Newbie - Advice Needed on Bike & Kit

[Guesty6]

Hi All,

My daily commute is 7.2 miles and sometimes with traffic can take 30-45 mins so I have decided I will cycle it in the new year.

My best mate has a Drop Bar bike and commutes on that, saving money and keeping him trim and being that I used to spend my whole childhood on a bike the decision has been made easier

I am looking for advice on a new bike, potentially looking at getting a Hybrid for versatility.

I have a large Evans Cycles near me so can obviously ask in there but I wanted some non sales-man advice.

My budget is around £400 for the bike and one I liked so far is the Scott Sportster P55 2009 - seen here http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/sportster-p55-2009-hybrid-bike-ec016318

Also looking to get some decent Clothing, Shorts especially, Helmet, Lights, the Full Shebang really.

Any advice would be greatfully received!!

 

[Sittingduck]

As a great spender of other people's money...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/sirrus-sport-2009-road-bike-ec016919

 

[Guesty6]

Spend Away! I have asked everyone that will buy me a present for XMas for Evans Vouchers, plus the ride to work scheme will help me save a few pennies.

That bike looks lovely as well, I know a few people with Specialized bikes and have heard good things, what would you say would make that bike better than the Scott one I posted?

 

[Sittingduck]

Well I have a Spesh Globe, which is like a poor man's Sirrus so I am perhaps biased
I am also a newbie so hopefully there will be other more wise folk along soon!

I also asked for Evans vouchers for Christmas Today, during the weekly call to my folks. Not sure if I will receive them though as there are no branches near them and I doubt they would ever order anything online (did I mention they're old skool).

 

[Sittingduck]

BY the way Guesty... Hi

 

[Guesty6]

Cool, other opinions welcomed

The only obvious differences are the brakes arent Disc on the Special, are the handlebars round because on the Scott they are shaped to fit the hand better!

 

[peanut]

its not a bad choice for the money given the relatively small mileage you'll be doing but I would insist on getting a more comfortable saddle and better pedals too perhaps.

Its extremely heavy. 30lbs jeezus it will be like pushing a car along. By comparison most lightweight racer type bikes will be sub 20lbs or just over 20lbs .

You might consider buying a lightweight race bike and ask the shop to swop the bars for straight ones and change the gear shifters.?

The globe looks a much better option. It has more suitable commuter /hybrid type tyres (25c?) as apposed to the strictly off road tyres (32?)the Scott has.

 

[Guesty6]

In store, the bike had really thin tyres, maybe not as thin as the race bikes but as I like to go cycling with the GF on various routes it may give me the flexibility?

30lbs is 14kgs?

More comfortable saddle would be ideal!!!

 

[Sittingduck]

The globe Sirrus looks a much better option. It has more suitable commuter /hybrid type tyres (25c?) as apposed to the strictly off road tyres (32?)the Scott has.

 

[peanut]

sorry have I made a gaf ? don't know nothing about hybrid, commuter,MTB type bikes at all .
Oh I see I clicked on the wrong link doh !

The Specialized looks like an excellent choice . Much better than the other bike

Anything over 20lbs sounds like the end of the world to a roadie

 

[philr]

i have a sirrus, i find it very comforatable on the bum on long rides, and great for my 11 miles each way commute, no regrets but i am new and cannot compare to other similar bikes.

 

[pinkkaz]

Hi guesty, make sure you get it on the Cycle To Work scheme (get your work to set it up if they don't do it already - it saves them money too). This means you get your bike tax-free and you pay it in interest-free monthly installments.

That should up your budget to, oooh, £1000!

edit: just re-read your post and you're doing it already - sorry!

 

[PrettyboyTim]

The sirrus looks great, and I think peanut is making too much fuss over the weight of the other bike. My bike is heavier than that and I have lots of fun doing a very similar length commute. Having said, my bike is a ****ing brick and I do find myself looking a little enviously at people with little wisps of bikes that can easily be picked up with one hand rather than mine, that is more 'lugged' than 'picked up'.

I guess my point is that unless you've got quite a hilly ride, the weight of the bike doesn't make nearly as much difference as some would have you believe. The biggest advantage of a light bike is that it's much easier to manhandle if you have to carry it through the house to put it away or something like that.

 

[Guesty6]

Yeah definately doing it on the Ride to Work scheme!!

Interest Free - woop!

The Sirrus does look good, but it doesnt have disc brakes, are they much better?

 

[PrettyboyTim]

In dry conditions, both disc and rim brakes should have no problem stopping the wheel. In the wet, water is more likely to get onto the wheel rim which can prevent the brake from working as well, as it spends a revolution or two of the wheel removing the water from the rim before it actually starts slowing the wheel down much. When riding in the wet, the occasional light application of the brakes can wipe the water off, keeping the brake response reasonable. As the braking surface of disc brakes is held much higher above the road, they tend to suffer much less from getting water on them.

The other problem with rim brakes is that as the brake block wears out, it produces this black dust that tends to get all over your spokes and wheel, which makes your hands mucky whenever you fiddle with the wheel - I don't think disc brakes are as badly affected.

I'm not sure of the disadvantages of disc brakes as I've never had any myself. Perhaps someone else can chime in.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about it for general road use / commuting. Rim brakes are fine and will easily stop your bike as long as you maintain them every so often.