Is a BMC Teammachine overkill for daily commute?

itsikhefez

Hi there,

I commute daily 6.5km each direction (one direction is steep uphill, the opposite downhill obviously).
Two times a week I add about 20km in one direction, and I ride about 50km on the weekend.
My ex-current bike (Kona alloy frame / Tiagra) got stolen and I'm getting some money from the insurance.

My dream bike in my budget for the long weekend rides is a BMC Teammachine SLR03 105 or a Focus Cayo 105.
Though the bike will also be used daily for my commute, so I'm wondering if there can be any potential issues with a Carbon bike?
I dont need racks, I carry everything in my backpack, and I can bring my bike into the office.
I also prefer not to have 2 bikes, one for commute and one for weekend. (No room for it)

Similar but aluminum options can be the Teammachine ALR01 or Granfondo GF02.

What do you guys think?

The Rookie

Everyone knows that carbon dissolves when it rains.....seriously carbon will be fine.

Of course it's overkill for a commute when you could use a £300 bike from Halfords or Decathlon, but what on earth has that ever had to do with bike buying decisions? We claim our requirements are needs while knowing full well (in our heart of hearts) they are really wants!

If you want it, go buy it!

macleod113

don't worry on what anyone thinks. just get it and enjoy the ride. i have an alu commuting bike but regularly take my best bike to work as its lighter and faster. not sure too many at work look at me as some kind of a t@sser just because of a bit of carbon :-)

milemuncher1

Personally, I don't like bikes with dropped seat stays, or strange bracing between the seat tube and top tube, which leave a little gap. But if you like it, and want it, go get it.

imatfaal

I commute on either a knackered Al hybrid or a very good carbon road bike; you have to enjoy yourself sometimes. I am building up a beautiful cannondale with top notch kit - and I will probably commute occasionally on that as well. Life is too short to keep all the good stuff for rarest occasions - my F1x has done about 10,000 km of London commuting and after a switch of wheels/tyres (cheep bombproof wheels and puncture avoiding tyres are a must for the commute) and a bb clean-up it still feels as fast, tight and responsive as when I first rode it.

BTW - I loved the grandfondo gf01 I rode for testing - I just slightly preferred (and got a much better deal) on the Synapse Hi-mod; from al accounts the teammachine are very similar but optimised for speed rather than tweaked for a bit more compfort. I prefer discs and endurance/cyclocross geometry for commuting but you pay your money and you take your choice

Anonymous

On my commute I see a mix of £100 argos specials through to £5K and upwards of pro peloton carbon. Yesterday for example I saw a fully custom, lugged carbon bike with Di2 on the way in and a canyon aeroad with 80mm mavic cosmics on the way home (and those are the ones which stood out). Also see supersix hi-mods, cervelo s3s etc etc.

While it may be overkill, it may encourage you to do the 20K loop a few extra days, push that weekend ride a bit more and enjoy yourself. That's what life's all about, right?

Just make sure you have suitable insurance (BC is fine for £24/year) as there is probably more chance of a crash when commuting, so make sure you can replace it if it gets knackered.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Use whatever you fancy, taking account of how secure the bike will be while you are at work.

kingstongraham

It's all a complex balancing algorithm of cost of bike, how wet and dirty the roads are, how likely you are to fall off, and most importantly, how secure the bike parking is.

I've been through BSO when leaving the bike chained out on the street, alu commuter bike when in fairly secure parking or wet weather, and carbon bike when very secure parking and summer's day.

slowbike

Heck - I commute in on my best bike (from time to time) because it's nice to do so ...

So why not ... it's a bike - so long as you can afford to maintain it what's the issue?

Narom

I'd say (on my first post) why get one? Get two. Get the dream bike along with a cheapy hybrid for those bad weather days you still want to cycle to work but not on the racer.

itsikhefez

Thanks for all the replies.
Since the bike has dual responsibilities, one for commute and second for weekend rides, I'd rather enjoy myself on those longer weekends, thus will go for the bike
I may consider getting a used steel bike for commute if the weather gets too bad

cougie

Commuting bikes need full mudguards and lights for the winter. Id keep those off my best bike.

Anonymous

They don't need mudguards but it's a nice to have. Lights are essential but can be mounted with electrical tape underneath so not to mark the frame

Anonymous

Its not overkill (because that is not its only purpose/use) but commuting on the dream bike does not compute IMO.
All the excess wear and cleaning is not something I would want to do to it.

You want to be commuting (in the wind/rain etc.) on another bike, thinking of your dream bike all safe and warm at home and race ready for the weekend

Having two bikes has loads of benefits and I am sure you can find somewhere to put a second bike, but if not you will just have to spend more time and money keeping the dream bike in decent condition.

Its much nicer commuting on a bike with mudguards, but thats a reason to have two bikes, not a reason to get a dream/best bike that you can/are happy to put them on.

itsikhefez

Got my new bike ! A TeamMachine SLR03. While it's still nice and shiny, I am starting to doubt taking this one out every day including rainy winter days. Based on the advice here I am starting to consider a used steel/alloy bike that I dont care much about for commuting, and keeping this one for the weekend / nice days where I'll get some extra miles in the morning.

