Hybrid / Road Bike / Cyclo Cross

Rooster66
Rooster66 Posts: 3
edited August 2013 in Commuting general
Hi,

I am looking at getting my first bike in about twenty years after going for a taster session at Manchester Velodrome and getting bitten by the bug.

I will be using it for rides to work, on roads and canal paths.

However at weekends my wife wants to go for a ride aswell but will only on cycle paths and off road tracks.

I am looking at the following,

Cannondale CAADX Tiagra CycloCross

Roux Conquest 3500 Cyclo Cross

Cannondale CX 3 Cube

Curve Pro

Any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Hopw far will you be riding? Also have you used drop bars/shifters before?

    Will the off road tracks be technical?
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  • Rooster66
    Rooster66 Posts: 3
    The commute to work will be 9 miles each way on road and canal paths.

    I would also like to use the bike on a number of evenings, as this is a bit of a fitness kick as well, this will be on roads with some off roading but nothing too extreme.

    The weekend ride with my wife will be off road because she doesn't want to ride on the road, but again will be mainly canal paths or cycle routes but nothing too strenuous.

    I have ridden drops before but many years ago, when I last rode a drop the gear change was on the frame between the legs, think that shows just how long it is sine I have ridden.

    I can't afford two or three bikes so I need my purchase to be able to cope with all situations and hopefully as my riding skills improve, however I don't think that I will need it for road racing.


    Regards
  • nigglenoo
    nigglenoo Posts: 177
    Ask yourself whether you want drops or straight bars and whether you will want to fit mudguards and/or a rack, then check whether they can be fitted properly to the bikes you are looking at. Disc brakes can cause problems with fitting a rack for instance and not all cross bikes will have mudguard mounts (though that can be worked around). I think you should probably cross road bikes off the list in any case, they won't cope with canal paths very well, but seriously consider a touring bike, which would and is generally a very good all rounder option, e.g:
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rid ... _#features
  • woody2359
    woody2359 Posts: 59
    I've went the Hybrid/Road/Cyclocross way for my commuting. Have now got a Charge Filter Hi

    http://www.chargebikes.com/mobile/bicycle_collection/road/filter-hi/

    Went for that as its good for the commute and knocking about on the trails/woods with the family. Proper mounting for racks and mudguards and the discs are mounted on the chain stay so won't interfere with the rear accessories.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    I run a Hybrid but set up quite aggresively with flipped stem and flat bars to lower the dront end, body position is similar to riding dropped bars on the hoodz.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • moarspeed
    moarspeed Posts: 119
    The Rookie wrote:
    I run a Hybrid but set up quite aggresively with flipped stem and flat bars to lower the dront end, body position is similar to riding dropped bars on the hoodz.


    This ^^ is what I did too (ish)..... I got a Specialized Sirrus in a slightly smaller frame size than recommended (so I can get my knees over the bar and flick the bike around easily in traffic), bar ends and a 120mm flipped 7degree stem to compensate for the loss of bar width and top tube length.

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