Tourer style or road bike for everyday commuter use

[shuggy]

Hi there. I am thinking of treating myself to a better quality bike that I can use every day to and from my work. I would like a nudge in the right direction when it comes to the type of bike I should be buying please. I'm struggling to make a short list and really have no idea of what key things I should be looking for when It comes to spec and bang per buck. I will have a max budget of about £650 but £599 or less sounds so much better. I would like to be able to walk In some where local ish and cycle away rather than buy online and make a pigs ear out of the assembly bit myself.

I stopped smoking cigarettes in December (whoo hoo!) and have been eating everything and anything that moves ever since lol so I could do with loosing a few pounds. I dont do diets very well but I enjoy cycling and lost weight, got fitter in the past through cycling regularly so thats what I have been doing this past few months to help stop the belly from getting totally out of control. I have to say its not working very well because cycling makes me even more hungry and I may have even put on some weight lol, it feels good though and I have always enjoyed it, I have so much more energy lately too so all good really.

I have a saracen mantra one bike that I bought for £100 with 26x1.75 tyres that I have been using it on my daily 11 mile round trip. I have been at this for around 8 weeks now..... it does the job ok I guess, but its a bit heavy and the brakes are a bit carp. I cycle on cycle paths and on road, roughly 5.5 each, each way and its all reasonably flat but the weight would put me off going much futher. I have bought a halfords 8f computer and my avg 13.1 - 13.8 mph over my weekly 50 odd mile route totally kills me trying to beat it lol.I do fancy something with drop bars, what about this?

http://www.bikedock.com/posit/shop/...nd=/posit/shop/index.php?category=17&group=34

and would this be worth the extra?

http://www.bikedock.com/posit/shop/...nd=/posit/shop/index.php?category=17&group=34

or would this be worth saving up a bit longer again for?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=35560


Thanks very much.

 

[Randochap]

Without getting into the merits and demerits of individual brands and models, I'd suggest you have a look at what makes a good commuter and what characteristics are desirable in a good touring bike.

There is crossover in the best of both and a touring bike can certainly double as a commuter. While I have specific ideas about what I think is an optimum commuter, as you can see here, there are almost as many approaches to the commuting bike as there are cyclists.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

^^^^
what Randochap said. Having read his excellent web site from cover to cover he clearly knows a thing or two.

 

[Randochap]

^^^^
what Randochap said. Having read his excellent web site from cover to cover he clearly knows a thing or two.

:?:

Cheers Grumpy. I appreciate the acknowledgement. Sometimes it feels like I'm labouring in the dark (though I know, of course, from web stats that the site gets plenty of traffic -- and a good deal from UK, incidentally).

But users mostly take what they want without comment.

It is however a labour of love and I undertake the work for one reason -- to encourage others to take up and persevere in the sport/lifestyle that has been so good to me.

From a technical perspective (though that is the least of my interest -- more of a "necessary evil" if you will) it helps to have the right tool for the job, though cycling is not a job for the recreational cyclist. And using the right tools makes it less so.

That, I guess you could say, is my basic philosophy.

Good going on your progression!

And apologies to OP for hijacking thread to talk about me.

 

[HJ]

I would say that the most important thing is that you feel comfortable riding the bike and best way to find which bike suits you best is to try riding a few. Go to an LBS (or several) and try riding as many bike in you price range as you can, then buy the one you like the most...

Tourer make good commuting bikes as they generally come with mud guards and a rack with is handy, the more to pay the light/better spec'd the bike will be. For commuting it is worth get a better spec'd bike as it will go longer between services.

 

[PpPete]

What Randochap's third link tells us is that there is no single right answer for commuting.

My personal preference is for an old steel "10 speed racer" (preferably one with a longer wheelbase so as to avoid toe overlap and give space for mudguards) then put a modern cheapish MTB drive train on it. A good bit faster than an MTB and a lot less likely to be stolen too.

But if you've a fancy for something just a bit sexier - have a look at Ribble Cycles - their special edition "Winter/Audax" bikes are not out of place on a commute - and generally held to be very good value.

BTW - well done on giving up the ciggies. I smoked for 18 years (up to 30 a day at one point) , put on loads of weight when I gave up 15 years ago. Don't worry about the weight, DO NOT "diet", just try to avoid junk food and get as much low intensity exercise as you can. Cycling is excellent. At least, that worked for me..... but truth to tell I've only just got back to the weight I was when I gave up in 1993.

 

[ed_o_brain]

You seem to be comparing bikes on price alone.

The Ridgeback Voyage has a wider range of gears, runs on wider tyres and looks to me like a proper touring bike. Which means it should be fine riding anywhere around the world, albeit a bit heavier and probably a bit slower than the other two bikes you have chosen.

The Horizon has skinnier tyres and a narrower range of gears. It probably won't carry as much luggage as the Voyage and is probably easier/more at home on tarmac and will demand more of the rider when ridden on anything else.

The Tifosi Audax is building on this theme, probably being lighter and faster too.

Firstly, you need to decide what type of bike you want. We can only advise you here based on our own experience, and everybody is different. Thus I can't echo the sentements of the others here enough, go and try a few bikes.

Think about what else you might like to use the bike for. I mean, almost any bike can be used for commuting.

 

[shuggy]

Thank you all very much for your replys. I think I will try to get some test rides set up soon if I can and see what my local shops have to offer. Any recommendations in the Belfast NI area?

I really just want something that encourages me to ride it a bit more. I have not used my current bike for any longer rides at the moment but I would like to start cycling at the weekends for some longer runs, maybe 20 - 30 miles every so often. I doubt I will be doing any touring and I carry my work stuff in a back pack so panniers etc are not that important either.

I love the sexy look of the skinny tyre road bikes, like the idea that they are nice and light and no doubt quick compared to what I have but I would also like something with mudguards on it if I can and still have something fun and able to take a few potholes and isnt going to get punctures all the time so the touring bikes looked a good compromise.

Thanks again.

 

[Randochap]

What Randochap's third link tells us is that there is no single right answer for commuting.

My personal preference is for an old steel "10 speed racer" (preferably one with a longer wheelbase so as to avoid toe overlap and give space for mudguards) then put a modern cheapish MTB drive train on it. A good bit faster than an MTB and a lot less likely to be stolen too.

Very good idea; one I'd certainly recommend. Some are even good candidates for 650b conversion.

Right now I'm tinkering with a nice old mixte bike, from which I'll create a women's commuter. I'll make a page on the restoration.

 

[PpPete]

I love the sexy look of the skinny tyre road bikes, like the idea that they are nice and light and no doubt quick compared to what I have but I would also like something with mudguards on it if I can and still have something fun and able to take a few potholes and isnt going to get punctures all the time so the touring bikes looked a good compromise.

Beware of asking for "touring bikes" when asking in LBS. Modern ones seem to have fairly chunky wheels/tyres as standard - which are great for potholes.... but lack that narrow tyred sexiness you seek.

Unfortunately changing the wheels, whilst easy, is not cheap.

A bike sold as suitable for "Audax" is likely to be more what you are looking for - but you will have to steer around the potholes!