I want a new bike.....I just don't know which type!!
Discussion
Hello all, first post in the PP forum so please bear with my lack of tech knowledge and indecisiveness.
A few weeks ago I got the urge to buy a road bike and to start putting in a few miles a week on that, as an alternative to gym-based cardio.
Since then I have started a new job that is running a C2W scheme...all good it would appear however, in a bid to 'get into cycling a bit' prior to the purchase of any bike, I dug out my brother's old Raleigh M-Trax 200 (circa 199something) and decided to take it for a blast a few times and found myself a nice little 8 mile route, mainly along the local farm tracks.
In doing so I have developed myself a little problem...I'm now not sure that I want a 'road bike'!!
I suppose, deep down, I'm much more of a 'wheelies, jumps and skids' type of person; I've had a road (motor)bike and have done motocross in the past and I'd take the dirtier of the two every time.
"Get an MTB" I imagine you're all thinking.
But, when winter comes and I can no longer see my way across the farm tracks (this actually sounds quite fun...) I'm sure I'd get much more use out of a road bike with the aid of lights and a route along some decently lit roads.
So what do I do??
I don't really want two bikes; I don't like the thought of having two mediocre bikes and I can't really afford (with a potential upcoming house purchase) to get one on the C2W scheme and buy one myself.
I've obviously thought about the 'hybrid' option but having had a look at the CB bikes in Halfords at the weekend, I'm not convinced that wheels on the hybrid would be up to it (I could be completely wrong...lack of tech knowledge)!?
I live in the Suffolk / Cambs area, so admittedly I'm not going to need a DH bike to cope with the crashbang of the few gradual descents I may encounter but at the same time I'd rather not have to look out for and avoid bumps and opportunities to get a bit airborne.
The only real solution that I can see is to get a hardtail mtb (with lockout on the forks?) and a set of hybrid/road wheels (is this even possible??), giving me the best of both worlds-ish. (I realise that an MTB will never beat a roadie on the road but to be honest it's more about fitness for me and not how far I can get in a given time).
So...if you've made it this far, thank you...and sorry!!
Please let me know your thoughts / suggestions for a solution.
Rob
A few weeks ago I got the urge to buy a road bike and to start putting in a few miles a week on that, as an alternative to gym-based cardio.
Since then I have started a new job that is running a C2W scheme...all good it would appear however, in a bid to 'get into cycling a bit' prior to the purchase of any bike, I dug out my brother's old Raleigh M-Trax 200 (circa 199something) and decided to take it for a blast a few times and found myself a nice little 8 mile route, mainly along the local farm tracks.
In doing so I have developed myself a little problem...I'm now not sure that I want a 'road bike'!!
I suppose, deep down, I'm much more of a 'wheelies, jumps and skids' type of person; I've had a road (motor)bike and have done motocross in the past and I'd take the dirtier of the two every time.
"Get an MTB" I imagine you're all thinking.
But, when winter comes and I can no longer see my way across the farm tracks (this actually sounds quite fun...) I'm sure I'd get much more use out of a road bike with the aid of lights and a route along some decently lit roads.
So what do I do??
I don't really want two bikes; I don't like the thought of having two mediocre bikes and I can't really afford (with a potential upcoming house purchase) to get one on the C2W scheme and buy one myself.
I've obviously thought about the 'hybrid' option but having had a look at the CB bikes in Halfords at the weekend, I'm not convinced that wheels on the hybrid would be up to it (I could be completely wrong...lack of tech knowledge)!?
I live in the Suffolk / Cambs area, so admittedly I'm not going to need a DH bike to cope with the crashbang of the few gradual descents I may encounter but at the same time I'd rather not have to look out for and avoid bumps and opportunities to get a bit airborne.
The only real solution that I can see is to get a hardtail mtb (with lockout on the forks?) and a set of hybrid/road wheels (is this even possible??), giving me the best of both worlds-ish. (I realise that an MTB will never beat a roadie on the road but to be honest it's more about fitness for me and not how far I can get in a given time).
So...if you've made it this far, thank you...and sorry!!
Please let me know your thoughts / suggestions for a solution.
Rob
Edited by roboxm3 on Monday 26th July 12:36
Hybrids are just a fancy name for commuter bikes are are just as useless off road as rode bikes, they're just more of a comfortable type.
Get yourself a nice hardtail MTB, if you're using it for fittness then just ride it on the road in winter. They're far less effiecnt than road bikes so you'll get more of a work-out in less time/distance. Think of it as jogging with ankle weights on.
