Recommendations sought for year round commuter bike

John_1980

Hello All, I wonder if anyone has any advice or ideas on bikes that I could consider for all year round commuting to and from work. My commute is a 20 mile round trip on a mixture of rural and urban roads. Whilst I know that there isn’t any bike out there which would be no maintenance however I’d like it to be as low maintenance as possible. I work long hours have a toddler plus another baby on the way and so whilst I’d love to spend plenty of time maintaining my bike being realistic my prospect of finding lots of time for maintenance is not an option.

I’d like to make use of the cycle to work scheme and so keeping the budget under £1,000 is a must. I do have a list of things that I’d love to have on a bike and there are a few bikes which meet some of my requirements plus one which meets all of them but isn’t available to buy in the UK.

Because I’ll be commuting all year around in all conditions, whatever the weather, my dream wish list for a bike would include the following. Now I know that I could buy a bike without any of these things and buy most if not all of these things separately but if I could buy a bike with everything already fitted then that would be great.

Mudguards;
Pannier Rack;
Internal hub gears;
Dynamo hub;
Dynamo lights;
Disc brakes;
and if possible a Gates Carbon Belt Drive.

Now I’ve found a bike that ticks all of the above boxes and would be perfect for me. It’s the Breezer Beltway Elite:-

http://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes/details/beltway-elite

Unfortunately it doesn’t appear that Breezer bikes aren’t sold in the UK. There is a distributor who will import it from Germany but if I did that it would not be possible to use the Cycle to Work Scheme. On this point in an ideal world I’d like to be able to buy a bike from a local bike shop which is also why I’m not keen on importing a bike.

When searching for bikes that fit my dream wish list I there is one bike I’ve found from a British company and I’d love to support a British bike company however this bike is way over my budget. Looking at the specs the Milk Bikes RDA would potentially make a great low maintenance commuter however as mentioned unfortunately it’s more than I can afford:-

http://www.milkbikes.com/rda/8-rda-the-commuter.html

The Focus Wasgo 3.0 ticks quite a lot of boxes however I would much prefer disc brakes and so it doesn’t tick as many boxes as the Breezer Beltway Elite.

http://www.focus-bikes.com/gb/en/bikes/2014/trekking/wasgo/wasgo-tr-30.html

Looking at other bikes in the Focus range there is the Planet 2.0 which has disc brakes and the Gates Carbon Belt Drive but there’s no of the features that I see as essential for all year around commuting such as mudguards and a rack. In addition with no dynamo I’d need to get the wheel rebuilt with a dynamo hub.

http://www.focus-bikes.com/gb/en/bikes/2014/urban/planeturban/planet-20.html

However if I did go down the road of taking a more basic bike and having to add all of the commuter kit then there is the Roux Carbon Drive A8 but as with the Focus Planet 2.0 I’d be having to add the mudguards, rack, dynamo, dynamo lights etc.

http://rouxbikes.co.uk/shop/carbon-drive-a8/

At the moment I’d be grateful for any advice suggestions from people who can recommend bikes for commuting, from anyone who has had any of the bikes above and can say anything about them or from anyone who has alternative commuter bikes that they could suggest that I look at. As mentioned above from looking at the specs the Breezer Beltway Elite matches all of my requirements but I’m left really frustrated because I can’t buy it from a bike shop in the UK and it seems a difficult task to find anything similar at under £1,000

Thanks to anyone who can offer any thoughts and advice!

John

alan_sherman

I do 7.5 miles each way most days, year round. I'd say that your list is good, but the hub gear and gates drive are not essential.

Mudguards, rack and dynamo lighting are great and I wouldn't' go without. But I find my derailleur gears run ok for ages as long as I slather grease over the chain to keep the lube in when wet. The chain and cogs get really black, but I'm not riding off road so there is little dust / grit / sand causing problems - it is just aesthetic.

I think Trek used to do a Soho model which may be suitable, maybe have a search.

Sadly I think bikes with all your criteria are going to be really heavy, so I'll follow the thread with interest to see what other suggestions come up.

craker

I'm a year round commuter covering similar distances - what kind of terrain are you cycling through? How much gear do you need to carry?

I imagine the 'right' bike is pretty personal - I tend to commute on a single speed road bike with (or without) a rucksack, in Winter lights are attached to a saddle bag at the back and are battery operated at the front. Gives me the option of swapping them onto another bike. I tend to use it in preference to an 18 speed racked and mudguarded road bike which is just not as much fun to commute on.

My SS bike is fast and simple (and cheap), it doesn't tick many of the must haves you've got though.

