Roux Carbon Drive for commuting?

Silvercloud
Silvercloud Posts: 10
edited April 2013 in Commuting general
I am considering buying this for my 12 mile commute to work every day

full60725.jpg

What I need is essentially a cycle for roads but with some ability to do a small section of canal towpath.

I tried out various mountain bikes and hybrids and this seems to be the nicest ride and is quite nippy. The front suspension takes the edge of bumps and potholes and the internal hub gearing is good for the stop-start nature of commuting rides. I know nothing about belt drive bikes but it certainly seemed quiet to ride.

Any opinions, thoughts on this? Any alternatives I should consider?

Comments

  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    Check that it has full fittings for rear bolt-on rack and f/r mudguards.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Interesting fork. How would it compare with a rigid MTB fork?

    Maybe a little heavier than thin steel and a more damping than a carbon fork but twice the weight.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • Silvercloud
    Silvercloud Posts: 10
    Initialised wrote:
    Interesting fork. How would it compare with a rigid MTB fork?

    Maybe a little heavier than thin steel and a more damping than a carbon fork but twice the weight.

    Details here...
    http://bicycledesign.net/2010/10/sr-suntour-swing-shock/

    Compared to the Specialized Crosstrail i tried (also a lovely bike to ride), the Roux felt faster
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    edited April 2013
    Yes, I looked at that and the 1300g looked too good to be true. Listings for the fork state 1570g

    Swing shock = 1570g
    100mm MTB fork = 1500g - 2400g
    CroMo = 1200g
    7005 = 650g
    Carbon = 450g

    Carbon and Chromoly are going to provide similar damping performance for most of the knocks you'd put a bike through in urban riding and an equivalent priced MTB fork will offer much more travel and versatility for similar weight. When I looked this up I was expecting a much bigger weight saving over a conventional MTB fork.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    How much is it?

    Personally I'd rather go for the scott sub 10 £999 belt drive, rigids, hydraulic discs. It'll take mudguards and a rack the only missing thing is a hub dynamo.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • Silvercloud
    Silvercloud Posts: 10
    I'm now considering this...

    the Specialized Sirrus Comp Disc 2013 Hybrid Bike

    specialized-sirrus-comp-disc-2013-hybrid-bike.jpg

    It is lighter, has a wider range of gears, has disc brakes and mudguards can easily be fitted. On the down side, I will lose the "no maintenance" aspect of having hub gears and a belt drive instead of a chain as well as the suspension fork.

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