Recommission an vintage Cannondale MTB or buy new?
Discussion
I'm currently looking to start cycling in to work once again in order to shed some of my powerfully built stature.
The route to work is either a 8 miles each way route, made up of 75 to 80% road with the remainder being along an abandoned railway line.
Or
10 miles each way, and 100% on road.
I've never owned a road bike before but have grown up on 2 wheels of the BMX and MTB variety, I'm not sure if I am sympathetic enough for a road bike, having been used to being able to hit potholes, jump off kerbs etc ... without any thought to damaging wheels and such. However I am really keen to try a road bike out.
At the minute the bike will only be used for commuting, I have no real intentions of going racing again or even using the bike for recreation. It will (for now) just be used for commuting.
I have an old Cannondale Killer V 600 from around 1992/93?? That i've owned since new.
It's been sat unloved in the garage for quite a few years now and would need new, forks, wheels, chain, cables, brakes .... basically everything bar a new frame. Having had it so long it does hold a bit of sentimental value and I would like to get it back up and running again after throwing a few quid at it (I'm assuming £800ish to spec it up half decently?) but I'm not sure if it would be suited to the commute?
Other option is to spend around £800 on a new road bike.
And that's where the PH biking collective come in.
Based on a commute of 10 miles.
Route is effectively a `V' shape. Lon, fairly steep downhill to start and finishing off with a long fairly steep uphill to finish. (Googlemaps shows a 417ft rise and 318ft drop??)
I'm 6'-2" and a powerfully built 15.5 stone.
Budget is approx £800
Any recommendations of a new road bike or options for the old Cannondale are welcome.
Thanks.
The route to work is either a 8 miles each way route, made up of 75 to 80% road with the remainder being along an abandoned railway line.
Or
10 miles each way, and 100% on road.
I've never owned a road bike before but have grown up on 2 wheels of the BMX and MTB variety, I'm not sure if I am sympathetic enough for a road bike, having been used to being able to hit potholes, jump off kerbs etc ... without any thought to damaging wheels and such. However I am really keen to try a road bike out.
At the minute the bike will only be used for commuting, I have no real intentions of going racing again or even using the bike for recreation. It will (for now) just be used for commuting.
I have an old Cannondale Killer V 600 from around 1992/93?? That i've owned since new.
It's been sat unloved in the garage for quite a few years now and would need new, forks, wheels, chain, cables, brakes .... basically everything bar a new frame. Having had it so long it does hold a bit of sentimental value and I would like to get it back up and running again after throwing a few quid at it (I'm assuming £800ish to spec it up half decently?) but I'm not sure if it would be suited to the commute?
Other option is to spend around £800 on a new road bike.
And that's where the PH biking collective come in.
Based on a commute of 10 miles.
Route is effectively a `V' shape. Lon, fairly steep downhill to start and finishing off with a long fairly steep uphill to finish. (Googlemaps shows a 417ft rise and 318ft drop??)
I'm 6'-2" and a powerfully built 15.5 stone.
Budget is approx £800
Any recommendations of a new road bike or options for the old Cannondale are welcome.
Thanks.
Cross bike
I've a Boardman Team and its perfect for what you want to do.
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/b...
I've a Boardman Team and its perfect for what you want to do.
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/b...
I fully sympathise with the will to restore the old Cannondale. I have a 2002 Scalpel that I'm far too attached to to part with, even though a newer XC bike would likely be far better.
If you do the new bike route, this Planet-X London Road Rival 22 £799 should be on your short list. More than capable of handling a disused railway line or two. Heck, I've used my out-and-out road bike on worse terrain.
If you do the new bike route, this Planet-X London Road Rival 22 £799 should be on your short list. More than capable of handling a disused railway line or two. Heck, I've used my out-and-out road bike on worse terrain.
