Commuter Novice Requires Bike Purchase Advice

petedln

Good day, I was wondering if I could pick the brains of a few biking experts out there regarding purchasing a bike for my daily commute. I am not a biker and have to admit that I don't really enjoy riding the bike (I dread it), but I have been taking my father-in-law's bike to work for the last four months and I have to admit I am feeling the health benefits. With that in mind I have decided to purchase a bike of my own for when I have to give my father-in-law's bike back at the end of Winter.

The bike I am currently using is a Centurion Crossline Race 2000. I realise that this bike costs over a thousand pounds and I was hopefully looking to go WAY cheaper than that. Apart from the commute I will not be using the bike for anything else. The ride is completely uphill on the way including two really steep hills and the terrain is all tarmac, although there are some areas that are not well maintained. I believe the bike I am on at the moment is classified as a Trekking bike? Though I am not certain. But that seems to do the job. I really don't want to get a racing bike kind of bike... when I was younger it was either a mountain bike or racing bike so I am not really clued up on the options...

The key things I am looking for are cheap, as light as possible (I have to carry it up a flight of stairs two times a day), with as low a gear as possible for the two big hills and with an adjustable saddle AND handlebars. For all the cost of the bike I am currently using the handlebars can't be raised (I am nearly two metres tall)! So I either have to ride with the saddle really low or I get bad back pain from leaning down too far to reach the handlebars. Everything else, suspension, on board computers, fancy brakes; I am really not that fussed about.

Anyway, sorry for rambling on but if anyone could point me in the direction of some bikes that tick these boxes then I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Pete.

fat daddy

Boardman team hybrid ... £550 and 10.5kg - lowest gear is a 34t:32t which should see you get up any hill

And if you find some spare money down the sofa, by swapping out the saddle, seatpost, wheels and getting rid of the 2x gearing for 1x gearing you can get the weight down to 8.9kg

seatpost is naturally adjustable .... the handlebars ..... you don't need adjustable handlebars IF you buy a bike the correct size .... make sure you buy the correct size bike

The Rookie

For a little less the Marasa is a good buy
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/h ... ybrid-bike
Or either the Triban 520 road or flat from Decathlon
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520- ... 22799.html
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520- ... 22663.html
Are great value, you loose disc brakes (nice to have especially in the wet).

petedln

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. Not to sound like a total skinflint, but I will only be in this job another nine months or so... are there any cheaper options available? Or is four to five hundred roughly what I should be looking at?

Thanks!

The Rookie

You need to go over about £300 to get something durable enough to keep decent value, it will cost you less once you factor in resale.

The Carraera subway is a bit basic but tough as old boots and holds value very well, you could use for 9 months and if you looked after it get £150-200 back.
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/h ... ybrid-bike
£300 on the nose.