Road Bike Help

[rivers]

Sometimes, when it's nice, I commute on my nice weather road bike. It doesn't have bosses for a rack or mudguards. And sometimes I commute on my cross bike. It doesn't have a rack, but has clip on mudguards. Most of the time, I ride my good bike on the weekends for club and social runs. Sometimes I use my cross bike.
You can commute on whatever bike you choose and use it for weekend rides to

 

[Noobie1983]

Many carbon frames won’t take proper mudguards nor can you fix a rack

What do you think carbon will do for you that aluminium or steel won’t?

Planet X offer carbon gravel bikes if that’s essential, So do Ribble. Or Merlin

Hi Vickster, thanks for your response. Not rode a bike since i was 16 and im 35 now haha. I was only thinking carbon due to me researching road bikes and what various sites all said regarding carbon bikes. So tbh i just carried that train of thought over to adventure bikes. So i am still learning, but wow there is so many things to pick up on when buying a bike. Like what you just said about many carbon bikes not fitting those things. So thanks for your reply, i guess thats a good thing now that i can expand my search.
So thanks for your help, and thanks to everyone else. Great forum

 

[vickster]

Whereabouts are you based as there might be some good local retailers?

 

[Drago]

Cheap carbon isn't liable to be any better to ride than a more expensive alloy framed machine at a similar price... I know this first hand having recently acquired an SLR 8.9. As time goes on and I'm reaching that zen "at one with the bike" phase of spiritual enlightenment it seems to be no quicker, efficient, or more comfortable than my venerable and much loved alloy framed Felt.

And thus comes a very important lesson - a particular material doesn''t automatically make a frame somehow better. As I've discovered, a decent quality alloy frame may well be better than a low rent carbon one. Therefore, it's very important to try before you buy. If a shop won't let you do so, find one that will. Only then will you know if whatever you've bought is optimum for you.

 

[Noobie1983]

Thats some good advice, thanks Drago.
The bike will primarily be for commuting, but doing weekend rides and getting up to biking trips. Been alot of been looking at the last few weeks and kind of got that road bike i mentioned above in my mind
Ive checked reviews and this one pops up and has dropped down in price (although no idea how long for)
https://www.cyclerepublic.com/boardman-adv-9-0-adventure-bike-2019.html
This does seem ok, and read i can change the tyres to more road worthy ones if i do a weekend away

 

[vickster]

Thats some good advice, thanks Drago.
The bike will primarily be for commuting, but doing weekend rides and getting up to biking trips. Been alot of been looking at the last few weeks and kind of got that road bike i mentioned above in my mind
Ive checked reviews and this one pops up and has dropped down in price (although no idea how long for)
https://www.cyclerepublic.com/boardman-adv-9-0-adventure-bike-2019.html
This does seem ok, and read i can change the tyres to more road worthy ones if i do a weekend away

Check the gearing will suit you. It’s a single chainring not a double like the roadbike

 

[Noobie1983]

Check the gearing will suit you. It’s a single chainring not a double like the roadbike

Looked into them a bit and from what i gather the single chainrings are simpler and less weight. So im more than happy with that tbh
Price wise ive gone up from a 1000 too 1399 but its on sale. Do you have any recommendation?

 

[Venod]

Looked into them a bit and from what i gather the single chainrings are simpler and less weight

This is true,but it also means bigger jumps between the gears, my MTB had a single chain ring and was OK but it suited my style of riding better with a double chainring, it gave me extra gears at each end of the range.

 

[Noobie1983]

Its out of 2 bikes, id really appreciate your input, Boardman i think i may be going on name alone
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.NS-Bikes-Rag-2019-Gravel-Bike_209168.htm
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Boardman-ADV-9-0-2019-Gravel-Bike_214547.htm

 

[vickster]

Its out of 2 bikes, id really appreciate your input, Boardman i think i may be going on name alone
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.NS-Bikes-Rag-2019-Gravel-Bike_209168.htm
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Boardman-ADV-9-0-2019-Gravel-Bike_214547.htm

Go ride them. Are you local to Tredz? Otherwise, Cycle Republic (another part of Halfords) offer test rides

Also, if you join British Cycling Ride membership or Cycling UK (£40-50 a year), you can get 10% off at Halfords/Cycle Republic, ie the Boardman. In store not online tho
https://www.cyclerepublic.com/boardman-adv-9-0-adventure-bike-2019.html

 

[Noobie1983]

Go ride them. Are you local to Tredz? Otherwise, Cycle Republic (another part of Halfords) offer test rides

Also, if you join British Cycling Ride membership or Cycling UK (£40-50 a year), you can get 10% off at Halfords/Cycle Republic, ie the Boardman. In store not online tho
https://www.cyclerepublic.com/boardman-adv-9-0-adventure-bike-2019.html

Not local to Tredz no, but theres a Cycle Republic in Leeds i could go to

 

[vickster]

Not local to Tredz no, but theres a Cycle Republic in Leeds i could go to

Definitely worth joining. You get other valuable benefits (3rd party indemnity, legal support)

 

[Noobie1983]

Definitely worth joining. You get other valuable benefits (3rd party indemnity, legal support)

Thanks for the advice, will do that 1st :-)

 

[vickster]

Thanks for the advice, will do that 1st :-)

I can PM you a BC referral code and save you a tenner

 

[Venod]

The Boardman has better components, the wheel sizes are different as supplied but both can take 650b and 700c, I would say 700c would be better for the commute with road tyres and 650b for tracks and trails, but there is nothing to stop you using 650b for commuting and 700c for tracks and trails, 650b allows use of bigger tyres for comfort and grip.