I do a commute similar to you most days, I can do 10 miles of road, with the last 2 miles being nasty A road, or 8 miles of road and the last 2 miles old railway tracks that are gravel. I love the railway line route, makes it very pleasant
Ive done the commute on loads of different bikes, road bikes are great, but even decent bikes struggle with the daily onslaught of poor roads. I also don't do the railway line on road bikes, doing it occasionally would be fine, but everyday would wreck them
Best commuter I have found are old skool rigid MTBS , my current one is classed as a "hybrid" but is just an alu rigid mtb frame from the early 00s. I run 700/32 thick slick ish tyres, and I can put good times along the road and gravel on it, nearly got the gravel KOM on it over 1 mile stretch, I regularly overtake full road bikes on the road.
The bike (kona dew) is cheap to run and the parts Ive put on really handle the abuse. The bike also looks knackered , which means I can leave it outside shops without worry. New bikes are great but they stand out when chained up.
Cross bikes are great, I'd get one and fit thick/wide road tyres, but I'm happy with my current bike, plus I prefer flat bars for commuting with a rucksack. I also use panniers but rucksack is less hassle and it bounces around too much on the drops.
A mate has the London Road is a great bike for commuting , for me I prefer commuting on a cheaper bike , so I don't have to worry about the abuse it suffers
Bit of waffle there and probably havent helped
Ive done the commute on loads of different bikes, road bikes are great, but even decent bikes struggle with the daily onslaught of poor roads. I also don't do the railway line on road bikes, doing it occasionally would be fine, but everyday would wreck them
Best commuter I have found are old skool rigid MTBS , my current one is classed as a "hybrid" but is just an alu rigid mtb frame from the early 00s. I run 700/32 thick slick ish tyres, and I can put good times along the road and gravel on it, nearly got the gravel KOM on it over 1 mile stretch, I regularly overtake full road bikes on the road.
The bike (kona dew) is cheap to run and the parts Ive put on really handle the abuse. The bike also looks knackered , which means I can leave it outside shops without worry. New bikes are great but they stand out when chained up.
Cross bikes are great, I'd get one and fit thick/wide road tyres, but I'm happy with my current bike, plus I prefer flat bars for commuting with a rucksack. I also use panniers but rucksack is less hassle and it bounces around too much on the drops.
A mate has the London Road is a great bike for commuting , for me I prefer commuting on a cheaper bike , so I don't have to worry about the abuse it suffers
Bit of waffle there and probably havent helped
SixPotBelly said:
I fully sympathise with the will to restore the old Cannondale. I have a 2002 Scalpel that I'm far too attached to to part with, even though a newer XC bike would likely be far better.
If you do the new bike route, this Planet-X London Road Rival 22 £799 should be on your short list. More than capable of handling a disused railway line or two. Heck, I've used my out-and-out road bike on worse terrain.
Regardless of whether I buy new or not the Cannondale will still be staying with me, I've had it too long now to let it go. It would only mean it wouldn't get built up again, well not right away anyway. Now that the rebuild seed has been planted in my mind I can only see it growing.If you do the new bike route, this Planet-X London Road Rival 22 £799 should be on your short list. More than capable of handling a disused railway line or two. Heck, I've used my out-and-out road bike on worse terrain.
That Planet-X is decent looking and not something I had considered before, I would prefer hydraulic brakes if I did go for the disc option but beggars cant be choosers and it is something I could address at a later date. I'm capable enough with the spanners to do my own maintenance and such like.
I guess if I did go new road/cyclo cross bike it would leave me to restore my Cannondale to a period spec once again, it's just a shame I threw out (yes threw out!!) the rigid Peperoni forks when I fitted the Pace MXCD's.
Or do I rebuild it to a useable commuter spec?
It sucks being indecisive.
I don't have any issue with security either at home or at my place of work either. The bike will be garaged at home and kept inside the offices once I got to work. Only real consideration I need to make is having something that wont crumble once it gets wet, dirty and salty from the crappy back roads I travel along.
There's a hydraulic disc option at £1k.... [/budget creep]
Or, as you're handy with the hex keys, buy the frame for £150 and build your own up. Like our own richardxjr did
Then restore the 'dale as an ongoing project. I've kept mine period, FWIW. More of a pain sourcing out of production spares than fitting new kit would be, but I like that it's all original spec.
