OP
OP
saul
Active Member
- Location
- East London
Cycle to Work - Halfords
- Thread starter saul
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
OP
OP
saul
Active Member
- Location
- East London
will do, just trying to get my head around all the tech stuff!
If you don't mind answering another question, can I ask as newbie,
The bike will be mainly used as a daily commute to work and a possible event here and there. What should I be looking for in terms of gears?
I know the if the forks are carbon the bike is lighter, but would for example sora over clarris etc, make much difference?
If you don't mind answering another question, can I ask as newbie,
The bike will be mainly used as a daily commute to work and a possible event here and there. What should I be looking for in terms of gears?
I know the if the forks are carbon the bike is lighter, but would for example sora over clarris etc, make much difference?
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
At the end of the day it depends on what you are going to do with the bike. Every so often the goal posts move with regards to kit (basically what was Sora becomes Claris etc.) so the levels are always getting better. Once you are off the bottom of the rung you're going to get a bike that would knock spots off of its equivalent 10 years ago. I'm presuming events are sportives? Then you want to consider number of gears and ratios. Look at the cranks, a triple gives you options that a compact (double with 50/34 teeth on the rings) doesn't, although you may find it ends up redundant, a compact gives you less at the beginning, but when it's sufficient allows you to use what you have better (you shouldn't go smallest ring on a triple to smallest cog on the cassette for instance). When you've decided on crank, look at the gearing on the cassette, the small number is speed, you probably want it to be an 11 or 12, the largest is hill climbing, 28+ would be handy. Consider that the more gears you have, the more granularity you have between the biggest and the smallest, which can make riding smoothly easier. Again if you're not doing larger distances that's not an issue, if you are looking at cycling 15-20 miles plus then it's probably going to be a factor.
Also, have a think about the brakes, what you want, what the options are, and make sure you are comparing like for like throughout the kit, you can find that sometimes the cheaper areas get better levels of kit but the more expensive bits are 'scrimped' on (so Tiagra derailleur but Sora shifters).
Finally, there is a cut off point with cycle to work (around £350 I think) where the tax break changes so you save less money. If you decide you are down that end of the scale, it may become a factor.
Oh, and cost up locks etc. at the same time. If you have nothing, it's not just the bike you need. Rule of thumb, 10% of the value on locks.
Also, have a think about the brakes, what you want, what the options are, and make sure you are comparing like for like throughout the kit, you can find that sometimes the cheaper areas get better levels of kit but the more expensive bits are 'scrimped' on (so Tiagra derailleur but Sora shifters).
Finally, there is a cut off point with cycle to work (around £350 I think) where the tax break changes so you save less money. If you decide you are down that end of the scale, it may become a factor.
Oh, and cost up locks etc. at the same time. If you have nothing, it's not just the bike you need. Rule of thumb, 10% of the value on locks.
vickster
Squire
How hilly is the run...if you go from East London to Central London, one gear should suffice...or even none if you fancy yourself as a Shoreditch fixie hipster
On the sportive front, depends where you plan to go, how fit you are - people do hilly stuff on single speeds
The difference between the groupsets, if ratios the same is smoothness and slight weight, as above 8 speed vs 9 speed will make diddly difference. I have 20 gears, I probably use 8, 90% of the time around London
Carbon fork is to reduce road buzz not weight
vickster
Squire
London, on street, minimum an Abus Granit x or Krytonite fahg plus some sort of cable. Those will cost you £80 odd. Once you add them to the bike, any weight saving on fork, groupset, wheels will be negated as they weigh about 2kg
IIRC C2W is less beneficial if a standard rate tax payer
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
Yeah, for some reason missed you were in East London. Agreed on lock options. It really does depend on what the 'other stuff' you are looking to do with it is.
OP
OP
saul
Active Member
- Location
- East London
Not much hilly stuff, unless you count the potholes in East London..
I have a lock already so that is sorted. Last bit of help (I promise), which of these 2 would be a better option to purchase as a first time buy?
The Boardman CX or the Giant TCX2
I have a lock already so that is sorted. Last bit of help (I promise), which of these 2 would be a better option to purchase as a first time buy?The Boardman CX or the Giant TCX2
Defo some LBS will not do a deal on sale bikes, however if you can find one that does .......... I would go there if you can. Got a cracking deal on an ex demo on C2W, was like brand new and reduced from £2700 to £1000. Just your luck!!
OP
OP
saul
Active Member
- Location
- East London
The giant in particular is sold by ashcycles, they do their own scheme so may use them. I am yet to apply for a certificate so at present am free to look around.
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
Tough choice, I reckon the Giant looks better, I'm a bit of a sucker for Shimano over SRAM and the Boardman 11-32 is going to give you a really low climbing gear vs the 11-28 on Giant although the ratios will be further apart. Not sure if you'll notice the difference between Sora and Tiagra shifters (Tiagra is next step up) and I don't know enough about the Giant wheels to know if coming with Mavic's makes the Boardman better...
To be honest, try and ride both (this may be difficult I'm pretty sure you can't test ride the Boardmans anywhere) and see which you like best as they are both pretty inseperable in the real world. Assuming I liked them both, I'd probably plump for the Boardman with a view to upgrading the rear mech a while down the line (I went from Tiagra to 105 on my Sirrus, it was a simple enough swap and at sale time really not that much money).
To be honest, try and ride both (this may be difficult I'm pretty sure you can't test ride the Boardmans anywhere) and see which you like best as they are both pretty inseperable in the real world. Assuming I liked them both, I'd probably plump for the Boardman with a view to upgrading the rear mech a while down the line (I went from Tiagra to 105 on my Sirrus, it was a simple enough swap and at sale time really not that much money).
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
Nah, Boardman Shimano, Giant SRAM. I like the double shift on the Shimano stuff (don't know if others do that).
vickster
Squire
You've completely lost me, the Giant from Ash is Shimano... http://www.ashcycles.com/site/giant-tcx-2-2013
Double tap is SRAM. Not sure what you mean by double shift
Double tap is SRAM. Not sure what you mean by double shift
