Some advice please!

[cloggsy]

If your looking at boardmans on C2W why not look at the CX, versatility of drop bars with disc brakes ?, it also has mounts for rack + mudgaurds afaik.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_777735_langId_-1_categoryId_165710

+1 for the CX.

I'm going for one of these in October for my winter commuter. I'll put some guards and some 25 road rubber on it & that's about it

 

[cyberknight]

+1 for the CX.

I'm going for one of these in October for my winter commuter. I'll put some guards and some 25 road rubber on it & that's about it

Yeah i forgot to mention about sticking some slicker tyres on , thanks for the reminder .

 

[Keenbfb]

I've had two bikes out of Halfords on the cycle to work scheme a road bike and a mountain bike both at the £500 range and have to say they are cracking bikes that are still going strong.

I'd be careful of asking the store staff for advice to me they are only looking to make the sale and not offering the correct advice "they sold me a bike that I was 4 stone to heavy for" also it's often said don't let them touch the bike ask for it in the box and either build it yourself or get the lbs to build it for you. My experience of this was on the road bike there was a missing screw on the handle bars and the others weren't tightened meaning the first time I climbed on the bars dropped and off I came.

 

[arallsopp]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but the biggest issue with hydro's on drop handlebars is the fact that no hoods/leaver combo accommodate hydro.
You need something else to either switch the cable to hydro power or some sort of add on. Not cheap.

That's a good point Gaz. Youre completely right. In my defence, I'm so used to mounting these things upsidedown on odd shaped bars (6 times, at present count, including 4 hydros) I'd completely forgotten road bikes are still presenting a bigger challenge. Crazy

I'll refine my earlier post.... Get BB7s

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Get a road bike. Drop handle bars are useful as you have plenty of options to move your hands around and change body position.

But, Gaz, tourers have drop handlebars, too!
I've been using a tourer for almost 4 years now, in all conditions, commuting or recreational rides, and am so happy with it that I've almost done 50,000km on it. Many times, while cycling up mountains, I've wondered what it might be like to ride up it on a lightweight road bike, but the urge hasn't yet hit me strong enough to make me go out and buy one.

To the OP: I have a Vivente World Randonneur tourer, and highly recommend it as a good all-rounder bike. Not the lightest, but the extra 5 or so kg isn't all-important. What's important is how fit you are. I've seen many people on road bikes who weigh at least 5kg more than me, so the road bike advantage is (partly) negated, there, plus I have a better range of climbing gears than on most road bikes. Just my 2c (or 2p) worth

 

[defy-one]

Road bike with decent 25c tyres will be fine. I prefer a road bike over a hybrid (have tried both)
My route is from Iver Heath to the City along the Uxbridge road. So 20 miles of busy london traffic