£600ish.. I need something with racks and mud guards for commute...

[Arch]

With regard to your budget...

You said you had a bike already, but if you are cycling day in, day out, there may be things you need to get.

Lock. A good rule of thumb is to get a lock that cost 10% of the cost of your bike. Have a think about whether your current lock is up to the job. A D-lock is the bes type to get.

Waterproof jacket - something a bit breathable will be more comfortable. Maybe some padded shorts, although you might manage without them over that distance.

Lights - you'll need them in winter. At least one front and rear, preferably more than one, so that you have a back up if one fails. If you will be riding on roads that aren't lit, you'll need beefier front lights, to see by, if it's all streetlamp lit, then you can get away with the sort of lights that get you seen. Multi LED lights run for ages on AA or AAA batteries.

Do you already have a pannier or rack bag? Helmet (if you choose to wear one). Basic tools, pump, p**ture repair kit, etc...

You don't have to buy loads of stuff, or spend loads on it, but these are pretty much the essentials, and they add up, so it's worth having some budget spare for anything you do need.

 

[TheDoctor]

If I could just add - a D-Lock is the only type to get. Cable locks are easily cut by the criminal scum amongst us. As RedJedi, Tdr1nka and I are only too aware...

 

[robert b 2]

Thanks for the replies gents.

I am quite interested in the Boardman Performance Hybrid Bike Pro Medium 09. Seems to be very light and has fast tyres, and I'd benefit from Cycle to Work scheme. Downside is that it would be from Halfords, but hey ho.

This is it... http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_502567_langId_-1_categoryId_165534

So I'd get the speed I'm after, but also the flexibility and ease of use of a hybrid. I'd have to get the panniers and guards fitted, and I'd want a wireless speedo on it.

My commute would be by road and would be lit, however, I would have the option of the canal, and may want to use non-road terrain sometimes.

My current bike has front and rear lights, a chunky halfords D lock, which cost about £20 6 years ago (I know this works as some pig had tried to nick the bike whilst I was at the gym and left a dent in the steel cross bar - so the lock had obviously taken some beating.) I also have a cheap, wire speedo and a crap embarrassing helmet. I never, ever used to wear a helmet but am too safety conscious these days; but I feel embarrassed in it.

I would therefore need to invest in:

a) A decent helmet; preferably the piss-pot type as I have a fat head and my cheap helmet makes me look like a giant penis.

Some decent, quality lights (front and rear).

c) Mud guards and pannier.

d) Wireless speedo.

The lock I have is fine, but in any case, I think I will be able to take it into my building at work.

I'm not sure what to do about pedals; I've never had those foot things on a bike before. Not sure I like the idea in case I needed to jump away in a crash.

I already have water proofs. They are very thin and cheap pull-over trousers and a coat thing. Not aero dynamic but give me all over protection and mean I can cycle in my work clothes.

I need to find a Halfords where they stock this bike in store. None of the ones near here do and I ain't buying it unless I can have a go first.

 

[Joe24]

So you want to cycle in the same clothes your going to be working in?
And you want to be able to jump away from your bike in the event of a crash

Get some proper cycling shorts and jersey. You will be alot comfier and wont be all sweaty in your normal work clothes.
You wont jump away from your bike in the event of a crash. Its not really possible, if you are going to hit something, jumping off isnt what you want to do. If a car is going to pull out on you, you wont have time to jump off. Its not the thing you do.
Clipless just means you can ride more efficent. Its much better then normal flat pedals, and nothing really to worry about when you get used to them, when you first start you might have a clipless moment where you forget to unclip or something but its nothing bad.

Id go for a wired computer aswell, the wireless ones ive not got on with so have always gone for a wired one.


Im going to go and run away from the beginners section now.

 

[robert b 2]

Ha, no don't run away, I am glad to benefit from your wisdom.

Yeah, I have been reading that the wireless speedos can experience interfererence and give bogus readings; which renders them pretty useless. But I hate wires. I must have a speedo though; I love monitoring my speed and knowing distances and stuff; gives me something to improve on.

I have always cycled in work clothes in the past and admittedly, there has been a bit of sweatiness but not excessive amounts, especially in the winter. I don't like the idea of having to faff about getting changed and planning ahead to leave clothes at work. Also, I don't know if my new place will have showers. I can see the merits of dressing properly though... Maybe I will add that to my list.

