New bike advice for Milton Keynes

cactusbob

After, ahem, twenty years absence from cycling I've got back into it the last year, mainly to lose weight and get fitter. As some may know that leads to actually wanting to do it. Anyway, a year later, I've done 3000 miles and am down to 90kg. This was done on a turbo and out around Milton Keynes mainly on our cycle paths which are a mixture of tarmac (with tree roots occasionally) and hard packed gravel. I was using a Voodoo Marasa hybrid that I must have bought about 5 years ago. It's a big heavy lump of a bike but has hydraulic discs which is probably why I bought it originally. It is rock hard at the front and the flat bars are uncomfortable on long rides. Anyway enough of my rambling, what I want now is a road bike. I want a fairly relaxed position on it (I'm 6'3") but not too relaxed, but ideally it needs to be tough enough to handle these cycle paths around Milton Keynes as well as be quick on the road. I don't do wet mud so it does need to be able to handle anything more than the very very occasional flat bit of dirt.

So I would like is something with hydraulic discs and a 105 groupset that is decent on the road but is ok on the paths as well. Can anyone who does this combination of riding recommend something, don't want to spend more than £1500

Cheers

Geraint

w00dster

Hi Geraint,
As a Milton Keynes local myself I would recommend going to the Trek store and discussing options with them.
A Domane ALR5 comes with Hydraulic Discs and 105. I have one so obviously I'm going to recommend it! Comes standard with 32mm tyres as well. The Domane is Trek's endurance frame. Another option would be going to Chainey's to see a Giant Defy, I've not ridden one but it is Giant's endurance bike. And there is also Corley Cycles who also sell Trek and other manufacturers. (I've used my Domane around Woburn and Salcey Forest trails, with the correct tyres they will handle quite a bit of offroad)
I imagine you will very soon want to move more on to road rides as the redways are ok but as you probably know you will get pedestrians / dog walkers etc using the same paths. There's lots of good rides around the local villages, most with very little car use. Depending on what side of MK you are on, but heading out towards Whaddon, Beachampton, Wilmslow, etc are popular with cyclists due to the infrequent traffic.

cactusbob

Thanks for the reply, how do you find the Domane on the redways? I quite often go out to either Willen or Caldecotte using them for safety mainly as the roads are so busy in the early evenings. My ideal situation would be something that can transit happily out to the country lanes using the paths, but then be nice (and quickish) on the roads.

w00dster

The Domane is fine around the lakes, my commute takes me around Furzton on the gravel / loose stone and its absolutely fine.
I take it around the woods, redways, roads and the bike has no problems what so ever. The standard tyres (32mm) are good for this type of use.

cactusbob

Sounds good, I'll take a trip to the Trek shop and take a look. Thanks for the advice

sloppyschleckonds

Something that goes around roundabouts

animal72

Deffo got to Trek MK, I was there last weekend.
The staff have varying levels of experience, and are all ages. Beats talking to a 12 year old know-it-all.

Oh, and there's a coffee shop.

step83

Trek is a good call, I'm not sure what 23c an Stripes have in terms of suitable bikes, both have good coffee though

cactusbob

So Trek Domane, Giant Defy and TCR to check out. Thanks for all the advice guys

w00dster

With the Giants just make sure they can take at least 28mm tyres.

cactusbob

Well I took a trip to the Giant store in Newport Pagnell. After a test ride I picked up a Giant Defy Advanced 2. Couldn't be more happier, thanks for all the advice guys

gimpl

cactusbob wrote:

Well I took a trip to the Giant store in Newport Pagnell. After a test ride I picked up a Giant Defy Advanced 2. Couldn't be more happier, thanks for all the advice guys

Well done, know them well in there. James is a top bloke. I have an older Defy myself and love it although I really don't think we need disk brakes around here, even in winter and I'm a bit bigger than you.

p.s. Time to get off the Redways and out into the countryside, it's very beautiful and not massively hilly although you can find them if you want to - Church Road, Bow Brickhill for example.

gimpl

w00dster wrote:

Hi Geraint,
Depending on what side of MK you are on, but heading out towards Whaddon, Beachampton, Wilmslow, etc are popular with cyclists due to the infrequent traffic.

I'm just round the corner from Furzton Lake and regularly ride through the areas you have listed. Went through Whaddon, Winslow, East Claydon and back through Padbury and Thornborough this morning in fact - lovely

step83

Gimpl wrote:

Time to get off the Redways and out into the countryside, it's very beautiful and not massively hilly although you can find them if you want to - Church Road, Bow Brickhill for example.

Ive never understood how Church isn't a categorised climb, where Ivy land from the three locks is a cat 4 climb...

Anyway goo climbs, Lidlington, Ridgemont, Church, Mentmore, Bison and Ivinghoe. Good one for reps is the deer park unless the deer get curious.

gimpl

Step83 wrote:

Gimpl wrote:

Time to get off the Redways and out into the countryside, it's very beautiful and not massively hilly although you can find them if you want to - Church Road, Bow Brickhill for example.

Ive never understood how Church isn't a categorised climb, where Ivy land from the three locks is a cat 4 climb...

Anyway goo climbs, Lidlington, Ridgemont, Church, Mentmore, Bison and Ivinghoe. Good one for reps is the deer park unless the deer get curious.

I agree - much more difficult from the Bow Brickhill side. If I'm feeling really masochistic I'll go up from Three Locks over the top to Woburn round through Woburn Sands and then up Church road - a real killer.

Have done most of the climbs on your list I think (not too sure about Lidlington and Ridgemont) but definitely haven't done Bison - where is it?

step83

Bison
http://veloviewer.com/segment/2146300/Bison+Hill+Up

Lidlington is basically the high street from Millbrook end. Ridgemont is coming from Aspley Guise/ Amazon side

cactusbob

I pushed my last bike up Church Road :-) Haven't tried it on the new one yet, I've been out mostly around Cranfield, Salford and the other side of Woburn Sands, some of those roads are terrible :-)