• This topic has 45 replies, 26 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by kilo.
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  • Going to the darkside – roadbiking and commuting – advice sought
  • jonke
    Free Member

    So due to personal circumstances i find my offroad riding seriously curtailed (my missus had twins 4 weeks ago). Faced with the option of either blimping out or finding a plan b, i have dipped my toe in to the world of commuting by bike. The one thing that has become apparent quite quickly is how totally inappropriate a full sus bike is for the 17 mile road trip on mainly A roads. I have had a quick look around online for an appropriate Bike but a little bewildered at the number of options.

    So whats some good options to look into? What should i look out for? Don’t really want to pay too much as the bike will get locked up outside while in work. I want to go fast 🙂 but avoid some rigid boneshaking missile that destroys my back and gets stolen. Maybe spend up to £500.

    djglover
    Free Member

    personally, I couldn’t live without mud guards and drop bars on my commute of a similar distance. If its flat, you could go for a single speed to save weight and complexity

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    £300, Italian made alloy frame, Shimano drivetrain, carbon fork, great reviews?

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    djglover
    Free Member

    blimey, thats a bargain

    jimc101
    Free Member

    That’s a long commute (is the 17 miles total or each way?) , and you won’t get much for £500.

    If your lucky you may find somthing ok on ebay / 2nd hand.

    Do you need to carry anything – a rack?, mudguards? hard to find mounts for these on a lot of road bikes

    Have you looked at hybrids? if there is a high chance of theft, you don’t want to spend too much, Carrera Subways look OK, + a good lock whatever you get.

    That Btwin above looks very good for the money as well.

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    djglover – Member

    blimey, thats a bargain

    Crazy isn’t it?
    Here’s a review:
    Link – Cycle Active review.

    I know I keep posting this, but I’m genuinely stunned how they can do it for the money.
    Great if you’re not a badge snob.

    No link to Decathlon btw.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    I know I keep posting this, but I’m genuinely stunned how they can do it for the money.
    Great if you’re not a badge snob.

    Yep, bargainous. Full length mudguards, rack and good lights are your friends for year round commuting as well.

    colin1265
    Free Member

    If you have to carry stuff, work clothes, paperwork etc. get a rack and panniers. Anything you put in said panniers, regardless of how waterproof they are meant to be, put in plastic bags.
    Do you have shower facilities at work ? If not, leave a wash bag at work, take a small towel and flannel and wash your bits in the sink when you get in. Disclaimer; take care if communal washroom !
    Shirts if you need them are an art to fold for the journey or drive on Monday and take a weeks worth in. Or, get them cleaned and pressed near work if that’s an option.
    Enjoy it, I love my commute, it gives me time to forget all my shit from work.

    wafty
    Free Member

    Don’t forget to say Hi to MTBs …

    Kato
    Full Member

    I picked up a 2 year old Spesh Secteur Elite with full 105 2nd hand for £400 last month. Was looking new, but nothing within my budget was any good. Triple too! 😀

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Triple too!

    Have you told your parents yet? 😉

    mogrim
    Full Member

    I’ve got a BTwin, OK it’s not as nice as the Time with Lightweight wheels in my LBS, but it was a lot cheaper, and it’s not let me down. Great value.

    mogrim
    Full Member

    Have you told your parents yet?

    Thing about triples is that you don’t have to, they already know. A compact is for those too scared to get out of the closet.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Thing about triples is that you don’t have to, they already know.

    🙂

    Kato
    Full Member

    😆 😆 😆

    I’m not even man enough for a compact.

    jonke
    Free Member

    Whats a compact?

    So 17 miles each way. I’ve been driving in the morning with all my kit, leaving all my stuff in the car, biking home and back in in the morning.

    Showers at work so all good on that front.

    That decahlon bike looks like a good shout. If anyone spots any other bargains out there in the classifieds etc let me know please. Thanks!

    brooess
    Free Member

    Singlespeed roadbike would be cheaper if cash is restricted. Or you could get a better frame and bits for same price.
    Cotic Roadrat is c £650 s/s fully built IIRC

    TiRed
    Full Member

    17 miles each way requires something reasonably smooth and fast. A road machine, tourer/audax/cyclocross. You’ll defintely want full mudguards and a rack, and lights that mount to the rack. For £500, I’d buy

    1) That btwin for £300 – it is amazing value
    2) New set of tyres: Scwalbe Durano S £40/pr from https://www.sportpursuit.com/ at the moment (everyone skimps on tyres).
    3) SKS chromoplastic guards £30
    4) B and M Toplight rear light on the rack plus a Cateye Rapid 1 on the seatpost £30
    5) A decent Ortlieb city pannier £60
    6) A Front light – proabably a discontinued Cateye el600 if you can find one, or go for Exposure Flash/Flare.

