Newbie - Advice Needed on Bike & Kit

[peanut]

The sirrus looks great, and I think peanut is making too much fuss over the weight of the other bike.

Having said, my bike is a ****ing brick and I do find myself looking a little enviously at people with little wisps of bikes that can easily be picked up with one hand rather than mine,

The biggest advantage of a light bike is that it's much easier to manhandle if you have to carry it through the house to put it away or something like that.

Sooooo just to recap then Tim .....

You don't agree with me that given the choice the poster would be better off getting a lighter bike yet you give a very good reason why he should get a lighter bike and state that you would prefer one yourself !

MMmm that makes perfect sense

 

[philr]

for a beginner like myself who weighs, 14 stone and not very fit, i dare say weight of the bike not much of an issue, unless i can shed two stone and start to want to enter comps, but i am sure we all want lighter better quality bikes if we could afford them.

 

[peanut]

for a beginner like myself who weighs, 14 stone and not very fit, i dare say weight of the bike not much of an issue, unless i can shed two stone and start to want to enter comps, but i am sure we all want lighter better quality bikes if we could afford them.

as you say you've neven ridden a lightweight bike so how can you comment. a few pounds will make an appreciable difference. 9-10 lbs or 1/3rd the weight of the bike will make a considerable difference. Weight and tyres of cheap entry level bikes seem to be the biggest issues with most new cyclists rapidly followed by poor components after they have been cycling a few months.

What I am saying is If you have the choice why would you select the bike that is the heaviest with poorest components and the most unsuitable road tyres?

 

[PrettyboyTim]

Sooooo just to recap then Tim .....

You don't agree with me that given the choice the poster would be better off getting a lighter bike yet you give a very good reason why he should get a lighter bike and state that you would prefer one yourself !

MMmm that makes perfect sense

To be fair, you'd said that riding a 30lb bike would be like pushing a car along!

 

[Guesty6]

as you say you've neven ridden a lightweight bike so how can you comment. a few pounds will make an appreciable difference. 9-10 lbs or 1/3rd the weight of the bike will make a considerable difference. Weight and tyres of cheap entry level bikes seem to be the biggest issues with most new cyclists rapidly followed by poor components after they have been cycling a few months.

What I am saying is If you have the choice why would you select the bike that is the heaviest with poorest components and the most unsuitable road tyres?

Bearing this in mind Peanut, could you find a lighter and better suited bike for the £4-500 mark?

Speed would be good and I will have to carry it at points (over level crossings that are down on route to work)

But then again I wouldnt say 14kgs was that heavy to do that with, maybe just awkward.

And on your point of Entry level bikes, I wouldnt an entry level bike if I am spending £400+!!

Cheers for the help

Guesty

 

[andy_wrx]

Many cyclists would consider £400 an entry-level price-point

To a non-cyclist this is an unbelievable fortune to spend on a bike, they'll say "you spent how much ?" and then buy a £59.99 MTB from Motorworld, ride it twice and give up...

There's no right amount to spend on a bike, but you can spend too little and get something awful.

So yeah, if you have the budget to spend £400, it's a reasonable amount to spend to get a decent bike.

Mrs wrx has a Sirrus, it's a perfectly fine bike, good frame, decent components.
You can put a rack on the back of it if you want to carry stuff to work, rather than have a sweaty rucksack.
It's light enough, and it has 28mm tyres which are a bit bigger than fitted to a 'racer' so you'll feel more secure and they'll be more comfortable going over bumps and potholes, but they still roll pretty well and it's a lot quicker and lighter compared to a MTB on knobbly tyres

Specialized sell it as a 'fast flatbar roadbike' or 'exercise bike', aimed at people who want a quickish bike to ride on the road for fun/fitness/exercise but want flat handlebars rather than drops.
Trek, Giant, etc all sell equivalent models - e.g. Trek Pilot, Giant FCR.

That Scott you link to is being sold as a hybrid, for use on and off-road. As a result it's got heavy suspension forks, disc brakes, 37mm tyres - I wouldn't want any of them for road/commuting use.
And to be honest, I'd reckon it was only suitable for light gravel trail or cyclepath use anyway, not full-on mountainbiking, so the suspension forks would be a waste of time on it, full stop...

