Choices choices, can anyone advise?

[jammy66]

Having changed jobs a few months back to improve lifestyle have managed to commute part by car and remainder by bike, mainly due to the mountain (it feels like one at the moment) in between home and work. Now the weather's finally improving am intending to cycle all the way in and back a few times as fitness improves . Last week managed the 11 miles home (and 1500ft of ascent/ 1300ft descent) on my GT Mtn Bike but with big fat knobbly tyres, took me an hour and I was constantly convinced a swarm of bees were following me due to the tyre noise.
Have an old (v.old) Dawes Lighting road bike which is hardly used, but sure it must be much heavier and harder work than a new bike..?
Thanks to the Bike to Work scheme have a budget of £850 available from limited range of stores. The journey in is country roads, long drags up and then huge downhill section lots of rought tarmac and then a bit of cycle land commute at the end. I'm looking at the Boardman Performance Hybrid Pro at £799 or the Specialized Tricross Sport at £849, my knowledge is low, some surfing indicates both pretty good - anyone got thoughts/ advice or alternatives (limited to Halfrods/ Edinburgh Bike Coop/ JE James)
Thanks!

 

[J4CKO]

I have a Cannondale Bad Boy 700 hybrid bought on the first round of c2w, just got a Specialized Allez Elite road bike and I much prefer the Road Bike experience, it seems to be coping with the same treatment as the Hybrid, bridal paths and rough road surfaces, they arent a delicate as I thought, just a case of taking your time on rough stuff and having a little sympathy, a full suss mtb it isnt but you can do more on a road bike than perfectly flat roads.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

bugger new, get the classic bike refurbed.

 

[Cubist]

Hi Jammy66 and welcome.

I have a Boardman Hybrid Pro. Excellent bike, and you won't get better value for money. It has a compact double chainset over a MTB cassette, which means it's pretty well geared for your commute, as long as you have a reasonable level of fitness etc.

 

[Maz]

I normally commute on a Specialized Allez Elite. Sometimes on a Specialized Sirrus Elite.
On the C2W scheme one guy at work bought a Boardman Hybrid Pro, another bought a Cannondale Bad Boy. All good bikes, in my experience.

'Buying from JE James'...are you in Sheffield, jammy66?

 

[Wooliferkins]

JE James stock Tifosi though they don't list the CK7 complete bike available.Listed here It has rack mounts and has served me well as club bike/commuter/light tourer. It even got this fat knacker around Paris Roubaix two years ago.

 

[jammy66]

Thanks for the comments, would the Allez Elite be happy with the bumps (bit of bridal path and rough roads), that why I thought Tricross may be better? Anyone know the main differences!?

Re Getting the classic refurbed is it a shop job or can I DIY? Its probably only covered 1000 miles in 28 years.....(always was too nice to use in some dodgy areas I've lived in!). Where should I start??

Re Tifosi - not come across before - recommended?

PS Yes live in Hathersage and commute over Ringinglow to central Sheffield - in theory anyway!