ok, i can’t get the thought of owning a road bike for the odd commute to work out of my head; it’d be good for my fitness, i can safely store my bike at work and have the ability to shower and store clothes safely here also….

did some maths in my head on the way to work and even if i only commuted to and from work once a week i’d save the money on a 300quid bike over the course of a just under a year… as i can leave my bike at work or my car at work over night i’m not tied into a situation where i’m car-less as i need it during my working day.

saw someone mention this on the MTB roadies thread that popped up recently and was hoping to gather some opinions on it:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-id_8167038.html

i dont really have the money for it at the moment without dipping into savings but as mentioned, i’d save the price of the bike by commuting only once a week over a year… i’d hope to do it more that that as i build up my commuting speed/fitness. I dont want to give up the gym in the mornings so would probably ride 8 miles to the gym, then the second set of 8 miles into work.. the ride home would be a straight 16ish mile ride.

opinions please… road bikes i know nothing about!

Decathlon bikes are brilliant value for money and that one is no different.

I have had mine for 6 months and done probably a couple of thousand miles. Brilliant bit of kit, I only got it because it was cheap and to see if I liked road biking.
Just make sure when the guys are setting it up they dont rush it!
Joe

See what you have done? You got me looking at new bikes again. Bad person!

At £300 a pop it ain’t going to be a TdF machine but if it hangs together for a year and works for your commute then IMO it will be fine. There is no reason to suspect that it wouldn’t hold together for a lifetime.

I’d check whether you can fit mud guards cos a wet ar$e going into work will not be fun in the winter.

Having had commuting bikes nicked in the past, my criterion used to be… cheap and cheerful = good or, nice (but old) stuff covered in stickers and crud = good, as no self respecting thief would want it. I work from home now so it isn’t an issue.

A nice fixie would get you fit double quick (not one of these trendy messenger types), something like the Giant Bowery.

I have a cheap 35,00€ front wheel on my road bike. It has done 100s of kms without issue.
Decathlon stuff is ace.
For a first step into the world of road bike, I don’t think you’ll lose to much on a 300 quid Decathlon road bike.
At 300 it’s not going to be fantastic, but it’s not a bag of crap either.

the being stolen thing is only really a risk whilst i would lock it up outside the gym, there’s a few other guys who ride to the gym and leave their bikes outside in the shelter and considering it’d only be locked up between 6:30 and 7:30am that risk is minimal compared to leaving it outside a train station all day for example 🙂

muddy arse isnt that much of an issue either as i can shower at work and i use the washing machine here every morning to wash gym kit anyway!

good to know the decathlon bikes aren’t too bad, for that price i’m not expecting anything amazing but as long as it could handle one or hopefully more commutes each week and would hold up a year i’d have made my money back and hopefully increased by base fitness in the process 🙂

not going to bite the bullet and buy one just yet, need to play with savings and wait for some more opinions in case someone says they work for decathlon and in a weeks time they’ll be half price as a TDF offer or something lol

Bought a proper road bike a month ago, an old skool Bianchi racer for £100 on the Bay… tube mounted gear levers, side pull brakes, the works. It’s ace! 😀

Like this…

Better still, it’s dark shiny brown, which I’m hoping makes it not that desirable, so hopefully it doesn’t get pinched, but it’s a cool ride and (compared to the cost of the train) it’s already saved me almost £50.

That’s money sense, Camo16 style!

I had a £275 decathlon road bike for a few years (probably similar, inflation, grumble grumble), ace machine, very good for the money.

Go for it.

Oh, if you’re commuting tho, get some full length mudguards on it, make a big difference to comfort on wet roads.

IIRC the Decathlon bike is red, isn’t it? And we all know that red bikes are faster.
It’d be churlish not to.

bought that exact decathlon bike 6 months ago a a winter road bike, love it. No faults, especially for the money.

i like that is has those funny toe strap thingies, means i can ride in my gym trainers instead of buying weird shoes that attach me to the bike…. i wonder how fast i could get from the gym to work in the mornings?

thanks for all the advice guys 🙂

I’ve got the Triban 5, and can’t fault it. Obviously, it’s not up there with a 5000gbp dream-machine, but it takes me up and down mountains on a regular basis with no problem at all.

That said, make sure all the nuts+bolts are done up, handlebars straight etc. before you head off, the bikes may be good vfm but the guys that put them together…

Edit: when I bought it, it was called the Sport 2, but it seems to be the same bike. I got it a couple of years back.

I’d get a second hand one for that money. I commuted on 2nd hand road bikes for about 15 years, paid no more than £300 (for each!). Last one was a £80 Coppi frame off Ebay, with bits off the last one.
Still, I’m sure the Decathlon would do the job cos all road bikes are shite anyway
😉

i like that is has those funny toe strap thingies, means i can ride in my gym trainers instead of buying weird shoes that attach me to the bike…. i wonder how fast i could get from the gym to work in the mornings?