    If you want a used bike, higher spec, then something like a used Dawes Audax/Giro – unfashionable brand, so better value.

    EDIT: I have assumed you have a decent set of shoes and pedals, plus some form of lycra shorts and clothing.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    what’s a compact?

    a ‘normal’ roadie crankset has 2 chainrings which will be something like 48/54 teeth, which is a massive range – more than enough for a man to pedal up the steepest, longest mountain roads.

    a ‘compact’ chainset has a teeny tiny 34 tooth ring instead of the 48.

    a ‘triple’ has 3 chainrings.

    you are allowed to mock men who need a compact chainset, and especially those who need a triple.

    me? – i’m a pathetic weakling, so i use a compact.

    (i’m a pathetic weakling who lives in the peak district. My ‘easy’ 25k ride this afternoon had over 500m of climbing)

    i even have a cheating cassette; a 12-28 – for the extra low gear over a normal 12-25.

    i haven’t told my parents.

    jonke
    Free Member

    Think i’d like some gears…..

    That decathlon looks good. Usual situation while checking the website out – for only 200 quid more theres that white one in the nicer colour (serously thats the only way i can differentiate). And for 200 more thn that theres that cyclocross thingy.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    …that white one in the nicer colour (serously thats the only way i can differentiate).

    you’re learning fast, you’ve already spotted the biggest difference between most road bikes.

    Kato
    Full Member

    Of course. Try out the btwin with the thumb shifters on the sides of the hood. Then go try something like a 105 with a paddle behind the brake lever instead of the thumb shifter

    That was the sole reason I stopped looking at new and went 2nd hand on a £400 budget

    mogrim
    Full Member

    I’ve got the Sport 2, next one up in the range. If you can, the paddle 105 shifters Kato mentions are an advantage – I’ve got Sora and it uses the brake as a lever for going up the rings, and a “mouse-ear” shifter on the hood for going down. This means you can’t do half the shifts from the drops.

    Not a huge problem, but if you can stretch to 105 they’d be better. (You can of course always just leave it as an upgrade for the future).

    You can see the second lever here, it’s the silver bit in the middle of the shifter on the right:

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Sounds like you have some facilities which is good. If you take 3/4 sets of work clothes in on a Monday along with extra food ect in the car you can probably remove the need for racks etc. Drive on a Friday too to clear out the locker of stuff. Should give you up to 3 days or just alternate Tues/Thurs.

    As for bike Cycle 2 Work is your friend. Keep eyes peeled and ear to the ground for the enthusiastic guy who managed 2 runs on the bike before giving in. I got an Spec Allez Elite with Carbon fork/stays & good running gear 3 years old 200 miles for £200. Doubled it’s miles in the first week and got the cables stretched 🙂

    After that lights, spedo and Strava to complete your journey 🙂

    radoggair
    Free Member

    a ‘normal’ roadie crankset has 2 chainrings which will be something like 48/54 teeth, which is a massive range – more than enough for a man to pedal up the steepest, longest mountain roads.

    what chainsets you been looking at. The default’man’ chainset runs 53/39

    winston
    Free Member

    Its not about the bike…

    Commuting is all about the accessories – £300 will get you all the commuter bike you need but then you will need:

    Waterproof jacket (pref hi vis)
    3/4 leggings
    full length leggings
    2 x gloves
    waterproof shoes
    waterproof panniers (and rack)
    clear glasses
    lights
    spare lights
    Micro fleece towel
    Lock

    Its all about the kit on the commute – the bike is secondary

    Kato
    Full Member

    I think “paddle” shifters have filtered down to Sora now

    djglover
    Free Member

    Probably want to get yourself some aero bars

    jonke
    Free Member

    Winston. I’m sorry but its all about the bike.i’ll bike to work in my pyjamas if its the difference between an upgrade groupset or a carbon frame. Actually i got loads of good kit however I’ will be the one looking a bit confused on the carbon race bike with baggy shorts. Don’t need luggage….yet. Can store at work and i got enoughforward facing lights for las vegas. Need rear lights tho.