 

[Randochap]

You might consider buying a lightweight race bike and ask the shop to swop the bars for straight ones and change the gear shifters.?

This is very bad advice and should disqualify the poster from further comment. As admitted later, they ... "don't know nothing about hybrid" (sic).

Switching bars on a "race bike" would necessitate also changing shifters, cables and brake levers. The shop would also presumably charge labour to do such a thing, eating up a good part of the OP's budget. There are "performance hybrids" around that are fairly lightweight, but once you put a rack, panniers, etc. on a commuter, it matters little if the bike isn't under 20lbs to begin with.

The main thing is to put as much of the OP's budget into the bike itself, and a decent commuter should be available for the stated amount. At least, here in Canada, $800 (£432, today) will get you a mid-range hybrid, w/ decent components (say, Shimano Deore).

I have a bike that I use for commuting and some of my long-distance brevets. Last summer, I did 2 brevets on it -- one 2 hundred kilometre and a 300 kilometre, as well as a 220 kilometre day tour. I would choose it over all my bikes, including my 18lb titanium job, as the most comfortable all-rounder.

It weighs 30lbs, without water, etc.

 

[Guesty6]

From talking to my best mate, am more tempted to get a proper Drop Bar Bike, will have a go on his a few times to see if I like it first though. He reckons he can average 20mph on the way to work which would see me get here in 20 mins!

What about these as options?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/langster-polish-2009-road-bike-ec016877

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/langetser-monaco-2009-road-bike-ec016878

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/claud-butler/milano-2008-road-bike-ec000288

Anyone got the above?

 

[Randochap]

From talking to my best mate, am more tempted to get a proper Drop Bar Bike, will have a go on his a few times to see if I like it first though. He reckons he can average 20mph on the way to work which would see me get here in 20 mins!

What about these as options?

Two of those are single speed bikes. No hills on you route?
The third option is a "racing bike" with no option to fit mudguards. It never rains in your corner of the UK?

This "friend" of yours, with the amazing ability to maintain 20mph on an urban commute, I would say, is not pointing you in a very sensible direction.

You need to ask yourself what your abilities are and what your practical needs are and answer honestly.

There is no such thing as a "proper" bike, only a bike designed for a purpose.

 

[ed_o_brain]

Guesty,

I think 14kgs is a lot for a commuting bike. My mid-range MTB doesn't weight that much with wide knobbly tyres, hydraulic disc brakes and a rack fitted.

On your budget, you should be getting something that weighs around 11kg, maybe even 10kg. In stop start traffic and on hills, it will be a lot less tiring. But of course this is also subject to how much you carry and how heavy you are. A lighter bike will feel more agile underneath you too.

I would stringly suggest the Specialized Sirrus over the scott. If your going to be riding mainly on tarmac and not gravel or mud (e.g. off road cycle routes) then a bike designed to take 25 or 28 mm tyres will probably be fine for you. I always think the best way to judge a bikes intended purpose is by looking at the tyres the manufacturer has shod it with.

If your employer does run the Bike To Work scheme, get yourself in on that. I'm just about to buy an RRP £300 folding bike on one such scheme and it will only set me back £200 after discount and tax deductions.

I would still spend the same amount, but use the extra to buy a slightly better bike.

Also, if purchasing at this time of year, phone around for a sale bargain. Lots of places are still running clearances on 2008 bikes.

Good luck.

 

[peanut]

You certainly are pretty opinionated arn't you !
firstly the OP is not in Canada,nor are we, so advice on what might be purchased or suitable transport here in the UK to commute with is hardly relevant from you in Canada is it ?

Secondly this is a forum where everybody's views are welcome even a troll like you.
If you don't agree with another members advice there is no need to make a personal attack on that member or their views. It is generally regarded as bad form. If you don't appreciate these basic forum rights of members pwehaps you might be happier posting on a Canadian forum

This is very bad advice and should disqualify the poster from further comment. As admitted later, they ... "don't know nothing about hybrid" (sic).

