Was thinking of getting a cycle to work bike, but has to be via Halfords, and hence would probably be a Boardman.
Rather than getting the hybrid like I did last time, it seems sensible to get one of those drop handlebar bikes that they do with the skinny tyres.
The problem is that one of the reviews I saw says the geometry is very racy, and that is completely not what I’m after. I’m after comfort and long distances rather than races. (To give some perspective, I did the Fred last year on the Hybrid and it seemed ok)

So, the question is whether flipping the stem (anti slam) will give a similar geometry to an audax/sportive type bike with a longer head tube? Or will I just end up looking like a pillock whilst having a sore back?

Also, anyone with recent experience of trying to combine the cycle to work voucher with British Cycling discount? £15 to join seems like a good way of getting another £130 off

much obliged.

They are pretty long. Might be worth going down a size. Or maybe the CX bike might be what you’re looking for (although still long).

I have just got a boardman cx through the cycle to work scheme and was able to use my british cycling discount. The bike was already discounted from £950 to £810 so i only ended up paying £729. I have a boardman hybrid also and would say that although the cx is not as relaxed as the hybrid it is not as racy as the boardman road bikes.

thanks
Regarding frame size, I had assumed that I’d make it more relaxed by going UP a frame size as that would put the bars higher, especially in relation to the seat. What you’re saying is to go smaller so that the distance from saddle to bars is less.

Anyone else care to comment?

You definitely need to go and sit on one.

They are quite long, so don’t go up a size without trying first unless you’re Mr Tickle.

There’s a fair bit of scope to raise the bars on mine, FWIW.

I agree with the above. You need to sit on one. It sound like you are not quite sure what you want, so certainly sit on a few models. This will help you to start to sort out what you really want from what you think you might want.

I’m guessing that you might start to like riding those skinny tyres and then regret getting one with a “shopping position” but who knows. Do you have something now that you can compare to the geometry you are looking at? why are you moving away from a hybrid?

so don’t go up a size without trying first

Anyone got one in south Manc? (I could go to the shop but Halfords saps the will to live and I doubt they’d have one in anyway, and it would be better to pedal a few laps of a car park to get a proper idea)

sounds like you are not quite sure what you want, …. This will help you to start to sort out what you really want from what you think you might want.

Yup. I’ve never really owned a road bike. And I don’t have a clue what I want. I got the hybrid merely cos it was cheap and better to cycle to work on than the MTB with slicks. In the end Halfords stuffed up the order and ended up upgrading me to the Comp or something for free. Which was lighter than I had imagined a bike could be. So as well as cycling along the canal, I took it out on a few road rides and the Cheshire Cat, Etape de Dales, Fred Whitton etc. But now it’s a bit knackered so I’m either going to buy another one and keep it for summer/dry/light and use the old one for commuting, or get a bendy bar one and see if it’s fun. If it is then I might do some longer rides

why are you moving away from a hybrid?

Mainly because the cycle club (Seamons) are so snooty about it and give me grief about not calling potholes etc properly “just because I’m on a bloody mountain bike”

No proper reason, I just figured that it would be nice to try something different if I can get a big fat discount.

So I suppose it boils down to simple STW gearfreakery really.

I’ve got a Med CX, but a bit further south – Bollington.

They had the full range of road bikes (but not CX) when I went into Stockport Halfords last weekend.

Ashton always had the CX bike in whenever I did a web stock search before buying last autumn.