Or, as you're handy with the hex keys, buy the frame for £150 and build your own up. Like our own richardxjr did
Then restore the 'dale as an ongoing project. I've kept mine period, FWIW. More of a pain sourcing out of production spares than fitting new kit would be, but I like that it's all original spec.
Edited by SixPotBelly on Tuesday 16th June 14:16
Seriously - DO NOT WORRY about riding a road bike two miles down an old railway line. You won't kill it.
I rode the Gorrick 'Summer Monkey' MTB race lap twice on Sunday...
https://www.strava.com/activities/325476341
...on a 1997 Falcon Pro-Line road bike with old style downtube shifters. Neither me, nor it, are in any way destroyed by the experience. Remember that most bicycles are constructed on pretty similar principles, using similar materials and methods. It's a bike, it'll go where you tell it to go, on the whole.
Watch this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0
...and see what a beating a road bike is capable of taking. I'm no Martyn Ashton style stunt rider, but I can abuse a bike with the best of them
I rode the Gorrick 'Summer Monkey' MTB race lap twice on Sunday...
https://www.strava.com/activities/325476341
...on a 1997 Falcon Pro-Line road bike with old style downtube shifters. Neither me, nor it, are in any way destroyed by the experience. Remember that most bicycles are constructed on pretty similar principles, using similar materials and methods. It's a bike, it'll go where you tell it to go, on the whole.
Watch this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0
...and see what a beating a road bike is capable of taking. I'm no Martyn Ashton style stunt rider, but I can abuse a bike with the best of them
SixPotBelly said:
There's a hydraulic disc option at £1k.... [/budget creep]
Or, as you're handy with the hex keys, buy the frame for £150 and build your own up. Like our own richardxjr did
Then restore the 'dale as an ongoing project. I've kept mine period, FWIW. More of a pain sourcing out of production spares than fitting new kit would be, but I like that it's all original spec.
I am a bugger for budget creeping, but 1k is just a bit above what I really want to spend.Or, as you're handy with the hex keys, buy the frame for £150 and build your own up. Like our own richardxjr did
Then restore the 'dale as an ongoing project. I've kept mine period, FWIW. More of a pain sourcing out of production spares than fitting new kit would be, but I like that it's all original spec.
Edited by SixPotBelly on Tuesday 16th June 14:16
If it was winter I would consider the self build route, but again I know I would spend `just a little bit more' to get the next level up groupset, then the next level up wheels, then the next level up stem ... and bearings ... and ..... You can see where this is going here can't you?
Plus the option of buying off the shelf means I can get riding again asap, infact I'd like to be on the bike by this coming Monday again if I can.
As far as the Cannondale goes I'm not precious about it being 100% original, I'd like to keep it period but furnish it with the best of what is available from that time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am wanting to build the bike I could never afford to build as an snotty nosed apprentice. Hence the out of the air figure of £800.
Getting back to buying new, and buying a dedicated road bike, the Specialized Allez Elite at £720 on Evans currently is grabbing my attention. I never owned a Specialized during my time riding MTB's but I have always liked the look of them.
yellowjack said:
Seriously - DO NOT WORRY about riding a road bike two miles down an old railway line. You won't kill it.
I rode the Gorrick 'Summer Monkey' MTB race lap twice on Sunday...
https://www.strava.com/activities/325476341
...on a 1997 Falcon Pro-Line road bike with old style downtube shifters. Neither me, nor it, are in any way destroyed by the experience. Remember that most bicycles are constructed on pretty similar principles, using similar materials and methods. It's a bike, it'll go where you tell it to go, on the whole.
