Unexpected £500ish summer bike, what to buy ?
seataltea
Posts: 594
Having just come into a little money 'we' have agreed I can have £500 for a summer only commuter allowing my current cheap but solid and reliable commuter to be used in winter only.
My commute can takes in roads, tarmac cycle paths, a small amount of hardpack, some cobbles and a couple of Pennine hills.
Over the last few years I've gone from electric bike (injury recovery) to MTB and currently cheap hybrid, my commutes can start as early as 6am and return as late as 3am, I'm an aggressive rider and at 3am can be found riding through deserted town centres, over precincts and up/down kerbs to avoid traffic, (please though don't judge this unless you've cycled home at 3am and seen what's on the roads at that time).
A CX or another hybrid seems to make sense but I really want light weight, speed, a triple for the hills or good ratios and something a little head down but not too much weight on the wrists, it needs to be tough, have great stoppers, strong wheels, I can live without guards, currently I'm thinking about...
2010 Kona Honky Tonk
2010 Eddy Merckx AMX-1 ( had a Merckx as a kid in the 70's )
2010 Viking Torino (£299 noname brand but seems great value)
2010 Bianchi Via Nirone 7
Ribble Audax Winter Trainer
Plus the 2010 Boardmans which are currently 20% off at Halfords, all can be had for 500 to 600 quid.
Any other ideas ?
My commute can takes in roads, tarmac cycle paths, a small amount of hardpack, some cobbles and a couple of Pennine hills.
Over the last few years I've gone from electric bike (injury recovery) to MTB and currently cheap hybrid, my commutes can start as early as 6am and return as late as 3am, I'm an aggressive rider and at 3am can be found riding through deserted town centres, over precincts and up/down kerbs to avoid traffic, (please though don't judge this unless you've cycled home at 3am and seen what's on the roads at that time).
A CX or another hybrid seems to make sense but I really want light weight, speed, a triple for the hills or good ratios and something a little head down but not too much weight on the wrists, it needs to be tough, have great stoppers, strong wheels, I can live without guards, currently I'm thinking about...
2010 Kona Honky Tonk
2010 Eddy Merckx AMX-1 ( had a Merckx as a kid in the 70's )
2010 Viking Torino (£299 noname brand but seems great value)
2010 Bianchi Via Nirone 7
Ribble Audax Winter Trainer
Plus the 2010 Boardmans which are currently 20% off at Halfords, all can be had for 500 to 600 quid.
Any other ideas ?
'nulla tenaci invia est via'
FCN4
Boardman HT Pro fully X0'd
CUBE Peleton 2012
Genesis Aether 20 all season commuter
FCN4
Boardman HT Pro fully X0'd
CUBE Peleton 2012
Genesis Aether 20 all season commuter
0
Comments
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You can get a 2010 Kona Jake, reasonable spec for £479.
James0 -
Agree. The Kona Jake is a cyclocross beek and with the right tyres be ideal for the type of riding you do.0
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Voodoo Aqua, pretty similar spec to the Boardmans but a little more contemporary looking.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534
Wide tyres for a 700c (almost a 29er) so much better suited to your 'rough and tumble' riding style perhaps. In fact its image suits it better as well.
SimonCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
Looks like I'm going for a Genesis aether 20, 2010 model in white, 550 from LBS, good spec, light weight, comfy, seems to tick most boxes, little known bike however.'nulla tenaci invia est via'
FCN4
Boardman HT Pro fully X0'd
CUBE Peleton 2012
Genesis Aether 20 all season commuter0 -
Genesis are a quiet revolution they seem to be very good bikes but as a company don't seem too bothered about shouting it from the rooftops. Poss cos they're quite small and can't cope with big demand. I was after an iO10 a while back but couldn't get one till the new season, too long to wait.
I'm using an EBC cross 10 pretty heavily at the moment. Fits your bill completely and has been totally bombproof riding in all directions and surfaces out of Oldham. Very underrated brand0
