New bike for commute 18miles - advice please

oneyedmike

Hi all
I am going to return to commuting on bike rather than car (fitness / fuel costs!)
I have commuted as a younger man (now 42!) and have used mtb with rigid forks (after about a month I felt like billy whizz my legs were going like the clappers on the flat!) and hybrid which has gone.

I travel out of rush hour traffic so was considering a road bike to get the speed up & maximise my efforts!

Looking at between £1000-1500 and what has caught my eye so far in no particular order is:

Cannondale supersix 105
Cube agree GTC
Giant TCR alliance
TCR 0 triple
GT GTR series carbon sport

Yes I know it's a mix....but would like to know if a carbon bike would offer me anything over a good aluminium bike over the distance & deteriorating road conditions (indeed should it be cyclocross?)

No great rush as I do like to research / ask for other's opinions as I am not the font of all knowledge! But do like to buy once - if you know what I mean?

Oh, and in case someone should wonder - never been svelte or that flexible but do like to crack on and get some speed up!!

Thanks in advance

rickyrider

Firstly, good call on getting back to bike commuting! You won't save as much as you might think (kit, kit, and more kit) but it beats a car or public transport every time.

The list of bikes you've given are pretty racy for a commuter imo. The Supersix and TCR are full on race bikes and the geometry will be pretty stretched out. If you aren't that flexible I'd think twice about these. Also you won't have any eyelets for mudguards or racks, so I can't really recommend them as full commuter bikes. For a workhorse commuter you ideally want something that is tough, fairly cheap to maintain, reasonably comfortable position and takes guards. You mention a cyclocross and that would be a pretty good call. Lots of us on here commute on them. They are practical and tough, and you can still get pretty good speed up on them too.

Good workhorse cxs include:

Boardman CX
Kona Jake
Giant TCX
Focus Mares

That'd be my suggestion based on what you've said. All you'd need to do is swap the tyres out for something slicker such as Schalbe Marathons.

daxplusplus

I commute approx 25 miles each way on a Trek 1.5 road bike 3 days a week and it's fine but I always have the option of using my car.

If I was commuting 5 days a week I'd want a bike with a rack. It's the ability to carry a selection of clothes and kit thats key .. there are days (weeks/months) when you just can't wear kit that will be suitable for all eventualities (including breaking down 10 miles from anywhere). I'd also want mudguards (I have crud races which are fine for me) becuase it keeps so much cr@p off the bike and means less cleaning (oh and keeps it off your rear lights .. one of mine drowned before i fitted mudguards and it had to be dried out before it would work again)

I'd would go for a CX over a pure road bike for a better choice of tyres in case it gets icy but TBH I might just work from home on days when it's really bad. Depends on whether I really want to commute every day or not.

BTW I spent £400 on the bike. Over the course of the last 11 months and nearly 4000 miles later I've spent well over £400 on kit .. and that was buying very cheap for most stuff (including nearly £150 on lights - two torches and two 4 watt magic shine rear lights .. means riding in the dark is probably safer than during the day for me)

colonelkurtz

If its any help I commute 18 miles each way across London - slightly younger than you though not much! - weight around 86kg so not a lightweight either and about as flexible as a a plank of wood.

Started commuting on a 8 yr old clapped out hybrid last October and bought a Cannondale Caad8 in Feb this year. Having ridden on a hybrid previously was anxious about commuting on a reasonably aggressive geometry (though I suspect less so than the supersix) but have not had one single regret since buying the bike. Feb and March had crud mudguards on which worked fine - use a backpack so no need for panniers - but these are all down to personal choice and what suits me may not you. As for carbon, toyed with the idea but decided I'd get too precious about something I plan on dragging across London in all weather and generally abusing so settled on Alu (Caad vs carbon weight diff not much - ride quality probably more so but personal pref - I don't find the caad uncomfortable and I'm still on 23mm tyres though my point of reference probably not great as its my first road bike)

What I would say is that as your fitness and confidence builds, you will be looking to put some power down especially on clear roads, and having a bike which can deliver the goods is a load of fun and is what makes the commute enjoyable in my mind.

You'll be told to take the bikes out for a ride, which is absolutely spot on advice, but bear in mind that as confidence grows what may have seemed an aggressive bike to start with may not feel so after a month riding.

Hope that of some help - feel free to chip in with any more questions

oneyedmike

Thanks to all
I will have a look at my options again - luckily I have quite a bit of kit that is still good - have been mtb for the last few years with the odd weekend away C2C etc.

I have been working off the premise of "get a great frame & with fairly decent components as they will wear out / can upgrade", but clearly I need to look at the geometry of the frame.

Thanks for suggested bikes I will take a look

MichaelW

Do you need rack and mudguard options? If so, then use a frame with eyelets and sufficient clearance.
CX with disc brakes is probably better suited to winter riding than some of the racier road bikes.

Cookie91

The Cube GTC is a brilliant bike, also if this is something your getting back into, perhaps a bike from £500 - £1000 would suffice?

I currently ride a fuji Newest 1.0 which rides like a beaut, the wheels are not the lightest but i always have something to look forward to upgrading. Specialised Allez is always a good bike and the trek 1.5 alpha.

Goodluck mate!

oneyedmike

Thanks - been reconsidering - but don't need a rack although some form of protection from spray will be needed - it's seldom dry in Manchester!
I'm putting the finishing touches to my old GT Zaskar LE - 2 new chainrings, cassette, rigid forks & slick tyres for commuting while I make my mind up! (Although kids being off school is hindering my progress as I have to do their bikes too!!!!)
Thought about the Allez but there are a lot of varients depending on level of components so there's that to consider too!
Right now I'm looking forward to getting out on mtb on Sunday! Just love the descents!