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Best bike for towpath commute? Help Needed!

TheHighlandCalTheHighlandCal Posts: 3
edited January 2018 in Commuting general
I am looking at starting to commute by bike and probably get lost in another subculture but at the moment I am just lost. :?

It will be about 8 miles with about 6 of those along the towpath. I am therefore looking at hybrids and have found a few that I like the sound of but I am worried about being tricked by names and sales pitches. I would like the bike to last me a long while and to not be something I want to upgrade a short way down the road.

These are the bikes that have caught my eye:

Kona Dew plus
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Kona-Dew-Plus- ... _95279.htm

Cube Nature Pro
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Nature-Pr ... gLNZfD_BwE

Giant Escape 1
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Escape-1 ... 113639.htm

Cube Cross
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Cross-201 ... gL2YvD_BwE

Bianchi C-Sport 2.5
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Bianchi-C-Spor ... 112106.htm

Are any of these obviously better than the rest - or is there another bike out there I should consider? I am sure that I want hydraulic disk brakes- my old bike had terrible brakes and I could never go at high speeds confidently.

Thanks for any help!
I am excited to join a new community! :D

Posts

  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Depends on the towpath really ?

    I've done towpaths on my 23mm carbon bike but I'd probably go for something that lets you have chunky wide tyres and full mudguards. Some kind of cross/gravel bike rather than a hybrid.

    https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRI ... al-11-bike
  • FishFishFishFish Posts: 2,152
    Try looking at the Boardman MX comp.
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • N0bodyOfTheGoatN0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 5,782
    Bang for the buck with at least room for 50mm tyres, Voodoo Marasa.
    http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/h ... -20-frames
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • EBEBEBEB Posts: 98
    Towpaths don’t go up or down much. How bumpy is the rest of the commute. You probably don’t need more than one gear & can save £ by not having any. I use a fixed by the river Lee. The gearing isn’t ideal for the small number of hills on the way home, but it is cheap and simple.

    When the canal goes under bridges will there be tiles with grout between? They can be slippy and if wheels slip between the tiles it can be ‘fun’. Done it in 23mm tyres plenty, but the fixed I use now has 28mm. 23mm is fine but you must not change direction, brake or accelerate.

    I use it as practice for one legged cycling. My tow path is mixed use so I do it to go slower.
  • lettingthedaysgobylettingthedaysgoby Posts: 1,732
    A friend of mine has recently bought a Pinnacle Arkose and loves it. She uses it for towpath commuting as well as longer road rides at weekends. 10 speed Tiagra, hydraulic disc brakes, chunky tyres. Seems to be a great "do it all" bike at a reasonable price.
  • TheHighlandCalTheHighlandCal Posts: 3
    Towpath is pretty flat but with muddy patches under some of the bridges and there are hills before and after so a single speed wouldn't be suitable I think. The boardman and the voodoo look very interesting and are added to my list of possibilities. A grand plus would certainly be too much of a stretch on my budget but that pinnacle and planetx look pretty sweet!
  • alan_shermanalan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    You'll be wanting mudguards. The giant escape city comes with them pre-fitted and a rack.

    I love hub dynamo lighting too but it is not essential to start out.

    I use the Thames Path where it is gravel and gets wet from high tide and a 35mm wide tyre is the minimum for comfort and grip through the mud. Again - mudguards mean I don't cake caked in sewage sludge.
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