Cope
Senior Member
- Location
- Wickham, Hampshire
I'm about to restart cycling after about 5 yrs off. I'm feeling
pretty unfit, but have decided to stop running 2 cars, and get a bike
again.
Background - did racing and time trials on racing bikes as a teenager,
then built bikes throughout college and university - rode everywhere.
Done a reasonable amount of touring on classic touring-style bikes (12
and then 18 gear galaxy clones). I also rode fixed for a year, at
university. Most recently I built an Audax bike on a Terry Dolan
frame, with a Campag Centaur groupset. That was lovely - and I've
been spoiled by it - but I had to sell it, unfortunately. Up to the
present: I'm not really unfit, but riding my partner's old bike up the
hill to our house really hurts at the moment - so I'm very much out of
condition.
My main ride for the first few months will be 5 - 7 miles to the
railway station, or to the office. It's in Hampshire, and isn't flat
- has a few hills, and one 10% 1 mile incline.
I'll also be planning to take the bike into London, and ride from
Waterloo to Kentish Town, and other locations - so the bike will
initially be a commuter bike.
I will also be using it every day to run to the shops, go down to see
the horse (riding in wellies). Longer term, I'd see myself riding it
for fun, and on longer journeys - 30-50 miles per day anywhere in the
UK.
My original plan was to get a fixed wheel again - light, simple, and
good for commuting, and getting my condition back. But I'm a bit
concerned it may not be flexible enough for non-commuting purposes,
especially as I would want double-sided SPD pedals, which wouldn't fit
the "riding to the horse, with wellies" scenario.
I don't have any paraphernalia any more - so I'd need mudguards and
rack to be fitted if the bike didn't come with these already. I'll
need lights - I favour dynahubs, and I probably will want the single
sided spd pedals - that I could ride in normal shoes for a quick pop
out, or in my SPD shoes (all I still own) for more determined riding.
I'll also need panniers, a lock, and all weather clothing. I tend to
ride in dedicated cycling clothing and then change at destination.
I've had a go on the Specialized Tricross Single, and was pretty
underwhelmed. It wasn't as light and responsive as I had hoped, and
felt a bit juddery. I was also bothered by the pedal issue - as
discussed above.
This leads me to think that maybe the best option would be a
tourer-style bike. The ones I'm aware of are the Dawes Horizon, the
Claud Butler Regent and the Revolution Country Traveller. However,
I've long been a fan of Mercian, since my old cycling buddy always
rode a lovely Mercian - so I thought I'd ask you for your thoughts.
Budget is more or less £400 - possibly £500. Unless that's wildly
unrealistic. If it goes well I may well be in the market for an
upgrade, but I'm not going to spend a lot of money up front, until
I've proved that I can stick at cycle-commuting for a year or so.
What else - I guess I'm now asking for your advice - what do you chaps recommend?
pretty unfit, but have decided to stop running 2 cars, and get a bike
again.
Background - did racing and time trials on racing bikes as a teenager,
then built bikes throughout college and university - rode everywhere.
Done a reasonable amount of touring on classic touring-style bikes (12
and then 18 gear galaxy clones). I also rode fixed for a year, at
university. Most recently I built an Audax bike on a Terry Dolan
frame, with a Campag Centaur groupset. That was lovely - and I've
been spoiled by it - but I had to sell it, unfortunately. Up to the
present: I'm not really unfit, but riding my partner's old bike up the
hill to our house really hurts at the moment - so I'm very much out of
condition.
My main ride for the first few months will be 5 - 7 miles to the
railway station, or to the office. It's in Hampshire, and isn't flat
- has a few hills, and one 10% 1 mile incline.
I'll also be planning to take the bike into London, and ride from
Waterloo to Kentish Town, and other locations - so the bike will
initially be a commuter bike.
I will also be using it every day to run to the shops, go down to see
the horse (riding in wellies). Longer term, I'd see myself riding it
for fun, and on longer journeys - 30-50 miles per day anywhere in the
UK.
My original plan was to get a fixed wheel again - light, simple, and
good for commuting, and getting my condition back. But I'm a bit
concerned it may not be flexible enough for non-commuting purposes,
especially as I would want double-sided SPD pedals, which wouldn't fit
the "riding to the horse, with wellies" scenario.
I don't have any paraphernalia any more - so I'd need mudguards and
rack to be fitted if the bike didn't come with these already. I'll
need lights - I favour dynahubs, and I probably will want the single
sided spd pedals - that I could ride in normal shoes for a quick pop
out, or in my SPD shoes (all I still own) for more determined riding.
I'll also need panniers, a lock, and all weather clothing. I tend to
ride in dedicated cycling clothing and then change at destination.
I've had a go on the Specialized Tricross Single, and was pretty
underwhelmed. It wasn't as light and responsive as I had hoped, and
felt a bit juddery. I was also bothered by the pedal issue - as
discussed above.
This leads me to think that maybe the best option would be a
tourer-style bike. The ones I'm aware of are the Dawes Horizon, the
Claud Butler Regent and the Revolution Country Traveller. However,
I've long been a fan of Mercian, since my old cycling buddy always
rode a lovely Mercian - so I thought I'd ask you for your thoughts.
Budget is more or less £400 - possibly £500. Unless that's wildly
unrealistic. If it goes well I may well be in the market for an
upgrade, but I'm not going to spend a lot of money up front, until
I've proved that I can stick at cycle-commuting for a year or so.
What else - I guess I'm now asking for your advice - what do you chaps recommend?
