1st post and probably millionth recommend a bike thread :)

ruudwoods

Hi, I’m new to the forum as I’ve only very recently started to give some consideration to cycling to work. There’s a lot of information on here, however, I’m clueless as to what a lot of it means and would appreciate some help.

I’m looking for a suitable bike on quite a tight budget and hoping to pick up some suggestions. I’m thinking between £150-250. Maybe upto £300 at a stretch if I can get something significantly more suited to the job.

Requirements I have are:

Commuting to work 3-5 days per week. 20 mile round trip, primarily on off-road cycle routes which I presume will be mostly unsurfaced/grave (NCN 75 to be precise)

Must have adequate ability to carry a couple of bags as I do weight training before work. This will just be additional clothing, towel, gym trainers, shakers etc, nothing too heavy.

As I will be going to the gym 3 days per week, I’m looking for something that can get me there relatively quickly without going ba**s to the wall. i.e want it to be a low intensity workout where I can hit around 60-70% MHR and not burning into muscle whilst still moving fast. This way I can lift at the gym still fresh without any muscle wastage. So for this I guess the bike would have to be fairly powerful in itself. If I can do each leg of the journey in 45-50 minutes I’ll be very happy.

Hopefully this is enough information to get some good advice.

Thanks

Ruud

godders1

Unfortunately you're not going to get anything particularly light and nippy at that price point. That said you should be able to find something that will get you there, be fairly reliable (as long as you look after it) and be enjoyable to ride.

With your budget I reckon you'd be looking at a hybrid towards the lower end of the range from the likes of Trek, Ridgeback, Dawes etc.

eg:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec001494

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rid ... e-ec032052

Both have mudguards and a rack for luggage (very useful on a commuter) and wide enough tyres to cope with crappy surfaces.

Good luck

clarkey cat

sounds like you need a single speed cyclo-cross bike.

something like this would be ideal
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gen ... 3#features

but you'd have to hunt around for 2nd hand. the classifieds section on this site is a good place to start.

ruudwoods

Thanks for the replies.

Which of the first two would be the quickest? In terms of speed i'm not looking for anything lightning fast just something fast enough to manage the 45-50 min mark. Would either of these cover it?

Also is it a big advantage to have the racks etc already fitted on the bike? I noticed a new specialized sirrus 2011 at the £300 mark online. Would this be a better bike itself and if so would it be costly to fit the racks etc onto it?

In terms of the single speed bike, i'm not too sure how this works? would it be okay for a small distance in city centres? i somehow was under the impression these were difficult to ride however i know very little.

Finally, i know halfords are a bit frowned upon however i see they do bikes around the 160-200 mark such as the Apollo Highway. For what i'm looking for is it definitely better to spend a bit extra cash on those recommended above than to go down this route?

Thanks for all the suggestions

godders1

Either bike would easily be capable of covering 10 miles in 45-50 minutes assuming the person in the saddle is relatively fit. If I had to pick one with speed in mind I'd go for the one with slightly narrower tyres (the Trek). Weight isn't stated for either but I don't imagine there would be much in it.

Pre-fitted stuff tends to work out a bit cheaper plus you don't have to worry about fitting and compatibility/size etc. It needn't be a deal breaker though. Prices vary but a pair of guards would set you back around £25-£30 and probably the same again for a rear rack.

The sirrus looks like a slight step up from the bikes I linked to (better components and rims, probably a bit lighter).

Single speed is an option if your commute is relatively flat.

I hear the carrera bikes in halfords aren't too shabby, don't know about apollo though.

clarkey cat

yea single speed is no problem. i do 20 miles each way on mine.

ruudwoods

Would the carrerra subway be a decent-ish option?

Also the apollo highway is going at 170 in store if you think itd be just as upto the job?

I'd need to look into single speed to see what it actually is. I can't even comment on the roite and whether its flat as i've never been on it. I searched for information on it and all i can find is that its 1 star out of 5 for difficulty

passout

If you go for single speed then consider a Vitus Vee (probably the 29inch wheel version) form Chain Reaction Cycles. Nice rigid S/S MTB for under 300 notes - great value & fun. I'm going to get the 26inch wheeled version soon for my 5 mile commute. Not 100% sure if they have rack mounts but I think so. Personally I'd go for a ruck sack anyway but many others wouldn't agree with this.