Edit - Just had a look at your dream bike



Just looks quite slow to me.

You don't say how strong / experienced a rider you are. For riding on roads I'd always go for a road bike though there are some avowed hybrid supporters here.

MichaelW

Alfine is a good low maintenance option for rolling terrain but not steep hills.
Drop bar integration is a bit iffy. Consider flats or trekking bar.

Modern bb units are not low maintenance like old ST cartridges.

Consider chain tensioning arrangement and rear brake location.



Gates Carbon Belt Drive is a really good option, and ponies are really pretty. I want both.

I think you will have to build your own.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FROOPO135/ ... mine-frame

Revolution Shadow. FAIL:No rack/guard clearance or fittings.

Avanit Inc 2

John_1980

Hi Alan, Craker & Michael,

Thanks for the replies and for your advice!

Your advice is much appreciated and I do know that I'll have to be realistic and compromise with some of my wish list. In terms of experience I've been riding for nearly 30 years now and I've always cycled a lot ever since I was a kid. However my cycling, as well as being used in preference over a car for any shorter journeys, has always been predominantly for my own enjoyment such as long rides over the weekend. However the opportunity for long rides seems a bit of a distant thing of the past with a young family at the moment but something I hope to get back to in the future. At the present time, having recently moved house, this will be the first time that I've ever commuted to work by cycling as in the past I used the train & then walked what was only a very short distance to work at the other end.

The part of the country that I live in is very flat which is why I'm not too worried about having a huge gear ratio. However some of the roads that I ride along on the way to work aren't too great and are full of potholes and lots of raised road furniture which isn't always possible to avoid. My commuting will all be on tarmac however on some occasions I'll use the bike for rides on dirt track and off road cycle paths when on family rides. In the future I'm also hopping to get a trailer to tow our children as well as use for shopping when I've not got children with me.

I've only ever had three bikes so far having had two Raleigh mountain bikes when I was younger, the second of which I got when I grew out of the first one and I still have. The bike that I currently use to commute on is a Trek 7.1 FX which is about 7 or 8 years old. I bought it secondhand from a friend who emigrated and he'd used the bike as a daily commuter over about 3 or 4 years through all weathers. Now I'm not doing my friend a disservice here because he'd freely admit that he had no interest in maintaining the bike whatsoever. The bike was never cleaned even after traveling on salty roads and it was stored outside and so the bike has seen better days. It gets me from A to B absolutely fine but now that I'm commuting by bike everyday I'd like to make use of the cycle scheme to be able to get a bike which suits my riding needs a bit better. For example the bike that I bought from my friend isn't the ideal size for me because he's a fair bit taller than me.

I'm not afraid of a bit of maintenance and on the Trek I've changed the cassette, chain and all of the cables on the bike. Also I don't mind maintaining derailleur gears but it's just that with a young family & a job with long hours there never seems like enough time in the day for just the essentials let alone keeping on top of bike maintenance. The three bikes that I've had have all had derailleur gears but my wife has a hub geared bike and I really like it. Given that we live in a flat part of the country the smaller gear ratio doesn't worry me and the prospect of slightly less maintenance appeals.

In terms of what gear I commute with I've been cycling to work daily for just over a month now and so far I've managed it with just a rack top bag. In the middle of winter I may have to carry a few more things with me but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can continue to use just the rack top bag that I have without having to buy larger pannier bags.

With respect to bike weight I've not carried out the most scientific test but using home scales with me standing on the scales with and without holding the Trek bike I estimate that it weighed about 14kg. In terms of the Trek bike that I have the weight doesn't actually bother me and with whatever bike that I buy I'm not going to be racing it or trying to keep up with any big groups so being light weight isn't high on my priority list. I'd happily consider a steel framed bike if it had the right specs and suited my other requirements.

Thanks for your bike recommendations and I'm going to take a look at all of them plus keep in mind that whatever I go for I may have to either accept that the bike doesn't have everything that I want, or go down the route of adding things to whatever I buy or building a bike myself but I've never attempted that before so I'm not sure where to start.

Whatever I end up buying I'm looking forward to it because riding the Trek that isn't the right size for me isn't ideal. Plus having started commuting I've realised that over my entire route I only use about 3 of the Trek's gears so most of what is available to me is completely wasted. At the same time a bike with the convenience of always having dynamo lights ready for me use with no need to worry about charging lights or batteries really appeals. I just wish that there were more bikes available in UK shops with dynamo lighting options because having searched local bikes shops they're a rare or non existent thing. It seems like cycle commuters in places like the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark have far more choice than we do here in the UK.

