Hello from me

[Ben774]

Hi, just wanted to introduce myself and ask a few newbe questions. So hello

Just started commuting to work this week. It's a 16-18 mile round trip along two A-Roads and one country lane. I had been thinking about doing this for a while but never got around to it. However, due to a rather large and stupid mistake on my behalf, I will be doing it everyday for the next 18-24 months (no prizes for guessing what happened)

Anyway, I'm currently on a borrowed full sussy mountain bike, which is not exactly ideal. I'm fairly fit and am doing the 8-9 mile each way pretty comfortably (when it isn't as windy as it was today) in about 30 mins.

I need to get myself a bike and am unsure as to which route to take. I like the idea of a roadie but, having never ridden one, don't know what to expect. How much easier/harder will it make the journey compared to a suitable mtb or hybrid?

Thanks for any input people.

Ben

 

[summerdays]

Welcome - unless your current commute contains large off road sections then its going to be easier on anything that doesn't have full suspension and probably knobbly tyres. As I don't ride a road bike I'm not qualified to say if that is the best (I'm on a hybrid). Does your work have a "Bike to Work" scheme to help with the purchase of a new bike?

 

[Ben774]

Thanks for the reply. This is more or less what I guessed would be the case. Just read the skicky about not posting this type of question too. Sorry.

I guess what I'm really asking is for any downsides to riding a road bike, that a beginer to them might be unaware of. It's an all road journey that has a fairly good surface (for this country anyway). The only aspect I can think of is, as I'll be riding through the winter, the suitability of a road bike on wet/icey roads. I'm a keen motorcyle rider so I'd imagine it's just the same as with them. Back off a touch and be wary of lines, leaves, crap and diesel etc.

 

[numbnuts]

Hi &

 

[Panter]

Thanks for the reply. This is more or less what I guessed would be the case. Just read the skicky about not posting this type of question too. Sorry.

I guess what I'm really asking is for any downsides to riding a road bike, that a beginer to them might be unaware of. It's an all road journey that has a fairly good surface (for this country anyway). The only aspect I can think of is, as I'll be riding through the winter, the suitability of a road bike on wet/icey roads. I'm a keen motorcyle rider so I'd imagine it's just the same as with them. Back off a touch and be wary of lines, leaves, crap and diesel etc.

In my opinion, yes, that's spot on.

The only downside of them is that they may not be as comfortable as a hybrid/MTB but the trade-off is of course, all that lovely speed

Hopefully you'll enjoy it and stick with it, even when you eventually don't have to.

EDIT: Sorry, and welcome to CC

 

[BrumJim]

All a matter of choice.

A roadie will be quicker, but not as comfortable. Best if beating your record time or passing that bloke in front are your primary objectives. Pot holes are there to be swerved. You have thrown out a shirt because it has too many buttons and the holes aren't big enough to do up quickly.

A hybrid will be a smooth compromise. Good if you like your music to be easy-listening, your car to be a VW Golf, and your currys more Rogan Josh than Korma or Jalfrezi. Pot holes are there to moan about how the council doesn't look after the roads properly.

A full suss mountain bike will allow you to do detours on the way in if you get bored. For you, shoe-shopping is wellies, hiking boots or dockers boots, mud is a badge of honour, and pot holes are there to be jumped.

Fixies are for fashionistas - everyone laughs at you because they are still stuck in the past. You drive a FIAT 500, you wear clothes that everyone else will be wearing in 6 months, and you watch American dramas before they have even crossed the Atlantic.

Recumbent are for odd people. On given the choice between McDonalds and Burger King, you'd get a table lamp from Habitat instead. You take your holidays in places even the locals haven't heard of, and use a vacuum cleaner to keep the outside decking clean. Pot holes are an opportunity for an arty photograph.

(Hope I haven't offended too many people here)

 

[summerdays]

(Hope I haven't offended too many people here)

You missed out BMX's ... if you were trying to be fair to everyone

 

[Arch]

Hi Ben,

Do you need to carry anything to work? If so, consider a bike that will take a rack. You could use a rucksack, but it's better to carry stuff on the bike if you can, to avoid a sweaty back and too high a Centre of Gravity.

BrumJim missed out tourers. You like to chill out and smell the flowers, although you can also shift when you need to. You like to be prepared, so you always carry stuff. You think maybe, one day, you might fancy going off on a cycling holiday. Potholes are something to be scoffed at, as not a big as the ones in Mongolia...