Holy Warrior
Active Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Specifically what makes a good climbing bike, aside from the rider!
I've just done the Black Sheep Challenge (there's a thread on it in the Charity ride section) which is a very hilly route in the Yorkshire Dales. I did it on my Halfords Carrera TDF bargain basement road bike and the hills were a struggle but I did manage to ride up every one, sometimes crawling, but I still got up them all.
There are many reasons for me wanting a new bike, namely the fact that after 5/600 miles its starting to show wear and tear. It punctures a lot and rattles and such. And weighs nearly 12kg. Before now I didn't want a new bike because I didn't know if I was really that in to cycling but I know now that it isn't a fad.
Now I ask what makes a good climbing bike because that is mainly what I need the bike to do. If i can afford a bike around 8kg will that 4kg make a lot of difference? What chainset suit big steep hills but also long winding downhills? How do I check my current bike's ratio so I can tell you how my present one feels?
Edit: My price range would be in the £450-£600 bracket and I would want this bike to last me if not a lifetime, a very long time.
Thanks.
I've just done the Black Sheep Challenge (there's a thread on it in the Charity ride section) which is a very hilly route in the Yorkshire Dales. I did it on my Halfords Carrera TDF bargain basement road bike and the hills were a struggle but I did manage to ride up every one, sometimes crawling, but I still got up them all.
There are many reasons for me wanting a new bike, namely the fact that after 5/600 miles its starting to show wear and tear. It punctures a lot and rattles and such. And weighs nearly 12kg. Before now I didn't want a new bike because I didn't know if I was really that in to cycling but I know now that it isn't a fad.
Now I ask what makes a good climbing bike because that is mainly what I need the bike to do. If i can afford a bike around 8kg will that 4kg make a lot of difference? What chainset suit big steep hills but also long winding downhills? How do I check my current bike's ratio so I can tell you how my present one feels?
Edit: My price range would be in the £450-£600 bracket and I would want this bike to last me if not a lifetime, a very long time.
Thanks.