Hybrid wheels are usually 29" or 700c as I think our ladyshave weilding brothers call them, so wont fit, but you can get slick and semi-slick MTB tyres that will fit straight onto the current rims. But unless you fancy racing other riders on the road - see above.
Get yourself a nice hardtail MTB, if you're using it for fittness then just ride it on the road in winter. They're far less effiecnt than road bikes so you'll get more of a work-out in less time/distance. Think of it as jogging with ankle weights on.
Hybrid wheels are usually 29" or 700c as I think our ladyshave weilding brothers call them, so wont fit, but you can get slick and semi-slick MTB tyres that will fit straight onto the current rims. But unless you fancy racing other riders on the road - see above.
Edited by P-Jay on Monday 26th July 13:42
Mr Will said:
This... http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/exped... ...is particularly sexual but wouldn't the narrow (relatively speaking, when compared to a typical MTB) tyres be a nightmare over gravely surfaces? And how much of a bashing can a cyclocross really take? I would ideally fancy something similar to the OP. A hybrid with more road-oriented wheels. For trails and towpaths fat spuddy tyres aren't necessary at all, and will be a total liability on the road.
700c wheels are essential IMO - they just roll so much better. I don't want a full sus bike and I don't even want a heavy sus fork but some of the hybrid forks have limited travel and aren't too heavy. I quite like the Specialized Crosstrail range and tried out the top and 2nd-from-top models last week. The wheels on those are 32mm wide which means you can put some relatively thin tyres on them (it comes with some horribly fat and compromised ones).
700c wheels are essential IMO - they just roll so much better. I don't want a full sus bike and I don't even want a heavy sus fork but some of the hybrid forks have limited travel and aren't too heavy. I quite like the Specialized Crosstrail range and tried out the top and 2nd-from-top models last week. The wheels on those are 32mm wide which means you can put some relatively thin tyres on them (it comes with some horribly fat and compromised ones).
pdV6 said:
Or just buy a hardtail MTB plus a set of slicks for when you don't fancy straying off-road.
This is the way I think I'm leaning, as per P-Jay's and your suggestion; I don't think I'd like being limited to "mild offroad" should the opportunity arise and I can't see how a cyclocross or similar would be able to offer the same enjoyment, with it having narrow/drop bars etc. (Again I could be completely wrong re. the capabilties of a cyclocross) IMO cyclocross bikes are fine for cyclocross racing and commuting, but for fun cycling they're a bit compromised.
Get a proper road bike or a mountain bike with lockable fork.
All of the mountain bikers I know use road bikes for base training (and often road race as well). Many of the roadies I know don't own mountain bikes. I don't know what that means, other than roadies are wimps.
Get a proper road bike or a mountain bike with lockable fork.
All of the mountain bikers I know use road bikes for base training (and often road race as well). Many of the roadies I know don't own mountain bikes. I don't know what that means, other than roadies are wimps.
pdV6 said:
Or just buy a hardtail MTB plus a set of slicks for when you don't fancy straying off-road.
If you enjoy off-road more then you must go down this route because you will be gutted if you dont. I would buy some semi-slicks really unless you fancy changing the tyres if you want to venture off-road (although this really only takes a few minutes).Road bikes are fantastic at what they do, i am lucky to own both and enjoy the road bike but have much more fun off-road.
How much were you thinking of spending?
curlie467 said:
pdV6 said:
Or just buy a hardtail MTB plus a set of slicks for when you don't fancy straying off-road.
If you enjoy off-road more then you must go down this route because you will be gutted if you dont. I would buy some semi-slicks really unless you fancy changing the tyres if you want to venture off-road (although this really only takes a few minutes).Road bikes are fantastic at what they do, i am lucky to own both and enjoy the road bike but have much more fun off-road.
How much were you thinking of spending?
If I can though, I'd rather at least sort the pedals and shoes for that money, so on that basis my thinking has been along the lines of spending £800ish on a bike (with the highest possible original retail price (you can see how my mind works eh?)) and the rest on proper pedals and shoes.
Edited by roboxm3 on Monday 26th July 15:30
Edited by roboxm3 on Monday 26th July 15:31
You can get one heck of a bike for that money in my opinion. Try the Boardman or Voodoo bikes from halfords, definitely worth a look. Even the Carrera fury for approx £500 is an excellent bike with excellent reviews.
There really is an endless amount of bikes and the only advice i can give is to try loads for size and how they feel when you are on them and try to get the best spec forks and wheels you can.
Good luck searching and if you find one you like just go for it!
There really is an endless amount of bikes and the only advice i can give is to try loads for size and how they feel when you are on them and try to get the best spec forks and wheels you can.
Good luck searching and if you find one you like just go for it!
