Would you, or do you own a hybrid?

Boy Lard

I built a flat bar road bike for commuting/shopping/going bowling on and I now prefer it to my road bike. It was my old mtb frame (Trek 6000) I put some rigid steel forks on it and used lots of old bits I had lying about. I did have to buy some new chain rings (32-48). 25mm tyres, road rims on mtb hubs with disc brakes. Fair enough it is heavy, but I find I have so much more confidence descending, but also climbing out of the saddle. I've done a couple of 40 mile rides on it and it seems more comfortable than my road bike. I wish I had the money and knowledge to build a bike like this but to weigh the same as my road bike.

polska1979

I've been commuting on my boardman team hybrid for a few years now, its a great bike. Done over 3000 miles on it

Really handles the daily grind well, I've just treated myself to a boardman team carbon road bike for the weekends, I know that halfords get a bit of stick for sh1te service but the boardman bikes are tip top.

I'm not sure I will be commuting on the road bike unless its glorious weather, whats the point. The wife doesnt understand why I need 2 bikes, but the hybrid is the workhorse - for winter training, commuting and strapping the kids to in the summer for rides down the canal

You can get some great bargains on ebay - get a boardman hybrid

kleinstroker

I just sold a Giant Rapid and it seemed like the ideal compromise between fast road with drop handlebars and hybrid. The geometry seemed to me to be very similar to the Giant Defy and was very light and fun to ride, a fitness bike rather than stock hybrid. Worth a look anyway.

andy46

The Boardman and the Giant Rapid and Giant FSR's have caught my eye on eBay and I'm keeping an eye out for something like this. There was a lovely Giant on there the other day in really good condition and with good mudguards and lights but unfortunately was the wrong size.

polska1979 is your Boardman the current frame or the older type? The new type Comp's are going for not much less than brand new! Very popular on eBay.

andy46

I'm eyeing up a rather nice looking cyclocross bike on eBay as well as others, do these make good commuters?

It only has cantilever brakes though, no discs.

indysmith

Steel CX bike with Conti GP 4-Seasons and SKS Chromoplastic mudguards.

andy46

Sorry for bumping this up again but I'm so annoyed!

Went to work on the mtb again yesterday as it was wet here, and someone has tampered with it again. I check everything now before I set off and I could see by my shifters (mine have indicators on the mtb) that the gears had been clicked all the way to the highest and the front was shifted to the granny ring position.

Not only this but there was a big blue thumbprint (I work in a print factory) on the top tube of the frame, which is white! Thankfully I've got this off and it hasn't stained.

I can't blame the original lad in question as he wasn't even at work. Maybe time to have a word with the boss although to be honest I don't really want to.

I wouldn't care, there's only around 30 of us work there :roll:

Boy Lard

Dude, if someone was messing with my bike like that there would be some serious consequences. Park your bike by your desk/press/mac (I don't know what you do in the printers). If anyone complains tell them to get the cnut messing with your bike to stop and you'll move it.

I work in a similarly sized printers, but in pre-press. Lots of useful chemicals, I find a mix of IPA and blanket wash is superb for cleaning chains, casette, etc. Normally plenty of (lithium?) grease as well, good for packing bearings and such. IPA also good for cleaning brake discs.

Garry71

I think you should tell the boss about your bike being tampered with. If it was someone's car brakes/wheels being messed with, the police would probably be called in.
Bike or car, the point is it is your transport for getting to work, so impress that upon him.

A bloke at work was playing with the gear levers on my bike, so I asked him for his car keys so that I could mash his gear stick around with the clutch pedal out. He didn't like the idea, and left the bike alone after that. Some people see a bike and like to squeeze the brakes etc, they don't realize it's someone's transport, the same as a car.

In your case, it looks malicious, so tell the boss.

Gizmo_

Garry71 wrote:

I think you should tell the boss about your bike being tampered with. If it was someone's car brakes/wheels being messed with, the police would probably be called in.
Bike or car, the point is it is your transport for getting to work, so impress that upon him.

A bloke at work was playing with the gear levers on my bike, so I asked him for his car keys so that I could mash his gear stick around with the clutch pedal out. He didn't like the idea, and left the bike alone after that. Some people see a bike and like to squeeze the brakes etc, they don't realize it's someone's transport, the same as a car.

In your case, it looks malicious, so tell the boss.

Agreed. Interfering with the personal property of a colleague is probably a discplinary offence.

Unless it's the boss doing it, in which case leave and sue for constructive dismissal.

1_reaper

Have a Scott Sub 30 with Shwalbe marathons, full mudguards and flat pedals as my work hack. Does the job in all weathers

dw300

Tell the guy you've seen the funny side of it, joke that he should check his brake lines before he goes home and wink at him. Pour a small amount of brake fluid on the ground under his car before you do.