It’s not got toe-straps, it’s just a plastic thing that puts your foot in the right position. Sort of.

funny toe strap thingies

Got some for you Phil if you need some… That’s the one thing I had to take off the bike, due to my enormous feet and penchant for gnarly skate trainers.

Original 1984 Made in France straps, cobwebs included. Make me an offer!

Same boat for me two weeks ago. took the plunge last Friday and have commuted every day adding a few miles here and there and with the shocking weather have made my commute home ‘my cycling fix’. Bit Forrest Gump really, decide to ride somewhere, then add a bit more, then somewhere else and before you know it 50 miles done. Slowly getting used to the different position, trying to spin a bit more rather than pushing a harder gear. In fact I’m going out with some proper roadies next week one night 😯

plastic thingy will be fine 🙂

second hand is an option but i’m kinda liking the decathlon 2 year guarantee… hmmmm

camo… i was made in 1984…. is this some kind of sign?!

next question… if i try to ride to work stopping at the gym on the way, then ride home the EPIC and much more impressive than those girly TDF riders 16miles, will i die?

camo… i was made in 1984…. is this some kind of sign?!

Pure fate, Phil! Next you’ll admit to an odd liking for dirty grey leather and corroded chrome buckles. Then it really is a marriage made in heaven.

Road bikes are much cooler than I gave them credit for. So much so that my Scott Reflex is hanging very precariously to its position in the 16 household… 2 steps away from the Bay…

next question… if i try to ride to work stopping at the gym on the way, then ride home the EPIC and much more impressive than those girly TDF riders 16miles, will i die?

Nah, 16 miles a day dahn Sarff is nothing!

it’d be 32 miles in the day, it’d probably slow down evening mtb rides for a while but that might be a good thing so i dont injure myself before the wedding in sept…. hmmmmmm

hmmmmmm

dear god the more i think about it the more i want one

so i dont injure myself before the wedding in sept

Been away from STW for a while, Phil, so I’ve missed this news… Congratulations!

You or your soon to be Mrs fancy a pair of c. 1984 dirty grey leather pedal clips as a wedding present? 😆

Don’t get one it will take over your life.

thank you camo 😀

it’d be 32 miles in the day, it’d probably slow down evening mtb rides for a while but that might be a good thing so i dont injure myself before the wedding in sept…. hmmmmmm

You’re probably more likely to have a wedding-threatening injury on a road bike than an mtb. Though that may of course be a good thing 🙂

hmmm thats a point, i could do 95% of the commute on pavements and cyclepaths if i wanted to be paranoid… but the majority of roads are pretty wide and cars have a fair amount of space to overtake cyclists on the bits that dont have cyclepaths. if i get my speed up and the lights are kind to me i think some of my journeys might work out the same amount of time on the bike considering the traffic i sometimes sit in around reading!

Can’t help with which bike to get I’m afraid (I just got an Enigma Esprit), but the concept you are working to is spot on, expecially if you want to do up to 32 miles a day. My commute is between 20 and 26 miles depending which way I go.
Road bike much faster, but limited in traffic by not being able to take ‘alternative’ routes.
I alternate my Enigma and On-One 456 depending on weather and route. Both fantastic and better than train.

hmmm thats a point, i could do 95% of the commute on pavements and cyclepaths if i wanted to be paranoid…

I should say that I wouldn’t use road bike injuries as a reason not to get one – and mtb vs road injuries should certainly be used as a (false) justification to the future mrs. consequence if she tries to tell you that the 300gbp are better spent on invitations/flowers/confetti 🙂

Commute to Reading Phil? Where from?

Our offices moved to Reading a while ago and I’ve just started commuting by road bike from Fleet. Just a couple of times a week at the moment as <insert excuse for being a bit lazy> but I’m hoping to get that up to 3 times soon. It’s a 35 mile round trip and at the moment 2 days is just about right, not sure I’d be able to do a gym session en route.

I’m using some pretty fast roads, but so long as you ride aggressively defensive (?!) it’s fine. Get a high viz gilet and as many flashing rear lights as you can fit 🙂

With the generally heavy morning traffic it takes me about the same time to ride in as it does to drive.

Edit to add: I’d avoid cyclepaths and pavements as they just break up the flow of the ride. Not sure they were meant for TdF gods on proper road bikes.

I’ve just bought a Triban 3 for Gti Junior and I can’t believe how good it is for the money. I showed it to a serious roadie neighbour and challenged him to tell me the price – he guessed at £500. I changed the BTwin tyres for something good and it rides really nicely.

