Want to get into cycling commuting (which bike)

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Comments

  • velohutts
    velohutts Posts: 288
    winstanleys bikes were doing the giant tcx which I use as a commuter bike , thicker tyres in winter and the rims will take a 23 for the summer - has eyelets for guards / rack - good frame the brakes on the tops make for better riding in traffic -- try a few bikes see what feels best before you know it you will have a half a wardrobe full of cycling kit and a selection of bikes !!!!!!!!!(forgot to say it was about £550 reduced)

    Enjoy the shopping !!
    Enigma Esprit Di2 - Go tI ! Summer !
  • Tony-J
    Tony-J Posts: 53
    Test one of these if you can
    http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/cerium
    My work bike is a Ridgeback Horizon, had it years, fun, fast and looks great. Look up Carradice for carrying stuff. You just cannot beat Carradice saddlebags especially with the sqr fitting then you don't need a rack...and they last 20 years at least, don't just take my word for that one.
    If you want comfort buy a Brooks saddle. The alternative to this is basically another Brooks saddle or a sore botty. If you ride relaxed you want a Brooks B17, if you push a bit you want a professional or a Swift.
    I'd also give a good word for the Specialized Tri Cross bikes.
    Test a Genesis Equilibrium, many swear by them as the perfect machine, pure steel joy and they look lovely.
    SPD pedals are the best thing since scrumpy and pasties.
    Aldi full fingered cycling gloves are the secret bargain of the country. Track mitts for the summer. Always wear gloves.
    Oh and the Boardmans look good.
    White saddles and tape are silly.
    Oh yes, regardless of previously given advice in the best possible spirit, and all due respect to to those who gave advice about rucksacks but never carry stuff on your back when cycling ! You are right in thinking the bike should carry the weight, do not be disuaded from this wisdom.
    Glen (work colleague) 'So Tony, those stars in the sky..they're not really small...they're really far away?'
    Glen:'so the Scottish, the Welch and the Irish all have their own languages..so why don't the English have their own language?'
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    Looks decent but costs way more than the Ribble while having inferior groupsets (I think). Your bike shows as £850 with Shimano 2300 While the Ribble is £570 and has Sora and Ultegra. Thanks for the info though, always good to see perspectives
  • Tony-J
    Tony-J Posts: 53
    Agree on the Ribble great value.
    Glen (work colleague) 'So Tony, those stars in the sky..they're not really small...they're really far away?'
    Glen:'so the Scottish, the Welch and the Irish all have their own languages..so why don't the English have their own language?'
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    Quick update guys, went for a ride this morning on my mate's hybrid, 10 mile round trip, took about 1hr 20 mins at quite a slow pace. Loved it, my quads were burning on the way back tho, really need to get in shape before I attempt the cycling to work and get myself a proper bike :)
  • porlyworly
    porlyworly Posts: 441
    Go for a road bike mate, I was in exactly the same boat as you in November last year when I started cycling for the first time since I was a teenager (5 or 6 mile each way commute). I started on a cheapo boneshaker hybrid then quickly moved on to a second hand cyclocross bike (specialized tricross) and while it was a fantastic bike I realised after a month or two that I should have just bitten the bullet and bought a road bike so I sold the tricross and bought a road bike.

    My biggest misconception as a rookie was that a hybrid / cyclocross bike would be more comfortable than a road bike which isn't the case at all, especially as it sounds like your commute is pretty straight forward. Another myth is that thicker tyres = more comfort - again I noticed very little if any difference between 28, 25 and 23 tyres. If my employer did the c2w scheme and I could go back in time (anyone got a Delorean?) to when I started commuting by bike I'd 100% go for as expensive a road bike as the budget allowed.
    First love - Genesis Equilibrium 20
    Dirty - Forme Calver CX Sport
    Quickie - Scott CR1 SL HMX
    Notable ex's - Kinesis Crosslight, Specialized Tricross
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    Yeh thing is I missed the start of the Cycle to work scheme so I have to go for it myself. I'm looking for places that do finance.

    I would love to get a bike from a local bike store but the few I have looked at don't seem to offer finance. Looks like I'll have to stick with Ribble on this one.
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    jae-so wrote:
    I would love to get a bike from a local bike store but the few I have looked at don't seem to offer finance. Looks like I'll have to stick with Ribble on this one.

    Most finance deals from LBSes are simply unsecured personal loans if I remember rightly. Depending on your credit history, it's often cheaper to buy it on a credit card, then immediately switch the balance to a 0% deal (usual transfer charge of ~3%). See MoneySavingExpert for the details.

    I'm in no way recommending buying anythng on credit -- it's actually not a good idea, but you're a grown-up, hopefully!
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    ^ Yeh I know I'll definitely be able to pay off the payments, the ribble offer would be 0% interest over 10 months, so I'm just spreading the cost of the bike over 10 months rather than actually taking out a loan (in theory)
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    Guys I am currently riding a hybrid with 35mm wheels and the road bike I want has 23mm wheels. How difficult will it be to ride a bike with such thin wheels? I'm quite heavy at 16st (100kg) so just worried bout balance/comfort etc
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    It's just as easy.
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • thiscocks
    thiscocks Posts: 549
    saw one of these in LBS the otherday (was going for under £1,000): http://www.raleigh.co.uk/PRODUCTTYPE/Pr ... 14&pg=8075

    Thought it looked really nice. Now want to put disks on my commuter!
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    Not bad
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    Lol so the pedal on my mate's bike snapped off today, leaving me to walk 5 miles home. As a result I will be buying my new bike sooner rather than later.

    edit: just gonna stick with the winter trainer
  • jae-so
    jae-so Posts: 85
    Update: So have my bike (tiagra equipped) and did the return leg of the journey for the first time on Sunday, was about 8.5 miles and took about an hour. Mostly downhill, will look to do it a few more times when convenient and build up my fitness before I start doing it properly (there and back etc)

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