dark side advice

Been a mtbiker for 20 years and know nothing about road bikes ( needed for commuting ). can anyone recommend a road bike for under a grand for a 12 mile each way commute? Currently looking at Orbea Aqua Gravia or Boardman Team but only because that is what my LBS has available

Thanks

specialized allez elite….£970, carbon rear stays and Shimano 105 components. Very nice bit of kit. Look at the review on Bikeradar

Don’t Planet X do a full carbon jobbie for that amount?

not sure you want a race bike with carbon stays or full carbon for commuting.

commuting bikes get battered by the road, so you might want to think of something that can take mudguards, wider tyres, and won’t mind being subjected to a constant stream of mucky gritty salt

I’m with Steve-Austin.
Have you looked at a cross bike? I think Genesis do one which will take mudguards and a rack. or even a roadrat?

Spec on these makes them an absolute bargain if you are not sure the road thing is for you and you want to try it.
I got the 2007 model last year, the wheels aren’t much cop but the rest is a very solid spec for 1/2 your budget.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25459

CW or maybe Cycling+ had a feature on the sub-grand choice. Boardman won by a mile IIRC.

overkill for a commuting bike and also you may find it is not to your tastes or worse you love it!!
Prefer a hybridMTB for commuting – go up/down kerbs over drains without fear of buckling/crashing etc and over 12 miles wont be much time difference between the two (unless you cycle when it is exceptionally quiet)

not wanting to push the point, but do any of you commute on these RACE bikes you’re suggesting?

I commute daily and can’t think of a worse kind of bike to be riding in the middle of winter on the road.
Where do you put your bag?
Do you ‘RACE’ to work?

Kenisis do a winter trainer/ first race bike at that price, takes 25c’s with gaurds but still good enough to start racing on if that takes your fancy. Has had exellant reviews and if the two race frames our club has then quality is spot on.

If it’s for commuting, you need full mudguards and maybe a rack for panniers.

I’d see what Ribble can do for you on their audax frame and spend the change on something for your mountain bike. I love mine.

For something a bit lighter, I’d certainly look at the Kinesis training bike (Racelight T?)

lets see, I could use my track/road/rigid MTB for commuting. Road nice and light and fast. Track – light fast and easy to maintain/MTB heavy and slow?

I use the MTB as much more robust and comfortable over the cr*p road surfaces, and also it gets locked to bike stand in public space so wouldn’t want to put my road bike there. Also it has a rack for panniers.

You won’t find too much of a difference in overall commute time either, fit slicks to the MTB and its alot easier, fit narrow slicks and evn less of a difference (you just can’t get aero on the drops).

I bought a Planet X Superlight Alu for commuting, and I have to say its not ideal. Its obviously nice and fast, but the racy position is not that comfy, especially with a rucksack on, and there are no rack eyelets. Think I am going to swap the frame for a kaffenback.

As many have said buying a full racing bike for commuting doen’t make sense you would be much better with a light touring /audax bike with mudguards and rack. The good news is for £1000 you could get a pretty good one take a look at kinesis, pearson,paul hewitt,thorn to name a few.If it was my money Id go for a kinesis, a few people on club rides have them and they are cut above the usual hack training bike eg Ribble.

Ribble Hacks are fine…about £120 for frame and carbon forks….not worried about stacking it on ice or mud….2 sliding sideways events on Friday cos of slurry on lanes. built up they are great VFM I reckon

Yep, I’m with the others recommending you steer away from “pure” race bikes.

You need what the road riding world would call a winter trainer. i.e. a road bike, not as light as a race bike, but capable of taking slightly larger tyres (say 25c or 26c) for grip and comfort, with mounts for a pannier rack anc capable of taking full mudguards.

Loads of bikes fall into this category – my Giant SCR 2.0 does just this. Cost about £500, though. So, for £1k, you ought to be able to get something pretty nice. But, bear in mind, it will spend its life covered in sh*t with all the components wearing out…..

I have an old trek 1200, which is similar to that Giant SCR talked about above – quite racey, but with mudguard mounts.

With mudguards on it is great. Drop bars are great. Every time I ride a bike with flat bars, it slow and uncomfortable, particularly down hills.

I don’t use a rack on it, I use a Carradice sqr slim saddlebag. It weighs less than rack+panniers, and takes a surprising amount of stuff (easily a full change of clothes + packed lunch). I used to use a rucksack, but that was way less comfy. This won out over a rack, because the weight is more central, and you add less total weight, plus it is quick to take off the bike when I don’t need it.

Joe

depends on your commuting situation,

at my last job the shortest route was 15 miles each way, with a shower at work.

You’d be mad to do it on an mtb, and if a road bike fits you properly there is nothing more comfortable or faster to bash out the miles on (recumbants maybe, but they’r not safe commuters).

Did it once on an mtb with slicks and decided never again, its just not comfortable sitting in the same position for that many miles. And you always feel its holding you back.

If you can shower at work then mudguards are unneccecary, if its raining then how are they going to help?

So yes, i did do several thousand miles of commuting on a race bike. With race wheels, race tires and race tubes (drew the line at tubs). Averaged a puncture every 2000miles? Other than that it was faultless.

As for which bike, one of the mags (cycling plus?) gave the kiron scandium form wiggle 10/10. but it is fekin ugly.

I commute on my race bike during the summer and used to during the winter. However, I wanted a race bike first and didn’t buy it purely for commuting. I had previously been using a 1″ slick shod mountain bike and the race bike knocked several minutes off my 9 mile commute and made it far easier to do everyday.

If I was buying a purely commuter bike then I’d probably get an Audax or tourer bike. The commuting bike gets quite some stick.

something like this would be ideal i would have thought..
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/dawes/galaxy-2008-touring-bike-ec000395

Mudguards make a massive difference. They don’t just keep the muck off you and your face, they keep it off most of the components, headset, front mech, BB etc.. so they all last a lot longer.

If you can shower at work then mudguards are unneccecary, if its raining then how are they going to help?

They make you get way way less cold and wet when it rains. They also make you not get wet at all when there’s just water on the road. People without mudguards don’t realise quite how much difference it makes. With mudguards it is very rare that I’d need waterproofs for my commute. Without them I needed waterproofs maybe once a week to stop water off the road, plus I got way wetter on days when it is actually raining.

Joe

After my road ride on Saturday I would agree about mudguards.

Anything to avoid the taste of roadsalt in your mouth.

I use an Uncle John cross bike to commute. Copes with roads and towpaths. Carries a pannier and is comfy.

Apart from carrying a bit of stuff in a rucksack, I ride pretty much the roads that is my direct commute as I ride at the start or end on around half of my frequent road rides, quite often on the ‘weekend’ bike.
Not really getting the buy a cross’er for the crap roads comments. It’s the same road on Saturday morning as it is on Tuesday tea time.