Last night a mountain biking pal of mine bought a Triban 5 from the Bolton store; I was really amazed at the time and trouble the mechanic took over setting him up. He spent a good 30 minutes getting it all set up and explaining the gears and giving lots of riding tips. There’s a five year frame warranty and two years on the parts. The store stayed open until 7.10 just so they could get my friend set up right.

commuting from sandhurst to reading via the gym in wokingham. would do the a329 as i drive that way at the moment and haven’t seen any cars cutting to close to cyclists, its wide enough to give a good space for overtaking 🙂

just been down to decathlon and decided on the bike i want, was having it built for me but the rear mech hanger was bent so they’re going to speak to their guy who’s in tomorrow to see what they could sort out for me 🙂

quite excited.

tonyd – how have you found commuting has influenced your ability to mtb in the evenings/weekends?

getting used to narrow drop bars is going to be interesting 😯 rode around the shop a few times and it wasn’t too bad, the bikes in decathlon have really long stems so there’s a fair amount of playing to be done with saddle height/position and stem length to get the fit ‘just right’ i hope 🙂

For mrs xiphon and I – £300 per month on petrol (plus associated running costs of the car)

We purchased 2 x bikes (£550 + £650), so it would take 4 months of us both commuting to make a difference.

Plus we actually cycle much more than using the car. If it’s dark/dodgy area, I will cycle to where she is and ride home with her. Think of it as ‘picking someone up in the car’ but on two wheels 🙂

Just to add to the debate about s/h roadbikes as an alternative to the above (and a bit of a thread hiiack):

I’ve got a handbuilt Dave Hinde lugged 653 steel roadbike with full campag 8 speed Athena groupset (ergo levers) and nice handbuilt Mavic CXP33 wheels that I’m considering getting rid of…..it’s in really nice condition with chromed r/h chainstay and fork ends, nice original paint all in good shape….

…I reckon I’d sell for £50 more than that Decathlon and you’re getting the real deal…

Interested??

Interested??

Are you prepared to throw in some abusive emails and stroppy phone calls into the deal?

what size is it mr velocipede and where are you based in this fine country of ours? 🙂

FFS its a triple

What are you people thinking off

Are you prepared to throw in some abusive emails and stroppy phone calls into the deal?

Eh?

@philconsequence – I’m pretty sure it’s a 56cm, but I’ll check when I’m home tomorrow – I can get some pics of it at the same time if you’re interested in it – ping me an email to the addy in my profile if you get chance. Oh, and I’m in Cheshire – v close to Delamere Forest. Cheers 😀

I’m struggling to understand why you would commute AND go to the gym? I’d also avoid the A roads unless you are in Reading.

Cycle commuting IS my gym.

@Phil

how have you found commuting has influenced your ability to mtb in the evenings/weekends?

I’ve not been out on the MTB for some time, which is partly why I’ve started riding to work. That said, back when I did have more time and was able to do both I found the road biking helped enormously with fitness. As for handling etc it’s hard to say as they’re so totally different, but you shouldn’t have any problems jumping between the two.

It’ll take a while to get the fit right on the road bike and get used to the new position but it’s all good. You’ll feel very stretched for a while but try not to overcompensate by shortening stem, moving saddle, etc too much. No idea on levels of service at Decathlon, but hopefully they’ll give you the opportunity to come back and change the stem (for example) after you’ve been riding a few weeks.

I guess A329 is the most direct route for you, I hop onto that for a short while just past Winnersh. Can’t imagine you’ll have too much bother on there, and for the most part drivers seem to be quite considerate.

Sandhurst eh? We’re house hunting and that’s one of our target locations (missus is from there). Nice and close to Swinley.

nice 2 bedroom house in appletree way for sale at the moment, less than 100meters of pavement to get into crowthorne woods which means off road into swinley in less than 4 miles….

a329 from wokingham to reading does seem pretty cycle friendly, drive past lots of cyclist on way in from the gym and the roads more than wide enough for cars to overtake safely without needing to go onto the other side of the road 🙂

the whole gym thing is pretty important for me, i need to maintain a level of strength around my back and shoulders plus core work and the routine of doing the gym before work is the only way i’ve found that works for me in years! cycle commuting either in addition to or replacing spinning will be for my base cardio/cycle fitness in addition to my gym stuff 🙂

@velocipede, that’d be a little to short for me and cheshire is a bit too far away unfortunately, thanks very much for the offer though… dont want to waste your time by getting you to take pics etc as i know i’m already swinging in the direction of the new bikes location, cost and guarantee 🙂

2 bedder is a bit small, we’ve two kids and my family is 100+ miles away so stay over when they visit. Not much on and what is is too bleedin expensive for our budget at the moment.

Been thinking about getting back to the gym myself as not convinced (road) riding is that great for upper body and my moobs are getting out of control!