New commuter in Sheffield needing advice

mattbosten

Hello BikeRadar Commuter Community!

Recently decided I wanted to get fitter and a big part of that would be replacing my current train ride to/from work into a bike ride. Live in the centre of Sheffield and work in Chapeltown (S35), roughly 10 miles each way.

Did a test ride using a rented bike from Russell's Bike shed at Sheffield (On a Marin Fairfax SC2 I believe). Whilst I was absolutely knackered after doing the twenty miles round trip, I put this mainly down to my lack of fitness (I do the occasional hike in the peaks but at a very leisurely pace)!

Now to my question; I've been looking at bikes but have been really struggling as to what I should buy/what I should be looking at. From my test ride my main priorities are a bike that doesn't require me to sit in the 'racer' position (Just find it really uncomfortable) and must have a comfortable saddle! I would also like it to be as low maintenance as possible but be able to use it for the daily commute (Eventually) and the occasional weekend leisure ride. Budget is around £7-800 and if it's possible to get it as part of the cycle scheme (cyclescheme.co.uk) it'd be a bonus. Would also like it to have mudguards and a rear rack.

After looking around a fair bit the current favourite is the Gazelle Chamonix C7 (From Cycle Heaven in York). On my holidays last year did a bit of cycling in Munich and Berlin and absolutely love the European style city bikes, but not sure how practical it'd be around Sheffield.
Does anyone ride this kind of hybrid in hilly areas?
Any alternative suggestions?

Many thanks!

imatfaal

That is a seriously chunky bike - most of the time for first bikes on a budget posters are told not to worry about a few grammes here or there but that is a good twice as heavy as my hybrid that I paid the same sort of money for (Whyte Cambridge 9.5kg) .

Some of the hills around Sheffield are pretty epic for the UK - and that gearing might not be the best either. Halfords and Decathlon will do Hybrids and Road bikes for that price range with a full range of gears, a big chunk off the weight, standard parts, although maybe not as pretty - it is a fun looking bike.

You could even get disc brakes - which in wet and hilly riding (this is Sheffield) would come in handy especially for a beginner.

I wouldn't shell out yet - get some test rides on some road bikes and hybrids first; make sure you take in a few hills and simulate your commute incl carrying the bike if you will normally have to (I go up 6 flights of stairs with mine)

Sleeper Service

I agree with imatfaal. In all honesty you'll end up regretting buying an overly heavy commuter, and there are plenty of hybrids out there that fall into the flat bar road bike category rather than that of a clumsy tank.

I use a cheap as chips Carrera Subway for a 7 mile each way commute, because it's virtually bombproof, especially with M+ tyres, and that's heavy enough. For more pleasant commuting (there's a longer 20 mile each way route) I have a Boardman Hybrid Team, which could be fitted out with guards, a rack, and panniers if I wanted to, although I usually just use a rucksack.

mattbosten

Thanks for the responses, definitely gives me something to think about.

I was wondering about the weight issue after initially humming and hawing between the Gazelle Chamonix C7 and a Pashley Roadster Soveriegn. What is a reasonable limit to be setting for myself? Was thinking around 14/15kg?

Definitely like the look of the Boardman. A couple of Genesis bikes have also caught my eye (The Smithfield and the Tour De Fer 10). Looks like I'll be doing a fair few test rides, just need to find some hills closer to home, not that that'll be an issue in Sheffield!

Sleeper Service

For me, the Subway is about as heavy as I'd want to go. That said, with the mudgards, rack and paniers, it's probably kicking in about the 15kg mark.

If you like the Dutch style bikes then something like a Cube Touring might interest you:

http://www.cube.eu/uk/products/trekking ... asy-entry/

It's 16kg, but has guards and a rack and a pretty good spec for £600.

ugo.santalucia

City bikes like that are OK to go around Amsterdam and Copenhagen... short distances, flat urban areas. Sheffield is built on 7 hills, just like Rome and it's anything but flat. 10 miles on one of those can be a very long way indeed.

Get a hybrid, like a Specialized Sirrus or similar

supersonic

A small world - I live in Chapeltown, and used to do a bit of work for Russell at his bike shed at the station.

I agree with the others, a more road oriented bike will be a better bet. Your budget should get comfortably under 10kg (bare).

There is a very flat route from the town centre to Chapeltown which bypasses the hills. If you get on the Five Weirs Walk it takes you straight to Meadowhall. Then from Meadowhall jump on the NCN/TPT at the Travelodge or train station carpark and it takes you all the way to Chapeltown (via Smithy Wood business park) and bring you out in the park. 8 miles. Or you can go on the roads via similar direction which is quicker as you don't have to mess about with those narrow gate things on the paths.

mattbosten

It is indeed Supersonic! I did actually find that route, unfortunately for me it wasn't until the return leg of my Sunday ride!
After getting through the rougher parts of the route by Chapeltown it was smooth sailing down the cycle path.

Thanks for all the advice guys; have now built up a list of bikes to test ride. For those who're interested (In no particular order):
B'Twin Triban 520 Flat bar Road Bike - SORA - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520-f ... 22799.html
B'Twin Triban 540 Flat bar Road Bike - TIAGRA - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-f ... 22798.html
Planet X Kaffenback SRAM Apex Road Bike - http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXKAFFAP ... -road-bike
Cannondale Quick Spped 2 Disc - https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale- ... e-EV239434
BMC Alpenchallenge AC02 Alivio 2016 Hybrid Bike - https://www.evanscycles.com/bmc-alpench ... e-EV237618
Planet X London Road SRAM Rival 11 - http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIV ... al-11-bike
Genesis Tour De Fer - https://www.evanscycles.com/genesis-tou ... e-EV258271
Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc 2016 Hybrid Bike - https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized ... e-EV212228
Genesis Smithfield - http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/urb ... smithfield
Charge Grater 3 2016 Hybrid Bike - https://www.evanscycles.com/charge-grat ... e-EV240651
Giant Fastroad SLR - http://www.giant-sheffield.co.uk/en-gb/ ... 977/90523/

imatfaal

Matt - aren't Kinesis bikes just around the corner from you? Maybe a little pricier - but really cracking machines

RobinB2

As per the other posts, Sheffield is more hilly than the average city so what would normally be considered a reasonable commuter bike may not be suitable

I commute in and out of the city centre every day on a Genesis Equilibrium which probably comes in at somewhere around the 9.5 Kg mark. I wouldn't want to do the journey on anything considerably heavier (well, not the uphill bit anyway!)

Sleeper Service

Having been in your position and having looked at the bikes available (well, the flat bar ones anyway), I bought the Boardman Hybrid Team. For the money I think it's still better than any of the ones you list even in its new Tiagra configuration.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/h ... -team-bike

That said, the Triban 540 is ridiculously good value for money, although I think it can only take up to 28mm tyres if you fit mudguards.