Thoughts on this bike?

[400bhp]

Where did dirt jumping come from? That's not a dirt jumping bike, google dirt jumping bike . It's full suspension you wouldn't need for a tow path because they are heavy and all your power is going into the suspension and not the back wheel, fine for going up hills in the woods, bad for flat gravel. We don't like cheap heavy sub £400 front suspension bikes to commute on, light expensive ones are fine.

From where I am to where I wish to be there is usually a canal tow path and believe you me, there is a reason front suspension bikes exist, yes yes you can be all alpha and suck is up but why? why would you? It's 12.7kg for the one with front suspension and 11.8kg for the one without and for that 1kg difference you don't get your shoulders shaken to bits for 15 miles every single day. As I said the disc brakes are a good idea as well, canal paths drain well, it's under the bridges and near locks that end up with standing water on the paths, even in the summer.

Ridgeback speed is fine on there if it's dry, I take the specialized hardrock sport with front suspension and fatter gravel tyres if it's been raining. Ridgeback isn't unridable, the hardrock just feels better in the wet.

The issue with a suss bike is the relative lack of forward momentum. Totally unnecessary
for a commute down a canal path.

Another one been suckered into the suss is best craze.

 

[Learnincurve]

The issue with a suss bike is the relative lack of forward momentum. Totally unnecessary
for a commute down a canal path.

Another one been suckered into the suss is best craze.

Wut? No. You do get that there is such a thing as "lockable fork", which both that one and mine have. Its about options. You can lock the fork if you choose to or if the condition of the path is bad then you can unlock it. Not all paths are tarmac or packed gravel, you get parts of the cycle network which are basically just one long streak of pothole. If you ever go past the hollingwood hub and out then you will know the sort of path I mean.

 

[united4ever]

Thanks, the suspension debate is an interesting one.

here is what makes up most of my commute and the surface is no worse than this at any point so mostly quite good...few cobbled bits under bridges:...would keep to daylight hopefully, nobody on here seems to mention the dangers of being on a sometimes quiet canal path with a five hundred pound bike but i guess you would be more likely to get stopped and mugged on a canal path than on a busy road. Going under some of the bridges towards the end of the route (which is not the best area) would seem a bit dodgy on a dark winters night.


View: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ELWPQzI7pzk

 

[Maxants33]

Wow, lucky you united4ever,that is one great commute!

 

[vickster]

Less likely to get hit by a car on a towpath though, not that cycling is dangerous I don't recall anyone posting on here about being mugged on a towpath in the few years I've been hanging around

Go back to Evans with debit card and photo ID and test ride a few

 

[Drago]

Less likely to drown while clipped in on a road

 

[vickster]

Less likely to drown while clipped in on a road

You weren't on the road with @jefmcg and I yesterday when we found our path blocked by a ford

 

[united4ever]

Thanks guys, looking at that I am leaning towards the Ridgback supernova 2014......looks like suspension will be mostly unnecessary.

 

[jefmcg]

You weren't on the road with @jefmcg and I yesterday when we found our path blocked by a ford

though suspension would have been useful for the bit just before the ford "warning - road surface failure"

(we walked our road bikes over that bit)

 

[400bhp]

Thanks, the suspension debate is an interesting one.

here is what makes up most of my commute and the surface is no worse than this at any point so mostly quite good...few cobbled bits under bridges:...would keep to daylight hopefully, nobody on here seems to mention the dangers of being on a sometimes quiet canal path with a five hundred pound bike but i guess you would be more likely to get stopped and mugged on a canal path than on a busy road. Going under some of the bridges towards the end of the route (which is not the best area) would seem a bit dodgy on a dark winters night.


View: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ELWPQzI7pzk

How bizarre - that was part of my old commute I used to do that on a Carerra Subway hybrid, 26" wheels and no suspension

There's quite a few people that go that way on a road bike, using relatively wider tyres than a standard 23's. @Origamist uses that section a lot.

 

[Origamist]

Thanks, the suspension debate is an interesting one.

here is what makes up most of my commute and the surface is no worse than this at any point so mostly quite good...few cobbled bits under bridges:...would keep to daylight hopefully, nobody on here seems to mention the dangers of being on a sometimes quiet canal path with a five hundred pound bike but i guess you would be more likely to get stopped and mugged on a canal path than on a busy road. Going under some of the bridges towards the end of the route (which is not the best area) would seem a bit dodgy on a dark winters night.


View: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ELWPQzI7pzk

I use the Bridgewater canal path regularly on my Genesis Equilibrium (nominal 700C/25 tyres) and it’s fine – a pleasure really. The path is generally in v good condition and geese, dogs, glass and children are greater hazards than would-be bike thieves, IMO. That said, when it’s dark if you are worried you could always stick to the wheeI of another cyclist – safety in numbers and all that.

I see they are upgrading the path at the Altrincham end and that is a good thing as it was a bit bumpy/muddy along that section.

If you are using Evans Cycles have you looked at the Pinnacle Arkose range – the Arkose 2 is in the sale and caught my eye (and not only because of the garish colour scheme).

 

[united4ever]

glad to hear it is as good as it initially looks. The pinnacle Arkosse is over my budget really...would say 550 tops really for the bike. If you can think of a cheaper alternative which would,be good for that commute then feel free to let me know.

geese, children and dogs i can handle. Did you find a lot of glass on that path? Few pubs back onto it I know. Good advice about sticking on someones tail if its dark. Thanks a lot.

 

[vickster]

Find another £50 for something like this? Quidco with that website I think

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/pro...-disc-14?bct=browse/bicycles/cyclocross-bikes

 

[united4ever]

thanks, went to Edinburgh cycle coop in rusholme Manchester. Wasn't too impressed, firstly they didn't have many stock in my size (I am 183cm) of the sale items i identified off the website so i could only test ride what they had. Second, i want to use cycle scheme, the lady said they couldn't do sale price for cycle scheme...would do only 10% off (Evans were happy to do full sale price). The bike you linked looks good though although i think i find flat handlebars and a more upright position more comfortable based on my test rides.

 

[Origamist]

glad to hear it is as good as it initially looks. The pinnacle Arkosse is over my budget really...would say 550 tops really for the bike. If you can think of a cheaper alternative which would,be good for that commute then feel free to let me know.

geese, children and dogs i can handle. Did you find a lot of glass on that path? Few pubs back onto it I know. Good advice about sticking on someones tail if its dark. Thanks a lot.

There is the odd smashed bottle/glass on the path. You can try to dodge the worse of the debris, but in reality, you are likely to get more punctures on the canal path than the road. However, if you run Marathon Plus tyres, you will pretty much eliminate the risk of punctures, but at the expense of a bit of speed.

There is the odd drinker and “smoker” on the path, but they have been harmless.

The path is generally not very busy – particularly outside of the summer.