What bike? Can do road and light trail.
Discussion
Hello, I'm after a new bike and have never spent big(ish) on a well specced bike before so I'm after some opinions. I have a hardtail mountain at the moment, decent for knocking about on, not good at all on the road and heavy. I want to get into cycling a bit more this year for fitness, hence the purchase.
What I'd like is something light, or relatively light. I'd like it to be competent on the road but ability to go off on a small trail, like a gravelly canal path, nothing major but a lot of the routes I like round my area often have a lovely canal run between areas. I'm short at 5'8" if that makes much difference.
Budget - £1000-1400
First thought on doing a search would suggest a hardtail hybrid like the Specialized Crosstail Carbon: https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-crosstrail...
What I'd like is something light, or relatively light. I'd like it to be competent on the road but ability to go off on a small trail, like a gravelly canal path, nothing major but a lot of the routes I like round my area often have a lovely canal run between areas. I'm short at 5'8" if that makes much difference.
Budget - £1000-1400
First thought on doing a search would suggest a hardtail hybrid like the Specialized Crosstail Carbon: https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-crosstrail...
Sounds like a cyclocross bike may be perfect for you, something like this-
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Cross-Race-Pro-2017-C...
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Cross-Race-Pro-2017-C...
No offence to anybody else who will reply, but a decent road bike is more than capable of some mild gravel road off-roading.
I got a comment from a mate on Strava the other day about my being certifiably mad. I rode a carbon fibre Trek Emonda down a wiggly single-track trail through woodland, and on to a sandy farm track. I easily matched my Strava KOM time set on a full suspension MTB. There's far too much stock put in the myriad different bicycle types out there, and a lot of it is absolute marketing BS. Save for suspension forks and shocks, all bicycles are basically the same. A frame, and some wheels constructed with spokes. If a rigid MTB can cope with terrain, then a road bike can too. Tyres are the only real difference.
If you are going to spend the bulk of your time on roads, then I'd say buy a road bike. It's optimised for road use after all. If you still have the heebeegeebees about riding a pure road bike on gravel tracks, canal paths, etc, then consider a "Cyclo Cross" bike. But not a 'proper' CXer, one with road gearing. It should have clearance for wider, more knobbly tyres, and possibly disc brakes as they WILL perform better if you're going to be schlepping through muddy puddles. A true CX race bike will likely have lower gearing, which, unless you're climbing a lot or making sharp direction changes involving sprinting out of corners, will frustrate you on the road.
Despite all I've said above, though, I still hanker after a 'green laner' or 'gravel adventure bike'. One of my favourites was a GT Grade...
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-al-x-2016/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-al-105-2017-adven...
...both in budget, and seem to fit your brief quite nicely?
I got a comment from a mate on Strava the other day about my being certifiably mad. I rode a carbon fibre Trek Emonda down a wiggly single-track trail through woodland, and on to a sandy farm track. I easily matched my Strava KOM time set on a full suspension MTB. There's far too much stock put in the myriad different bicycle types out there, and a lot of it is absolute marketing BS. Save for suspension forks and shocks, all bicycles are basically the same. A frame, and some wheels constructed with spokes. If a rigid MTB can cope with terrain, then a road bike can too. Tyres are the only real difference.
If you are going to spend the bulk of your time on roads, then I'd say buy a road bike. It's optimised for road use after all. If you still have the heebeegeebees about riding a pure road bike on gravel tracks, canal paths, etc, then consider a "Cyclo Cross" bike. But not a 'proper' CXer, one with road gearing. It should have clearance for wider, more knobbly tyres, and possibly disc brakes as they WILL perform better if you're going to be schlepping through muddy puddles. A true CX race bike will likely have lower gearing, which, unless you're climbing a lot or making sharp direction changes involving sprinting out of corners, will frustrate you on the road.
Despite all I've said above, though, I still hanker after a 'green laner' or 'gravel adventure bike'. One of my favourites was a GT Grade...
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-al-x-2016/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-al-105-2017-adven...
...both in budget, and seem to fit your brief quite nicely?
Agree with yellowjack.
But if you fancy something new, I've got a cotic roadrat with road plus tyres on. Did a 65 mile ride mainly off-road, farm tracks, gravel paths, canal paths, forest with a few miles of road and felt fresh as a daisy afterwards. I use it as a commuter and fun bike. Geared fine for road and off-road.
The Escapade is the drop bar version
But if you fancy something new, I've got a cotic roadrat with road plus tyres on. Did a 65 mile ride mainly off-road, farm tracks, gravel paths, canal paths, forest with a few miles of road and felt fresh as a daisy afterwards. I use it as a commuter and fun bike. Geared fine for road and off-road.
The Escapade is the drop bar version
Yep, YJ has it spot on. Any decent adventure or even Endurance road bike is perfectly capable of light off road as you describe - no need to compramise road performance if you just want go go along the odd canal path or bridle way.
For that money and for that purpose I'd buy a Domane ALR which now comes with 32mm tyres I think.
For that money and for that purpose I'd buy a Domane ALR which now comes with 32mm tyres I think.
R1gtr said:
Sounds like a cyclocross bike may be perfect for you, something like this-
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Cross-Race-Pro-2017-C...
