Help! Pick me a new commuter bike!

prawny

I'll check out the Aithin, forgot to say, the only real specific requirement I have is a round seatpost to stick my bag on. Although, do these new fangled bike packing bags fit aero posts? That would open up a couple of other options.

cruff

prawny wrote:

I'll check out the Aithin, forgot to say, the only real specific requirement I have is a round seatpost to stick my bag on. Although, do these new fangled bike packing bags fit aero posts? That would open up a couple of other options.

Aithein has a round seatpost. The Allez Sprint has the Venge aeropost - but most saddlebags will go round an aero post. Lights and (if have one) rear facing cameras are more of a ballache - if I stick a light on my S5 it generally goes on the seat stay, though I do have one that fits round the aero post with a bit of faffing.

straas

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-7005-winter/

Great commuter, I've done a century on it aswell.

Takes 25mm tyres with proper mudguards and a pannier rack, and you can still average 18mph over 50km with a pannier on.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitu ... prod159799 all day long for me over the https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-do ... e-EV306252 ...
Better hydraulics
better groupset inc. more gears
Bolt thru axles at both ends, not just the fork
Lighter default package
Greater tyre clearance?
Cheaper too!

prawny

Yeah, I'm starting to think that. I can get the pinnacle down to a similar price with discounts, it's just whether I want to move over to 11 speed. 10 speed cassettes are cheap

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I'm still on the original cassette on my Cube, 4329 miles since May 2017, replacements are ~£33 (gone up ~10% ish since last summer)

I tell a lie, £30 before BC discount on narrower range 105 http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... prod116489

prawny

Choice narrowed to the Vitus or the Allez Elite now.

Speed and a bit of practicality v speed and lightness (and probably a better quality frame)

roger_merriman

PBlakeney wrote:

Thoughts? Next time I am in the market for a stop/start commuting bike it will definitely have disc brakes. Braking in cruddy weather eats rims for fun.

In fairness it eats pads as well! My Gravel bike for some reason eats pads, while my commute bike that has stop start all weather, tarmac/gravel paths doesn’t eat them in anything like as fast!

pblakeney

roger merriman wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Thoughts? Next time I am in the market for a stop/start commuting bike it will definitely have disc brakes. Braking in cruddy weather eats rims for fun.

In fairness it eats pads as well! My Gravel bike for some reason eats pads, while my commute bike that has stop start all weather, tarmac/gravel paths doesn’t eat them in anything like as fast!

Fair point.
But what's easier to replace? Cheaper too.

dinyull

prawny wrote:

Choice narrowed to the Vitus or the Allez Elite now.

Speed and a bit of practicality v speed and lightness (and probably a better quality frame)

I've had the Vitus since May, it's a great bike for the money. It's every bit as fast as my Supersix with Ultegra. In fact, this week I've posted my best times home on it and set PB's on a few local hills.

This is without mudguards fitted, but it's to the point I'm thinking of selling the Cannondale.

prawny

That is interesting, thank you for that.

More and more signs are pointing towards the Vitus, I just noticed in Evans at lunch that the replacement forks on the Allez still haven't got mudguard mounts on, which although wasn't a requirement is a bit of a bummer. Might just go for the Vitus, the only thing that doesn't have is rack mounts, which isn't a major issue anyway.

Hmmmm. I've got a Vitus MTB too so it'll be a nice little fleet.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

@prawny I'm presuming if you can get the Vitus through CRC, you can also buy C2W through Wiggle too, it's always worth checking both sites as they don't always list the same stock and their prices don't always match (sometimes Wiggle will be cheaper, even taking into account 10% BC discount at CRC, if that applies to C2W purchases.

So, some I have spotted under £1k on Wiggle...
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-vr6-tiagra-2018-road-bike/ £900
Full carbon bike; Tiagra including 405 hydraulic brakes; clearance for tyres >28mm?; very respectable 9.12Kg considering

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-vr40-road- ... agra-2018/ £852
Alloy frame, slightly heavier

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-zenium-sl ... -bike-105/ £800
105 group plus 505 hydraulics, 9.05Kg, lot cheaper than CRC price!

cruff

Despite Tiagra being the first 'real' groupset Shimano do (Sora and Claris being made of cheese) if I had the option of going slightly heavier and 105 vs lighter and Tiagra, I'd take 105 every time. It'll last longer, shifting will be better and for the sake of about half a kilo, you'll save a massive amount of ballache

CitizenLee

NitrousOxide wrote:

@prawny I'm presuming if you can get the Vitus through CRC, you can also buy C2W through Wiggle too, it's always worth checking both sites as they don't always list the same stock and their prices don't always match (sometimes Wiggle will be cheaper, even taking into account 10% BC discount at CRC, if that applies to C2W purchases.

