Change wheels on hybrid or buy road bike?

Hi all,
I currently own a Ridgeback Velocity, a mountain-city hybrid to commute back and forth from my college, which is about 7 miles in total. I've had it for about a year now, but I'm now having to do a lot more travel (as I moved, got a part time job etc, maybe 15miles in total) and finding the heavy ridgeback a bit taxing to use, especially on hilly places and I want to cut down travel time as much as possible as my schedule is very constrained between my university classes i have to attend, part time job, and also my committment to college sports clubs! >.<
So I was wondering whether it would make sens to upgrade to an entry level road bike? I looked at the Specialized Sirrus Sport or one of the Giant Rapid models (both flat handlebar road bikes I think) which looked quite appealing.
But then the shopkeeper also suggested I could instead opt for replacing my wheels on the Ridgeback to a skinnier, road-bike style wheels and that would add a lot of speed?
That would cost about 250-300 pounds, and either of the Specialized Sirrus or Giant Rapid bikes would cost 500.
What do you think would be the best option to get the increase in speed and cut down travel time? Replace my wheels or make the whole bikem lighter?
Thanks!
I currently own a Ridgeback Velocity, a mountain-city hybrid to commute back and forth from my college, which is about 7 miles in total. I've had it for about a year now, but I'm now having to do a lot more travel (as I moved, got a part time job etc, maybe 15miles in total) and finding the heavy ridgeback a bit taxing to use, especially on hilly places and I want to cut down travel time as much as possible as my schedule is very constrained between my university classes i have to attend, part time job, and also my committment to college sports clubs! >.<
So I was wondering whether it would make sens to upgrade to an entry level road bike? I looked at the Specialized Sirrus Sport or one of the Giant Rapid models (both flat handlebar road bikes I think) which looked quite appealing.
But then the shopkeeper also suggested I could instead opt for replacing my wheels on the Ridgeback to a skinnier, road-bike style wheels and that would add a lot of speed?
That would cost about 250-300 pounds, and either of the Specialized Sirrus or Giant Rapid bikes would cost 500.
What do you think would be the best option to get the increase in speed and cut down travel time? Replace my wheels or make the whole bikem lighter?
Thanks!
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This would be my choice:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fit-5-road-b ... 39798.html
Carbon fork, 27 speed, sub 23lbs weight - amazing buy.
VOODOO CANZO
Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
Are there any good range of entry-level roadies you can recommend? Whats the difference between say the £500 models and the more expensive ones?
What makes you say that? I assume the increase from £370 to £400 for the same spec'd bike from 2012 and more value available elsewhere.
I have both types (road bike and hybrid). I'm selling the hybrid because its too slow, both have identical 28mm slick 700c tyres.
VOODOO CANZO
Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
I looked around a few shops today around town, and found some quite nice ones. the above mentioned specialized sirrus sport and giant rapide 3 (both roughly 550 quid) look and feel the best for me when I tried them. There were other models but those get quite expensive. Would these two be good entry level road bikes for me to get started with?
And also, how much impact does tyre size have on speed? the specialized got 28c and the giant 25c. Would the thinner one on the giant be better? I think they both weigh roughly the same, though the giant seems a tiny bit lighter.
And what about tyre surface? The specialized has the usual grooves in them, but the giant's are totally slick. Would the giant go faster?
VOODOO CANZO
Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
Yep I do! Do they sell better bikes for cheaper price? Any recommendations?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fit-5-road-b ... 39798.html
Amazing for the money!
VOODOO CANZO
Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
Look up reviews on there bikes I have a Triban 3 as my second bike it's great for the money Btwin have some very high end bikes too I would go for one of their bikes unless brand matters to you that much. By the way they do come with decent warranty as well not life though.
I have a B'twin MTB and after a couple of teething niggles it's been great, I looked at the Triban 3 but couldn't get one in my size, I'd like the Fit 5 but as usual, my local store doesn't have them. If you look at the actual spec of the bikes, you usually find similar specced bikes from the mainstream manufacturers are much more expensive.
FWIW, I'm running 700c disc wheels on my 26' MTB with 28mm tyres, I wouldn't like to go any thinner with the state of the roads round here.
Kona Ute
Rockrider 8.1
Evil Resident
Day 01 Disc
Viking Derwent Tandem
Planet X London Road
The Spesh and Giant are just names on a frame - and in the case of the former, they don't even make the frame. Merida do - who also make some BTwin frames ;-)
VOODOO CANZO
Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
Very few of the big bike manufacturers actually manufacture the bike. They just assemble bikes from stock components, including the frames (Giant and Merida being the two largest companies that seem to make the frames for every other bike company you've heard of). Companies like Rockrider as well as some German ones i can think of essentially assemble the same bikes but cut out a lot of the middle men in order to cut the costs. Buying any of the big name brands often involves paying over the odds for a spec that can be gotten elsewhere for a lot less, provided you can get over the brand snobbery and ignore whats written on the frame.
Always look at the specs, not the label.
the only gripes I have are
1. The drop bars. Well of course all road bikes have drop bars but I found I had a lot less control and harder to balance with the different position. It was also harder for me to look back/around traffic and make hand signals while in that position. Also, I got so many hand cramps when I tried to apply the brakes! Its prob just a matter of getting used to but would this be unsafe for a beginner like me who never used a road bike before?
and
2. Tyres seem too thin? They seem to have the 700 x 25c slick tyres. I'm going to be selling my current hybrid when I get this, and want to use it all year round, in all weather conditions (and the UK has a lot of rain, and some snow in winter), and I'm afraid it'll be unsafe with these as they're so thin and have no grooves!
Would it be safer to go for eg the btwin fit models? which is more like a hybrid road bike with a flat handle bar instead of drop?
The best tyres for the rain are slicks. Grooves and knobbles do very little.
VOODOO CANZO
Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
Takes a little time and you would get used to it as for the brakes on my Triban 3 I found them very hard to use but you get shims for the brake levers to make them closer to the bar this makes it much easier for people with smaller hands.
RE riding position, you just need to get used to it, or adjust the bike to fit you. Look up "bike fit" read some articles and watch some youtube clips. After riding a road bike for a few months going back to a hybrid or MTB will probably feel clumsy.
Go hard or go home and remember rule number 5.