The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
stu67 said:
First day back commuting after a couple of weeks in Majorca (Pollensa). Bit chilly but at least it was dry, used the Hybrid as had all the shirts to take in. To be quite honest its a better bike in town anyway, especially when I'm in no rush to get back to work!
BTW if you havent given cycling a go in Majorca please do. It was the first time I've been and the mountains are amazing. a little more exciting than herts to central london.
I like Pollensa, we stayed in old Alcudia in august. Saw loads of cyclists out and about...did you do Sa Calobra?BTW if you havent given cycling a go in Majorca please do. It was the first time I've been and the mountains are amazing. a little more exciting than herts to central london.
Justin Cyder said:
Hell27 said:
Justin, the commute is 6 miles, generally wear a backpack. Hilly variance of 110m. On the finess scale I'm 6'1" and now 118 kg but have lost 1.5 stone. Actually quite fit for my size, also regularly train in karate about 3 times a week (3rd kyu brown belt shukokai). I'm also just turned 40.
I do fancy a road bike for the speed thrill, but wonder if a hybrid would be better.
Either would suit you, the distance is akin to mine & I do it on a bottom of the range Boardman in about 18 minutes in flip flops & shorts most days. Hybrid would be more comfortbale to ride in general, but the short commute means either would be ok, you'd have the choice of disc brakes which are less bum clenching in the wet. But if you want to really belt along, it's a roadie.I do fancy a road bike for the speed thrill, but wonder if a hybrid would be better.
Gizmoish, not to get into a row but you do lay yourself open to the charge & as you know, I'm not the first to notice it either.
Gizmoish said:
Bloody terrible ride in for me today. Using the old Scott hybrid, flat bars, locked out suspension. 21.6kph average, even trying quite hard. Felt like I was riding into a headwind all the way (wind was behind me if anything) and having to pedal along stretches I usually just glide along.
Conclusion: hybrids are rubbish.
Conclusion: hybrids are rubbish.
Because in my experience there is no reason a rider should be less comfortable on a properly fitted road bike (let's generalise and define that as one with drop bars) than a hybrid (generalisation: flat bars and reasonably road-oriented gearing). Rider weights are rarely an issue (I just looked it up; both Trek and Cannondale quote 275lb/125kg for their road bikes). In my experience drop bars are better for filtering through traffic as they are narrower. And in my experience there is little significant difference between cable discs and rim brakes apart from the need to clean rims (a 10-second wipe with a baby wipe).
But that's just my opinion, of course.
Thing is there are so many variations of hybrids and road bikes, its difficult to pigeon hole the two
Hybrids with suspension are pretty rubbish imo, worst of both worlds, I guess if you want comfort over minor offroad they are OK
IF you want speed, enjoy cornering and pushing on when comuteing then road bike is for you.
If you want something more sturdy, familiar and the ability for light off road use then hybrid is for you
I commute 10 rural miles on 3 bikes, on the way home:
Hybrid (32c wide tyres) : 17.5-19 av mph
Tourer road bike (25c) : 18-19 av
Road bike (23c) 18-22mph
Road bike is quickest, but the hybrid is the most no nonsense, requires the lease maintenance and is the cheapest to get parts for .
Its a bit too easy on the road bike, the hybrid works my fitness a lot more, plus its a nasty muddy lanes, so I need the wider tyres through the winter.#
Once you get past the 20 mile mark the average speeds start dropping a lot on the hybrid, I wouldn't want to do a 60 mile ride on it at a good pace (say 18mph+) , so if you fancy longer road rides then road bikes start coming into themselves
Hybrids with suspension are pretty rubbish imo, worst of both worlds, I guess if you want comfort over minor offroad they are OK
IF you want speed, enjoy cornering and pushing on when comuteing then road bike is for you.
If you want something more sturdy, familiar and the ability for light off road use then hybrid is for you
I commute 10 rural miles on 3 bikes, on the way home:
Hybrid (32c wide tyres) : 17.5-19 av mph
Tourer road bike (25c) : 18-19 av
Road bike (23c) 18-22mph
Road bike is quickest, but the hybrid is the most no nonsense, requires the lease maintenance and is the cheapest to get parts for .
Its a bit too easy on the road bike, the hybrid works my fitness a lot more, plus its a nasty muddy lanes, so I need the wider tyres through the winter.#
Once you get past the 20 mile mark the average speeds start dropping a lot on the hybrid, I wouldn't want to do a 60 mile ride on it at a good pace (say 18mph+) , so if you fancy longer road rides then road bikes start coming into themselves
TwistingMyMelon said:
Thing is there are so many variations of hybrids and road bikes, its difficult to pigeon hole the two
Hybrids with suspension are pretty rubbish imo, worst of both worlds, I guess if you want comfort over minor offroad they are OK
IF you want speed, enjoy cornering and pushing on when comuteing then road bike is for you.
If you want something more sturdy, familiar and the ability for light off road use then hybrid is for you
I commute 10 rural miles on 3 bikes, on the way home:
Hybrid (32c wide tyres) : 17.5-19 av mph
Tourer road bike (25c) : 18-19 av
Road bike (23c) 18-22mph
Road bike is quickest, but the hybrid is the most no nonsense, requires the lease maintenance and is the cheapest to get parts for .
Its a bit too easy on the road bike, the hybrid works my fitness a lot more, plus its a nasty muddy lanes, so I need the wider tyres through the winter.#
Once you get past the 20 mile mark the average speeds start dropping a lot on the hybrid, I wouldn't want to do a 60 mile ride on it at a good pace (say 18mph+) , so if you fancy longer road rides then road bikes start coming into themselves
This is where the answer is "CX bike".Hybrids with suspension are pretty rubbish imo, worst of both worlds, I guess if you want comfort over minor offroad they are OK
IF you want speed, enjoy cornering and pushing on when comuteing then road bike is for you.
