Older Boulder and a Folder.....

SouthernDave

I have not long returned to commuting by bike and am enjoying it. I cycle 8-miles each way (if going both ways), five days a week.

I bought a Dawes Diamond folder because I often get picked up or dropped off at work as some days my wife works nearby, so it is efficient for us to share the car part way, the folder being ideal for this. The 3-speed Diamond is comfy and practical and I am getting journey times of 45-50mins going to work (mainly down hill) and 50-55mins on the way home.

However, sometimes I will be cycling all the way there and back each day and I am hoping to increase the instances of this. I have a second bike, an older Giant Boulder MTB which is quite heavy but has full mud-guards and I am considering using this for the 'both ways days' as it is geared better and I am hope I am right in thinking the bigger wheels will decrease journey times. I'd also need to fit a pannier rack as I take a bag into work and don't want to wear a rucksack - I am not sure you can fit one to this type of bike?

Alternatively I have been looking at the Dawes Trekking range, the Mojave and Sahara especially, as these seem to tick the right boxes, but I am not sure I can justify owning three bikes and spending another £300ish on going to work. Aside from commuting I use the folder for short trips into town at weekend and I use the Boulder for family rides out with the kids. Both bikes are mainly used on the local cycle route which is tarmaced in the main but does get a share of heavy leaf fall, etc. due to it's rural nature.

So any advice? What would you do? Fit out the Boulder for commuting or get something else? Would a pannier fit the Boulder? Answers and opinions appreciated!

Headhuunter

Let me get this straight, your full commute if your wife doesn't give you a lift, is 8 miles each way, so 16 miles? That's a fairly long commute I suppose, if you're not quit ready to commit to doing that every day yet and not entirely sure if you'll enjoy it then I wouldn't commit to a whole new bike, especially if you feel you can't spend another 300 quid on another bike.

300 quid will not get a particularly fancy bike, although 1 option would be to look for something half decent on ebay or some other 2nd hand source. For 300 quid 2nd hand, if you keep your eyes open, you may catch an almost new road bike that would normally sell for twice the price.

Until you're ready to commit why not fit the MTB with slicker tyres for road use? This will reduce road buzz and make the ride a little easier and use that until you're ready to commit to riding both ways every day and have say, 500 quid or so to blow on a half decent road bike or a road orientated hybrid... I think Boulders have front suspension too don't they? Can you lock this out or perhaps change the forks to a non sus pair? Suspension forks are a notorious waste of time unless you regularly ride offroad on trails, cheap sus bikes weigh an absolute tonne as the forks and rear suspension simply adds weight to the bike and the whole thing plunges in and out as you ride if not properly adjusted, sapping the energy you put into the ride....

lockstock666

I borrowed my brothers old boulder for a while and if he had said I could keep it forever I probably would of!

I found it light, fast and very good looking for a MTB.

The tyres on it were a knobbly design but with a constant central pattern, so with the tyres fully pumped I could reach good speeds ( if not maintain them).

alidaf

I moved to a road bike earlier this year and haven't looked back. I occasionally glanced at my old Boulder in the garage and thought "never again". A little while back a cycling buddy insisting on taking out the MTBs rather than road bikes for a change and I begrudgingly agreed. I don't know why I developed such negative thoughts because it was far better than I ever remembered. Perhaps I'm just a little bit stronger and fitter but I found I could get some speed on it. It is a good bike and would be great for an 8 mile commute. My only problem was trying to corner on it like I would a road bike. I came a cropper. I commute 15 miles so I prefer a road bike but for 8, at this time of year, I'd dig the old Boulder out again.

rolf_f

Headhuunter wrote:

Can you lock this out or perhaps change the forks to a non sus pair? Suspension forks are a notorious waste of time unless you regularly ride offroad on trails, cheap sus bikes weigh an absolute tonne as the forks and rear suspension simply adds weight to the bike and the whole thing plunges in and out as you ride if not properly adjusted, sapping the energy you put into the ride....

The presence of suspension forks (at least on a hardtail) isn't really anything to get worried about in terms of commuting. OK, they add weight but as you imply, now isn't perhaps the ideal time for the OP to buy a new bike so he's got what he's got. As long as the suspension is properly damped, it doesn't matter whether there is a lockout or not unless you get out of the saddle. I have a coil sprung MTB that I use on really bad weather days and get no bob at all whilst sat in the saddle.

I certainly find my slick shod MTB quicker than the works folding bike I often use. On that, the small wheels don't carry speed so you really have to keep the pressure up. I managed for quite a while commuting on road and tow path, 7.5 miles each way, on my MTB for and it was fine. Buy a new bike when you really know what you want (ie a proper road bike!)

Headhuunter

Rolf F wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

Can you lock this out or perhaps change the forks to a non sus pair? Suspension forks are a notorious waste of time unless you regularly ride offroad on trails, cheap sus bikes weigh an absolute tonne as the forks and rear suspension simply adds weight to the bike and the whole thing plunges in and out as you ride if not properly adjusted, sapping the energy you put into the ride....

The presence of suspension forks (at least on a hardtail) isn't really anything to get worried about in terms of commuting. OK, they add weight but as you imply, now isn't perhaps the ideal time for the OP to buy a new bike so he's got what he's got. As long as the suspension is properly damped, it doesn't matter whether there is a lockout or not unless you get out of the saddle. I have a coil sprung MTB that I use on really bad weather days and get no bob at all whilst sat in the saddle.

