What to go for!?

nbuuifx

I'm after a road bike but after reading more and more I feel more and more confused!

I've currently got a Boardman Comp MTB which I'm using on the road. I mainly use it on road and have thin continental sportcontact tyres fitted and SPDs.

I tend to ride 2 or 3 times a week, one longer ride of between 30 and 40 miles and then 1 or 2 shorter rides around 20 miles. I'll then do the odd charity ride around 50 - 100 miles.

I live in a fairly hilly area.

So whilst looking I've seen:

Road bikes
Road Racing bikes
Sportive Bikes
Cyclocross bikes
Fixed Road Bikes

And I don't know which I need to be looking at!

The sort of thing I've been looking at is:

Specialized Allez
Giant OCR/SCR/Defy etc

But I don't knwo if that is best for my use

Wheelspinner

If you are not doing any off-road, then I'd discount the 'crossers to start with. They're all about tyre clearance and dirt handling ability, but also frequently have no bottle cage mounts and silly cantilever brakes which are a fiddle.

Fixed (and/or SS) are fun as all hell to ride, BUT not for longer rides. 20 miles ok, 40 is a tough ask, and longer than that is masochism.

"Road" bikes are probably not different enough from your MTB/slicks combo to warrant a change, if I've understood the categorisation correctly (hybrids?)

That leaves racing and sportive types. Similar intent, just the sportive version would be more comfortable, sacrificing the last few percent of outright speed and efficiency. That would by my recommendation for a starting point. Plus, a "sportive" bike will often come with a groupset more aimed at riders like you, which means compact gearing and a wider range cassette, great for hilly areas.

Go ride a few and see what feels best, then buy it, never mind which category it's in!

nbuuifx

Thanks,

You mention fixed and/or single speed - is there any difference or are they all the same?

Also you mention fixed is "fun as hell" - why is that?! I'm fairly sure I wouldn't want a fixed but have seen them quite a bit cheaper than geared - is it possible to then convert them?

It does sound like a sportive would suit. My problem is my budget restricts me to second hand, so I can't test so easily and feel a little guilty 'using' the bike shop for a test!

snoopsmydogg

not sure but if it is possible by the time you converted a single speed to geared you would most likely have been better off buying geared in the first place.

shifters, cassette, rear wheel? derailleur(s), chainset etc. all mounts up

cougie

If I had to go for just one bike (thank god I dont) - then I'd go for a cross bike.
Fine on the road - and easily capable of rough stuff off road.

If you're not bothering with offroad - or using the MTB for that - then makes sense to go proper road.

Unless you sell the MTB and put the money towards a new cross bike - best of both roads ?

Fixed wheel is great - especially for winter - but you'd not want to do 100 mile charity rides on them and esp not if its a hilly area.

nbuuifx

I like the idea of keeping the MTB as a second bike, so I've got a backup and can still do a bit of off road cycling.

So I'm down to road racing or road sportive.

No desparate rush for one with having the other bike so will take my time and find the right deal 2nd hand. Probably going to end with a mx budget of around £300.

I've also seen mentioned that makes like Specialized are OK but not that good and a lot of the money demanded for them is just for PR etc. What other makes should I be looking at? I guess really I want entry level proper bikes rather than top of the line BSO's - all adviced gratefully received!

nbuuifx

Oh one other thing I forgot to mention, not sure if affects the advice is my size. I'm 6'2" and currently weigh approx 14 stone. However I'm relatively fit and don't carry a lot of fat. If I use a BMI calculator it tells me off and says I'm overweight as my BMI is over 25! At the gym though they have a proper body fat analyser and that gives me a BMI of 19.

I know a lot of cyclists are a lot lighter so not sure if my weight needs to be considered when choosing a bike?

thamacdaddy

The weight thing I wouldn't worry about, I am well over your weight and all I have had to do is have some custom wheels built up with more spokes (quite cheap actually in the end).

As for bike type, I have a mtb but to be honest I prefer the speed and comfort of a road bike. I also chose a Cube. Got much better spec for my money and they replaced the frame when I developed a crack after 2.5 years on my first model.

I find if you are riding on the road mainly that nothing beats the comfort speed and power of a proper road bike.

team47b

nbuuifx wrote:

Oh one other thing I forgot to mention, not sure if affects the advice is my size. I'm 6'2" and currently weigh approx 14 stone. However I'm relatively fit and don't carry a lot of fat. If I use a BMI calculator it tells me off and says I'm overweight as my BMI is over 25! At the gym though they have a proper body fat analyser and that gives me a BMI of 19.

BMI is a mathematical calculation, simply your weight squared divided by height so can't vary in results.

Fat analysers work on a percentage of body fat, and give you an accurate idea of how much fat you have and is expressed as a percentage of your overall weight.