Thanks again for all of your thoughts & advice and in advance to anyone else who has tips or ideas for bikes to consider.

John

joelsim

Why do you want a dynamo light? Just get USB rechargeable ones and plug them in every few days.

John_1980

Hi Joelsim,

Thanks for your message and I appreciate that there are tonnes of absolutely fantastic rechargeable battery powered LED lights out there which are absolutely great in terms of their light output and power etc.. I appreciate that everyone will have their preference and for most people battery powered rechargeable lights will probably be their preference and be the ideal solution as for example you can switch them between bikes, you can take them with you when parked so they hopefully don't get stolen and I'm sure that there are many other reasons that other people could add.

For me because I'm going to be getting a new bike and given that it will be an everyday commuter I'd like to try something different having only used battery lights in the past. I know that in the past there were lots of negative opinions about dynamo lights and view on the old halogen bulbs and some bottles dynamos that stubbled in certain weather conditions. However as far as I can tell from reading some reviews LED lights (whether battery powered or dynamo powered) LED lights are getting better all of the time as LED technology improves. So as well as improvements to battery lights LED technology seems to have brought significant gains to dynamo lighting options as well.

Given that some of my commuting route is on unlit rural roads meaning that I need lights to see with, not just to be seen as can be the case in well lit urban areas, I don't want to run the risk of the rechargeable battery running out at the wrong time. I appreciate that there are arguments about drag with dynamo lighting but I'm not going to be racing anyone or trying to set any speed records whilst on my way to work. I just want a reliable practical bike to commute on. To me there seems a certain element of conveneinec in respect of dynamo lights what with not having to constantly having to take them off the bike to charge them and remember to put them back on before setting off.

There are literally thousands of websites and reviews etc. when it comes to lights but for me I found some of the advice on this website really useful and I thought that I'd post a link just in case anyone else wanted to read some thoughts of dynamo lighting solutions.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/plight.asp
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

I appreciate that dynamo lighting solutions won't be for everyone but I would like to give it a chance on my next bike.

Thanks and hope that everyone has a good weekend.

John

mudslinger

I'm on the lookout for a new winter commuter bike but my criteria is simpler than yours. My requirements are mudguards, disc brakes, rack mounts.

I currently use my nice road bike when the conditions are good, singlespeed roadbike, 650B MTB (fun commute) & an old MTB with rigid fork & slicks. My nice road bike will be going on the turbo for the winter soon. I have been given a 25 year old steel road bike with guards that I can use when weather is bad but I'd still like a disc equipped road bike.

My singlespeed bike (Langster) is a great winter bike in that I don't have to worry about maintenance. I really enjoy riding it & it is amazing how you can manage without gears. However there are some hills that I can't manage e.g. Ditchling Beacon.

I use 4 lights when I commute & they are all USB re-chargeable. They need to be good as I sometimes commute off-road in complete darkness. I charge them once a week sometimes more often either at home or at work.

I don't think you are going to find a bike that meets all your criteria & is available on the C2W scheme so you will need to compromise. I think you need to decide what is more important to you & take it from there.

Genesis used to have a hub bike (CdF?), Planet X have recently released the London Road bike. Maybe consider a cyclocross bike?

djp66

mudslinger wrote:

I'm on the lookout for a new winter commuter bike but my criteria is simpler than yours. My requirements are mudguards, disc brakes, rack mounts.

Maybe consider a cyclocross bike?

Similar to what I was thinking but mine would be for winter training and a bit of light touring. I've just taken delivery of a Rose Crosser - see http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40114&t=12984831#p19105146

John_1980

Hi mudslinger and djp66,

Thanks for your tips and advice on bike options.

I'll definitely consider a cyclocross bike and also tacking your tip of Genesis the Day One Alfine 8 looks very nice if I could save/wait longer and stretch to that with the need to buy mudguards plus rack, lights etc.
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/urban-cross/day-one-alfine-8

I'll also take a look at the Planet X bikes.

The Rose bike also looks very smart indeed and I'll add that to the list to consider. At this stage I am considering lots of different options including drop bars, flat bars, cx, road or more urban bike oriented. I'm trying to have truly different options on my list so that I have a variety of bikes on my shortlist and then I'm going to be trying to seek out as many of the bikes in local bikes shops as I can find so I can try out the different types of bikes to see which one I think will be right for me a my commute.