I always assumed since they merged that CRC and Wiggle would have the same pricing, but your post got me to go double check a bike I was interest in and it's much cheaper on Wiggle, bringing it into my C2W budget... so thanks!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitu ... prod159910
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-substance ... e-apex1-1/

The Vitus Zenium SL VR Disc you linked to is a cracking deal too!

dinyull

The new Tiagra is very good. On a par with 5800 shifting wise, in my experience.

Only thing is, there is a known problem with Tiagra's shifters breaking (also have experience of this haha) - although with it being 405 it might have been solved.

prawny

Done it.

Ordered (I think, not sure how it works, need to supply my voucher when I get it) a Zenium SL VR, best of all worlds I think.

Just need to decide now whether to stick Cruds or proper guards on, I'm thinking the former, so I can take them off in the summer when it's set fair for a couple of days. But I'll have a ponder.

Cue a new 'what mudguards' thread

dinyull

prawny wrote:

Done it.

Ordered (I think, not sure how it works, need to supply my voucher when I get it) a Zenium SL VR, best of all worlds I think.

Just need to decide now whether to stick Cruds or proper guards on, I'm thinking the former, so I can take them off in the summer when it's set fair for a couple of days. But I'll have a ponder.

Cue a new 'what mudguards' thread

Erm, if you haven't ordered it you might want to wait.

Went to fit the mudguards this weekend and have had more than a few show stoppers. Going to speak with them to see what they say as I've followed all of their recommendations so far.

As it is:
Tyres (28mm conti's) are too big for the rear guard.
The front mount points they recommended don't fit - the bolts are too big!
When the rear stay is fitted the thru axle is fouled - meaning I have to unbolt the thru axle handle and re-align every half turn. Not what you'll want in pi$$ing rain in middle of December.

I'll let you know how I get on.

prawny

Hmm, sounds fun, I thought it looked like guards would be a pig to fit. I've decided to go with Cruds on this one, and keep my hack for awful days.

That said, the cyclescheme quote reserved it for 28 days, it's already been a week and theres no sign of my voucher or even the hire agreement from work.

I found something saying they send the forms out the month after you order it. But it's very vague I might be back on here in a few weeks asking the same question again

dinyull

prawny wrote:

Hmm, sounds fun, I thought it looked like guards would be a pig to fit. I've decided to go with Cruds on this one, and keep my hack for awful days.

That said, the cyclescheme quote reserved it for 28 days, it's already been a week and theres no sign of my voucher or even the hire agreement from work.

I found something saying they send the forms out the month after you order it. But it's very vague I might be back on here in a few weeks asking the same question again

It'll depend on your employer. I didn't realise, but the employer actually buys the bike and your in effect paying them back.

I work in a small office - 20 people - and share an office with the director who organises the scheme. Because I'd mentioned it to her I had my voucher in a few days.

prawny

I work for a megacorp so the wheels turn slowly.

I've emailed wiggle to see if they will extend the quote otherwise I'll have to get something from somewhere else

CitizenLee

Megacorp here too.

-Applied July 1st
-Approved July 2nd
-CycleScheme sent invoice on July 16th, was told may take 30 days
-Called payroll to chase on Aug 16th, was told give it until 22nd
-Called payroll again on Aug 22nd, was told give it until 27th
-Called on 28th to chase, was told it was paid on 24th but due to bank holiday might not show up with CycleScheme until today (29th)
-Called CycleScheme today, still no sign of paid invoice so was told to give it until Friday!

The worst thing is I've already had two salary deductions and to rub more salt in the wound the the Vitus Substance V2 Apex has now gone back up from 849 to 999.