Cyclo-cross bikes and tourers are definately worth looking at. In some ways a Dawes touring bike is the most logical answer to your needs & you'll always find one on E-Bay. Not light but flexible, capable of light off road, comes with guards & racks and of course they are designed to carry stuff......more of an efficient tool than a desirable toy - up to you whether that's a good thing or not!

ruudwoods

yes efficient is best.

like i said the most important thing is that it can meet the time that i'm aiming for without really exerting me much beyond a light sweat. I can't go into the gym and do heavy squats etc feeling gassed with sore legs lol.

I've read a few times now about this singlespeed so i'll have to find out exactly what it does and what the benefit of it is.

I do like the idea of cyclocross but will i be able to get any under 300 quid? even used?

Big_Paul

passout wrote:

If you go for single speed then consider a Vitus Vee (probably the 29inch wheel version) form Chain Reaction Cycles. Nice rigid S/S MTB for under 300 notes - great value & fun. I'm going to get the 26inch wheeled version soon for my 5 mile commute. Not 100% sure if they have rack mounts but I think so. Personally I'd go for a ruck sack anyway but many others wouldn't agree with this.

Cyclo-cross bikes and tourers are definitely worth looking at. In some ways a Dawes touring bike is the most logical answer to your needs & you'll always find one on E-Bay. Not light but flexible, capable of light off road, comes with guards & racks and of course they are designed to carry stuff......more of an efficient tool than a desirable toy - up to you whether that's a good thing or not!

The Vitus has rack mounts and guard mounts, I have one for general messing about on, alhough you may need to change the rear sprocket to something a bit smaller as they're quite low geared. Top value for money IMO.

I'd buy something retro off Gumtree for peanuts and spend a few quid making it right, that way you know everything is done.

passout

ruudwoods wrote:

yes efficient is best.

like i said the most important thing is that it can meet the time that i'm aiming for without really exerting me much beyond a light sweat. I can't go into the gym and do heavy squats etc feeling gassed with sore legs lol.

I've read a few times now about this singlespeed so i'll have to find out exactly what it does and what the benefit of it is.

I do like the idea of cyclocross but will i be able to get any under 300 quid? even used?

You have one gear - that's it. A fixie is different as you also have no freewheel. Benefit of either is that your bike can be cheaper, lighter & easier to maintain. A geared bike can be faster & is often better for hills, heavey load or long distance. I thing that single speeds make great commuters in urban environments without too many hills - if you journey is over 10miles each way then I might not choose this option. I quite like fixies for training purposes but personally prefer single speed for commuting.


Have a look on Sheldon Brown's cycling website for more info.

ruudwoods

Thanks guys.

I don't think i'd have a clue how to modify anything lol. I'd much rather just buy something suitable for the job.

So which of these types that's been recommended is the best type for what i need. i.e very low energy expenditure and fairly fast i.e 10 miles in around 45 mins. And with ability to load a bag onto it.

vermin

ruudwoods wrote:

I can't go into the gym and do heavy squats etc feeling gassed with sore legs lol.

I'd say that probably rules out single speed - assuming you have anything resembling a hill on your ride, your legs will feel a lot fresher at the end of it if you have some gears to play with! On a single speed you are stuck with turning over the same gear on the uphills as on the flat and downhill.

I'd prefer a nice old Reynolds steel framed bike that someone has looked after. For the same price you'll get something lighter and with better handling characteristics than a cheap new bike. And, if you choose well, it won't loose value if you choose to sell on/upgrade later.

Good luck either way.

ruudwoods

Yeah, that makes more sense now. I thi k i'd be best to avoid the singlespeed if that is the case.

I've had a bit of a look around and i'm quite liking the specialized bikes around the 300 mark.

Ive seen both the sirrus and crosstrail 2011 versions at that price. Which of these would you recommend for my needs?

Also, from what i've read i seriously like the sound of the tricross. Where would be some good llaces to keep an eye out for some used examples?

passout

You could post on the 'classified - wanted (road)' section on Bike Radar. There's always E-Bay. I had a Tricross once (the now defunct single speed version) and it was a very nice ride with a great frame.

passout

There's also this....
http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... _Bike_2010