Advice please!

[handsome joe]

Very confused and needing advice. I currently have a claude butler racer, with 700x32 tyres, that i use to and from work along roads and towpaths which are not in the best condition. As i live in london this means i come across many potholes but the racer deals with everything thrown at it. On these daily journeys I carry work clothes and lunch in a rucksack. I also have a MTB with larger tyres that i use to transport the kids around on a child seat usually at the weekends.

Now here is my problem: What bike that combines these requirments should i go for? Due to a lack of space i need to have one bike for both these purposes. I want a bike not too heavy that i am competely knackered by the time i get to work but also not so light i can't put a child seat on the back. My budget will stretch to £500.

Any suggestions?

 

[bonj2]

Have you actually tried riding your MTB to work? My guess is that you haven't, as you shouldn't get 'totally knackered', as you are unlikely to maintain the same speed, but rather, the same work rate. This is unlikely to result in you going much slower, especially if there's lots of traffic lights, junctions and on and off towpaths - and unless your commute is 20+ miles each way, then you're unlikely to lose more than a couple of minutes if that.
Possibly put thinner tyres on your MTB you haven't already, but other than that, you should just do that.
The only real advantage of a road bike on a commute is that you'll be faster if you've got lots of long uninterrupted stretches on good(ish) roads, but the actual time you'd save by the slight speed increase is obviously going to be proportional to your total distance.
If you WANT a new bike, and have decided to treat yourself to one anyway, you can do a lot worse than a specialized rockhopper.

 

[fossyant]

As Bonj says....what about changing tyres on the MTB - and maybe some upgrades to it...loads cheaper.

Or if you'd like a new bike - something like a Cannondale Bad Boy - MTB style hybrid - very smart. - gives you the best of both worlds.

 

[Muddyfox]

I have just put a set of Continental Contact (Travel) tyres on my MTB and when pumped up to 70 psi it makes a huge difference, the bike is much faster for much less effort and these tyres are'nt the skinniest (26 x 1.75)

The other alternative is to have a 2nd set of wheels and tyres for the MTB ... Skinny tyres for commuting on one set and wider MTB tyres for the other

Simon

 

[handsome joe]

I like MTB's!!!!!!!!!!

Before i am strung up using my scrotum i would like to say thanks for all the advice. Didn't mean to upset you MTB'ers. By the way Bonj, you don't own a specialized rockhopper. I did and still occasionally use my MTB for my daily commute. If your interested i didn't have a problem using it and found it to be a more comfortable ride compared to my racer. But, maybe its my imagination, i do find i pass many more MTB'ers on my commute. Also i am not 'as tired' after riding my racer to work instead of my MTB. I don't put too much attachment into what essentially is a piece of innate metal so i feel my opinion is fairly unbiased. Now i know this forum has many saddle sniffers and people will take GREAT personal offence to the following comment.......sssshhhhhh i will say ziss only once....i prefer riding my racer to work. Yes i will be shortly entering the wrong side of my 30's and my stomach is keeping track of this event but i still get a boyish thrill out of going fast even if bumpily.

 

[fossyant]

Keep both bikes then - you can never have enough bikes.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Keep both bikes then - you can never have enough bikes.

I'd like to see you debate that with Mrs Mortiroloboy

 

[col]

Before i am strung up using my scrotum i would like to say thanks for all the advice. Didn't mean to upset you MTB'ers. By the way Bonj, you don't own a specialized rockhopper. I did and still occasionally use my MTB for my daily commute. If your interested i didn't have a problem using it and found it to be a more comfortable ride compared to my racer. But, maybe its my imagination, i do find i pass many more MTB'ers on my commute. Also i am not 'as tired' after riding my racer to work instead of my MTB. I don't put too much attachment into what essentially is a piece of innate metal so i feel my opinion is fairly unbiased. Now i know this forum has many saddle sniffers and people will take GREAT personal offence to the following comment.......sssshhhhhh i will say ziss only once....i prefer riding my racer to work. Yes i will be shortly entering the wrong side of my 30's and my stomach is keeping track of this event but i still get a boyish thrill out of going fast even if bumpily.

The mtb with road tyres is your best option for the bumps and sometimes bad road surfaces,its what i find ideal,but then again,its nice to get out on a road bike,like you said,for the speed and fun it is,but im stuck for space,and cash to get a road bike,so if you have the room,keep two.

 

[RedBike]

I take that the claud butler is actually a hybrid or a touring bike? A good MTB with light slick tyres on should be all but as quick as a touring bike. Neither will be as quick as a racer; but then again you couldn't take a racer along a canal tow path!

If your MTB has disc brakes then you can probably fit 700c disc braked wheels and narrow slick tyres. (700c wheels with narrow tyres are roughly the same size as 26" wheels with wide tyres)

 

[RedBike]

As for which new bike. I would go for a cycle-cross machine like planet-x's Uncle John (assuming you can get it for £500).

 

[Baggy]

Neither will be as quick as a racer; but then again you couldn't take a racer along a canal tow path!

'Course you can! As long as it has strong wheels and wider tyres (which handsome joe does) there's no reason why a road/racer won't cope with towpaths.

I'd agree that a cross bike would be a good option - but then equally a light touring/audax style bike would also do the job.

What about a Specialized Tri-cross?

 

[domtyler]

Why can't you put the child seat on the CB?