[Closed] Whats your best "do anything" road bike?

I have a Boardman hybrid - 700c, hydro disc brakes, will take a rack & full mudguards. Ok so it has flat bars but at some point its going to become my touring bike when i buy the luggage & rack.

My 29er monstercross/cx bike as you say (a Big Kahuna in a small size)

The most versatile is my 96 islabike. I raced on it, trained on it, commuted on it and toured on it. I can remember going up to Cradley Heath to be measured for the frame one Saturday. I'm just about to give it it's 2nd rework, as it'll be going 10 speed in time for summer.

Why would you want a 'do anything' road bike?

If you want a tourer, get a tourer, if you want to race 'cross, get a crosser, if you want a pure bred road bike, get one.

The idea that you can have a 'do anything' bike is like having a 'do anything' pair of shoes; not realistic.

Kinesis Racelight. Superb bike, used by many serious roadies as their winter/training bike, will take full guards and a rack, but is also light, responsive and planted. Great bikes at a great price (particularly for the frame, the full bikes are a tad pricey for the spec)

EDIT - Didn't read the question properly. Not sure about the Racelight for cx purposes. Probably wouldn't be much cop in truth. They do a lovely Crosslight range though and in fairness that's probably as do everything as you'll ever need..

Surly Straggler looks spot on for pretty much everything I reckon. I want one.

Rule #12

If you want a tourer, get a tourer, if you want to race 'cross, get a crosser, if you want a pure bred road bike, get one.

The idea that you can have a 'do anything' bike is like having a 'do anything' pair of shoes; not realistic.

Many reasons, including space, money (or lack there of) etc.

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Many reasons, including space, money (or lack there of) etc.

Then you won't be getting a 'do anything' roadbike, you'll be getting a roadbike which is compromised in certain areas. Bit like getting a mountain bike and expecting to be able to ride DH, XC, all-mountain ( or whatever cobblers is being flogged du jour) and being able to ride to work, the shops and the hairdressers.

Then you won't be getting a 'do anything' roadbike, you'll be getting a roadbike which is compromised in certain areas. Bit like getting a mountain bike and expecting to be able to ride DH, XC, all-mountain ( or whatever cobblers is being flogged du jour) and being able to ride to work, the shops and the hairdressers.

So what if it's compromised in certain areas, they are still fun.

Yep, that Surly Straggler looks great!

My Planet X Uncle John or Kaffenback.

My 1986-87 Stumpjumper with road tyres on is my best around bike. In its long life - It has raced in the Cheddar Challenge, run xc courses, run Cwmcarn,, local soft dh tracks, run canal paths, sustran paths, UK potholed roads, commuted to work 12mi each way, toured bits of the UK, toured bits of France run light-ish, run fully loaded with front and rear panniers. I have more than a few bikes but only one that will do almost everything the others do.

Salsa Fargo

The idea that you can have a 'do anything' bike is like having a 'do anything' pair of shoes; not realistic.

I beg to differ. Being a bloke, I naturally have 1 pair of shoes, I use them for work, going out, recreation - pretty much everything.

Plus you're grumpy.

Just built up a Genesis Fugio. Lovely bike to ride. Seems to do all you ask of it (road, CX, commute). Granted it won't tour as it has no guard/rack mounts. Great handling and a quality ride.

"Do anything"? Is that like a bike that does A roads as well as B roads? 😉

Kinesis Tripster here.
I'm longing after the Ti one but funds are way too tight.

Van Nicholas Amazon.

I guess my Kaffenback is close in theory. Guards, rack mounts, disk brakes, can take big tyres, etc. But realistically it is only used as my winter road bike, I have a cargo bike to move stuff and have never been touring.

Crikey, I think your forgetting that some people are prepared, or even happy to make compromises. A 'road bike' doesn't need to mean high performance bikes based on the pro tours. I've toured and ridden winter trashed roads + byways loops on a rigid 29er on 45Cs. At those times, it was a very good bike for riding on the road.

Some people just want a bike that feels suitable for a few different things that the categories most mainstream brand see as 'markets', they enjoy those bikes whether it's 'right' or optimum for any one use or not. Bikes like that are great.

Bit like getting a mountain bike and expecting to be able to ride DH, XC, all-mountain ( or whatever cobblers is being flogged du jour) and being able to ride to work, the shops and the hairdressers.

i've a salsa vaya which would kind of fit the bill.

off road with 47c Smart sams
road with 35c/ 28c slicks.

It could - at a real stretch be my only bike. but could probably be my only road bike with not too much difficulty.

My pompetamine is my do-it-all.

Swap between Rohloff & SS
Upto 35c tyres for off-road.
BB7s
Havent yet toured on it, but did tour 3,000 miles on it's sibling, my Pompino.

Id still love a monstercross though.

Singular Peregrine: Enough clearance for 2" tyres with mudguards or take the guards off an put knobblies in.

Mounting points for racks and can be run as singlespeed or geared with internal or derailleur gears.

Plus it's really comfortable and great handling

I've got a kinesis Tripster. Works as a commuter, trainer, cross and I might well be racing an iron distance triathlon on it this summer. Just a change of tyres for each duty.

what drofluf said.

My Peregrine did me 75 miles from London and a tour of the Chilterns yesterday, taken me to work and back every day for 3 and a half years, plenty of miles off road with 2" knobblies, been set up SS and geary, and looking forward to Charlie's Gravel Dash in May.