I have the 2016 version of this. It's spot on for my mixed surface commute - only about 1.5mph slower on the roads than my road bike and much faster offroad than my mtb.http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Cross-Race-Pro-2017-C...
Seems my thoughts regarding what I needed were a bit out of line with the capabilities of these bikes, I came for advice and I got some great options so thanks a lot fellas.
Going to hit my local independent to see what he's got in and have a ride of this style of bike before buying.
Thanks again.
Going to hit my local independent to see what he's got in and have a ride of this style of bike before buying.
Thanks again.
Just looking for something else a few minutes ago and I was on the Winstanleys website. This is their "clearance" CX bike section... https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/category/1310/C... ...which, whilst not necessarily being the right bikes in the right size for you, might put a few more brands/models in your sights.
When you say a MTB is too slow on road, does that include when equipped with slicks? I use 26 x 1.5 semi slicks on my daily bike, which is a mid 90s rigid MTB. It's fine on road, to the point of being the bike I choose for touring. It's been over Mt Ventoux with touring gear, the only problem was the brakes in the wet on the way down, the wet grit ate the brakes. The MTB cassette was a godsend on the climb up.
I liked to a Cube Cyclo Cross bike earlier and here's a bargain which looks great value and has Hydraulic Brakes, decent gearing as well.
http://www.freeborn.co.uk/cube-cross-race-pro?gcli...
I thought I was covered with my roadie and my MTB but I am highly tempted to get the above bike and a set of these-
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-di...
http://www.freeborn.co.uk/cube-cross-race-pro?gcli...
I thought I was covered with my roadie and my MTB but I am highly tempted to get the above bike and a set of these-
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-di...
I just bought this cyclocross bike at £1399 https://www.focus-bikes.com/ch_en/18537-mares-al-1...
I did a fair bit of research and this won the day with a little stretch of my budget. I'm pleased with the bike. !st drop handled bike I've owned which is taking a little getting used to and it doesn't love heavily rutted tracks but roads, grass, canal/gravel paths, most stuff it does really well.
I did a fair bit of research and this won the day with a little stretch of my budget. I'm pleased with the bike. !st drop handled bike I've owned which is taking a little getting used to and it doesn't love heavily rutted tracks but roads, grass, canal/gravel paths, most stuff it does really well.
Correction for you - I'm very sure that the bike is more than able to handle heavily rutted tracks, but you hate them!
With good reason I'd say, there isn't any bike that's easy to ride down heavily rutted tracks. Even a MTB with 2"+ s
teGripper(TM) tyres is a pig when one or the other wheel drops into a proper rut.
With good reason I'd say, there isn't any bike that's easy to ride down heavily rutted tracks. Even a MTB with 2"+ s
teGripper(TM) tyres is a pig when one or the other wheel drops into a proper rut.I have a Cannondale Quick 4 fitted with 30mm slick anti puncture tyres.
I ride it on the road, down converted railway lines, and due to fitted mudguards it's also my wet weather & winter bike.
A bit of an all rounder.
I also have a Cannondale Synapse for slightly faster road rides.
Paul G
I ride it on the road, down converted railway lines, and due to fitted mudguards it's also my wet weather & winter bike.
A bit of an all rounder.
I also have a Cannondale Synapse for slightly faster road rides.
Paul G
Spanna said:
Hello, I'm after a new bike and have never spent big(ish) on a well specced bike before so I'm after some opinions. I have a hardtail mountain at the moment, decent for knocking about on, not good at all on the road and heavy. I want to get into cycling a bit more this year for fitness, hence the purchase.
What I'd like is something light, or relatively light. I'd like it to be competent on the road but ability to go off on a small trail, like a gravelly canal path, nothing major but a lot of the routes I like round my area often have a lovely canal run between areas. I'm short at 5'8" if that makes much difference.
Budget - £1000-1400
First thought on doing a search would suggest a hardtail hybrid like the Specialized Crosstail Carbon: https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-crosstrail...
Ive had a Crosstrail for four years, its an excellent bike and the first one i grab if i want a quick spin or even for slightly longer rides, that say it all. Mines only a sport disk, originally cost £500 but its been great. Forks failed is the only problem ive had in that time and Specialised just sent a new set which my LBS sorted,What I'd like is something light, or relatively light. I'd like it to be competent on the road but ability to go off on a small trail, like a gravelly canal path, nothing major but a lot of the routes I like round my area often have a lovely canal run between areas. I'm short at 5'8" if that makes much difference.
Budget - £1000-1400
First thought on doing a search would suggest a hardtail hybrid like the Specialized Crosstail Carbon: https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-crosstrail...
I'd agree with YJ but I'm not surprised by his mates comment regarding the trek emonta! However given his strava activity, he does like to do the more challenging spectrum of bike activities! I'd also agree a CX bike to be perfect for road and off road. I run a carbon Norco Threshold 105 with hydraulic discs and continental speed 35mm tyres, and its a flying machine, and easily handles tow paths, blue routes on mountain bike routes ( my shoulder problems stop me taking it down red runs! ) and roads. Modern CX bikes are the best all rounders out there, however, you can also get what you're after with a hybrid, adventure road bike, even a lightweight XC hardtail would see you briskly up those surfaces!
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