A good bike for hill climbs

[mikeloveshisrockhopper]

Evening all.

I am new to this forum so apologies if there are already articles on this subject.

I have been riding a 2010 Specialized Rockhopper from new and absolutely love it. For most of the time I have had it, I have used Continental Travel contact tyres as these have a slick surface / knobbly shoulders so give me good road and uphill speed and decent off road performance.

I really love road hill climbs and living in South Wales, I have lots of choice. I am considering buying a road bike now as I am doing more road cycling than off road. Can anybody recommend a road bike that is good for hill climbing and will also give me good flat speed. I'm willing to spend up to 1k but would be happy to here about how I can spend a few hundred quid less.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[13 rider]

Any road bike will probably be lighter than your current bike so will be easier on the hills . climbing is about lightness and gearing the most standard on road bikes is 50/34 on the front ( the bigger the number the higher gear) and 11 to 28 on the rear ( The bigger the number the lower the gear ) . If you live in a really hilly area you may want to get a bike with a triple on the front offering a bigger range and lower gearing for hills .What gears does your current bike have
I have a giant defy love it but bike choice is personal you will get plenty of recomemdations

 

[gavroche]

There are two most important things you need for hill climbing: good legs and stamina. As for the bike , for up to 1k, there are many bikes out there that will do it. I would advise you to have a 11- 32 cassettes, just to make it slightly easier.

 

[mikeloveshisrockhopper]

Thanks for the replies. My Rockhopper is 27 speed. I have consistently gone back to reading about the Defy 2 and am getting a good feeling about it, especially as I will get change out of £700!

 

[13 rider]

As a defy lover I can't fault it . has a low gear 30 tooth on the back so you should be OK on the hills . Can you get a test ride ? .Good to buy as the new 2016 range is just out so sales on 2015 models with very little spec difference

 

[jowwy]

Evening all.

I am new to this forum so apologies if there are already articles on this subject.

I have been riding a 2010 Specialized Rockhopper from new and absolutely love it. For most of the time I have had it, I have used Continental Travel contact tyres as these have a slick surface / knobbly shoulders so give me good road and uphill speed and decent off road performance.

I really love road hill climbs and living in South Wales, I have lots of choice. I am considering buying a road bike now as I am doing more road cycling than off road. Can anybody recommend a road bike that is good for hill climbing and will also give me good flat speed. I'm willing to spend up to 1k but would be happy to here about how I can spend a few hundred quid less.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

Where you from in south wales mike???
And what climbs are you liking???

 

[Wafer]

http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/166682-15-best-road-bikes-under-1000 gives you a few ideas, pretty much any of those would be worth looking at (though I'm assuming you don't want a ladies fit bike ), a few are only available online so may not be suitable if you want to sit on something before purchasing.

 

[fossyant]

Any road bike will do. Decathlon do some smashing cheap ones. Then get pedalling. Simple. Really....

 

[mikeloveshisrockhopper]

Where you from in south wales mike???
And what climbs are you liking???

Bridgend. I do The Bwlch fairly regularly, I usually do Bridgend to Treorchy via The Bwlch and occasionally do Bridgend to Port Talbot return via The Bwlch.

If I am doing a more off road ride, I go around Ogmore Vale, Blaengarw, Margam etc.

 

[jowwy]

Bridgend. I do The Bwlch fairly regularly, I usually do Bridgend to Treorchy via The Bwlch and occasionally do Bridgend to Port Talbot return via The Bwlch.

If I am doing a more off road ride, I go around Ogmore Vale, Blaengarw, Margam etc.

Nice one.....some fairly descent climbs there too

Whats the budget for the new bike???

 

[Citius]

Any road bike will do. Decathlon do some smashing cheap ones. Then get pedalling. Simple. Really....

This ^^

 

[mikeloveshisrockhopper]

Nice one.....some fairly descent climbs there too

Whats the budget for the new bike???

I'd push it to a grand if I had to. But some recent research says I probably don;t need to spend that much for what I want.

Yeah some lovely climbs on my doorstep. Very lucky.

 

[mikeloveshisrockhopper]

This ^^

I'll check these out. Thanks all. I am addicted to hills!

 

[Dayvo]

What colour do you want?

There are far too many available to recommend one; you might need to narrow it down a bit.

Triple or compact: disc brakes, cantilever or V brakes: aluminium, steel, titanium or carbon: drop bars or flat: bosses for racks or not: plus, not forgetting, the all-important colour.

Look for a reputable manufacturer, such as Cannondale, Giant, Focus, Fuji, Specialized, Trek, or 'trendier ones, Merckx, Ridley, de Rosa, Colnago etc. The world is your lobster.

Good luck.

 

[vickster]

Whats the budget for the new bike???

He says 1k less if possible

How about a Planet X carbon with Sram rival, 50/34, 11-32? £850. Group set equivalent to 105 but lighter

http://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/road-bikes/pro-carbon