I’m thinking about starting to cycle to/from station and hopefully build up to cycling to work.

Will be riding to a station further out than my local with a more regular train – distance will be around 10 miles.

I have a choice of either all road or part of it along the canal.

Now do I just get some less knobbly tyres for my HT and use that (2×10 set up) or splash a bit of cash (poss C2W scheme) and get a CX-type hybrid (Boardman CX Comp or Kona Rove AL with better suited gearing)?

Won’t be leaving the bike at the station as I can take it on the train the rest of the way.

Anyone have either of the above bikes or think of something similar around the £650’ish mark?

I could get the Boardman for around £520 with various discounts/vouchers etc.

Ride what you have for a month, the decision will then make itself.

I will be giving it a go on my HT but ‘if’ I keep it up I’ll want to use something else.

Personally I prefer the riding position of a hardtail for traffic and for the better braking etc

Have a proper think about whether you want discs or not. I’ve converted a fast XC hardtail into a commuter and it’s great, except for squeely discs in the wet.

I’m researching new pads (see other thread) but deep down, based on years of experience, suspect it’s just par for the course for disc brakes when they get wet and don’t get heated up much (my commute’s pretty flat).

Long story short, I’m now jealousy eyeing up non-disc brake commuting bikes…

Personally I prefer the riding position of a hardtail for traffic and for the better braking etc

Agreed

Although is that 10 miles one way or 10 mile round trip? 10 miles one way is possibly my borderline commute distance on a HT.

Worth doing the ‘road’ version of the commute on HT to start with if your full ride-to-work route has a lot of road sections. No point buying a more road orientated bike if you hate commuting by road (its not everyones cup of tea).

Thanks guys, will be 10 miles each way.

Will you be commuting in cycle clothing or work attire?

My commute is 2 miles, so I ride dressed for work. A cx position is too stretched out with the front too low – trouser belt presses into stomach making uncomfy riding.

By comparison I find an xc hardtail too long in wheelbase and too stable on the road which makes it a bit boring.

I’ve therefore ended up with a cx bike with my normal cx stem length but with a riser bar – shorter up right position makes comfier pedalling and genuinly is better in traffic.

I had a hardtail and then eventually moved to a CX (inbred to pompetamine)

Much prefer the pompetamine. Commuting is just something I need to do so it gets me there faster. I do occasionally take detours but I’ve exhausted most options over the last 8 years. These days I tend to take another bike if I’m doing specific road or mtb riding after work.

I’d get a separate bike. If it is not too hilly a disc singlespeed built for reliability. Commuting is hard on bikes. They get covered in salt and road grime through winter and in my case rarely washed. It would destroy a nice bike unless you were prepared to keep on top of maintenance.

I used to get through a set of wheels in 2 winters with rim brakes. A good selection of hills and junctions meant they got used more than a standard roadie bike.

Ride what you have. You then have no bike buyers remorse if you buy the wrong one, and it’ll be much easier to know what bike you want

10 miles each way and you still have to get a train?!

. 10 miles each way and you still have to get a train?!

I’m reading the OP as 10 miles ride to the station. Then train.

2nd hand Pinnacle Lithium? I am selling my CX bike as I should have bought one of these instead 😆 29eresque rigid with road speed. All the right holes for ‘guards and racks. I paid £200 for mine.

It’s actually only a mile to my local station where I normally travel from – but it wouldn’t be much of a ride….

The station 10 miles away (roughly half way to work) has a more frequent service to Birmingham (4 trains/hour).

I do a 2.5 mile each way commute in work clothes on a cross bike. Half canal/half road. For that, the cross bike is perfect with a full compliment of mud guards means rattling along even when the ground is wet you stay totally dry – worth considering if you’re on an MTB and whether you can fit full mud guards which I’ve found to be a must have.

Also fitted a shorter than standard stem and since I’m rarely in the drops, its more upright and fine on the (admittedely very quiet) road stretch.

Also gives me the option for the riverside CX diversion on the way home when its dry.

I’d go for a CX type thing. It won’t make a huge difference generally, but you’ll suffer less with headwinds etc. If it was 10 miles in heavy traffic, I’d take the towpath on a CX bike unless the surface is horrendous – and whilst I’d agree with TJ’s comments about flat bars in traffic, you don’t really want to do a 10 mile commute in heavy traffic (although when I did for a week only I used a drop bar road bike across London, it meant I could keep up with the traffic better where it was moving. I’m now happy enough with drops that it wouldn’t be an issue riding in traffic with them, but I’m guessing as you’re on here you’re coming from MTBs).

It’s pretty subjective, try what you have.

…suspect it’s just par for the course for disc brakes when they get wet and don’t get heated up much (my commute’s pretty flat).

Had this problem with Deore hydros fitted to my Boardman Hybrid on my 4 mile flat commute, pads never got hot or even warm so would glaze over easily and squeal like crazy. That bike got written off in a dooring incident so I bought a cheap GT Traffic with v-brakes to replace it with temporarily and it’s so nice to have consistent brakes that don’t squeal!! The more upright riding position really helps in traffic too.