Hi, new bike 'type' advice please.

kubeism

I know this is as much about opinion as fact but I just thought I'd gauge what others think.

Anyway, I am due to start uni soon and there is a cycle route all the way to Jordanstown which I assume is almost exclusively tarmac. I would also hope to make use of a towpath to visit friends. It's about saving money but also fitness and fun too. And I'd like to look towards doing 'Lap the Lough' next year.

The cycle route to uni is about 13 miles each way and will be done 3 times a week.

I don't intend to ride in the very worst weather and I won't be taking it off road as I have a Cube Comp Ltd hardtail for fun on the trails.

So I am thinking a road bike with a more relaxed geometry and maybe a set of marathons in the winter but CX seems to be a common suggestion
too. I would prefer to buy local so that might be a Cube Attain or a Vitus Zenium.

So as I say, advice appreciated please. Am I way of the mark or would most agree with my conclusion?

DeVlaeminck

I would suggest a cheap hack bike and a big lock. Mudguards essential as paths can be damp and flick up muck even if it's not actually raining.

jdee84

Call to chain reaction on boucher and have a look there, you ll probably be able to get a 2016 vitus with around 20% off

fenix

CX bike with full mudguards and Marathon Pluses. And yes a big bike lock essential.

kubeism

Thanks all, yeah I was in chain reaction and they had a good range yesterday. Security is a concern too although they are putting various cycle parks into place. Maybe I should just look at something much cheaper until I suss things out. But I would like to get something bought in the end of season sale with the 0% finance.

jdee84

Kubeism wrote:

Thanks all, yeah I was in chain reaction and they had a good range yesterday. Security is a concern too although they are putting various cycle parks into place. Maybe I should just look at something much cheaper until I suss things out. But I would like to get something bought in the end of season sale with the 0% finance.

depends on definition of cheaper but there seems to be plenty of variety in price for the CRC ones with 0% paypal

kubeism

Yes there is indeed. I guess I'm trying to think further down the line to what will tick most boxes for me. Don't want to get a few months down the line and find out I'm on the roads wishing I'd bought a proper road bike.

Thanks all for your input. A frequently asked question no doubt.

fenix

A CX bike is 99% as good on the roads as a proper road bike - if you swap the tyres to suit.

Check that you get the right gear range though - you want a full range for road biking.

jdee84

Kubeism wrote:

Yes there is indeed. I guess I'm trying to think further down the line to what will tick most boxes for me. Don't want to get a few months down the line and find out I'm on the roads wishing I'd bought a proper road bike.

Thanks all for your input. A frequently asked question no doubt.

My first was an alloy bike with ultegra in sales it was probably a lot to spend on a first road bike but I d always enjoyed cycling and had used someone else's road bike about 20 times when I bought it so wasn't too much of a risk.

If you think you ll end up getting into it probably best to spend a bit beyond absolute entry level

kubeism

Great info, thanks all. CX and road bike sound as good an option as each other, I'll base my decision on what I want to use it for rather than when I won't be using the bike ie heavy rain, gravel paths etc.

MisterMuncher

I know the route pretty well, used to use it as a late-night supplement to my commute to get some extra miles on, as well as to visit friends etc. The path is in great nick for the most part, but there's a few sections where it is just road, or dual use pavement. It's pretty much tarmac the whole way, bar the cobbles round Clarendon Dock and concrete path around the front at Whitehead. I've used everything from an old steel 26" MTB to my Supersix Evo on it, and it's not going to faze you on any reasonsble hardware. Almost completely flat, too, so no big worries for weight and gearing.

Guards are a nice thing to have, but tyre choice should be pretty free. There's a near constant breeze blowing across the path off the sea or the M2 keeps debris well down.

Whatever bike, work a bit on your handling skill. The section through Duncrue dock/industrial estate is dual use pavement running against the flow of traffic, and there's near constant HGV traffic from 0700 till about noon.

kubeism

Thanks. I knew there was part of it open to traffic but wasn't sure where. Must try to get a look at it first

MisterMuncher

Pretty much from the Waterfront hall to Clarendon, then the other side of Clarendon through the docks etc. to the dual carriageway crossing is in traffic. It's more the size of the vehicles than the volume, and the contra-flow nature of the path that's the issue.

Even at that, it's not *that* big a deal. You just need to keep your wits about you when heading towards Jtown on those bits. You're with traffic on the return, so it's less problematic.

