new commuter needed

[adunn01]

Hi all,

OK, so after 4 months of commuting...my bike got nicked outside my house the other day. Insurance company have just called to advise 'Wheelies' will be calling me to arrange a replacement bike, plus the lost accessories - luggage rack, pannier bag, cycle computer, chain.

They're offering £350 max cover for the bike, just under what my Ridgeback MX4 with upgraded tyres costs just now.

Anyway, since getting the MTB I realised it maybe wasn't ideal for my road commute (half mile of canal paths included), hence the upgrade to thinner, slicker tyres.

Would people recommend a hybrid given the canal path section of my commute, or go down the MTB with upgraded tyres again?

Any particular models to avoid in that price range?

 

[Willow]

I have a mongoose 450 haven't done much with it yet but been pleased with it so far. Goes much faster than my giant mtb did.

 

[domtyler]

Get a proper road bike, you will almost certainly consider it the best decision you have ever made in your life.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Urban Mountain Bike Me Thinks

Hello ,
I reckon you need an Urban mountain bike,wider wheels than most hybrids,generally a little higher geared than a mountain bike.

Have a look at these
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...QRY=C105&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003155c002910


http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...QRY=C105&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003155c002910

Plenty of others about but these are the two I'm looking at. My present commuter needs new chain, rear mech, freewheel, front chain rings and crank bearings as it was only cheap in the first place I'm going for a new bike (old one already has a new home)

Hope this helps.

Badger Dudley West Midlands.

ALL SPELLING MISTAKES ARE THE COMPUTERS FAULT !

 

[Riding in Circles]

Unless you are haring down mountain sides, suspension is largely dead weight, I would go for a road bike with decent touring type tyres if I was you.

 

[Notsoblue]

My commute is 6 miles each way in central london and I have a Scott Sportster P2

I've added a rack for panniers on the back, added a Specialised Alias saddle, SPD pedals and replaced the fairly chunky 37mm wheels/tyres with a relatively narrow 28mm 700c setup. Its a pretty light bike, not much heavier than my mate's Specialised Cyclocross bike.

Its really quite noticeably faster than MTBs. And nimble enough to not be put to shame by fixies and racers. While some would say the front suspension is just wasted weight in the City, I think I would miss it if it wasn't there. You can adjust the shocks so they're pretty stiff so they don't slow you down too much but will still be useful when bunny hopping over potholes.

All in all I have to say I'm pretty happy with the Sportster (though the seat post mechanism leaves alot to be desired). Having said that though, with all the commuting and long rides at the weekend I have been doing in preparation for a LEJOG ride next month, I'm desperate to get a proper road bike as soon as I can afford one. Got my eye on a Bianchi 928 C2C, but I would never use it for commuting in central london, in my opinion you need something more robust for that and the Sportster does the job for me.

 

[adunn01]

thanks for all the replies so far, lot to think about. don't feel like I've got as much thinking time as you'd normally have to pick a new bike. but then i wasn't expecting some little sh*t to steal my bike the other day!

 

[jonathan ellis]

I had to deal with wheelies

good luck with them - and if they still "offer' 28% off rrp stay away from it!
I found it cheaper to get my frame off them and buy everything else myself

 

[HLaB]

Hi,
Did you like the Ridgeback adunn01? My commuter is a Ridgeback Velocity £330 and I really like it, handles well in traffic and I use it on the Union Canal too. The Specialized Globe (circa £250) is another similar option.

 

[Sittingduck]

I just got a Specialized Globe 08 from Evans for £199.99 in the end of summer sale.. reduced from £249.99.

Pretty good for sub 200 I think.