Starting to wish I'd never bothered now

EDIT: Spoke too soon... voucher just arrived so have ordered a Cube NuRoad 2018 from Tweeks

prawny

Wiggle have agreed to extend the reservation to 45 days but that's as far as they can go. that gives me up until 5/10. Fingers crossed it moves quickly from the 12th when I allegedly will get my hire agreement. We shall see.

prawny

Hurrah, voucher has arrived and after some faffing with voucher amounts not matching (website wouldn't let me use and £800 voucher to buy a £799.99 bike FFS) the order is processing.

Now, what mudguards... It's a toss up between going light and removable cruds (had mk 1s and 2s on previous bikes years ago) or SKS chromoplastics/blumels.

'Ere Dinyull, did you go for 35 or 45mm guards? And did you get your issues sorted?

dinyull

prawny wrote:

Hurrah, voucher has arrived and after some faffing with voucher amounts not matching (website wouldn't let me use and £800 voucher to buy a £799.99 bike FFS) the order is processing.

Now, what mudguards... It's a toss up between going light and removable cruds (had mk 1s and 2s on previous bikes years ago) or SKS chromoplastics/blumels.

'Ere Dinyull, did you go for 35 or 45mm guards? And did you get your issues sorted?

I went SKS Blumels and got the narrow version - I think 35mm. Anything else would be too big for the front fork.

I spoke to both Wiggle and CRC to try and get some clarity, it was only when I went through the questions section on Wiggle did I find out it should have came with the mounts and flat head screw. Had a search through the box and bingo found the right bits :oops:

Still haven't fitted them, not sure the 28mm tyre on the rear will fit under and I'll need to drill a new hole on the rear guard going from wiggle reviews. Will tackle them this weekend and let you know how I get on.

wolfsbane2k

prawny wrote:

Hurrah, voucher has arrived and after some faffing with voucher amounts not matching (website wouldn't let me use and £800 voucher to buy a £799.99 bike FFS) the order is processing.

Now, what mudguards... It's a toss up between going light and removable cruds (had mk 1s and 2s on previous bikes years ago) or SKS chromoplastics/blumels.

'Ere Dinyull, did you go for 35 or 45mm guards? And did you get your issues sorted?

Potentially odd q, why didn't you order a voucher to cover the mudguards as well?

prawny

It's a good question.

I was nearing the end of my lunchbreak, conscious that I'd been faffing for a while and I didn't want to miss out on the offer. So just banged in the bike and didn't think any more about it. As it is I'd have had to cancel the original order to add any more to it and the bike had gone up £150 by the end of the week so I think I made the right choice.

I'm still not sure what guards to get, there's a guy who reviewed it on wiggle that put 35mm blumels on it and said that it's a bit of a squeeze. I think I've got 45s on my Hack so I can have a look and see if they'll fit. I think I'll wait until it comes before I decide which size to get or whether to go with cruds so I can take them off in the summer.

Then I need to decide if I want to risk my Carradice SQR with the carbon post it comes with or buy an alloy one...

prawny

Hooray, the Vitus has arrived.

Boooo, one of the screw in mudguard eyelets snapped off in the frame when I was trying to fit it.

Emailed wiggle this morning to see what the deal is. Damn thing just snapped off when I was screwin it in. Threads were half full of paint and it snapped before I even had to get the pliers on it.

If it's a warranty job it's a pita but I'll do it, otherwise I'm definitely stuck with cruds.

Also the seatpost is a bit short, so that solved the dilemma about whether to use the carbon post or not. I was right on the limit between sizes but the length on this one is spot on, I've ordered a 400mm alu post to solve that issue.

prawny

Beauty

Borked

CitizenLee

Bike looks awesome!

Shame about the bolt, but it should be easy enough to drill out if Wiggle can''t help.

tgotb

Been there, done that!

1. Drill a narrow pilot hole down the middle of the snapped screw - use a drill at low speed with plenty of lubricant, especially if the screw is stainless steel
2. Use a screw extractor (very carefully) to extract the remains of the screw
3. Use a tap to clean out all eyelets, threads etc, before attempting to screw anything else to the frame (I think most bike eyelets are M5). Go gently, and keep the tap square, to avoid crossing the threads.

You get get all the tools from Screwfix

Next time you're building up a new or repainted frame, go straight to step 3!