Road bike suggestions

[Chilly]

Right, I'm going to take advantage of this ride to work scheme and get myself a nice road bike. I'm working on list price rather than price after deductions and I'll looking at something around the £500 mark (I'm 6'3" so normally need the biggest frame).

You guys got any suggestions? I know fuck all about road bikes.

 

[Tom]

For what purpose.

 

[Chilly]

cycling on a road into work.

 

[Chilly]

Have been suggested one of the specialized sirrus line. any feedback on them?

 

[Tom]

Well I don't commute, but when I was at college my belief was that only the fastest bike would do, and that was a Mercian with Reynolds 531 tubing and Ultegra gearset. It was awesome (still is, its in the loft now).

But I suspect you might want something a little more practical, so I would suggest flat bars, low gears, mudguard eyelets, panniers, and good lights. Especially the last - leave £100 in your budget for lights, you won't regret it.

 

[leviathane]

get a bmx xD join the revolution

 

[Will]

I'd go with a road bike that takes mudguards. It might not look as cool, but it is practical if you want to commute in wet weather. I wouldn't spend that much on lights as Tom unless you ride on unlit roads, I think I spent £40-£50.

Look at the low end offerings from Specialized and Giant. Remember, clip-on mudguards are not as good as full guards.

 

[Darthshearer]

Commuting and road cycling are the same thing in theory but in reality they aint. Road cycling i.e for leisure is about speed and distance etc, commuting is getting from A to B.

Is your works cycle to work scheme capped at all?

Sirrus is a nice bike but do you have secure lock up for the bike? If you dont and its just going to be a clamp or something then I wouldnt spend that much.

As been said also youll need to think of accessories;
mud guards
lights (I have 2 rears, one flashing and one constant, its actually illegal to only have on flashing)
high vis
waterproofs

Then, when you get in work, do you have showers? Lockers? If not you need to consider what youre doing etc.

I commute on my bike and its brilliant even when its pishing down, you get in the office all smug. Youll eat a shit load more food too but its ok!

 

[Chilly]

at work we have a secure garage with cameras + insurance (I think) provided by the landlord. at home I have a garden with no access bar my back door. It is indeed a ride to work scheme, and the savings I make from the bus will effectively make any bike up to around 550 free over the course of a year. Realistically, I'll probably ride 75% the time (extreme weather etc) so over a couple years itl have paid for itself easily. The cycle is only about 2.5 miles each way anyway.

 

[DaGaffer]

I looked at the Cirrus but bought a Marin Fairfax instead. Nothing really in it though, the equivalent Cirrus was just as good to ride. Make sure you get an extended test ride off the bike shop. Agree about factoring in costs of lights etc I'm doing that now - not cheap!

 

[TdC]

how much would you say visibility (lights/hivis clothes) and a lock factors into your costs in the UK?

 

[Chilly]

lights + lock, probably looking at about £120 + £50 for a decent helmet + another £20 for some high vis shit. getting on for £200 before I've even got the bike. luckily the government pays for a slice of it and my company gives me an interest free 12 month loan on the whole lot so its pretty easy to swallow.

 

[gunner440]

lights + lock, probably looking at about £120 + £50 for a decent helmet + another £20 for some high vis shit. getting on for £200 before I've even got the bike. luckily the government pays for a slice of it and my company gives me an interest free 12 month loan on the whole lot so its pretty easy to swallow.

Like a youth's spunk?

On a more serious note: I thought of starting to commuting by bike on the days I'm based at my local office. I guess my £150 budget wasn't really enough was it?

 

[Will]

£25 on a lock, £40 on lights, nothing on a helmet or hi-vis. Bike from Gumtree will cost you about £50. Job done.

 

[Chilly]

that's what Id be doing (except the 50 quid bike bit) if I wasnt in London, it's nightmarish cycling here.

 

[`mongoose]

if I can limpet onto Chilly's thread.

Anyone know if the Kona Hoss is a good selection of bike for road usage?

I'm a big chap and I want to lose weight - I'm aiming to lose around 5 st. I guess that's what - 70lb if I can over the next year or two. I figure starting slow with cycling too and from work is the best way to sort it with pushing the boundaries when I have lost a bit of weight and am healthier.

I'm large - so I really could do with some advice on heavy duty tyres/innertubes as I don't think normal inner tubes & tyres will cut it. I don't plan on doing anything flashy here - just riding too and from work will do. It must be a good frame/wheels tho other I suspect the first pot hole I hit will leave me with a burst innertube, buckled wheel and a fuckton of embarrassment. I'm well aware of how big I am atm - the last thing I need is more public humilation

I used to love cycling and I can also use a work's scheme to help offset the cost of getting the gear - hi vis, waterproofs and helmet etc + lights...

M

 

[Will]

The Hoss is a heavy bike, designed for big guys riding offroad. I wouldn't use it on the road if I had any choice.

If you are planning on spending that sort of money, and want to do stuff on the roads, look at the Specialized Tricross, its a cyclocross bike, so its designed to take some abuse, far more than you should inflict on it on the road.

 

[Will]

I've got 28c tyres on my road bike, which are quite a lot bigger than usual road tyres, which are 23c. I've done it for comfort on long distances, but when they are pumped up, they aren't going to get damaged by anyone.

 

[`mongoose]

Tbh Will if I can get away with spending less I will. 2 kids under 3, wife at home looking after them. I'm not on mega bucks and if I can use something cheaper I'd prefer to do that.

My worry is that a cheaper bike won't support my weight and I'll be left red faced.

M

 

[Will]

You'll be fine. If you aren't going to use the bike offroad, get a hybrid or road bike rather than a mountain bike, something without suspension. Fewer moving parts to break, and suspension isn't needed on the road.

Also, cheap suspension is just plain nasty.

The really delicate racing bikes also have a maximum weight limit.

 

[Will]

Tell me your budget, and I'll have a look for you. Also which shops or brands you can get.

 

[`mongoose]

Hi Will

I just rang our personnel team to check the budget out and it looks like work have scrapped the scheme for the minute so I'll need to wait a while tbh. Typical College behaviour, advertise something then cancel it without telling anyone... When I know how much I can spend I'll get back to you.

Thanks for the help.

M

 

[Will]

If its bike2work, you can usually spend up to £1000, though you pay for it through salary sacrifice.

 

[Chilly]

yer, it's £1000 at betfair, min spend of £200 too, to protect the supplier we use, Evans. I think it's an excellent scheme.

 

[Will]

£1000 is the limit before the company has to apply for a licence, something to do with VAT I think.