Finding a bike that suits me

Bytrix

I've been riding to work and back for just over a year now and I'm thinking it might be time to get myself a new bike as I'm also starting to go riding after work and going on some longer rides with people from work.

When I got my bike I quickly found that the huge array of gears were useless to me, the majority of the time I'm in the top 4 gears. Even when going up steep hills I usually won't drop any further down than about 18th. I've always had very powerful legs, do alot of running so I do push myself a little more than the average cyclist.

The bike I have now is the GT ZUM 2.0. It was fairly cheap and was bought with the sole purpose of getting me to work and back. Now I'm doing a little bit more off-roading and cycling on trails and down the side of canals. I'd like something that's a little more suitable for off-roading (while still doing my commute to work) and with a gear set that's more suitable for my riding style.

All suggestions are welcome, let me know what you think is right for me. I've been looking at the Cyclocross bikes, I think something like that is what I should be looking for...

bails87

Cyclocross sounds right, for light off roading but still relatively quick on road.

As for the gears, you can get cassettes with different ratios (smaller=harder) and different sized chainrings (bigger=harder). But any CX/road bike will have bigger gears than an MTB type bike like the Zum. It's usually best to pedal fairly quickly though, at least 60rpm, more like 80rpm is best apparently.

EKE_38BPM

Depending on the length of your commute and how hilly it is, you may want to consider a fixed gear bike (or a single speed if you're a wimp).
If you don't use many gears FG works well. There are pros and cons to FG, but it works for my urban riding style.

You can retro fit your bike to FG, make a fixie from parts or buy off the shelf.

t4tomo

If you do opt to go fixed gear, don't forget to finish teh bike with a gare-ish and amateur looking home paint job, disconnect you brakes, order some skinny jeans and acquire an air of arrogance to make up for the lack of gearing options.

wgwarburton

t4tomo wrote:

If you do opt to go fixed gear, don't forget to finish teh bike with a gare-ish and amateur looking home paint job, disconnect you brakes, order some skinny jeans and acquire an air of arrogance to make up for the lack of gearing options.

Is this London-centric or something? I've seen that stereotype posted before but I don't see many (any?) cyclists that conform to it. Even on my occasional trips to London... Presumably I'm moving in the wrong circles... still that's better than moving in squares :-)

Cheers,
W.

Bi50N

Bytrix wrote:

When I got my bike I quickly found that the huge array of gears were useless to me, the majority of the time I'm in the top 4 gears. Even when going up steep hills I usually won't drop any further down than about 18th. I've always had very powerful legs, do alot of running so I do push myself a little more than the average cyclist.

All suggestions are welcome, let me know what you think is right for me. I've been looking at the Cyclocross bikes, I think something like that is what I should be looking for...

I have an On-One Pompetamine (see pic below). Steel CX frame, disc brakes, Alfine 8 hub gear. I have skinny tyres fitted, but there's plenty of space for nobblies and full guards making it perfect for light off road too.

I find the the 8 speed hub perfect - there are no 'wasted' gears - and I have it geared pretty high, sounds like it would suit your style.

Or, as suggested above, a single speed? Genesis do a really nice SS cyclocross with nobblies as standard, the Day 01. I took one out for a test ride and it was great:

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-01/day-01-drop

phillipjohnson

t4tomo wrote:

If you do opt to go fixed gear, don't forget to finish teh bike with a gare-ish and amateur looking home paint job, disconnect you brakes, order some skinny jeans and acquire an air of arrogance to make up for the lack of gearing options.

Don't forget the 70s style skateboard helmet that has almost no ventilation and a pair of sunglasses with a thick plastic brightly coloured frame.