Needs some commuting advice

I take the A1 to work, which works out at 22 miles door to door. HOwever if I take a bike route it’s 16 miles, which is manageablish.

It’s from Gosforth to Sacriston in COuntry Durham, so there will be a couple of long steady hills going in.

I presume that even riding my HT with road tyres it’s going to be wasting loads of energy compared to a proper road bike.

Current diesel costs to work is about 14p per mile so is costing at the moment around £6 a day travel, maybe a bit more.

So all sounds doable as long as I don’t need to lug masses of books home with

Is it going to make a massive difference the bike I am on? Any websites that will show me the elevation changes so I can see how bad the hills really are.

im guessing a proper road bike will get you there quicker….thinner tyres,

my son has just got himself a commute bike, he says you do tend to feel every bump tho..

so you have a hardtail with road tyres… have you not practiced these hills on your bike yet ?… 😉

Try this for your elevation.

No idea how to turn that into a nice commute. Team Valley, Kibblesworth, behind C-l-S via Waldridge. Some good hills.

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php

Plot the route, then click ‘show elevation’.

The ‘OSMCycle’ view is quite good for gauging availible cycle ‘infrastructure’ and terrain.

Why is 16 mile more manageable than 22 mile?

Slicked up MTB will be fine, but a secondhand road bike will proably be fast and comfier.

Over that distance assuming that its all road based then a road bike will be noticeably quicker. If you’re carrying stuff then use panniers as they’re very useful and mean that you won’t sweat as much and why not let the machine carry the weight for you?

my son has just got himself a commute bike, he says you do tend to feel every bump tho.

🙄 what, does he ride a 7″ DH bike normally?

..after saying that …

At Dunston where the Western Bypass picks up the A692 south, you can pick up the back road that runs parallel to the A1 for the length of the Team Valley, this then gets you onto the backroads near Kibblesworth, then you could cut cross country. The A1/A692 roundabout was full of under- passes. I guess it still is.

Def not off-road tyres for that run!

It depends on your mountain bike to be honest but yes, it’s always going to be a bit easier and faster on a roadbike. if you’re not used to roadbikes it’s going to feel very bumpy, very high up and a bit unstable for a little while though.

Why don’t you just go the 16 mile route in your car? 😉

Why is 16 mile more manageable than 22 mile?

Because the 22 miles is up the A1 past Lobly Hill and the Angel, don’t fancy that at all, ever.

But the run into work has a few steady hills and that is about it, not too bad, other than the last mile into Plamsworth/Nettlesworth which will make me puke.

Why don’t you just go the 16 mile route in your car?

Because it would be stop start, which would reduce MPG. Just now it’s about 50 on the A1 if I leave before 7, but going the 16 mile route will be through traffic starting and stopping.

I can’t get that hikeabike to work.

HOw do I make a route on it?

try mapmyride.com – it’s the site I use to check elevation on my variety of routes to and from work (ranging from 14 to 40 miles). It’s not the best site but it gets the job done…

You get used to the bumpiness very quickly. I ride my road bike on pretty rough back/country roads and it’s not that bad.

bumpiness is something you get used to
16 miles – depending on hills is circa an hour on the road and about 1hr 20 ish MTB. I reckon on 10 + miles = road bike personally if you do it often.
say a 16-18 mph v 10-14 MTB
yes you could use slicks etc but it will not be easier or quicker than a road bike.
You will get used to the distance and hills.my advice EAT and rest Eat and rest.

So what am I looking for in a road bike?

Size wise I’m 6’4″ and ride an XL Enduro, 21″ Wanga, which fits me fine but a bit big for decent offroad. What am I looking for roadbike size?

what, does he ride a 7″ DH bike normally?
explain ? 🙄

I’ve just stuck some 1.25’s on an old Saracen mtb and it flies compared to my On-one with 2.3’s on. It’s probably not as fast as a road bike but it’s a damn site quicker than a fat Tyred bike and it sooo easy to maintain a constant pace.

I’ve just stuck some 1.25’s on and Saracen mtb and it flies compared to my On-one with 2.3’s on. It’s probably not as fast as a road bike but it’s a damn site quicker than a fat Tyred bike and it sooo easy to maintain a constant pace.

Certainly more tempting than spunking 600 quid on a new bike, although I would need a new triple chainset, and left shifter, but even then it would be considerably cheaper.

I think I shall nick Mrs Q’s Schwalbe Marathon’s and have a potter around this weekend and see what it’s like.

I wouldnt buy a new bike, buy a 2nd hand racer of ebay. That way when/if you cant be arsed anymore, you can sell it and get your cash back!

Stick an ad on Freecycle first though, you might pick up a fix-me-up road bike for free. 16-miles is manageable. Probably alternate car & bike first to get used to it. Panniers are an ace idea. I hated, repeat, HATED riding in with a backpack in summer.