If I were to buy a new bike....

[Origamist]

What about this:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...QRY=C107&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003155c002912

 

[Ranger]

Giant SCR? I've had mine for 6 months and it is so much better than my hybrid, takes guards and a rack and is much easier to drag up the hills

 

[Maz]

The Spesh Sirrus Elite is a very good bike. I've had mine for a few years for commuting. It can take 'guards/panniers if you need them. I think it's got carbon front forks and seatpost.

 

[goo_mason]

Giant SCR2 - I got mine for £545, so that's within your budget with a fiver left over to buy me a pint for my recommendation

It's handled the Edinburgh potholes wonderfully since I got it in April, comes out well in photos and enabled me to keep up with HLaB for most of Sunday

Last night I even cured the creaky seatpost and this morning all i could hear was the whoosh of the air rushing by as I cruised along Ferry Road. Lovely !
Hopefully the seatpost will now also stay at the height I set it at last night.

If you still want to be a flat-bar jessie, I've seen what looks like a flat-bar SCR2 in the car park at work so that might be more up your street.

 

[gavintc]

Ribble - winter audax. It is cheap, takes mudguards and would accept lightweight panniers.

 

[magnatom]

Hmmm. Would the giant take mudguards though? That's a must on my commute, despite what bonj might say!

 

[goo_mason]

Hmmm. Would the giant take mudguards though? That's a must on my commute, despite what bonj might say!

Yep - one of the things that swayed me towards the Giant was that it has the clearance and lugs to take guards and racks. And it's a triple which helps when going up nasty hills when you're not built like a mountain goat

 

[magnatom]

Ok then. Assuming I can get the cash, and that is far from a certainty, what reasonable fairly sturdy road bikes (apart from the Giant SCR2) can take mudguards and would be a reasonable choice for commuting and for some recreational road cycling?

I wouldn't want to go too far over the £550, £600 mark. (under would be ideal!)

 

[domtyler]

I had a look at a Spesh Tri-Cross the other day and it can definitely take guards and a rack. I thought it seemed ideal for your needs.

 

[mikeitup]

re

Hey Mags, what about one of these :

http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/index.php?bikeID=43&seriesID=41&show_bike=TRUE

only £549

 

[HLaB]

I think its already been said but the Ed Co Op revolution range take guards and fall well below your budget.

 

[Stewart]

Genesis Day 2

It may be a tad over budget but I commute on one of these. They have the flat bars and they have been invaluble for keeping your eye on other cars