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That's the only pic I've got on the phone, the rest are on the camera, I might stick them up when I get home. Such a beautiful day.

Trek Crossrip does it all for me. It's used for commuting, off road, touring, and most stuff in between. It even has front rack mounts 🙂

My Kaffenbacks have always done the job. Added a Cotic X which works well including a tour of the Hebrides'. Now added a One On Pickenflick which is much lighter.
Discs are a must for me.

I run a Airborne Carpe Diem ti as my commuter/winter bike, which works well. The VN Amazon is the new version, although geo is different.

Kinesis ATR is nice, although the fork needs updating.

I think there is a niche for a commuter/road/CX/rough track thing but speccing the parts needs to be done carefully and to get it light enough may mean spending quite a bit. My Carpe Diem does pretty well but it's taken quite a bit of time a money to get it that way, and I run two different wheelsets.

Its obviosly not perfect because Im looking for a replacement but my 2006 Spech Allez never ceases to do whatever is asked of it.

I bought it as a fun road bike which it did very well taking me on loads of centuries and sportives etc as I was getting back into cycling.

Then it became a commuter and has been for several years with half the route across heathland, itll take 25(maybe even 28mm) tyres abnd a rack.

I also use it for smaller shopping trips with panniers loaded to overflowing it bends a bit but has never let me down.

Perhaps so many bikes being niche specific actually stops them being seen as as versatile as they should be?

I have a Pompetamine too. I only finished building it a while ago but it does everything I need it to do, namely get me to work and back on varied terrain. It has a rack, guards, cable disc brakes, dynamo hub, Alfine 11, 32c tyres, lots of lights, and a bell.

It's no lightweight mind.

Kinesis GF Ti .... does road, muddy lanes, floods, commute, fun, shopping
and as I've discovered over the weekend CX as well ... even if not
planned and with bluemels still fitted 🙂

I run a Airborne Carpe Diem ti as my commuter/winter bike, which works well

Same here, well, except the Alu version (but I am on the look out for a Ti one or poss a VN Amazon) - for anything on tarmac it is a pretty good compromise. For bigger tyres my Pompetamine covers the bases - they are, currently, my only two bikes and between them can cope with anything from the winter club run up to jey-offroad-lite with a bit of spannering.....

An ageing Planet X Uncle John.

Used to race CX on it (as a 2nd bike), have taken it off-road round local trails, joined in on night-time MTB club rides, century road rides on it, toured with it, commuted on it and last autumn lent it to friend for the road section of his triathlon.

It's currently clamped into my turbo trainer.

Whats your best "do [s]anything[/s] most things " road bike?

My CX .

Great to see some healthy discussion - will check out some of the other recommendations, thks all! 😀

Another vote for the Kinesis Tripster here. In fact, my Tripster ATR does for me exactly what you've asked for - it's my sole, do it all road bike.

I had an alloy Tripster that did me proud - bought it as my first disc road bike a few years ago for a lumpy, muddy, backroad commute, and some winter training. I sold my hardtail mountain bike within a few weeks of it landing as it also did the sort of simple off road stuff I was doing on that.

I replaced it with one of the first titanium ones last summer and stripped the carbon road bike a few months later, having barely used it. I spent Christmas working out how to make the Tripster the 'do it all' bike, and have had it on a bit of a diet. It's already got Ultegra on it but some new carbon bars and post, lightweight stem, some 'summer wheels' and tyres, take the guards off after Easter (maybe) - it'll be close on 17lbs I reckon. More than good enough as a summer bike.

It's fast, comfy, tours and commutes well, has had a couple of (uphill) Strava KOMs to its name. Yes, the drivetrain's getting shot in the winter, but I've even had it on the turbo trainer (with the summer rear wheel shod with an old tyre).

It absolutely ticks the box for me and having had five bikes in the garage at one point, I'm bloody loving having a full suss and a road bike and nowt else. [/simple life]

Dawes Super Galaxy will foot the bill, although nothing but a proper road bike will handle like one. How much Cx do you really intend to ride?

Kinesis pro6 here. Bought for cross but a broken road frame has pressed it into Tarmac duties. Not bad as it happens.

If I was ever reduced to having just one bike I'd stick with my Tricross. Of course I'd need to fit studded tyres because Hell would have frozen over.

Of course I'd need to fit studded tyres because Hell would have frozen over.

You live in Hell?

....or is that a typo, and you meant Hull?

Reminds me of the joke......

I accidentally typed Hell instead of Hull into my satnav. Sill got there though.

I've got a Kinesis Pro6 for these purposes. Fits the bill better than anything else I've tried. It's reasonably light, reasonably quick steering, takes guards easily, disk only, is tough and looks nice. If recommend a forgiving seatpost though.

Works well as a winter road bike/commuter and excellent off road, but not in the same league for speed or handling as my Tarmac.

Tricross disc here - it can out-climb the heavy FS mob on a mountain bike ride though it's pretty useless on rocky DHs, it makes an excellent tourer loaded up with panniers and rack and in wet or snowy conditions it's superbly stable and reliable and it just keeps on going no matter how much I neglect it. It's too heavy to race though - more a cross-purpose hybrid than a CX bike.

Your search won't be over until you've tried a Kona Jake the Snake!

Boardman cx, bit heavy for cx but otherwise a great around bike