Hi all,
New to the forums, and I'm sure (well I know) this is an oft asked question, but everyones situation is different as you know!
My company is introducing the cycle to work scheme, and I'm looking to get a bike under it for occasional commuting to work.
The commute is a round trip of 28 miles, in the western lake district (Cockermouth to Whitehaven), so fairly hilly. Of the 14 mile (1 way) trip, at a guess it would be about 30 to 40% surfaced cycle path, around 30% A road (single carriageway) and 30% town A road.
I used to commute by bike when I lived in Cambridge - depending where I lived it was anything from 1 mile round trip to 10 mile round trip, for which I used heavy old heaps. I have a Kona Fire Mountain (05) at the moment, and do 'occasional' 10 mile rides (50/50 on/off road). As such I realise I'll have to build up my fitness before commuting that distance. I might be built like a racing snake (5'11" and 10 stone) but I definitely wouldn't consider myself fit. I'm 38 by the way.
Questions as follows!
1) Am I being stupid even considering this?
2) How do you deal with traffic on an A road (a fast one at that)? Using a primary position is a bit of a no no in a way, although no problem with confidence in cycling outside the inner white line.
3) I'm only planning (at least to begin with) to cycle maybe twice a week in good (summer weather). I already have cycling shorts and top, but should I consider cycling shoes (I don't like SPDs by the way - tried them and fell off. A lot.).
4) The biggie. What bike? Under the cycle to work scheme I can get 58% discount. I have been looking at the Kona Dew (I like Kona's!). I'm a bit of a sad git, in the sense that looks are important to me. I realise that lightness is a priority, but if, say, a Kona Dew is 399 (around 200 under cycle to work), would I get a significant benefit spending, say 600 (around 280 under cycle to work)? For example, I like Cannondale bad boy's, but are they worth the extra cash? As I am going relatively long distance, what bikes in the, say, 400 to 600 price range have road gears?
5) A slight aside - most hybrids seem to be targeted at people cycling round town. I'm not going to be doing that, it's a relatively long distance commute across country. Any bikes targeted at that? I'm sorry to roadies out there, but I hate drop bars (I just can't get on with them and never feel stable)
Apologies for the essay, especially as a new poster, but your advice would be gratefully received!
Chris
New to the forums, and I'm sure (well I know) this is an oft asked question, but everyones situation is different as you know!
My company is introducing the cycle to work scheme, and I'm looking to get a bike under it for occasional commuting to work.
The commute is a round trip of 28 miles, in the western lake district (Cockermouth to Whitehaven), so fairly hilly. Of the 14 mile (1 way) trip, at a guess it would be about 30 to 40% surfaced cycle path, around 30% A road (single carriageway) and 30% town A road.
I used to commute by bike when I lived in Cambridge - depending where I lived it was anything from 1 mile round trip to 10 mile round trip, for which I used heavy old heaps. I have a Kona Fire Mountain (05) at the moment, and do 'occasional' 10 mile rides (50/50 on/off road). As such I realise I'll have to build up my fitness before commuting that distance. I might be built like a racing snake (5'11" and 10 stone) but I definitely wouldn't consider myself fit. I'm 38 by the way.
Questions as follows!
1) Am I being stupid even considering this?
2) How do you deal with traffic on an A road (a fast one at that)? Using a primary position is a bit of a no no in a way, although no problem with confidence in cycling outside the inner white line.
3) I'm only planning (at least to begin with) to cycle maybe twice a week in good (summer weather). I already have cycling shorts and top, but should I consider cycling shoes (I don't like SPDs by the way - tried them and fell off. A lot.).
4) The biggie. What bike? Under the cycle to work scheme I can get 58% discount. I have been looking at the Kona Dew (I like Kona's!). I'm a bit of a sad git, in the sense that looks are important to me. I realise that lightness is a priority, but if, say, a Kona Dew is 399 (around 200 under cycle to work), would I get a significant benefit spending, say 600 (around 280 under cycle to work)? For example, I like Cannondale bad boy's, but are they worth the extra cash? As I am going relatively long distance, what bikes in the, say, 400 to 600 price range have road gears?
5) A slight aside - most hybrids seem to be targeted at people cycling round town. I'm not going to be doing that, it's a relatively long distance commute across country. Any bikes targeted at that? I'm sorry to roadies out there, but I hate drop bars (I just can't get on with them and never feel stable)
Apologies for the essay, especially as a new poster, but your advice would be gratefully received!
Chris
Obviously sounds scary right now but the more you do it, the fitter you get, the more you enjoy it, the more you do it!
