Noob here! I want a fast flat bar bike for commuting!

[HJ]

Hi guys,

Haven't been on a bike for years but have recently been looking at getting one and replace my 125cc motorbike. My reasons for getting one are:

• Fitness and fatburning
• No fuel
• No insurance

What I'm going to use the bike for:

• Commuting - my only means of travel (Uni is 7 miles away)
• Fitness

I know I can't get everything in my budget but this is what I want in a bike:

• Fast, light as possible for the money
• Durable and reliable
• Flat bar - the road bikes look to agressive for commuting
• Good looks if possible
• A good make

Budget: £500 and under! Cheaper the better!

I guess the Giant Rapid 4 is the kind of thing I'm looking at. I am a total noob though at all of this so any advice is welcome!

If anyone wants to convert me to a road bike I'm open to suggestions!
Also interested in peoples views if you can get a 'fast' hybrid bike. I guess I mainly just want a light bike.

Cheers guys,
Morg.

Forget buying new and look for something second hand, if you want a Fast, light bike you would need to spend more that £500. But you could pick up an old road bike frame with flat bars which would be light and fast fairly cheaply. Also remember that a bicycle is only as fast as the riders legs...

 

[MorgUk]

Ahhhhhhh confusion!

People recommending the Trek FX's and Boardman hyrbid and others saying people will fly past me on drops.

Thanks for all replies though

 

[jimboalee]

Why are you guys trying to sell single speed to the OP? Does he strike you as the sort of rider who would benefit or even appreciate the finesse of single speed? He's coming from motorcycling FFS, motorcycles make you even more unfit than cars because you can park them even closer to your destination! I know; I used to be that unfit motorcyclist.

SS is for advanced riders, gears were invented to make life more pleasant for the rest of us.

Maybe it was a 125 Motocrosser, and he wasn't the slowest rider in the mudsplat.

 

[Mike!]

Ahhhhhhh confusion!

People recommending the Trek FX's and Boardman hyrbid and others saying people will fly past me on drops.

Thanks for all replies though

The best thing to do is try a few out.

The fastest thing about a bike is the rider so just having drops means nothing (but you'll no doubt be faster with one when using the drops).

How would you feel having drops and having someone on a flat bar / hybrid coming flying past?

Personally it doesn't bother me (to much!) but i do meet someone on a Kona flat bar (not sure of the model) some days and he's seriously quick!

However i have just made a purchase of a Cyclo Cross bike complete with drops which i pickup on Friday to replace my ageing MTB so hopefully that will make me a bit quicker but it's my fitness more than anything else that is slowing me down at the moment.....

Did consider a full road bike but part of my route takes me across some heathland and i didn't want to stop doing that...

 

[pauljonhaz]

I have a mtb with semi-slicks and have been known to overtake a few people on drops on my commute to work. Which some seem to hate think they shouldn'y be and try to turn it into a race.

What cyclocross did you go for Mike I'm looking around at the moment for one.

 

[thanos]

Much like HJ says, you can get a much much higher spec'd road bike if you can find a 1-2 year old used one.
On the trek fx suggestions I dont like the price to features ratio (its a great hybrid, but at the 400 mark I might consider boardmans or road bikes, low end trek/specialized).

On the san remo, the things that bug me are the fork being steel (it sort of has to be at the lower price ranges), the shimano 2200, and the fact it only has two chainrings - you may have a tough time on hills initially.

At the 300 mark you can get a Virtuoso from halfords. I think it comes with a 2300 shimano, and aluminum forks / 3 chainrings (not the best of color schemes). Liked the fit and minimizes the gamble as an entry road bike that you can possibly afford to leave locked outside for a few hours. Not sure how its gonna resell, but cant be that bad.

my opinion anyway.

 

[Mike!]

What cyclocross did you go for Mike I'm looking around at the moment for one.

Picked up a Voodoo Limba off fleabay, like this

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_515347_langId_-1_categoryId_229914

 

[colinr]

Singlespeed is definitely the answer if you're legs are seasoned and if you live in a flattish area, but I don't think the OP ticks this box.

I jumped straight on fixed with no seasoning whatsoever, you build up fast. I get the impression that the OP is young enough to get away with it.

But... SS/fixed is very much a personal choice so my sensible suggestion would be +1 to the Carerra Virtuoso. Not a bad entry level road bike and although second hand gives you better value, you have to know what you're looking for.

 

[redddraggon]

I got a Carrera Virtuoso for commuting and it was excellent for the money, nothing really crap on it, except maybe the tyres.

Just make sure you get a track pump too, and you'll be doing excellently.

 

[jimboalee]

Singlespeed is definitely the answer if you're legs are seasoned and if you live in a flattish area, but I don't think the OP ticks this box.

Does the OP tick a box entitled

"Sturmey 3 speed gent's Town bike for £40 from Jimboalee"

AND tick another box entitled

"Another bike for weekends for £400"

AND tick another box entitled

"A pair of SPD pedals and shoes for £60".

 

[Cubist]

Ahhhhhhh confusion!

People recommending the Trek FX's and Boardman hyrbid and others saying people will fly past me on drops.

Thanks for all replies though

You want to commute on the bike. The Boardman has flat bars with bar ends for a hand position or two less than a drop bar. They have good brakes, discs work well in the wet.

They have forgiving gear ratios (apart from a lump or two right in the middle, but hey, my commutes are 6 miles downhill and six miles uphill, so who gives a fig about what's happening in the middle of the cassette.)


They are quick. Mine is set up with the bars as low as they'll go, and the saddle nose is about 4 inch higher. Is this really all that upright? Play with the stem and who knows!? No one will fly past you, trust me. My morning run in averages around 24/25 mph, including traffic. Top speeds on hills of 47mph and a long run of 30-35mph in traffic doesn't sound like it's slow to me.

They are very well made and very well equipped. Some Halfords staff are not very good. Some Halfords staff are good. Make sure you or someone competent checks the bike over on delivery and you have nothing to fear.

I had to centre the brakes myself, but you're going to have to learn how to do that yourself anyway while the pads bed in, and the gears needed some fine adjustment but now run as sweet as anything you could ask for.

 

[Cubist]

There are seven on ebay right now. They appear to hold their value secondhand....

 

[MorgUk]

Cheers cubist, great posts

 

[MorgUk]

Hi guys after a lot of thinking I purchased a second hand 2009 Trek FX 7.1, which should arrive Tuesday. Got it for £180 delivered which I though was a reasonable price. Haven't seen a bad review on the Trek's so hope I made a good choice.

Even if this is the wrong bike for me, atleast it will enable me to make a better decision on what I want in my next bike.

Cheers for all the help!

 

[Cubist]

Looks like a good value bike, money well spent. Let us know how you get on with it