Commuting bike

[spongebath]

I've been traveling across London for two weeks now trying every bike that I can. I'm after a commuting bike, 12 miles road journey & something for the occasional park ride with the kids, even less occasional Sunday ride with the brother in law.

Every shop assistant pushes me towards drop bar endurance bikes, or the new 'adventure bike', but to be honest flat bars feel more natural for me. So I might well want a drop bar after 3 months, but I think a flat bars are right for me now. I have absolutely no recent bike experience & central London rides to get used to. I should add I get the cycle2work scheme - which has an impact on what I can get.

Like the Whyte bikes, tried the Dorset & Portobello - really like the Portobello. However Halfords had a £150 off a hybrid team & combined with the cycle2work discount in makes a £750 well reviewed bikes actual cost about £360.

Couldn't manage to ride one though, experience at Halfords was poor - the bike I looked at was barely screwed together which I suspect made it feel cheap & flimsy. It works out about £90 cheaper than the Whyte though after tax discounts & although tempted am hesitant to buy a bike without trying it out first. I'll try another Halfords for a ride, but I'm not expecting great things.

I still have another shop to try, but that's for a few more drop bar bikes I've been recommended, Norco Search & GT grade. The staff at Evans in Spitalfields were outstanding compared to other shops I've visited, had to give them a mention.

D

 

[ianrauk]

If you want flat bars, then stick to flat bars. Some people are more comfortable commuting in traffic on flatbars then drops.
The Boardmans are really good bikes. You could always ask your LBS if they could put it together for you.

 

[KneesUp]

If you think you want flats now but might want drops later, get flats. With the choice of stems and whatnot out there now you can convert a flat bar to drops and get it comfortable if (that's *if*) you do decide later on that you want them: I ride a bike that originally flat barred but now has drops, partly because it's what I'm used to, and partly because my commute seems to suffer from narrow streets that funnel wind straight at you, so I wanted to be able to get out of it a bit

 

[mjr]

Get a flat-bar road/street bike if that's what you want. As others say, you can probably switch the bars later. If you don't fix loads of junk to the bars, you can grab it near the stem to get a bit more aero... and you never know, you might decide you like North Roads, flipped Porteurs, butterflies or one of the other rarer bars that let you have both very upright and fairly dropped positions...

 

[I like Skol]

Flat bars are not a second rate option as some people try to suggest. I have been commuting on a flat barred hybrid (rigid forks) for around 5 years and have no desire to change to drop bars. I also have a drop bar road bike that I am perfectly happy to use for other rides but commuting and flat bars just seem to be a natural combination for me.

I see you mention the GT Grade. This is a bike that has pricked my interest as I really fancy trying the carbon version as a replacement for my road bike as I like the hooligan riding style it alludes to. I have no other desires to go carbon and again, wouldn't want to use it for commuting as I feel that would kill it's spirit if burdened with panniers and mudguards

 

[jnrmczip]

Cyclocross will give you best of both worlds. Yes it has drop bars but with the extra brake leavers on the straight section upright riding is no problem and is very comfortable. Tyres are thicker and have tred which is excellent for parks and off road. Added bonus when you get hooked which you will it's still fast. I'm managing ok to keep pace with the carbon club who's bikes are probably half the weight. Not that mines feels heavy.
I commute on mine every day and keep the road bike for longer runs and club rides.

 

[raleighnut]

Someone on here built up a Planet X Kaffenback, I was very impressed by it but they do a flat bar version which should be easy-peasy to change to drops.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Try the BTWIN 520 flat bar, from Decathlon. I've got the drop bar version. It is without a shadow of any doubt, the best sub 500 quid bike I've ever ridden. If you want better brakes, Mavic Aksium rims, and a Tiagra groupy ( rather than the 9 speed Sora) go for the Triban 540 flat bar. They really are very good, and have frame clearance for mudguards, racks, and 28mm tyres.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-flat-bar-road-bike-tiagra-id_8322798.html

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520-flat-bar-road-bike-sora-id_8322799.html

 

[Tom B]

I have Ridgeback Flight 01 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/flight-01-2013-hybrid-bike-ec043415 for commuting a similar distance. Its flat bar, disk brakes and pretty light. The parts fitted seem man enough for the job. They are now supplied with better brakes from when i bought mine and brakes are the only thing I upgraded.
Its on about 4k miles now and i am still chiffed with it. I have fitted a set of SKS mudgards to it for those manky days. The only issue i had was a cracked wheel which was replaced (i bought a wheel they paid).

I use it around town and onto rocky sandy footpaths and bridleways and on similar surfaces to towpaths. It is fine on them if a little brutal, but it does run out of grip in mud and on wet grass.

I ended up paying £467 for mine for ukcycledepot when it was advertised for £599/699 elsewhere.
http://www.ukbikesdepot.com/

 

[spongebath]

Found a Halfords where I could ride the Boardman hybrid, the largest size seemed too short. I was hunched up, I'm sure further adjustments seat/stem etc might of been possible, it just didn't feel right. Admittedly I was just riding around the shop, they won't let anyone loose outside.

The Whyte hybrid is the only bike so far that felt right, though I think I'll try a few more bikes before making my mind up.

 

[spongebath]

Love the look of that Kaffenback, although their shops aren't anywhere near London.