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so: looks like over winter I will be commuting by bike. 40miles a day through London to Epsom.
option 1: ride my tranny TransAm (with slicks on) - I think this might be tough, even tho I'm pretty fit (I ride a 75km offroad on a saturday ATM without too much bother). Its currently on 2x9 so I might have to go 3x9, drop the bash guard & get some use out of the 42t.
But it's not light - 31lb (admittedly it's be lighter with slicks on)
So I was thinking it might be wise to purchase a dedicated tool for the job.
but as I'm not a roadie, my 1st thought was a...
Option2: Genesis Vapour with mudguards. Faster, lighter, add slicks and it'll be a lovely fast ride across the smoke in the dark. plus i can keep it for loooong summer spins around the edges of fields.
But it costs around £1200 so would I be better served with something paired back to the bone in every sense?
Option3: Spesh Langster £500 (or less) & just chuck it in the spring and "save" the difference in £ for a Alps trip in April to celebrate the approach of summer.
Thoughts and other options please
giant defy 4
500 quid.
fit mudguards and some robust 25c tires - specialised espoir armadillos or something.
winter on the road will trash most things.
I'm impressed that you are even considering it. The A24 between Epsom and Leatherhead was like a river this morning. And Epsom has a train station. Sorry ! Not helping I know 🙄
Problem with running gears in the winter is the grit salt will ruin your drive chain you'll need a new one every few weeks commenting that amount. Single speeds are the way forward for commenting on the only problem is how far you commute not sure that would be doable depends on what chain ring an sprocket you go for and how fit you are
no he wont - sure if you subscribe to 0.75% then yes you might (which fwiws i only subscribe to on my race MTB and time trial bikes where a miss shift could be difference between win and loose - the rest just get run into the ground)
you just accept that the chain wont be clean - cover it in thick sticky oil to stop it corroding and just let it wear away.
Cheaper to wear out the chain , block and jockey wheels than it is to keep throwing chains at it doing that kind of milage
ive got about 4000miles+++ out of a sora gruppo on a road bike trainer thats used all year round - and i only changed it because i was away to be doing a 300k audax round the northern tip of scotland with no escape plan.
that said ive got an alfine 8 roadrat for my commuter these days because i was finding the fixed wheel to be a chore everymorning.
Hell! I'm damn fit!
... & I plan to start by 3days a week and work up 😉
Plus: if push comes to shove or the weather is really hanging, I can always wimp out & get the train, but if i do that, I won't be buff by March 😉
So We think Langster is the answer?
ok, well I'm 5'9 and ride an 18inch Tranny with a 50mm stem. What size Langster do i need?