    Its cos of those aero bars i need to start riding more!

    TiRed
    Full Member

    Give it a month of day in, day out all weather riding through the winter. Those mudguards, rack and yes, some form of luggage, will be more than worth the groupset upgrade. Especially as the salty grime corrodes the parts and the chain is ground down by road paste and washed clean of lubricant every other day. There is a lot of truth in what Winston says.

    For the record, here’s my commuter expenditure break down:
    Bike – used Kona Paddy Wagon (£220 of ebay) plus some nice new wheels, so about £500 all in.

    Mudguards – SKS chromoplastic (£30)
    New tyres – Schwalbe (£80 including tubes)
    Rack – Topeak £30
    Lights – Exposure Strada £250 front, rear b and M, cateye and mudguard £50
    Pannier – Ortlieb Downtown £110
    New saddle, stem and seatpost £200

    And when you add in clothing, very roughly bike expenditure is the same as the accessories is the same as clothing. In fact clothing may be the outright winner based on the cost of nice winter boots, wind and rainproof tights and a nice coat/shell. Come January, it’s all about the clothes and accessories 😉

    Still cheaper than a car and vastly more fun.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    As a counter to the racks etc. if your not doing everyday ie can drive a supply of nice clean clothes and a towel in the stick with a non racked bike. Prepare you kit and have some spares in the office.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    radoggair – Member

    what chainsets you been looking at. The default ‘man’ chainset runs 53/39

    forgive my ignorance – i’m a pathetic weakling, limited to using a compact by my scrawny legs and lack of moral fortitude.

    muppetWrangler
    Free Member

    My initial advice would have been an audax/cyclocross bike but that b-twin does look good for the money. Definitely get the full guards and a rack. Full guards will keep a lot of crap off of you and the bike making both the ride and maintenance less of a chore and after a few rides you really don’t notice the loaded rack at all.

    A minimum of two rear lights (if you get a rack get a light that attaches to the back of the rack as it’s less likely to be obscured by panniers/ jackets etc.)

    As for clothing, waterproof gloves and decent winter shoes and/or overshoes if you are intending on going right through the winter. Fleecy top with a wind-stopper lining and a light rainproof shell jacket would be my preference for up top. And I’d go for bib tights with either a roubaix or windstopper lining on the legs.

    I never really solved the issue of cold wet feet on a commute although full length guards did delay the onset of trench foot for a while.

    On a well set up bike 17 miles each way isn’t so bad, probably just over an hour on a normal day so long as you have a decent route without too many stoppages. Plenty of people do that sort of commute and come the Summer you will be as fit as a very fit thing.

    njee20
    Free Member

    (i’m a pathetic weakling who lives in the peak district. My ‘easy’ 25k ride this afternoon had over 500m of climbing)

    I know you’re trying to be ironic and that but that isn’t that much climbing, and you should be embarrassed about going for a 25k ‘ride’ 😉

    +1 on the mudguards, don’t worry about racks and panniers if not required. Good way to get fit.

    steveoath
    Free Member

    Someone (not I) is selling a beautiful Wilier Toni Bevilacqua on classifieds. If I hadn’t already built up my commuter I’d have bitten his hand off for it!!!

    grum
    Free Member

    Does the BTwin have mudguard eyelets then?

    will
    Free Member

    Ribble Audax/winter bike – £560
    http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbd/road-track-bike/ribble-7005-audax-winter-training?part=BB12RIB7005AUDAXWINT&sub=conf_BBRW&bike=1

    This would also be worth reading and has a review of the Ribble:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/cheap-road-bikes-our-pick-of-the-best-35756/

    Although that BTwin is great value, and has good kit, for £200 more the Ribble is much better value.

    I guess you may actually find yourself loving road riding and do more and more road, so should this be the case the Ribble would probably work best for you.

    I picked mien up for £250 second hand and I love it. It’s not that light and it isn’t that comfortable, but it’s a good solid bike.

    jonke
    Free Member

    that ribble configurator thingy is a addictive isn’t it?

    Stuey01
    Free Member

    I’m thinking of having a clear out and have a genesis aether road bike I bought for commuter duties that is now surplus to requirements. Could be ideal if you are interested.
    How tall are you?

    frazered
    Free Member

    I have triban 3 and it is a belter
    Yes it does have mudguard eyelets

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 46 total)

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