So what is clipless? I have always just used pedals with nothing at all on them and not had any problems. I may have had cheap MTBs over the years but I do consider myself a proper cyclist, based on distances travelled and the sort of speeds I like to reach. And I've always been fine with normal pedals. I remember people used to have those rubber "shoe" things that you stuck your feet into. What is this clipless business all about?

Is the main advantage to prevent foot-slip?

Cheers

 

[Joe24]

The main advantage is that you can pull up aswell as push down, and ofcourse not having foot slipage.
Riding clipless up hills is alot better then straps, and lots lots lots better then flats. And you feel the difference.
Clipless is just a pedal that you clip into. You have a cleat on the bottom of your shoe and a pedal. You clip in by pushing down when the cleat is in the right place(easy) and clip out by pushing your heel out. Its pretty simple really, and becomes second nature. Its alot better then flat pedals.
Its easy to clip out of really, just push the heel out and your foot comes out, push down when the cleat is in the right place and your foot is in.

What do you work as? If your working with people then being sweaty and smelly isnt good.
Theres no showers at my work, what i do is just take in my work clothes when i go in. I have my shorts/trousers and work t shirt in my bag, aswell as my trainers. I get to work, get changed.
When i come home i get changed, ride the few miles home and then get changed back into my normal clothes.
Id hate to ride in my normal clothes/work clothes, then work in them.
Proper cycling clothes are alot better. You dont have to wear lycra if your not confident, baggy cycle shorts and a jersey is fine.
I wear lycra, and work in the middle of town, and often walk through the middle of the store in my lycra.

 

[Joe24]

Oh, i ride into work on my fixed bike that i use to train on, so it has no mudguards, or rack, and just have a messenger bag to carry my stuff. I ride in my club lycra.
So, when i do ride into work, the only thing different to when im out training is i have a messenger bag with my work stuff in.
And i commute in all weathers.

 

[rusky]

Clipless refers to the lack of toe clips (the type you slide your foot into). you use more of the pedal cycle than you would normally but they do take a bit if getting used to.

If you go clipless you'll need to budget for shoes too. Personally I would get used to riding the bike with the supplied pedals before changing.

As for cycling in work clothes, I used to but I worked in jeans & t-shirt so didn't have to worry about shirts & suits.

I have a pair of Endura Boulder trousers that I use to & from work, apart from the summer days when I cycle in baggy shorts. I used to change in a toilet cubicle but now get to use the cupboard under the stairs & have a quick wipe over with baby wipes.

I cycled home in the torrential rain tonight & really enjoyed it!

 

[robert b 2]

Thanks for the info. I work in an office environment, so would probably need to leave my work clothes at work. I think I might get some cycling clothes, but probably not lycra. Not sure if they have showers, but I will use rusky's wipes idea, which I'd thought of anyway, and will just have plenty of deoderant.

The clipless thing sounds good; so I'd be able to get extra leg power transferred into building up speed, and would be safe from foot-slip, which is horrible.

Will try the bike out first though. I can't wait to get my new bike. Will hopefully sell my car in the next couple weeks.

Cheers guys

 

[robert b 2]

Right,

The fast hybrids I have my eye on are the following:

Boardman Hybrd Pro - this is my preferred option, based on what I know. Halfords have provided a detailed spec on the website, and it looks as though it is very light and used fast tyres.

Specialized Sirrus

Trek 7.3

Carrera Gryphon

The thing is, the latter 3 come in at between £360 and £480, but the Boardman would cost more like £7-800. It is hard to tell what the real differences are to justify the difference in cost as not all websites provide a very detailed spec including weight, etc.

The Boardman has disk brakes, whereas two of the others don't; but what other differences are there. Are these four bikes really just much of a muchness, and would I be better not spending the extra money on the Boardman. Will the Boardman have much better spec, or are they just charging a lot for a name?

Before anyone says, I know I need to go and try them all out - I will do. Just doing some initial research.

Cheers

 

[HJ]

In part you need to think about what sort of terrain you are going to be cycling over, are there a lot of hill? The Sirrus and the Trek are both triples, if you are in a hilly area these maybe a better choice at the start, you can alway up grade the drive train later. Whereas if you are somewhere relatively flat, then you can get away with a double.

The Boardman is a higher spec bike but then so are other bike in that price range, if that is your budget it is worth trying a few other bikes in the same price range, before buying.