Switching bars on a "race bike" would necessitate also changing shifters, cables and brake levers. The shop would also presumably charge labour to do such a thing, eating up a good part of the OP's budget. There are "performance hybrids" around that are fairly lightweight, but once you put a rack, panniers, etc. on a commuter, it matters little if the bike isn't under 20lbs to begin with.

The main thing is to put as much of the OP's budget into the bike itself, and a decent commuter should be available for the stated amount. At least, here in Canada, $800 (£432, today) will get you a mid-range hybrid, w/ decent components (say, Shimano Deore).

I have a bike that I use for commuting and some of my long-distance brevets. Last summer, I did 2 brevets on it -- one 2 hundred kilometre and a 300 kilometre, as well as a 220 kilometre day tour. I would choose it over all my bikes, including my 18lb titanium job, as the most comfortable all-rounder.

It weighs 30lbs, without water, etc.

 

[Randochap]

You certainly are pretty opinionated arn't you !
firstly the OP is not in Canada,nor are we, so advice on what might be purchased or suitable transport here in the UK to commute with is hardly relevant from you in Canada is it ?

Secondly this is a forum where everybody's views are welcome even a troll like you.
If you don't agree with another members advice there is no need to make a personal attack on that member or their views. It is generally regarded as bad form. If you don't appreciate these basic forum rights of members pwehaps you might be happier posting on a Canadian forum

You bet I have opinions ... and they are founded on over 40 years of cycling of every kind (that, incedentally, began in my home town of Wolverhampton) and decades in the bicycle industry. I earned them.

The worst possible "form" is to call someone a troll who disagrees with your opinion. Look up the definition of troll, before you go using it like an impotent child. Try debating the facts instead. The fact remains that your advice to a new bicyclist was very badly thought out and could lead them to waste money.

Thirdly, the bicycle trade today is international. A commuter (or "hybrid," which originated in NA) is ubiquitous worldwide and I have sold hundreds of them over the last few years. It doesn't matter if you live in Canada or UK or Japan, choices are pretty much standard.

There is post after post here discussing the merits of "American" bicycles. I put the brand origin in inverted commas because today brands are relevant only to the parent company. Most frames are made in Asia, in such mega-factories as the Maxway plant in Taiwan and outfitted with the same Shimano components. Each brand has to try to distinguish itself by advertising, graphics and minor price point.

Anyway, we weren't debating the actual brand, but a modification that you suggested, which makes no sense at point of purchase. I explained why and that's what I attacked.

Lastly, your "Canuck go home" jab is about as sharp as the rest of your defence.

 

[peanut]

The worst possible "form" is to call someone a troll who disagrees with your opinion. Look up the definition of troll, before you go using it like an impotent child. .

I was forgetting Canada has such a long history of design and building bike frames don't they !

'An Internet troll, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, messages in an online community, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.[2]

 

[alp1950]

From talking to my best mate, am more tempted to get a proper Drop Bar Bike, will have a go on his a few times to see if I like it first though. He reckons he can average 20mph on the way to work which would see me get here in 20 mins!

What about these as options?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/langster-polish-2009-road-bike-ec016877

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/langetser-monaco-2009-road-bike-ec016878

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/claud-butler/milano-2008-road-bike-ec000288

Anyone got the above?

Back on topic. Sounds like you shouldn't rush this decision. If you're starting to think about drop bars then take your time to try them out. You certainly don't want to buy a hybrid then regret your decision for the next year. Nothing wrong with drop bars for a commute & personally I wouldn't want to use anything else on the road. Obviously you can get some pretty quick & good looking flat bar bikes, but IMHO road bikes just look & feel so much better.

 

[Randochap]

I was forgetting Canada has such a long history of design and building bike frames don't they !

'An Internet troll, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, messages in an online community, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.[2]

How old are you? You are acting like an infant ... and now a troll, according to the definition above.

I'm not going to become emotional, and I'm not going to get into a flame war with someone so completely unarmed as yourself. There's no sport in it.

I'm glad to see that you have taken an interest in the history of Canadian bicycle manufacturing, though I don't know what that has to do with the topic at hand.