I certainly find my slick shod MTB quicker than the works folding bike I often use. On that, the small wheels don't carry speed so you really have to keep the pressure up. I managed for quite a while commuting on road and tow path, 7.5 miles each way, on my MTB for and it was fine. Buy a new bike when you really know what you want (ie a proper road bike!)

It may not be worth replacing the forks, but I have definitely ridden bikes with front sus which plunge in and out even when in the saddle....

rolf_f

Headhuunter wrote:

It may not be worth replacing the forks, but I have definitely ridden bikes with front sus which plunge in and out even when in the saddle....

Probably badly damped BSO types or the spring setting was too soft for your weight (trying to be delicate here ) - the springs should be firm enough to avoid bob if you are sat in the saddle.

Headhuunter

Rolf F wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

It may not be worth replacing the forks, but I have definitely ridden bikes with front sus which plunge in and out even when in the saddle....

Probably badly damped BSO types or the spring setting was too soft for your weight (trying to be delicate here ) - the springs should be firm enough to avoid bob if you are sat in the saddle.

Oi! I'm not fat! About 80kg and 6ft 3... Most people think I'm skinny. But you're probably right about the BSO bit... I've barely ever ridden sus bikes and when I have they have generally been pretty cheap jobs that I have hired or something. I can only remember riding a decent sus bike once in my live and on that I locked out the forks anyway... It's pretty common for sus forks to bounce up and down when the rider is in the saddle though, I've seen it frequently around London

rolf_f

Headhuunter wrote:

It's pretty common for sus forks to bounce up and down when the rider is in the saddle though, I've seen it frequently around London

But they will be riding crap! I suspect riding FS probably causes more bob as well though I've little experience of FS bikes myself.

I suppose the point is that if the bike is decent, it isn't a hopeless commuting machine - barely slower than a hybrid if on slicks.

SouthernDave

Thanks for replies.

Yes, some days my wife drops me off and I take the folder and cycle home or I cycle in and get picked up. On other days though, I have been and will be cycling in to work and back, a round trip of 16 miles thereabouts.

The boulder is a non-suspension model and quite heavy. A lovely bike I got second hand but is or was like brand new. Free-wheels like a dream and on long gentle down-hill trails you hardly have to pedal to maintain speed if at all. The only bit that slows it are the tyres, but they are not that bad. I am thinking I may just put a rack on the back and see what it rides like as a daily commute.

When you guys are referring to 'road bikes' are you talking about racing style bikes or touring bikes? Are hybrid/trekking styles no good for commuting by comparison?

Headhuunter

SouthernDave wrote:

Thanks for replies.

Yes, some days my wife drops me off and I take the folder and cycle home or I cycle in and get picked up. On other days though, I have been and will be cycling in to work and back, a round trip of 16 miles thereabouts.

The boulder is a non-suspension model and quite heavy. A lovely bike I got second hand but is or was like brand new. Free-wheels like a dream and on long gentle down-hill trails you hardly have to pedal to maintain speed if at all. The only bit that slows it are the tyres, but they are not that bad. I am thinking I may just put a rack on the back and see what it rides like as a daily commute.

When you guys are referring to 'road bikes' are you talking about racing style bikes or touring bikes? Are hybrid/trekking styles no good for commuting by comparison?

"Road bike" is what used to be called a "racer", with curly rather than straight bars.... The advantage of a road bike over a hybrid or MTB is the narrower, slicker wheels/tyres which are lighter and create less friction with the road surface. The gearing is generally set up for longer rides with less stopping and starting which may be a disadvantage if you're stopping at lights a lot. Road bike frames are also generally lighter and the geometry is set up so that your weight is usually more evenle spread over the front and rear of the bike. Generally they are faster, quicker to accelerate etc.

Some consider hybrids to be the best of both worlds (MTB and road bike) with a more upright riding position, possibly disc brakes for better stoppin and gearing designed for riding in towns. Some people feel more confident with straight bars too.

MTBs generally have fatter tyres with tread which causes increased friction with the road. They also have smaller wheels that road bikes and the gearing is set up for slower riding offroad trying to accelerate through mud or over rough terrain etc.

Most people here will tell you to get a road bike but it's up to you, try a couple of hybrids and road bikes and seewhat you prefer...

t4tomo

+1 to the above. The tyres and wheels make biggest difference so as long as the hybrid has relatively narrow "racer/road" style tyres it won't be much slower than road bike (although infinately less cool if that bothers you).

A MTB fitted with some decent slicks or tyres with a continuous central band (Schwalbe Land crusier are a good cheap multi purpose tyre that do well on the road) and pumped up hard will also make a big difference over cheap under-inflated knobbly tyres, where a lot of enerfy is waster deforming and reformng the knobbles as you ride.

It will never be as fast a road bike as the wheels are necessarily heavier, and the gearing generally lower but it will be pefectly acceptable for your needs.

SouthernDave

Thanks again. I have taken the plunge and cleaned and serviced the Boulder which isn't as heavy as I remembered. Its now got decent-ish mudguards, proper lights, a rear pannier rack, new lock and had a good clean and lube and looks the mutts. Will try a few trips in the week there and back and see how I get on. Also now got proper lightweight, breathable wet weather gear so think I am as prepped as I can be! ;-)