Bike for commuting/ long distance touring? Help.

McQue

Hi,

I'm new to this site. I have just moved from a rural location to get closer to my place of work. I have got rid of the car (Ford Focus Sport). I am yet to get a bicycle, at the moment i'm riding my old mans bike a Pinarello monviso, in yellow! on loan... The ride is way too bumpy for me. I went for a short 21 mile ride the other week on it to try out the pinarello's potential, frankly it sucked going up hills, too delicate, I like to stand up and really go for it at times but it didn't really offer the stability that I wanted.

Anyway, by the by, I need a bike that I can ride down the cycle paths and climb the hills to work, not have to worry about winter too much, both cycling itself and prepping for a ride. I want a good all round bicycle that won't let me down in both practicality and speed/ riding pleasure.

Another spanner in the spokes... I aspire to do some real long distance endurance touring coming up to next year. I want that fine balance of comfort and speed. I'm 6'3'' stocky build so don't want something that'll buckle from underneath me either, ha!

I thought by joining bike radar.com i could at least benefit from advice from real cyclists with real cyclist know-how to get me out of this conundrum of thoughts.... I'm trapped in a vicious circle!! Help!!
.

McQue

come on 43 views and no reply!! I need some advice! Many Thanks to those who have viewed a response would be highly appreciated!!

Thanks

jds_1981

Have you tried a cyclocross?

noiseboyfeetman

Any sort of budget?

McQue

I haven't mate no, what are the advantages?? Will it be a good sturdy commuter? I understand they are used for racing but i need it to be good during winter conditions as well...

McQue

Budget... I would say the most i would spend £850 really...

rubertoe

McQue wrote:

I haven't mate no, what are the advantages?? Will it be a good sturdy commuter? I understand they are used for racing but i need it to be good during winter conditions as well...

I think a cyclocross could just about cope with the winter....

McQue

Call me absolutely numb in the head but with a cyclo cross... Could you attach panniers and mudguards and would it be suitable for a tour? I googled cyclo cross bikes and under images there a few awesome riders getting extremely muddy and the rest of them are walking up hills carrying their bike!!! now are they just unfit or is this kind of bike going to let me down when i need to climb a hill????

tim_wand

Go for a Planet X kaffenbach It will do everything well. You could get an awesome build for that budget. Maybe even two sets of Rims one for touring/ commuting one for CX and thrashing.


By timwand at 2011-07-30

sloppyschleckonds

McQue wrote:

I thought by joining bike radar.com i could at least benefit from advice from real cyclists with real cyclist know-how to get me out of this conundrum of thoughts.... I'm trapped in a vicious circle!! Help!!

TRY WWW.ROAD.CC?

nicklouse

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

McQue wrote:

I thought by joining bike radar.com i could at least benefit from advice from real cyclists with real cyclist know-how to get me out of this conundrum of thoughts.... I'm trapped in a vicious circle!! Help!!

TRY WWW.ROAD.CC?

and SHOUTING tends to make people ignore the post just like the spam you get in your e-mail.

Topic heading changed. and text size change to something a bit more normal.

FSR_XC

Cyclocross bikes are probably one of the most versatile bikes around.

Built for racing off road, ideal to commute on, able to fit panniers and tour on and more comfortable than many road bikes.

Like all bikes they need cleaning and looking after.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclo-cross_bicycle

Hoopdriver

I'd get a drop-bar tourer or audax bike if I were you (which of course I'm not! The beauty of giving advice!) THey are very versatile and from the sounds of the sort of riding you are going to do, pretty much what you are looking for. Thorn make some very good tourers (see sjscycles.com) that I think would come in near your budget; I've got one of their higher end expedition bikes, used it for many years all over the world and it has always been good to me. I expect their mid-range ones would be excellent as well.

noiseboyfeetman

I don't know much about tourers/audax bikes but that's what i'd go for, but how about the Tifosi CK7 with Veloce which comes in just under £800 and would do everything you want.

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=Tifosi_CK7_Classic_Veloce_Bike_2011

prawny

Cyclocross with disc brakes for me. I commuted 200 miles a week for about 18 months on a straight up road bike and I am sure that that would be the bike for all occasions.

I would like (but can't afford) something like the 11 speed genesis day 1 alfine.

Unfortunately, the wife doesn't understand that if I stop getting the train to work and start going by bike I could spend up to the cost of the train fair and still not be worse off. So I'm stuck on the train. If she rode too I would definately have one, or a pompetamine.

prawny

noiseboyfeetman wrote:

I don't know much about tourers/audax bikes but that's what i'd go for, but how about the Tifosi CK7 with Veloce which comes in just under £800 and would do everything you want.

http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/detail.asp/sku=Tifosi_CK7_Classic_Veloce_Bike_2011

depeding on what you'd do if it was a bit snowy/icy that would be ok, but a cx would be better for fitting proper winter tyres. If the plan would be getting the train in the snow. Job done.

Hoopdriver

Obviously that depends where you live. My Thorn eXp tourer can take 50mm tyres which seems wide enough to me. Wider that I ever use in fact. I live in Sussex and ride it in winter on 40mm Schwalbe Marathon Plusses and have no problems, and virtually all of my winter riding (about 200 miles per week) is on dark unlit and often icy lanes.

prawny

Yeah but that's a proper tourer. Not like the CK7.

The only thing that puts me off a normal tourer is the brakes, I have a fear of cantis from the early 90s.

Also rim wear worries me on a long commute

Hoopdriver

Cantis are okay as long as you get good ones, and have good pads on them - Koolstop salmon's my preferred options. I've had old Suntours on my tourer for 12 years and they've always performed really well. THe only exception being a time when some jackass of a mechanic at a bike shop in Islington decided to 'adjust' them for me after he'd installed a headset. Then they were truly dangerous. Fortunately I was able to readjust them fairly swiftly. No troubles since.

tigerben

Get a CAAD X - has panier mounts and clearnace for mudguards. Looks nice also.

lucus_j

Gotta say my Cotic Roadrat incarnation is about perfect for all that:

* 9 speed 42T x 11-32T gearing - good enough for anything short of an Alp
* bullhorn bars with a dura-ace bar end shifter
* Avid mech disc brakes with aero levers
* full mudguards
* pannier rack
* 35mm marathon plus tyres

Ok so the compromises:

* its heavier than a CX
* not as quick as a tourer
* very comfy
* its quick enough! (103GI or 45km/h @ 90RPM )
* it will last
* it won't break (touch wood)
* it will carry your stuff

Bon chance

vorsprung

Dawes Vantage?

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... b0s21p2414