Commuter - which bike?

[guster]

Hi,

i'm commuting 15 miles each way to work over reasonably flat, paved terrain, on a ca.1990 vintage mountain bike. After 6 months of this my body is falling apart to the point I'm prepared to get a new bike.... one that fits, as opposed to a freebie from the next door neighbour...

Only problem is that I can't get any advice out of the numerous local bike shops, who all just want to flog the most expensive thing in their stockroom.

Can anyone suggest what parameters are important in buying a commuter bike? I'm thinking things like what sort of handlebars, seat higher or lower than handlebars, distance between backside and hands, how to judge correct frame size...? Basically I want something comfortable and relatively light. I'm female, normal height, have no need for step-through frame.

Currently I feel like i'm having to reach out too far to the (straight) handlebars, which is making my neck ache. I also have the seat up too high, because having it any lower than the handlebars gives me a backache, and lowering the seat makes me feel like my legs are permanently too bent (though having it at its current height means I have to fall off to touch the ground).

One bike shop bloke reckoned that the frame is too small for me... another said a smaller frame would mean I could have a lower seat and be able to put my toes on the ground.

i'm confused - any advice much appreciated!


thanks

 

[scouserinlondon]

Lots of people say 'buy a roadbike' while others advocate a hybrid. If I were you take on board the advice given but remember there's no substitute for testing bikes out, do it lots.

As a fairly new commuter myself, I used my wife's bike for a few months, and tested about ten different bikes from Evans. I plumped for a Trek Valencia as I decided that a road bike isn't for me (yet) and as I mountain biked a lot as a teenager the hybrid riding position was familiar to me.

I can heartily recommend my Trek. I love it.

 

[km991148]

also, I would also say try as many out as possibel, and also wait until end of sep/start of october, as many shops do clearaance sales, thats when I got my hybrid commuter, a specialized globe, and has been great, but as other poster says try plent out as what works for one wont for another..

 

[ttcycle]

Echoing the above posts I would definetly go and try out a few bikes- what height are you? Probably worth buying a women's specific design as the handlebars are less wide and there are some good adjustments in the design in a couple of brands including slightly wider saddles.

I had a hybrid that was fairly sturdy and zippy but didn't graduate to road bikes until a few years down the line-initially they felt a bit twitchy but once you get used to it- they are amazing.

Tbh your frame sounds too large if you're stetched out too much- it could be that this is the gents bike where reach is slightly different.

Worth noting is that you feet shouldn't usually be flat on the ground when you stand on the bike- it varies from each individual from tiptoes to very tiptoed - i have to dismount from the seat to stand at traffic lights and I'm only on tiptoe as I have clipless shoes on which add a few centimetres.

There's a very complex science to bike measurements but best trying out a few but good to start with your height.

 

[John the Monkey]

15 miles is a fair old way - I found the niggles from a poorly fitted bike became really annoying once I passed the ten mile mark, personally (my start was via a £50 '80s road bike).

Think about what you find uncomfortable on your current bike when you go to test ride a new one - you should get a fair idea of whether the new bike's "fit" suits you or not from that. (E.g. if you feel you need to be more upright, look for a bike whose fit allows that). Be honest with yourself about what you're doing with the bike too - there's no point in getting something sturdy (heavy) enough to cope with off roading if you're only ever on the road.

 

[guster]

thanks for all the replies. Points noted about frame size, bike usage etc. I'm more likely to do long rides on roads or bike paths (Cambridgeshire is good on bike paths!), but want something I can load up with books and shopping etc., and still cycle 15 miles home in the dark and the rain - so a super-light road bike with skinny kevlar tyres probably isn't ideal.

the main thing i want to change (relative to my current mtb) is handlebar distance and height - so I probably want drop handlebars.

I've now been offered a friend's hybrid (good condition, cheap) , but it's essentially a mountain bike with slick tyres, so i'm wondering if I can change the handlebars on nit?

any ideas on that?

thanks!

 

[johnsie]

I've a related comment 12 months on.

I bought a specialized sirrus hybrid for my 25 mile commute last year, hopefully to save increasing wear and tear on my trusty old drop bar "racing bike" from the late 70s. I now wish I'd got a drop bar bike as the sirrus is just too upright. From asking around various shops there seems to be a new "not a road bike", with shallower drops, rack mounts etc. Anyone got one?


Cheers

 

[Twanger]

You can put bar ends on straight bars, which do wonders (at least have done for me) especially in climbing (not an issue for you, I note).

My take on this, based on 4 years commuting in the 80s (on a fast tourer - what would possibly be called an audax bike now) and three months this year (on a hybrid), is stick with the straight bars if you do a lot of riding in traffic in town, but get drops if you have serious distances to go on relatively clear roads or a lot of climbing.

 

[Trevrev]

I've got a Trek 7.1fx...Been a great bike. Just changed the tyres, put guards on, rack and panniers. Wish i had a bit more money to have been able to buy 7.3 or 7.5.
Had it nearly 2 years.

 

[Bristol Dave]

I would also look at the ability to add stuff to it, like racks and guards, lights and drink bottles etc. The Dahon I use daily doesn't have much adaptability in this regard and is a source of minor frustration.

DB

 

[John the Monkey]

....so a super-light road bike with skinny kevlar tyres probably isn't ideal.

I do my commute on a Giant SCR2.0 - it's a road bike, with clearance for 25C tyres and mudguards - no separate rack eyelets on the seat stays, but one could be mounted on the same eyelet as the 'guards. (It does have the "holes" for the upper rack mount where the seat stays join the seat tube.

The "Defy" range replaces the SCR this year -not sure what their spec is like.

There are, however, bikes that will take slightly larger tyres and pannier racks/mudguards.

the main thing i want to change (relative to my current mtb) is handlebar distance and height - so I probably want drop handlebars.

I like drops (LOADS of hand positions, and the option to tuck out of the wind if you want to by riding in the drops). It's probably worth mentioning that you can change the things you want to by swapping stems &c.

I've now been offered a friend's hybrid (good condition, cheap) , but it's essentially a mountain bike with slick tyres, so i'm wondering if I can change the handlebars on nit?

Possible - you'll have to budget for handlebars, brake levers (these are expensive if you want modern integrated levers). If the hybrid has an MTB front gear mech, this will be incompatible with shimano STi road levers - if it has V-brakes, these will need an adapter to work with road levers (due to different amounts of cable pull).

It can all be done, but it can get expensive quickly.

Johnsie - I think the bike type you have in mind is the "Cyclocross" bike. True crossers are stripped down, race oriented bikes that take big tyres and have canti brakes. The new breed of crosser is somewhere between that and a tourer. Check out bikes like Surly's "Cross Check" for an idea of what these are like. "Cyclo cross" is becoming almost as wide a category as the hybrid category is.