£650 budget 8 mile commute - confused :/

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Hotchilidamo

Active Member
Location
Bournemouth
So my local bike shop mainly sell specialized. They have a good reputation in the area and the sales guys seem genuine and helpful. Speaking to them, the recommend a sirrus elite.

My confusion comes in when I read on forums like this about the cyclocross bikes being so popular.

So here's my requirements, what would you recommend?

Max budget of £650 getting me a sirrus elite in the local shop. Carbon forks but no disc brakes
I'll ride approx 16 mile round trip
My journey will be paved with the majority being on a beach promenade (some patches of wet and dry sand build up, but not loads)
I do have an ageing MTB so an upgrade would be nice, but not the reason for my purchase
I'd need to carry the bike up two flights of stairs when I get to the office so weight is a consideration
I will be riding with a backpack

Any thoughts?
 
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GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
hills? Do you have hills?

If not, or none of significance, then a singlespeed/fixed offers simplicity and lightness.
 
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Hotchilidamo

Hotchilidamo

Active Member
Location
Bournemouth
Yeah there are a couple of hills involved. One is pretty steep, essentially from the beach front I'd need to get up a zig zag to get on top of the cliff
 

MikeW-71

Veteran
Location
Carlisle
The Sirrus sounds like a good bet. Since it's a hybrid, the riding position will be a bit more upright than a road bike which will be a bit more comfy for carrying the backpack. It should also be as light as a road bike.
 
Location
Spain
The sirrus is a great bike but have a sit on a road bike or two also. I knew within 150 miles of getting my sirrus that i should have bought a drop bar bike.
 

MikeW-71

Veteran
Location
Carlisle
There is that of course. How big/heavy will the backpack be? If it's just going to be small and light, then a road bike is back in the game.
 
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Hotchilidamo

Hotchilidamo

Active Member
Location
Bournemouth
It's a small day pack which will have my lunch and a lightweightish ultra book. So on the whole fairly light.

My main concern with drop bars is the riding position. I have a shoulder /neck problem and I'm worried that riding position will force me to have my body down and then my neck up. Which is why a straight bar in the longer term appeals more
 
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Hotchilidamo

Hotchilidamo

Active Member
Location
Bournemouth
Oh one more thing (sorry). The Sirrus Elite 2014 doesn't have disc brakes. I'd have to pay another £150 to get that in the next model up. That's stretching my budget beyond comfortable so is this necessary? If so, I may have to work out which of my body parts I like the most as the mrs will definitely want one of them for spending £800 on a bike
 
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vickster

Legendary Member
I've given links on your other thread - £600-650

I don't believe Specialized do carbon forks + disc brakes on any of their bikes
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Oh one more thing (sorry). The Sirrus Elite 2014 doesn't have disc brakes. I'd have to pay another £150 to get that in the next model up. That's stretching my budget beyond comfortable so is this necessary? If so, I may have to work out which of my body parts I like the most as the mrs will definitely want one of them for spending £800 on a bike
Most drop bar bikes, even if ridden on the tops, include a hefty wodge of heads down arse up which is best avoided on the daily grind if you aren't used to it or have back / neck issues.

Discs? They work consistently in the wet. Bike doesn't get as mucky wither. Rims brakes not so much. But millions ride rim brake bikes without a care.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Though I now have discs on my flatbar, I never found I was missing anything on previous hybrids with rim brakes. Always seems fine to apt enough braking power from top brakes, not like sti where you seem to need to brake much sooner.
That said I am not much of a wet, mucky weather cyclist.
 
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