From Cyclo Cross Bike to Road Bike

Chins
Chins Posts: 2
edited September 2013 in Road buying advice
First post so please be gentle. Not been doing huge amounts of riding, but over the past couple of months have upped my game!

Its a 3 years old, but have been riding one of these.

http://www.marin.co.uk/2011/bikepage.php?ModNo=11TO

Its obviously not the lightest and the only change I have made to it is to change the tyres to a slimmer version.
I wont win any awards in the weight stake at just over 90kg, but I am thinking of changing my bike to a proper road bike.

Current thoughts are this

http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant_defy_composite_0.html

I will keep using my Marin over the worst of the winter months.

Located in the Chilterns so a few hills to keep me busy. I do need the lowest gears at some point so a little concerned about moving to a compact, however as the Marin has 30/26 and the Giant a 34/28 will I notice a real difference in climbing ability. Hoping the weight saving of the bike will help (even with my excess weight)

Looking at the electronic gears as I wont win an award for bike maintenance! Adjusting cables is not really my scene or skill (need to do a course on maintenance at some point). Any negatives going electronic for someone like me and if I wanted to change the chainset/cassette on an electronic bike is that easy?

Sorry for any stupid questions and lack of search skills

Jonathan

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    The difference in weight for you and the bike is something like 2-3% overall, so don't expect to see dramatic differences in your performance. I'd also be wary of the Giant's wheels and tyres - low spoke count, radial built front wheels don't take kindly to heavy riders and rough surfaces - the skinnier tyres will probably mean lots of impact punctures too. Why don't you look at some lighter wheels for your Marin?
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • mattrixdesign2
    mattrixdesign2 Posts: 644
    Cyclo Cross bikes are sturdy, versatile and arguably more suited to our British Roads/Weather.

    I would keep the CX, have 1 super light wheels/skinny tyres for fast road only rides, and some more heavy duty wheels/tyres for mixing it up.

    Currently I am running a road bike (Allez), CX (2nd hand TriCross) and MTB (Cube)... If I was buying new now I would get a very high spec CX with discs (rather than 2 or 3 bikes!).

    Loving my recent CX purchase, nowt like commuting to work on and off road!!!
  • gimpl
    gimpl Posts: 269
    I have a composite 1 with the same wheels and I'm 98kg - it's an awesome bike and I cycle down to the Chilterns too so no real road worries. The only thing I changed sharpish was the tyres, dreadful IMO.

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