Watch this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0
...and see what a beating a road bike is capable of taking. I'm no Martyn Ashton style stunt rider, but I can abuse a bike with the best of them
That's fine in the spring summer when everything is dry, pita in deepest winter in thick mud, I've learnt that the hard way . Plus doing it the odd day is ok, commuting day in day out will wreck the tyres , so you'll want to fit wider thicker ones, except most road bikes will limit you to 25c. Ok some you can get 28s on but then you will have no space for flaps or guards. Better off getting a cx/hybrid/mtb which is built out the box for it.I rode the Gorrick 'Summer Monkey' MTB race lap twice on Sunday...
https://www.strava.com/activities/325476341
...on a 1997 Falcon Pro-Line road bike with old style downtube shifters. Neither me, nor it, are in any way destroyed by the experience. Remember that most bicycles are constructed on pretty similar principles, using similar materials and methods. It's a bike, it'll go where you tell it to go, on the whole.
Watch this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0
...and see what a beating a road bike is capable of taking. I'm no Martyn Ashton style stunt rider, but I can abuse a bike with the best of them
I took a road bike down a poorly finished pot holed gravel forest road, after 5 miles both the brand new Gatorskins were written off! Thast Gatorskins , the cockroach of tyres. My Vitoria randomeurs can hack it all year round, but are 32c width which cant be fitted to most road bikes.
TwistingMyMelon said:
That's fine in the spring summer when everything is dry, pita in deepest winter in thick mud, I've learnt that the hard way . Plus doing it the odd day is ok, commuting day in day out will wreck the tyres , so you'll want to fit wider thicker ones, except most road bikes will limit you to 25c. Ok some you can get 28s on but then you will have no space for flaps or guards. Better off getting a cx/hybrid/mtb which is built out the box for it.
I took a road bike down a poorly finished pot holed gravel forest road, after 5 miles both the brand new Gatorskins were written off! Thast Gatorskins , the cockroach of tyres. My Vitoria randomeurs can hack it all year round, but are 32c width which cant be fitted to most road bikes.
My thinking also. Granted it's only a mile or so each way, but that's at least 2 miles per day, 10 miles per week. Would anyone consider going out on a 10 mile off road ride on a road bike? It's not a prospect I would relish.I took a road bike down a poorly finished pot holed gravel forest road, after 5 miles both the brand new Gatorskins were written off! Thast Gatorskins , the cockroach of tyres. My Vitoria randomeurs can hack it all year round, but are 32c width which cant be fitted to most road bikes.
I understand that a hybrid would be the best option for the part road / part off road route. BUT. For me it's a compromise and I not something that floats my boat or would encourage me to get out on it.
If I buy a road bike I'll just commute purely by road, I'm fine doing that. Likewise, if I was (hypothetically) to buy a mtb I'd figure out a purely off road route to work. Horses for courses if you will.
10 miles? Absolutely. I did the Rapha HotN on my road bike. Almost all 700 of us did, apart from the guy on his TT bike. It was 130km, split roughly 50/50 road and bridleway. That was in early April though. I concede it might not have been quite as easy going in January, but I would be surprised if we would have found any of it impassable.
Beauty of that London Road, and other gravel bikes of its ilk, is they can take big tyres and mudguards but without the weight penalty of an MTB. Don't have one myself but, as you can tell, I'm pretty sold on the concept.
Beauty of that London Road, and other gravel bikes of its ilk, is they can take big tyres and mudguards but without the weight penalty of an MTB. Don't have one myself but, as you can tell, I'm pretty sold on the concept.
I'd buy new and rebuild the Killer V over time. A cyclocross bike is a good idea but as others have said, a road bike will cope with a lot of abuse and arent as fragile as you might think, particuarly alu frames. The Ribble "winter/audax" frame is a solid base upon which to build a tough and fast road bike if you are happy buying parts and spannering yourself, a guy came flying past me on one during the Velothon at the weekend...
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/f...
I found these whilst random googling for Cannondales which i thought were worth sharing, I like Cannondale for their approach to innovation and simply because they are prepared to try stuff and fail
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/f...
I found these whilst random googling for Cannondales which i thought were worth sharing, I like Cannondale for their approach to innovation and simply because they are prepared to try stuff and fail
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