Am I riding the correct type of bike?

[DanH]

Took up commuting to work last Summer - so purchased a cheap, used £40 mountain bike from eBay.
Half-a-year on, I'm thinking this MB is just too heavy and sluggish for my liking.

So what SHOULD I be using?
- It's a 5-mile journey.
- I encounter a mixture of road, cycle path (some of which involve bumping up curbs), and a park-based trail path.
- No major climbs or drops.

Your thoughts?

 

[jowwy]

Now lets get ready for the barrage of comments on hybrids, drop bars, MTB's and BSO's



Personally for work i use a FELT qx65 Hybrid with low gearing, slick tyres and v brakes - my round trip is 30 miles and goes from 400ft ASL to 1200ft ASL so i climb a fair distance uphill going home. I also use a cycle track that has lots of glass, bottles, branches etc on it and wouldn't feel comfortable riding my RACING bike on it.

 

[DanH]

Hopefully a positive barrage!!

I also encounter a great deal of junk on my journey - I have to work my way across a major traffic island. Not ideal.

 

[calibanzwei]

Will you use this new bike say at the weekends? Road or offroad?
Price range?
Lol, all sorts of questions.

 

[DanH]

No weekends. Not major offroading - just the commute, which takes in the types of surface previously mentioned.

As for price - as low as possible!! I'll probably get back on Ebay and see what pops up over the next month or so.

I'm just looking for a "type" of bike, rather than anything specific. If MTB is the best option for me, then fair enough. I've considered a Road Bike, but it really doesn't seem suited to my route.

 

[steve52]

I think it goes a little like this> this is my bicycle there are many like it but this one is mine, ectect try lots ride what you like. simple

 

[HLaB]

I'll start the barrage off.
Quick and relatively cheap, put road tyres (no nobbles) on your mtb, if you have suspension forks lock, them out.
A hybrid will provide a faster ride but it covers a broad spectrum from mtb orientated hybrids to flat bar road bikes, from what you describe you'll probably want something more mtb orientated.
Road bikes are most efficient IMO but more likely you'll want to change your route, concentrate on roads and avoid curb jumping.
Whatever you go for you try to avoid curb jumping anyway it just knackers your wheels.

 

[gaz]

I think you need this 24k gold fixed gear bike with swarovski diamonds.

 

[calibanzwei]

To make it easier for the commute, aim for 700x32/35 wheels, although you could just throw some slicks on your current MTB.
I use a Dawes Discovery 201 - not the lightest, but I can maintain a decent 18mph average, and the pannier racks are useful for loading up the camping gear when I head to the hills.

 

[DanH]

Thank HLaB - fairly insightful to someone who knows fairly little in the cycling area. Most appreciated!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Now lets get ready for the barrage of comments on hybrids, drop bars, MTB's and BSO's



Personally for work i use a FELT qx65 Hybrid with low gearing, slick tyres and v brakes - my round trip is 30 miles and goes from 400ft ASL to 1200ft ASL so i climb a fair distance uphill going home. I also use a cycle track that has lots of glass, bottles, branches etc on it and wouldn't feel comfortable riding my RACING bike on it.

You forgot to mention fixed , I commute 6.5 miles each way on a Pearson fixed wheel, Sounds like a Hybrid would suite the OP

 

[DanH]

Dave - tell me more about fixed, if you will! I only discovered them this morning

Hybrid does seem to be the best option. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Dave - tell me more about fixed, if you will! I only discovered them this morning

Hybrid does seem to be the best option. Thanks for the confirmation.

Fixed Wheel = one gear no freewheel, as long as the bike is moving you have to pedal, on a climb you pedal very slowly and walk if it gets to steep for your gearing, on a descent you spin the pedals very fast, thats the basics.

 

[calibanzwei]

...or single speed (SS) - (usually) flip the rear wheel round, still have the one gear and be able to freewheel when you want.
I started cycling on my brothers SS Charge Plug - its given me the legs I have today

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Another vote here for changing tyres - If you're looking for a cheap option this is well worth doing. I too have a cheap mountain bike which I use as a runabout and with Continental TourRides on it I'm 3mph faster on average compared to the old tyres and the bike is nicer to ride.

3mph might not sound like much but on your trip that would mean arriving nearly 10 minutes quicker.