If you want something more sturdy, familiar and the ability for light off road use then hybrid is for you
I commute 10 rural miles on 3 bikes, on the way home:
Hybrid (32c wide tyres) : 17.5-19 av mph
Tourer road bike (25c) : 18-19 av
Road bike (23c) 18-22mph
Road bike is quickest, but the hybrid is the most no nonsense, requires the lease maintenance and is the cheapest to get parts for .
Its a bit too easy on the road bike, the hybrid works my fitness a lot more, plus its a nasty muddy lanes, so I need the wider tyres through the winter.#
Once you get past the 20 mile mark the average speeds start dropping a lot on the hybrid, I wouldn't want to do a 60 mile ride on it at a good pace (say 18mph+) , so if you fancy longer road rides then road bikes start coming into themselves
Road bike with clearance for bigger tyres, normally a slightly more relaxed geo, higher BB etc.
All the advantages of a hybrid, most of the advantages of a road bike. Swap tyres to suit terrain.
What can I say? I'm a fan.
Speed wide I'd expect it to slot in between road bike and hybrid in the scale above.
I'm faster on my nice road bike, but it's made for going fast and makes little compromise for anything else.
Indeed everyone I know who has cx bikes raves about them
The only slight downside is the price, decent CX bikes start from £700 up
My hybrid that is similar to a cx in ability was £350
Obviously the cx will have better gears/parts and be a "better" equipped bike, but for commuting I like to use something cheaper so I don't have to worry about locking it up places
The only slight downside is the price, decent CX bikes start from £700 up
My hybrid that is similar to a cx in ability was £350
Obviously the cx will have better gears/parts and be a "better" equipped bike, but for commuting I like to use something cheaper so I don't have to worry about locking it up places
Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Monday 22 September 13:28
I found my "hybrid" (90s alu MTB with stiff short travel forks and armoured slick tyres) is far easier to get around in traffic on, as I'm in a much more upright position, and able to check over my shoulder(s) easier. It just engenders far more confidence when riding in busy or built up areas, and of course deals with potholed city streets far better. Also, it has brakes.
In the summer, I'll regularly work until about 1830 or so, then road bike it home, but if I leave any earlier, I'd rather be on the hybrid.
In the summer, I'll regularly work until about 1830 or so, then road bike it home, but if I leave any earlier, I'd rather be on the hybrid.
Gizmoish said:
We'll have to agree to disagree then.
Because in my experience there is no reason a rider should be less comfortable on a properly fitted road bike (let's generalise and define that as one with drop bars) than a hybrid (generalisation: flat bars and reasonably road-oriented gearing). Rider weights are rarely an issue (I just looked it up; both Trek and Cannondale quote 275lb/125kg for their road bikes). In my experience drop bars are better for filtering through traffic as they are narrower. And in my experience there is little significant difference between cable discs and rim brakes apart from the need to clean rims (a 10-second wipe with a baby wipe).
But that's just my opinion, of course.
Fair enough Because in my experience there is no reason a rider should be less comfortable on a properly fitted road bike (let's generalise and define that as one with drop bars) than a hybrid (generalisation: flat bars and reasonably road-oriented gearing). Rider weights are rarely an issue (I just looked it up; both Trek and Cannondale quote 275lb/125kg for their road bikes). In my experience drop bars are better for filtering through traffic as they are narrower. And in my experience there is little significant difference between cable discs and rim brakes apart from the need to clean rims (a 10-second wipe with a baby wipe).
But that's just my opinion, of course.
My head turns when flat out fait-accomplis are proffered as in There's no reason or Hybrids are rubbish! We're all different, thank goodness.Blimey it was chilly this morning, having a few days off the bike (see helmet thread) post crash, but took the dogs out and it was brilliantly sunny and misty @ 07:30 but about 8 degrees. Its not a complaint as I dont mind the cold, I just hate the extra faff due to the increased layers you need.
Will try and hang onto shorts and long sleeve top until October then the leg warmers come out.
Saturday morning @ 8am was quite balmy, about 6 degrees warmer!
Will try and hang onto shorts and long sleeve top until October then the leg warmers come out.
Saturday morning @ 8am was quite balmy, about 6 degrees warmer!
tobinen said:
ALDI bike stuff sale this Thursday so some arm warmers are on the cards.
Just been having a quick look through the stuff on offer after thinking this morning that I'd probably need a top with long sleeves pretty soon, when this caught my eye:https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-25-...
Does anyone any reviews to offer? I'm also curious how warm it is as I'd just need it to keep the wind off really as I'm naturally quite warm blooded and will rapidly overheat if it turns out to be too well insulated.
FamilyDub said:
I'm still in fingerless gloves and shorts, no need base layers or thermals yet. I am part polar bear, though...
Same here but I'm on the south coast so I've got a good excuse.What a fantastic ride home this evening. 19 miles of light(ish) traffic, beautiful weather and courteous drivers.
Not one near death experience.
The perfect commute home
SlidingSideways said:
tobinen said:
ALDI bike stuff sale this Thursday so some arm warmers are on the cards.
Just been having a quick look through the stuff on offer after thinking this morning that I'd probably need a top with long sleeves pretty soon, when this caught my eye:https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-25-...
Does anyone any reviews to offer? I'm also curious how warm it is as I'd just need it to keep the wind off really as I'm naturally quite warm blooded and will rapidly overheat if it turns out to be too well insulated.
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