HundredthIdiot said:
IMO cyclocross bikes are fine for cyclocross racing and commuting, but for fun cycling they're a bit compromised.
Get a proper road bike or a mountain bike with lockable fork.
All of the mountain bikers I know use road bikes for base training (and often road race as well). Many of the roadies I know don't own mountain bikes. I don't know what that means, other than roadies are wimps.
That's odd. All of the roadies I know own mtbs but quite a few mtbrs I know don't ride roadbikes. There tends to be more of a 'them & us' attitude from mtbrs towards roadies than vica versa in my experience.Get a proper road bike or a mountain bike with lockable fork.
All of the mountain bikers I know use road bikes for base training (and often road race as well). Many of the roadies I know don't own mountain bikes. I don't know what that means, other than roadies are wimps.
I agree with the statement re cross bikes. All about speed, picking the smoothest line & sticking to it than having fun messing about which is why I'd got for a hardtail + spare slicks for the requirements of the OP.
roboxm3 said:
"Get an MTB" I imagine you're all thinking.
But, when winter comes and I can no longer see my way across the farm tracks (this actually sounds quite fun...) I'm sure I'd get much more use out of a road bike with the aid of lights and a route along some decently lit roads.
So what do I do??
Buy a proepr hardtail MTB and some fek off bright lights. Plenty out there now that can light upp offroad (1000lumens etc) for 3,4,5,6 hours continous, power is going up fast and price is coming down.But, when winter comes and I can no longer see my way across the farm tracks (this actually sounds quite fun...) I'm sure I'd get much more use out of a road bike with the aid of lights and a route along some decently lit roads.
So what do I do??
hardtail mountain bike with skinny slicks for road use - buy a second set of wheels with the same freewheel and cassette on it and then its easy to chop and change. A decent set of lights will open doors for you too.
I have mtb, road bike and cyclo cross but if just one for me it would be cyclocross, because my commute is nearly 40 miles a day, which is too far for an mtb. If less than 16 miles or so, for one bike, I would have an mtb, they are an absolute blast and you will really be able to get into it as a pastime. Road bike is great, and am using that as the summer commuter, but if you haven't got great roads to ride on, again, not much point in bashing a nice road bike into the dirt
I have mtb, road bike and cyclo cross but if just one for me it would be cyclocross, because my commute is nearly 40 miles a day, which is too far for an mtb. If less than 16 miles or so, for one bike, I would have an mtb, they are an absolute blast and you will really be able to get into it as a pastime. Road bike is great, and am using that as the summer commuter, but if you haven't got great roads to ride on, again, not much point in bashing a nice road bike into the dirt
I had a similar dilemma on what to choose on my 9 mile each way commute. 3 miles tarmac, 2 of which is a fast B road that I want to get off ASAP. The rest is tracks that vary from firm dirt (mud in winter) & chunky gravel. I have opted for cyclocross type, picking up a Kona Jake in a few days. My current Giant Escape R2 'hybrid' with right tyres is OK, but I quite fancy a more road bike posture. Pictures will be posted when it arrives!
Yep mine is a Jake. One of your first upgrades needs to be to ditch the Project 2 fork - it weighs nearly 1kg! Other than that, a nice ride, mine has been upgraded over time and now has new seat post, saddle, wheels, tyres, bars, stem, headset (Chris King - fit and forget!) and fork. BB and pedals are next because they are worn out. Have been through quite a few chains and mechs obviously but the FSA chainset is still going strong as are the Tiagra mechs and shifters. Only problem with the Tiagra shifter for the rear is it has a tendency to allow the cable to get caught up and pinched in the shifter body and it keeps cutting the cable - think I am on my 5th in 2 and a half years, always goes at exactly the same place and apparently is quite common. I carry a spare rear mech cable now, just in case!
Edited to say that you will be able to fly on the b-road compared with your mtb and it will be fine over hardpack, gravel and mud - if you have much of the latter, that might affect what tyres you want, but I would go for as slick as you can get away with.
Edited to say that you will be able to fly on the b-road compared with your mtb and it will be fine over hardpack, gravel and mud - if you have much of the latter, that might affect what tyres you want, but I would go for as slick as you can get away with.
Edited by zebedee on Tuesday 27th July 18:59
pdV6 said:
Or just buy a hardtail MTB plus a set of slicks for when you don't fancy straying off-road.
Definately this! I bought a specialized hardrock pro and have semi slick tyres on it for road and commuting - 7 miles each way and as i'm using it for fitness as well its brilliant! Can always chuck the normal tyres on it then for more exciting mtb type stuff! Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff