How much bike is too much for commuting?

Applespider

I started commuting last year on a hybrid and cover about 100 miles a week now (primarily through London traffic). I am now looking at my first road bike but the ones I like are around the £1000 mark. Or is the answer that you can never spend too much on a bike

I've had some friends tell me that I'm off my head to spend a grand on a road bike primarily used for commuting. They tell me that I should go for an entry level or just above since it will get trashed. I'd quite like one with carbon forks and a decent set of components to make my ride more comfortable and more fun and it'll be locked up (indoors) at either end. I'm a fair-weather commuter from Nov-Feb so really how trashed would it get?

So... a grand on a first commuting road bike... stupid or not? The options on the table (opinions welcome) are the Cannondale Synergy 105, the Specialized Dolce Elite or the Eddie Merckx AFX-1. Since fit-wise I'm looking at needing a 48cm WSD frame/components, it's tough to test ride them but from riding the model down (component wise) in the Cannondale and Specialized, they both feel comfortable.

HamishD

Applespider wrote:

I've had some friends tell me that I'm off my head to spend a grand on a road bike primarily used for commuting.

If you spend most of your time on your bike commuting then you might as well get one that you enjoy riding! It's your money, buy what you like. I don't get all the curmudgeonly "only pros need decent bikes" spiel. Bear in mind that, especially if you don't have a car, you could throw away a grand's worth of bike every four months for the price of running a car for that amount of time . . .

Clean it regularly and it won't get trashed - but that you'll need replacement decent tyres, chain and cassette every so often.

As I type this (and delaying tactics because I should be studying) I'm looking at my best bike that gets used about once a month and I'm thinking "what a waste . . .". I may well commute on him tomorrow . . .

rf6

^ gotta agree with all this. Buy what you like and enjoy it (try a Wilier tho, they're mint!).

greg66_tri_v2.0

My girl, you've come to the right place!

The Morpeth often looks like a pro team is drinking inside on a Friday night.

walkingbootweather

How much car is too much to go shopping in? How much is too much to spend on a pair of jeans to wear down the pub? How much is too much to spend on your summer holiday?

All these things will depend upon your disposable funds and how your prioritise your spend.

There are many people here who would spend considerably more that £1000 for a commuting bike, and some have several bikes costing thousands of pounds.

Some people are lucky enough to have a fleet of bikes, but if you can only have one I'd make sure it was one that you enjoyed riding.

Personally I do most of my commuting on a good quality but rather tatty looking tourer because I'm happy to use it in all conditions, and believe it to be less attractive to thieves than my good bikes. On some days I do commute on a titanium bike worth about £3000, but then I have secure indoor storage.

Jay dubbleU

If your going to do 100 miles a week on a bike then make sure its comfortable and that you enjoy riding it - price is not really relevant - I commute on a steel framed MTB with slick tyres because its nippy in traffic, soaks up the potholes and has disc brakes.

EKE_38BPM

Non-cyclists often see bikes as little more than toys and spending ~£1000 is beyond most people's comprehension, but we know that bikes are more than toys. They are a form of transport, a hobby, a lifestyle choice, a toy, a dream purchase etc

Its your money, spend it how you wish.

I'm sure they wouldn't bat an eyelid if you said your travel-card cost £20 a week.

nich

Only a few concerns

1 - Potholes, just learn where they are and avoid them

2 - Security - if you can't keep it inside, then I would get it insured - your'll need a half decent lock too

3 - Winter / crap weather - Clean it lots, or just get a cheap hack for those awful days

Zachariah

Your friends must really disapprove of people who commute in £60,000 cars and spend thousands more per year on fuel, insurance and running costs.

CasperCCC

I don't see why commuting is any more likely to mean that your bike gets trashed. Stolen, yeah, but if you keep it inside then that's not a huge problem. And the potholes in London are bad, but not as bad as the ones around where I now live.

You'll end up doing a lot more miles than you would if you were just using it for leisure rides, so I guess that's one reason why it'll get trashed more quickly, but then it also means you get to spend a lot more time on your lovely bike.

I commuted on a £750 bike through London traffic, and it was a shedload more fun than when I commuted on a £20 MTB. Spend your £1,000, love your ride, and get it covered on your home insurance.

I miss commuting by bike so much...

dhope

Applespider wrote:

So... a grand on a first commuting road bike... stupid or not?

Not stupid at all, I started commuting on a £1000 road bike then moved down to a Langster (enjoy riding fixed in town).

Morpeth on Friday then, bring the new bike.

jonny_trousers

The funny thing is, soon a £1K bike won't seem like anything special to you.

nation

I had the "you're mental spending that much on a bike" conversation with one of the engineers at work when I got my Defy (which was only £600, and on C2W so I won't even have spent that much on it by the time it's mine).

I pointed out that he drives to work in a BMW M3.

Nik Cube

My cube cost a £1000 and I ride it pretty much every day to work and beyond, so just go for it and enjoy!

Applespider

I had the first 'you spent how much' when I bought my first bike last year and spent £400 but good point on the car front. It's the girl in the office who spends £400 on a pair of shoes that made me laugh most.

I've spent a merry last 2-3 weekends visiting bike shops on a Saturday and sitting/riding a variety of models which can't be a bad way to spend the day. Now to figure out which one to finally go for... the sexier frame with the Tiagra components or the less sexy frame with the 105s. Coming from a Trek hybrid, they're probably both such an upgrade that it would feel smoother. Or wait and see what the 2012 models bring... ah... decisions, decisions...

And yes, potholes - I know where the majority are on my regular commute. Insurance - yup, current bike is on it and I have two very weighty locks including a Fahgeddaboutit. And since I wimp out in horrible winter weather, should be OK. Not entirely convinced there's room to keep the hybrid too...

edhornby

if you work 220 days a year (30 days holiday weekends etc) and commute on it year round, 5 days a week then it's £4.50 a day for a bike that costs a grand

cheaper than the bus

godders1

£1,000 is a lot of money (to most people) but it's my budget for a new bike when my job moves further away later this year (will be a 16 mile each way commute).

An annual season ticket on the train would cost me over £1,500 a year. Harder for me to work out the cost of driving a car but cost of vehicle+fuel+maintenance+annual tax, insurance, MOT etc. is probably going to make a one off payment of £1,000 (with what £30-£50 per year running costs?) seem like pretty good value.

Applespider

Ed... I like that stat! It's the same price as my annual Travelcard used to cost!

EKE_38BPM

Oi, I said it first with my "£20 a week" post. I demand some credit!!!

Applespider

Hands out some credit...

... but £4.50 a day is what several of them spend on coffee so much easier to justify next time comments are made.

kurako

The one thing to think about getting a super flash bike is where will you keep it when you're not at work. I wouldn't take my (not even all that flash) carbon roadie to work for ages cos I had to park it outside at Canary Wharf. I was always worried about it getting bashed up by some fool with a BSO. Now I am loads luckier as my firm has an underground parking spot with a bike cage. I am still slightly paranoid about parking it near to crappy BSOs in case it gets bashed up. As for stopping off at the supermarket on the way home. Forget about it!

chrishd883

Go for it! And +1 for the Synapse !!

Currently use a 2008 Synapse for my commute (average 102 miles per week)
It's a lot of time on a bike - however fast you are - so enjoy it !

Suggest - Crud Road Race mk2 mudguards for the wet weather.

edhornby

had a quick look at the bikes in the OP, there isn't much between tiagra and 105 but the merckx has better wheels than the cannondale

stuaff

Plenty of people (self included) have on occasion commuted on much more expensive rigs than that but £1k is certainly plenty to get a bike you'll want to do mega mileage on. As long as you've got somewhere secure to store it, go for it!

Applespider

A very helpful guy at 'On Your Bike' explained all about the Merckx wheels on Saturday. I learned a lot from him. My worry on the Merckx was that it wasn't a triple ring since I do occasionally go up College Road/Sydenham Hill and while I can do it on the hybrid without going into the granny gear, would I still manage it..

Thanks guys... somehow I knew you'd be on my side!

greg66_tri_v2.0

Applespider wrote:

A very helpful guy at 'On Your Bike' explained all about the Merckx wheels on Saturday. I learned a lot from him. My worry on the Merckx was that it wasn't a triple ring since I do occasionally go up College Road/Sydenham Hill and while I can do it on the hybrid without going into the granny gear, would I still manage it..

Thanks guys... somehow I knew you'd be on my side!

What about running a compact crankset. I ran 53/39 for years, switched to 50/34, and now can't understand why I had been so stupidly stubborn for so long. Stick a 26 or larger sprocket at the blunt end of the cassette and you should be able to get up almost anything.

itboffin

Greg66 wrote:

Applespider wrote:

A very helpful guy at 'On Your Bike' explained all about the Merckx wheels on Saturday. I learned a lot from him. My worry on the Merckx was that it wasn't a triple ring since I do occasionally go up College Road/Sydenham Hill and while I can do it on the hybrid without going into the granny gear, would I still manage it..

Thanks guys... somehow I knew you'd be on my side!

What about running a compact crankset. I ran 53/39 for years, switched to 50/34, and now can't understand why I had been so stupidly stubborn for so long. Stick a 26 or larger sprocket at the blunt end of the cassette and you should be able to get up almost anything.

Er what G66 giving actual good advice with no hint of sarcasm .... i'm scared :P

greg66_tri_v2.0

itboffin wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Applespider wrote:

A very helpful guy at 'On Your Bike' explained all about the Merckx wheels on Saturday. I learned a lot from him. My worry on the Merckx was that it wasn't a triple ring since I do occasionally go up College Road/Sydenham Hill and while I can do it on the hybrid without going into the granny gear, would I still manage it..

Thanks guys... somehow I knew you'd be on my side!

What about running a compact crankset. I ran 53/39 for years, switched to 50/34, and now can't understand why I had been so stupidly stubborn for so long. Stick a 26 or larger sprocket at the blunt end of the cassette and you should be able to get up almost anything.

Er what G66 giving actual good advice with no hint of sarcasm .... i'm scared :P

Shhh! I'm being nice coz she is a g-u-r-l. I'll feel bad if she comes back here next week, pleased as punch, telling us all "I bought a BLUE bicycle! It has TASSLES!". Poor thing. Those Harry Enfield sketches were years ahead of their time...

Oddjob62

I commute on the Focus all the time now. But i do have secure indoor parking at work.

ndru

I would defo spend that kind of money for a commuting bike, but not for a road bike... for that cash you can get a bike that let's you get your shopping too, requires no maintenance or cleaning, you don't have to worry about potholes, rain or anything at all (except nuclear holocaust). Think Workcycles FR8 or one of their city bikes... But then again for me bicycle is not just about shaving seconds off my commute - I use it instead of a car - for everything.

dhope

SE London to City on one of the things ndru mentioned doesn't look fun to me. Maybe if you're delivering Hovis to the local farm shop...