Two of the bikes on my shortlist are admittedly quote different from the cx bikes mentioned today and are of a much more relaxed urban type style and are probably much heavier. However if doing a head to head with two bikes from my shortlist does anybody have any thoughts on the pros & cons of these two bikes?

The Cube Travel SL RF:-
http://www.cube.eu/uk/bikes/tour/travel/cube-travel-sl-rf-anthrazit-green-2015/

Versus the VSF Fahrrad Manufaktur T500
http://blog.chrisbikes.co.uk/2014/02/vsf-fahrrad-manufaktur-t500-alfine-8.html
The following link is the manufacturers German website and so apologies because I can't speak German and so I can't figure out everything on the site but I think that I can get the general idea of the bike spec. I'm hoping that I can ignore the fact that they've used a photo of a step through frame because on the Chris Bikes blog the photo of the T500 does not have a step through frame.

http://www.fahrradmanufaktur.de/katalog/trekking?product_id=673

Head to head specifications:-

Frame: Cube = Aluminium vs. T500 = Steel
Brakes: Cube = Shimano BR-M355 Hydr Disc Brake vs. T500 = Shimano BR-T4000 V-Brake
Gears (both internal hubs): Cube = Shimano Alfine SG-S7000 8 speed vs. T500 = Shimano Alfine 8 speed
Tyres: Cube = Schwalbe Marathon Supreme Kevlar 42x622 vs. T500 = Schwalbe Marathon Racer 35x622
Front light (both dynamo lights F&R): Cube = Busch & Muller Eyc T Senso Plus vs. Busch & Muller Lumotec Lyt Plus. *
Rear light: Cube = Busch & Muller Toplight View Plus vs. T500 = Busch & Muller Toplight Flat Plus
Front Hub: Cube = Shimano XT DH-T785 vs. T500 = Shimano DH-3N72 **
Weight: Cube = 13.9 kg vs. T500 = 14.8 kg ***
Price: I'm not certain but from what I can find it's Cube = £850 vs. T500 £899

* Regarding the front light looking at the beam patterns on the website link below the Cube's B&M Eyc light looks a lot better than the B&M Lyt on the T500. Also looking online at various shops the B&M Eyc is a more expensive light that the B&M Lyt.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

** Not that I'm an expert on dynamo hubs but looking on various websites the Cube's XT DH-T785 hub dynamo is more expensive that the T500's dynamo.

*** There's 1 kg difference between the two bikes and I know that neither is a lightweight but having a lightweight bike is not high on my priority list and so the 1kg difference is not a big factor to me. A long term, reliable and sturdy commuter is the priority which has the longevity to withstand many years commuting if looked after.


I'm not an expert in components but to me the quality of components fitted to the Cube bike seem to be better. Furthermore the Cube has disc brakes as opposed to V-Brakes on the T500. As well as the brakes being a clear difference the big difference seems to be what the frame is made of with the Cube having an aluminium frame whereas the T500 has a steel frame.

I wondered if anybody has any thoughts on what they might feel is the better of the two bikes. I'm wondering if despite the fact that it appears that the Cube has the better components for the money the fact that the T500 has a steel frame would mean that in terms of longevity that would be the bike to go for given the year around all weathers commuting that I'll be doing?

As I mentioned these aren't the only two bikes on my short list but I'm just trying to ensure that I have a variety of genuinely different bikes on my short list but with these two they are seemingly quite similar to one another and so I'm interested in any thoughts that anyone has on the pros & cons of comparing these two.

Thanks to anyone in advance for any thoughts!

John

cookeeemonster

djp66 wrote:

mudslinger wrote:

I'm on the lookout for a new winter commuter bike but my criteria is simpler than yours. My requirements are mudguards, disc brakes, rack mounts.

Maybe consider a cyclocross bike?

Similar to what I was thinking but mine would be for winter training and a bit of light touring. I've just taken delivery of a Rose Crosser - see http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40114&t=12984831#p19105146

Will be pulling the trigger on one of the new ones (2015) very soon...amazing price for the spec, and I'm assuming you're pretty pleased with it? It's gonna be my all weather commuting and best summer bike all rolled into one

Most important question - how bad is the white to keep clean?

djp66

CookeeeMonster wrote:

Most important question - how bad is the white to keep clean?

Don't know, the weather has been great since I took delivery. However, with the internal cable routing and generous clearances it shouldn't be difficult. My 'best' bike is also white and keeping that clean hasn't been an issue.

And if you think about it, if it looks dirty you'll be motivated to wash it and probably do those post ride maintenance/servicing things you should probably be doing as well ( but we don't )