Cyclocross vs Hybrid for New Commuter

sjsharks

I'm looking to get a bike for commuting about 8 miles each way throughout the year. I'm late 20s, average height/weight (5'10" and about 11.5 stone) and able to run a 10k, but recovering from a knee injury that's stopped me running since December. I was hoping to use cycling as a low impact way of strengthening that knee whilst still maintaining my fitness.

I've planned out a route in south Manchester that mostly uses a dedicated cycle path with some country lanes, residential roads, a short cut through a park and a small mud path section. The route is mostly from Simonsway in Wythenshawe on Route 85 to Heald Green then on Route 558 to Councillor Lane in Cheadle (if anyone has any tips round there, it'd be much appreciated! Maps available here).

I've narrowed it down to 4 bikes (2 hybrid and 2 cyclocross because of the mixed surfaces), which would you have? I'm looking for something that can do all-weather, all-year and hopefully bombproof whilst light on maintenance. Because I'm going to go through the C2W scheme (Cyclescheme), my budget is £1000 all-in (bike, helmet, shoes, mudguards, lights etc) so probably around £700 on the bike.

Pinnacle Arkose One: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec071305
Fuji Tread 1.3: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuj ... e-ec069180

Hoy Shizuoka .003: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/hoy ... e-ec051520
Fuji Absolute 1.1: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuj ... e-ec072782

Obviously I'll try each to make sure I like them and properly pick between flat and drop bar. I've not rode a bike since I was a teenager so it's going to take me a bit to get into it. Not looking forward to falling off at the bike shop trying them out

monkimark

It's pretty much down to which you're more comfortable with - the flat bar bikes will have slightly more powerful brakes that should need slightly less regular maintenance but the drop bar brakes will stop you fine (I have cable operated discs on my cyclocross bike and don't find them lacking at all) and adjusting them is very simple when you know which bit to turn. Drop bar is a slightly more aerodynamic position (not a great concern for your short commute by the sounds of it) and could be easily used for 'proper' road riding if that takes your fancy later.

I'd just decide which handlebar, position and gear shifting/braking arrangement you like best and go with that one.

markhewitt1978

As said there isn't a massive difference between the two for the purpose you're going to put it to. The ones you've posted will be pretty much equally capable over those sorts of surfaces.

Personally I would take the CX but that is solely and purely because I'm used to drop bars from my road bike. Whereas there is an argument for using straight bars for a commuter bike where a more upright position and easy brake access is probably more important.

All the bikes you've posted are going to be good. The only slight advantage with the CX is that you can change the tyres to narrower slicks and you've pretty much got a decent road bike, whereas the with the hybrid it's still going to always be a hybrid.

stu-bim

Essentially, both are hybrids but each from either end. Soft mountain bike - tough road bike

I had the same choice a couple of years ago and went with the CX.

Delighted with as it is really a tough road bike so you get best of both worlds.

Get used to the handling comes quick enough too.

schlepcycling

You might want to check out the Whyte range of road/commuter bikes, the Dorset gets a great review but it would take all your £1000 budget http://whyte.bike/gb/models/commuterroad/

tangled_metal

Whyte Sussex or Suffolk too, one is £800.Also their hybrids are nice too. Locking skewers too

roger_merriman

apart from commuting, what else do you think you might do? that might be worth thinking about,

All four bikes are very close, almost identical weight all around the 11KG mark.

should note those hybrids are flar bar road bikes rather than slicked up MTB, they are fitted with 25/28mm tyres and looking at the photo and the clearance they wouldn't fit much wider. they do have better brakes, hydraulics all things being equal are more powerful, better modulation/feel and self adjust etc.

The CX bikes oddly would be likely be better off road, simply due to clearance for wider tyres, they have cable disks so no self adjusting etc.

I'd be tempted to go for the CX since it is a more of a do it all bike, but that rather depends what you plan on doing, bar the commute.

sjsharks

Thanks everyone!

As most people above, I was leaning towards the CX bikes because if I get into it I might start riding at the weekends (there's a large group ride that goes past my house every Sunday morning that I used to see whilst out on a run) and I think the CX would be better suited to that. There's also a bit more versatility in that they can take up to 35c tyres whilst still swapping for others if I need to.

I'll try the hybrids first then to make sure I can actually still ride without falling off, then try the CX bikes once I'm a bit more confident.

I did look at the Whyte bikes but they were a bit out of budget. I need to get a good set of lights because of the off-road and country lanes sections and by the time you add helmet, mudguards, shoes, shorts, gloves, spares, tools and probably upgraded pedals (looking at Shimano A530 for versatility at an affordable price) I'd be way over budget.

tangled_metal

A shop near me sold some Whyte hybrids from about £500 I think. The Fairfield IIRC.