Due to:

a) Living in the flatlands and not having my driving test for another month or so…

and

b) Running being out due to a overuse injury that does not seem to be clearing up after a few months

and

c) Needing to lose some weight through some brutal cardio

Its time to contemplate riding on the roads for some exercise. The thing is i would rather keep as close to the MTB format as possible due to preferring riding with flats etc and have no road shoes/helmet/nice tight lyrca!

So i am thinking about something like this:

Seem like a good idea to rack up some road miles and burn off some fat or should i just go for something like a Focus Cayo:

…..and buy myself the road shoes/helmet etc?

Cheers.

boardman would be more versatile, maybe add some CX rubber for gentle off road jaunts

If you already have a MTB, go for the road bike- the hybrid is a bit of a sitting-on-fence compromise.
Frankly, you'd be better off saving the money you would have spent on a helmet and putting it towards decent lights.

Are they stil doing good deals on Planet X road bikes at the moment? I think they might be offering 20% off their already pretty keen prices.

(miffed I got my wife's bike before Christmas? – no not at all for 'tis a thing of beauty)

Get the road bike and the necessary kit. Anything else would be a wasted effort. "Bit of everything, good at nothing".

get the road bike, with egg beaters, and some kit, most of it you can use on the mtb and road bike. i use my helmet, shorts, shoes, lights, tops on both

Hmmm. You all kinda say what i was thinking. I guess entering the roadie side of things will mean learning what is actually good kit on a bike, ultegra, 105….what?, and find out what size i will need as a 5'7" shortarse.

Unless you can test ride a road bike or you know excactly wht you want dont mail order.

There's no need for different shoes, helmet etc. unless you're racing at a high level, or have tons of money to burn. Just put some SPDs (or whatever you use on the mountain bike) on there and use your usual shoes.

This time of year, I'd get something that fits mudguards personally, as a full on road bike with tight clearances means wet cold bum in winter.

Joe