I just want to clarify a bit about my commute to get the most relevant input.
The ride is 6.5km, on which 95% is a dedicated paved bike/hike trail. The trail is not shared with any cars or motor vehicles, so oil is not an issue.
The bike would most likely get wet from rain often and dirt, but thats it.
Would that change anything ?

Anonymous

Not really. Roads generally don't have oil on them either.

I rode just one bike (no guards) every day for 3 years. It was absolutely fine and looked good as new after a thorough clean.

Just ride it and see how you get on. If you are fastidious with your cleaning (a quick wipe after a wet ride) then it will be absolutely fine. If you just chuck it in the shed every day when soaking wet and filthy, you may find it wears out more quickly.

iPete

In general I would say no it isn't, ride the bike you enjoy riding the most.

In this instance, as you're riding mostly trail and on a short commute, have you considered a cheap single speed or something you can chuck larger tyres and mud-guards on?

At the same time, coriordans approach is works too. If you can strip a bike down and give it a good clean every now and then, you'll be amazed at how filthy you can get them and still get back to looking like new.

cyberknight

Ride what you can afford to replace if it gets stolen.
For that sort of distance i really wouldnt bother , then again my commute is 10 miles ( 16 km innew fangled distance ) and i use a second hand alloy frame i built up into a commuter that takes rack + guards running cheap as chips claris to keep costs down .

Initialised

Yes but

Overkill is under rated.

itsikhefez

I agree with most of the comments here, thanks for the input!
I've been riding it to work for the past few weeks, and its super fun while the weather is good.
It makes adding 20km before the actual commute pretty easy.

But when the rain starts I think I will be hesitant to take it out daily.
I'm currently hitting the used boards to try and find and a nice used steel bike for those wet months.
That is becoming a pretty tedious task in itself

N0bodyOfTheGoat

itsikhefez wrote:

But when the rain starts I think I will be hesitant to take it out daily.
I'm currently hitting the used boards to try and find and a nice used steel bike for those wet months.
That is becoming a pretty tedious task in itself

Depends on your budget, but I would be very tempted to buy a new Voodoo Marassa for £240 as a winter bike, I'm so tempted myself but I would get it in the neck for going n+1 currently and money is quite tight.

CiB

itsikhefez wrote:

I agree with most of the comments here, thanks for the input!
I've been riding it to work for the past few weeks, and its super fun while the weather is good.
It makes adding 20km before the actual commute pretty easy.

But when the rain starts I think I will be hesitant to take it out daily.
I'm currently hitting the used boards to try and find and a nice used steel bike for those wet months.
That is becoming a pretty tedious task in itself

Rain doesn't hurt bikes. Salty winter road gunge doesn't do them much good, but all you're doing then is increasing the wear on the chain a bit in those conditions; the multi-million dollar frame is unaffected. Rims might wear a bit quicker but that depends on your ride and how keen you are to give it a quick once over when you get home. Fwiw I run a BMC SLX01 with Di2 & "nice wheels" primarily for commuting & fun rides, and minimal maintenance keeps it running like a sewing machine and it gives me far more joy than riding a bit of scaffolding to work would. 20+ miles each way, rural roads, touch the brakes about 4 times each way. YMMV, as they say. I wouldn't bat an eyelid at it getting wet or dirty though. It's only a bike.

DrLex

^^
Wot 'e said.
Most of my cycling is commuting, so a nice carbon Roubaix makes every ride pleasant, if not great. Life's too short to ride cr@p bikes.

cgsakl

Team, I am also looking for a racy commuter for fun (and strava points on the way for the ego ). Commute is also about 7km each way. I am keen for any opinions on this second hand Cervelo Soloist with Dura Ace.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/cycling ... 152312.htm

It looks like it has seen quite a bit of mileage and the paint work is a bit banged up - is this likely to be a bargain (just needing some touch up paint and a new chain) or a bad idea as the parts will be too far gone?

I really like the look of these bikes and the aluminium material as I am a clutz, worried about damaging a carbon frame. I may also do the odd bunch ride and race e.g. 80km, but it's mostly or commuting and the odd errand. I have another second hand cheap Apollo road bike I could use as a for wet days etc and am looking to add a nicer bike, but without breaking the bank.

Appreciate any thoughts.

imatfaal

Even though it was not at the top of Cervelo's offerings 10+ years ago that was one of the best bikes in the world - it looks like a 2005 Cervelo Soloist Team. Some of Team CSC rode them (rather than Cervelo's carbon models) in Pro Tour Races. However it is 11 years old. The frame could be trashed (it looks pretty bad in places from the few photos) and you might need to replace a good many of the components.

If you fancy a project - which could well go awry - then go for it

If you want a reliable commuter then I would say "pass" and buy a boringly reliable and soulless newer bike.

twist83

I commute on my Venge with Di2 and Carbon Rovals! So I say go for it Obviously I use it elsewhere and will have a bike for winter as well.

Last year however I ran my Scott CR1, Di2 and some Mavic Ksyriums through the whole of winter and it didn't miss a beat. Barely cleaned it either to be fair. Stood up well.

DrLex

^ didn't see you around the edge of Yeovil, so you've either moved or on odd shifts!