I have a bike but is it suitable?

[Cyclist33]

but just try and enjoy it

... With one of your bikes..?

 

[buggi]

Fit some 1.5" road slicks, lock out the front forks, and you got yourself a decent tarmac terrorist able to handle.any pothole or kerb the commute can throw at you.

What he said

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Also, what do you all mean by 'lock out the front forks'?

On some mountain bikes there's a turnable switch at the top of the fork. When you turn it, it no longer works as ''bouncy'' suspension. While the bounce is useful for bumpy ground, on roads it just slows you down and means you have to put more effort into riding. I don't know the model but have a look and see whether you can turn it off - ''lock it'' - and try it on the road. It will behave differently but it should be easier to go forward rather than up and down and forward with whatever tyres you have.

 

[Cyclist33]

It won't have a lockout but it's not a big problem.

Springy bouncy front end but if you're light and ride with your body the bounce won't be an issue.

 

[Custom24]

It won't have a lockout but it's not a big problem.

Springy bouncy front end but if you're light and ride with your body the bounce won't be an issue.

My Hardrock's fork is permanently "locked out" due to corrosion . It didn't move that much even when new.

The the OP - check the bike over for safety (brakes, headset ..., look online for a list of basic checks). If it's OK, then as others have said, it's a decent bike for getting fit on a 7 mile commute.

 

[swee'pea99]

Seven miles each way every day is a fair old schlep. Certainly doable on that...but it could be a bit of a slog. Some good tips above, especially pumping up the tyres much harder than you'd probably think. (Try squeezing the tyres of a few that look sort of similar but in good nick, locked up, to give you a 'feel' for the kind of hardness you want.) And at least think about trying to find something like an old 10 gear racer, which will be a lot less like hard work. You could probably get £100+ for that bike on ebay, and spend the money on something that would be a lot more enjoyable to do 15 miles a day on. But first off, hard tyres, don't push it too hard, use lower gears and pedal faster, and enjoy it.

 

[MichaelW2]

The tyres are not off-road knobblies and are fine as they are but you may want to consider an upgrade to more puncture-resistant ones (may as well get slicks).
The excess weight of a Hardrock is all in the forks. If you want to loose weight, fit some rigid forks with threaded eyelets. A disc mount would also be a useful option.
Loose the kick stand, you will never leave the freestanding, always locked to something.
The front wheel needs a proper mudguard.
Don't forget a set of lights and possibly a rear luggage rack.

 

[biggs682]

... With one of your bikes..?

no reason why not

 

[Ganymede]

Hi @holly1234 and welcome to the forum. Lovely to see another new commuter! Good advice here - I will add that I bought a cheap-ish track pump to get my tyres harder and it made a big difference. Even if you only pay £20 for one it is worth having (they get very pricey for people who like to race and have very hard tyres). Track pumps make good presents from people so you could wait till your next birthday and ask for one!

Have a good google for tyre prices.

 

[maxfox44]

Thumbs up for track pumps. I've only been commuting since mid-feb and struggled with under-inflated tyres, due to trying to get the pressure with a hand pump (ooh er missus). I bought a cheap track pump from Sainsburys for £12 and that seems to do the job for now. I'm running my road tyres at 80psi, which has really helped. I did get a puncture (pinch, I think it's called) from under-inflated tyres a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Ganymede]

Thumbs up for track pumps. I've only been commuting since mid-feb and struggled with under-inflated tyres, due to trying to get the pressure with a hand pump (ooh er missus). I bought a cheap track pump from Sainsburys for £12 and that seems to do the job for now. I'm running my road tyres at 80psi, which has really helped. I did get a puncture (pinch, I think it's called) from under-inflated tyres a couple of weeks ago.

I have gone out with shamefully under-inflated tyres in the past (oh that'll do and I've got a train to catch...). I'm still not an inflation-fascist but I find that pumping them up well means they stay at an acceptable hardness (ooer) for much longer. I pumped up my husband's tyres with the new pump and he complained it made his ride much too bumpy!

 

[jefmcg]

If you do decide to change your tyres, these are probably a good choice

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/found-a-bargain-do-tell.16260/post-3605660

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/parts/tyres/schwalbe-city-jet-bike-tyre-26-x-1-5

 

[JMAG]

Don't be afraid to try different tyre pressures as your bike, your weight and the terrain will all affect how it feels. I had my 700x35 tyres at 60 psi from day 1, but always found it uncomfortable. One day I took a bike out for a test ride fearing it could be even more uncomfortable because it had 700x28 tyres but it was fine, largely because the front tyre wasn't overly inflated. I then let some air out of my own front tyre and noticed a big improvement in comfort with no appreciable loss of speed.

 

[Saluki]

I had a Spesh Hardrock and loved it. Great bikes.
Stick some slick tyres on it, lock the forks out so that they are stiff and not bouncy and you have a great bike for a 7 mile commute.

Enjoy, that's a nice bike.

 

[holly1234]

Thanks everyone! Lots to think about here

I used it on my commute yesterday and really enjoyed it, but it was hard work (there was a lot of wind against me which didn't help!). I will probably get some different tyres and see how I go from there.

You will probably here from me again with another query!