I presume you're starting your journey in Holy Lands or nearby?

wotnoshoeseh

There's a Vitus Razor with Claris on sale in CRC at the moment, I believe. £339
or the Razor VR with Sora... £419.

Pretty good value.
Also there's some Fuji Sportif's that would fit your bill on a budget.

kubeism

MisterMuncher wrote:

I presume you're starting your journey in Holy Lands or nearby?

Actually starting from near Shaw's bridge.

kubeism

wotnoshoeseh wrote:

There's a Vitus Razor with Claris on sale in CRC at the moment, I believe. £339
or the Razor VR with Sora... £419.

Pretty good value.
Also there's some Fuji Sportif's that would fit your bill on a budget.

Yeah the Vitus and that Fuji are great value. Just trying to get the awesome looking Cubes out of my head for some objectivity!!

kubeism

Just a quick update folks. I'm sure the staff at CRC are sick of seeing me come in! Everytime I think I've decided on a bike, I let the paint job come into it again. Really like the matt paint on Cube and higher end Vitus but I can't justify the extra money for such a minor factor. Hopefully I'll make the final choice today.

kubeism

Was hoping to update with a new purchase but I'm a little stuck now. Vitus Zenium is the best spec for the money but can't get on with the looks. Cube Attain race is next best option but much prefer the feel of disc brakes and the look of the wheels.

Reluctant to buy used due to lack of knowledge and having to pay cash in full. Don't want to risk mail order then have potential issues with fit or setup. Unfortunately lbs don't have other brands like Felt or Cannondale to try for size.

Really tempted to forget it for now rather than go for something I'm not fully sold on.

wotnoshoeseh

Kubeism wrote:

Vitus Zenium is the best spec for the money but can't get on with the looks. Cube Attain race is next best option but much prefer the feel of disc brakes and the look of the wheels.

Reluctant to buy used due to lack of knowledge and having to pay cash in full. Don't want to risk mail order then have potential issues with fit or setup. Unfortunately lbs don't have other brands like Felt or Cannondale to try for size.

Really tempted to forget it for now rather than go for something I'm not fully sold on.

I'd say don't get hung up on the discs. Callipers have worked for years and still will. The route you are looking at is relatively flat anyhow, so the callipers should be up to it. Get the Cube Attain if that's what you like, and if it fits!!

kubeism

wotnoshoeseh wrote:

I'd say don't get hung up on the discs. Callipers have worked for years and still will. The route you are looking at is relatively flat anyhow, so the callipers should be up to it. Get the Cube Attain if that's what you like, and if it fits!!

It's pathetic I know but even ignoring the function, I think disc rims look much better without the silver exposed braking surface.

I've tried both the Vitus and the Cube in store. Both fit me in a 58 which is surprising given how much smaller fitting the Cube was supposed to be. I felt more comfortable on the Cube too and the sales rep agreed. Funny, I thought they might have been more keen to shift their own brand.

Thanks for the input

jdee84

Kubeism wrote:

Was hoping to update with a new purchase but I'm a little stuck now. Vitus Zenium is the best spec for the money but can't get on with the looks. Cube Attain race is next best option but much prefer the feel of disc brakes and the look of the wheels.

Reluctant to buy used due to lack of knowledge and having to pay cash in full. Don't want to risk mail order then have potential issues with fit or setup. Unfortunately lbs don't have other brands like Felt or Cannondale to try for size.

Really tempted to forget it for now rather than go for something I'm not fully sold on.

Dave Kanes on upper newtownards road sell cannondales

MisterMuncher

Indeed. Never a wasted trip, either.

kubeism

Thanks, will try to call in tomorrow. Looking ahead to 2017 bikes though, I really think now the best option for me is to either find something at £200 used or about £400 new and financed.

No point spending about 800 on something I'm not fully happy with. Better to buy cheap, see if the bug bites then get something really nice. It means ordering online but there you go.

Currently looking at a Trek 1.1 HT 2016 with Claris for 440 ish new.

jdee84

there's a sora vitus for around the same price

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitu ... prod135381

kubeism

jdee84 wrote:

there's a sora vitus for around the same price

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitu ... prod135381

Yep, had looked at that but any other issues aside, I need a 58 frame

kubeism

Quick update to say deposit down on a new bike. Will update with pictures when it's here. Thanks all for the advice