New bike advice please

[phil_hg_uk]

Hi I am new to these forums and have been enjoying looking through all the posts over the last couple of days.

I need some adivce currently I have a 3 year old Giant Rock SE Mountain Bike which I have fitted a rack and mud guards and I use it for day rides, I like it because sometimes I see an off road track while I am out and I think hmmm I wonder where that goes and I can't resist having a look which is no problem on the Giant but it isn't the lightest bike around.

I am looking to get a new bike that is more suitable for longer rides probably a Road type bike, at the moment I tend to do around 45 miles on a ride but I want to push that up to around 75 miles over the next year.

The bikes I have seen so far that I liked are the Specialized Tricross Sport and the DAWES Audax Sport I would like a bike that will also go off road which the Specialized can also do, looking at prices the Specialized seems to be priced around the £700 - £800 mark whereas the Dawes is on offer at Spa Cycles for £460 so is the Specialized worth all the extra dosh. I have also looked at the Dawes Galaxy but again the price is quite high in comparison.

Any advice or thoughts appriciated.

 

[Cathryn]

I'd love to help but don't know these bikes well enough to be helpful. I'm sure someone will be around soon to help out...

 

[JackE]

I had a Dawes Audax ('05 model) for 3 years and even with 28mm Schwalbe Marathons I wouldn't have used it for any "rough stuff". Even on fairly decent canal toe-paths etc it was struggling (or perhaps it was me!). I now have a titanium tourer with 32mm Marathons and it takes rough tracks in its stride.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I wouldn't bother with a Galaxy for off road stuff...it's a lovely bike and a cool 'fast' tourer...good under load and capable of some surprisingly high speeds for a tourer...but Of froad..hmm...well I did do a fair amount of 'rough path' work in Germany on it and ..well It's a road bike..nuff sedded.

 

[Tombo 707]

What size frame are you looking for?

 

[phil_hg_uk]

I am not sure what size I need I just got back from looking at the Specialized Tricross Sport the local shop and they say it will be either a 52cm or a 54cm but they won't know until they do a proper fitting. They have offered me 10% off if I order before sat which will bring the price to more or less £700 I know I can get it cheaper on the net but at least at a local shop you get it properly fitted and the backup but I can't help thinking it's a lot of money when I could get theDAWES Audax Sport for £460 hence the post.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Thanks to the people who answered I have now bought a 2nd hand Dawes Galaxy Ultra I decided to go for a tourer and then I will buy a better quality new mountain bike later when I have destroyed mine plus it was a bargain and I couldn't resist.

 

[Plax]

Thanks to the people who answered I have now bought a 2nd hand Dawes Galaxy Ultra I decided to go for a tourer and then I will buy a better quality new mountain bike later when I have destroyed mine plus it was a bargain and I couldn't resist.

Nice one, I have the Ultra Galaxy you won't regret your purchase. It has been on those gravel cycle paths, but I prefer to stick to the roads on it. So far managed to get 41mph downhill on it . It's ideal for commuting to work with.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

I look forward to getting it, I got it from Spa Cycles selling it on behalf of a customer, I am having them do a few jobs on it before I pick it up and it also has a couple of places on the frame that will need the paint touching up so I will need to find a paint match for it. I went in there to look at the Horizon and then they said they had a 2nd Hand Ultra Galaxy for £350 and it was the right size so I thought I may as well get that. I didn't really want to shell out the sort of money they are new until I make sure I can get used to a drop bar bike again as it was 15 years ago that I last rode a drop bar, but I found just riding it around the block it was much easier then my mountain bike so hopefully it will improve my range on day trips.