Dwn
Senior Member
Over the course of the lockdown my wife has been cycling most days, having previously been a very infrequent cyclist. She has been using a Pinnacle hybrid (Sora groupset) and is quite happy with that.
However she is now keen on acquiring a drop bar bike for occasional days out when it's dry and we can go a little further and faster. The two bikes she is considering are both £500.
One is a more conventional road bike (with :relaxed geometry) equipped with a Sora groupset. The other is a 'gravel' bike with a single chainring (38t) and a 10 speed cassette (11-42). She likes the look of this bike better. Shortage of stock rules out seeing or testing them right now.
Most of our cycling is done on the road, but some canal paths as well. We don't, and never will, go particularly quickly - and travelling downhill is done cautiously.
Despite being fit (has been running regularly for decades) she finds travelling uphill a struggle at the moment. I've never really been entirely clear on gears, but would a double chainring be better for hills than a single?
Thanks
However she is now keen on acquiring a drop bar bike for occasional days out when it's dry and we can go a little further and faster. The two bikes she is considering are both £500.
One is a more conventional road bike (with :relaxed geometry) equipped with a Sora groupset. The other is a 'gravel' bike with a single chainring (38t) and a 10 speed cassette (11-42). She likes the look of this bike better. Shortage of stock rules out seeing or testing them right now.
Most of our cycling is done on the road, but some canal paths as well. We don't, and never will, go particularly quickly - and travelling downhill is done cautiously.
Despite being fit (has been running regularly for decades) she finds travelling uphill a struggle at the moment. I've never really been entirely clear on gears, but would a double chainring be better for hills than a single?
Thanks