of bad miles on them) before arriving at the right machine.

You can eat steak with a butter knife, but it's a pain to do it and the steak will be cold on your plate by the time you are half way through. Easier to start with a steak knife.

calonuk

Thank you SimonAH.

I don't feel ready for a road bike just yet but from what you have said will be there soon enough.

I have taken everyones advice and dropped the front suspension as i do not feel i will need them from what you have all advised and gone for this bike instead.

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Hyde-Comp- ... _39736.htm

My boss has approved my CTW certificate so i am just waiting for it in the post now and then i can my own bike instead of borrowing my brothers bike which has a frame to small for me.

rolf_f

shouldbeinbed wrote:

For mixed, trail & road you could consider a cyclo cross, bigger and thinner wheels than a MTB so you'll go far faster on the road and still cope with hills, gravel, bad weather riding etc

'Far faster' is something of an exaggeration. The difference for me between a hefty steel hardtail MTB with slicks and my steel touring bike is probably less than 1mph on average on my commute. The wind makes a bigger difference. That said, I think there is much to be said for a cyclo cross or even a traditional touring bike (with slightly knobbly tyres, I think it would do just as well as a cyclo cross on a commute).

The Rookie

I started on an MTB, hybridised it and now 2 years and a bit on I am still riding a flat barred Hybrid (disc brakes and MTB drivetrain) and wouldn't change it for one of them there road bike thingies.

Not everyone ends up going to a road bike!

Simon

dhope

calonuk wrote:

I don't feel ready for a road bike just yet but from what you have said will be there soon enough.

If you'll be there soon enough then get one now :twisted:
Seriously, there's nothing particularly over the top about a road bike. It doesn't require you to wear Lycra and you don't need to get clipless pedals straight away or aero bars, you can just ride it like a normal bike (which it is) and then as you decide you want something faster then you already have it and you can instead start dreaming of Carbon and Titanium.

SimonAH

calonuk wrote:

Thank you SimonAH.

I don't feel ready for a road bike just yet but from what you have said will be there soon enough.

I have taken everyones advice and dropped the front suspension as i do not feel i will need them from what you have all advised and gone for this bike instead.

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Hyde-Comp- ... _39736.htm

My boss has approved my CTW certificate so i am just waiting for it in the post now and then i can my own bike instead of borrowing my brothers bike which has a frame to small for me.

Looks a good choice, you'll love it.

snooks

Rolf F wrote:

shouldbeinbed wrote:

For mixed, trail & road you could consider a cyclo cross, bigger and thinner wheels than a MTB so you'll go far faster on the road and still cope with hills, gravel, bad weather riding etc

'Far faster' is something of an exaggeration. The difference for me between a hefty steel hardtail MTB with slicks and my steel touring bike is probably less than 1mph on average on my commute. The wind makes a bigger difference.

+1

I had a fast (for me) ride 19.4 average on my £1300 carbon/Alu road bike, the next day it was slightly damp outside so I swapped for my £150 slick rusty steel 1994 mtb with bigger chain rings and had a 18.5 average!

Wind direction and red light effect my commute more

bails87

dhope wrote:

calonuk wrote:

I don't feel ready for a road bike just yet but from what you have said will be there soon enough.

If you'll be there soon enough then get one now :twisted:
Seriously, there's nothing particularly over the top about a road bike. It doesn't require you to wear Lycra and you don't need to get clipless pedals straight away or aero bars, you can just ride it like a normal bike (which it is) and then as you decide you want something faster then you already have it and you can instead start dreaming of Carbon and Titanium.

I know that for a 'new' cyclist the drop bars and hunched down pose of the road bikes can be a bit off putting, but I went from only having ridden a mountain bike to being perfectly happy on a road bike with no fuss at all. IT's a bit twitchier, but you get used to it very quickly. I got mine from Ribble, so bought 'blind' ubt the sizing is fine, and it came very well set up. But whatever you get, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

MichaelW

The Cube Hyde Comp looks fine for everyday commuting, general transportation and is good enough for some touring and day rides.
The disc brake positioning is suitable for fitting luggage racks without interference.
Good choice.

SimonAH

snooks wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

shouldbeinbed wrote:

For mixed, trail & road you could consider a cyclo cross, bigger and thinner wheels than a MTB so you'll go far faster on the road and still cope with hills, gravel, bad weather riding etc

'Far faster' is something of an exaggeration. The difference for me between a hefty steel hardtail MTB with slicks and my steel touring bike is probably less than 1mph on average on my commute. The wind makes a bigger difference.

+1

I had a fast (for me) ride 19.4 average on my £1300 carbon/Alu road bike, the next day it was slightly damp outside so I swapped for my £150 slick rusty steel 1994 mtb with bigger chain rings and had a 18.5 average!

Wind direction and red light effect my commute more

Depends mostly on where you are riding. In the city, yup, probably makes next to sod all difference. Out here in the sticks with (relatively) empty roads and lots of wind it makes a mahoosive difference.

dhope

bails87 wrote:

dhope wrote:

calonuk wrote:

I don't feel ready for a road bike just yet but from what you have said will be there soon enough.

If you'll be there soon enough then get one now :twisted:
Seriously, there's nothing particularly over the top about a road bike. It doesn't require you to wear Lycra and you don't need to get clipless pedals straight away or aero bars, you can just ride it like a normal bike (which it is) and then as you decide you want something faster then you already have it and you can instead start dreaming of Carbon and Titanium.

I know that for a 'new' cyclist the drop bars and hunched down pose of the road bikes can be a bit off putting, but I went from only having ridden a mountain bike to being perfectly happy on a road bike with no fuss at all. IT's a bit twitchier, but you get used to it very quickly. I got mine from Ribble, so bought 'blind' ubt the sizing is fine, and it came very well set up. But whatever you get, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Yep, I'm a new cyclist too
Got my Boardman Carbon with C2W vouchers last year having sat on the thing for all of 30 second in the shop. Position was odd, bike was light and twitchy. Got used to it, now it's fine.

gbsahne001

if you're in Reading and looking for something on these lines then there are a few shops offering some bargains; for instance one shop I know has a Flight-03 (2007) knocked down to £525, have looked at it myself but I've been told that 3 bikes are enough...