BrumJim
Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
- Location
- Selly Oak, Birmingham
New Cycle-to-Work scheme has been announced. We use Cyclesolutions, so have a good, although not perfect, choice of bikes.
The only bike I can justify is a winter commuting beast. When I first started cycling daily I bought a road bike, but since then have developed a hobby (addiction?) and use it for Saturday rides, Audaxes and Sportives as well as daily commutes. Which means that it gets a fair battering from Birmingham roads, canal towpaths and cycle routes, and not enough TLC. When I get home soaked, my first thought is to get myself dry and clean, the second is supper, and the bike doesn't get considered again until next morning, by which time it is too late for a clean. So it seems like a good idea to have an all-weather robust machine that doesn't require the tweaking of a derallieur set, or the care required on an 8-speed chain, and keep the road bike for nice days and big rides. So it makes sense to get some bigger tyres too - keep the skinny 23C items for long distance and high speed work. They should take bad weather and rough paths a lot better.
But I want drop handlebars. Just feel a lot happier with them.
So I have three thoughts:
1) Genesis Day 01 Alfine. 8 speed, versa shifters, disc brakes. Most practical, but expensive of the options. Bright Orange though.
2) Genesis Day 01 Cross. Single speed, but no disc brakes, so could be used with a flip-flop hub. Chance to man-up during the commute - relying on leg speed and strength to tackle the long straight bits and get up the short rises respectively. Lovely rich cherry colour too - the best looking of the bunch.
3) Genesis Day 01 Disc. As above, but with disc brakes which means that I can't go for a flip-flop hub version in the future. Picture shown on the web site shows the CdF, so don't know what the colour is on the 2013 version, but everyone else selling this bike has the same picture and light blue specification.
Fourth option is to listen to my wife and accept that arrival of a new baby means that I can't spend time, and hence or otherwise money, on my cycling problem.
The only bike I can justify is a winter commuting beast. When I first started cycling daily I bought a road bike, but since then have developed a hobby (addiction?) and use it for Saturday rides, Audaxes and Sportives as well as daily commutes. Which means that it gets a fair battering from Birmingham roads, canal towpaths and cycle routes, and not enough TLC. When I get home soaked, my first thought is to get myself dry and clean, the second is supper, and the bike doesn't get considered again until next morning, by which time it is too late for a clean. So it seems like a good idea to have an all-weather robust machine that doesn't require the tweaking of a derallieur set, or the care required on an 8-speed chain, and keep the road bike for nice days and big rides. So it makes sense to get some bigger tyres too - keep the skinny 23C items for long distance and high speed work. They should take bad weather and rough paths a lot better.
But I want drop handlebars. Just feel a lot happier with them.
So I have three thoughts:
1) Genesis Day 01 Alfine. 8 speed, versa shifters, disc brakes. Most practical, but expensive of the options. Bright Orange though.
2) Genesis Day 01 Cross. Single speed, but no disc brakes, so could be used with a flip-flop hub. Chance to man-up during the commute - relying on leg speed and strength to tackle the long straight bits and get up the short rises respectively. Lovely rich cherry colour too - the best looking of the bunch.
3) Genesis Day 01 Disc. As above, but with disc brakes which means that I can't go for a flip-flop hub version in the future. Picture shown on the web site shows the CdF, so don't know what the colour is on the 2013 version, but everyone else selling this bike has the same picture and light blue specification.
Fourth option is to listen to my wife and accept that arrival of a new baby means that I can't spend time, and hence or otherwise money, on my cycling problem.
