New bike to make commuting more enjoyable / faster

tangled_metal

I doubt a new bike will speed things up much but my partner is considering a new bike. Looking to replace a very comfortable hardtail with 1. 75" City slickers with something more responsive. Commuting with rack and pannier and doing 15 miles each way.

She likes flat bars. I'm thinking a rigid fork hybrid. Pinnacle lithium type I think is something suitable.

Most riding is commuting and easy family rides. Once a year tours cycle camping overseas.

Bikes looked at range from trek hybrids and similar pinnacle lithium to tour de fer in flat bar version and spa tourer in flat bar version. Really don't know what she wants so flat bar and serious gear range (currently gear range is lower than most have with a granny gear lower than even spa tourer gives a standard) are the main criteria on spec. I think she needs a higher gear too so she can build up to using it on the flatter stretches of her commute.

Price? She's looked at £1600 for it tour de fer because that retailer offered a genuine 36 month interest free loan to get it. Basically no fees and total price divided by 36 months for monthly payments. Plus discounts can be used. Unless similar deal I reckon under a grand. But that's flexible If a bit more gets something really special.

Sorry if you see loads of these types of threads. Since our local Evans Cycles closed leaving not many good bike shops in our area we're not seeing many choices that appeal. I'm certain there are more options than spesh, giant and trek that we see round here

joe_totale-2

Boardman Hybrids seem pretty decent for the money:

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/pro ... omens.html

Cheeseface22

Wow, 15miles each way?! How long does her commute take?!
My commute is 14.5miles exact each way and I'm dead every Friday evening!

Hats off to her, she has my respect. I think she deserves a new bike with a quality of something equivalent to a very comfy Mercedes saloon!

cougie

Ribble are doing a hybrid ebike for 1800 and it looks stunning.

tangled_metal

Cheeseface22 wrote:

Wow, 15miles each way?! How long does her commute take?!
My commute is 14.5miles exact each way and I'm dead every Friday evening!

Hats off to her, she has my respect. I think she deserves a new bike with a quality of something equivalent to a very comfy Mercedes saloon!

Started off at hour and half but at her best an hour now. Not bad for a hardtail mtb. Fortunately only twice a week occasionally three times.

Actually not as good as I thought. 11 miles if by canal for most of the route or 9ish of by road. Well according to Google maps.

cougie

Canal route is never going to be the fastest though I expect. Lots of hazards but does sound excellent. I'm quite jealous.

tangled_metal

It's got good and bad stretches. Depending on time of travel depends on speed. For me though I only used it a few times when the conditions on the road were bad. When they were building a link road and heavy goods used the road as a rat run to the m6 north. After nearly getting killed I used it a few times but got annoyed it took added up to 40% to my travel time so went back to the road.

The getting killed comment might sound melodramatic but I was trapped between front and rear trailer wheels with the truck going quicker than me. I only got out of the way when I was lucky enough to reach a dropped kerb and ride into the hedge. I did not see the rest of the truck to be able to identify it or the police would have been informed to no avail.