Upgrade Hybrid or go Road?

[vickster]

£550 for the 2011 3 in a 55.5cm, should suit a tall OP

Or this isn't far out of budget if do fancy the CX option http://www.ashcycles.com/site/giant-tcx-2-2012-15percent-worth-of-free-goods

 

[Andrew Brown]

Have a look at some of EBCs offerings? http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/browse/bicycles/cyclocross-bikes

Their own and also the reduced Specializeds. There are Evans Pinnacle CXs too

Try this, http://www.rutlandcycling.com/45019/Charge-Zester-2012-Men-s-Hybrid-Bike---Blue---Bike-Sale.html

just picked one up and it's great, just plan on cutting the flat bar a bit as it comes very wide out of the box. I'm going to put a drop on it once I work out my options on brakes. Still available in small medium and xl frames.

 

[Longshot]

I currently own a Sirrus Elite and have been toying with the idea of a road bike with the same models in mind that you mentioned.

At the weekend, a friend leant me his Felt Z6 - a carbon frame road bike. I did a 20 mile run on it and was surprised that I only gained just under one mph benefit on a flat route.

I'm now unconvinced that it's worth the money to buy a new bike.

 

[HLaB]

I currently own a Sirrus Elite and have been toying with the idea of a road bike with the same models in mind that you mentioned.

At the weekend, a friend leant me his Felt Z6 - a carbon frame road bike. I did a 20 mile run on it and was surprised that I only gained just under one mph benefit on a flat route.

I'm now unconvinced that it's worth the money to buy a new bike.

Theres a lot more to it than just one ride

 

[Kies]

I currently own a Sirrus Elite and have been toying with the idea of a road bike with the same models in mind that you mentioned.

At the weekend, a friend leant me his Felt Z6 - a carbon frame road bike. I did a 20 mile run on it and was surprised that I only gained just under one mph benefit on a flat route.

I'm now unconvinced that it's worth the money to buy a new bike.

Most people accept 2-3 mph difference between a road hybrid and a curlywurly road bike. It doesn't make any difference to my commute times into London (lights,cars,peds,traffic). Just gives better visibility and is more surefooted in winter (with 28c nimbus all weather tyres) ..... Also allows me to hoon around local parks/forests

 

[Longshot]

Theres a lot more to it than just one ride

Such as?

 

[HLaB]

Such as?

Comfort (especially for the hands), ease (the ability to hide out of the wind) etc dont come to a conclusion based on just one one ride, good luck

 

[Longshot]

Comfort (especially for the hands), ease (the ability to hide out of the wind) etc dont come to a conclusion based on just one one ride, good luck

Fair point!

 

[Min]

Hi all, thanks for your inputs! They've been very helpful and informative. I've been to several bike shops today and yesterday, and today one of the bike mechanics in one of my LBS suggested I consider touring bikes? He told me these are essentially road bikes, but have more relaxed geometry so would be more comfortable and less prone to back pain especially on long rides and have stuff like enough clearance for mudguards, space for rack, more spokes on the wheel etc that make it more versatile that can basically "do it all" including some light offroad which it handles it a lot better than pure road bikes, while being faster and lighter than CX bikes.

Though I love road bikes, I have been warned by many of my cycling friends that they're very fragile and components start breaking easily especially if you ride it all year long in all weather conditions including dirty roads, some light trail/gravel etc. The mud would kill it. One of my friends just paid 200 quid to service his trek 1.1. apparently...

As for CX bikes they seem to be rather slow and heavy. I tried the Specialized Tricross today. Though it looks like a road bike it is actually heavier(!!) than my hybrid by 3 pounds, and the thick 32mm tyres with lots of tread looks quite slow to me.

So the shopkeeper suggested touring bikes which seem like the best compromise! Almost as fast as a road bike, and more comfortable, light and can handle more abuse and offroad conditions than a pure road bike. He suggested me this model, initially 800 pounds but I can get last year's model for 600:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/radium-2012-road-bike-ec032067

another option is the Ridgeback Voyage.

What does everyone think about touring bikes? Would these be a good one to go for? Road bike speed + terrain versatility.

 

[Rob3rt]

"Roadbikes are fragile" = Myth!

Any bikes components will succumb to road shoot if you don't maintain it.

Also, a Tricross is not a proper CX bike.

As for the tyres, you can fit thinner tyres!

 

[Min]

"Roadbikes are fragile" = Myth!

Any bikes components will succumb to road s*** if you don't maintain it.

Also, a Tricross is not a proper CX bike.

As for the tyres, you can fit thinner tyres!

Thats true, but its more fragile than Hybrids or mountains right? If you ride a roadie in hardcore off-road you would destroy it quite fast, whereas a mountain can take a lot more abuse. With hybrids in between. So the touring bike would be maybe not as fast as a pure road, but more "durable"?

 

[Rob3rt]

Well it is a pointless scenario to consider, they aren't designed to be ridden on hardcore trails and unless you plan to ride such trails, why is this even a consideration?

A road bike would handle light trails and canal tow-paths etc just fine, the problem wouldn't be durability, but having enough clearance to be able to fit wider tyres.

 

[Min]

Well it is a pointless scenario to consider, they aren't designed to be ridden on hardcore trails and unless you plan to ride such trails, why is this even a consideration?

A road bike would handle light trails and canal tow-paths etc just fine, the problem wouldn't be durability, but having enough clearance to be able to fit wider tyres.

Sorry, that was probably a bad example I made. What I mean is, I want a bike that I can ride in all weather conditions (including when it snows a lot and road gets very snow-muddy), and I cycle often along the river towpath and occasionally light trails in parks (nothing hardcore though). My current hybrid has dealt well with these, but Im selling that one to get a road bike to travel faster, but dont want to risk damaging it when im off the tarmac. So Im looking for something that is like a road bike, but more versatile in terms of terrain, like a CX. And now considering a touring bike.

 

[vickster]

This is a pure N+1 scenario - roadbike for the roads, keep the hybrid for riding in the muck ...there's many months until it's going to snow again ...depending on where you live

The touring bike will have more relaxed riding position but there are many 'road' bikes that aren't dissimilar - Giant Defy, Cannondale Synapse, Specialized Secteur to name a couple with a more relaxed position - they will also take mudguards (of some sort) and panniers...I am not sure how the touring bike will last longer, it'll have the same groupset, chain etc as a roadbike

Cheap CX bikes will be heavier if they have a steel or alu fork and heavy clompy tyres, buy a higher end CX and fit better tyres, I am sure the weight will be comparable to the road bike - but CX bikes carry a premium price tag (probably simply due to the fact the manufacturers sell fewer).

The speed of the bike has a lot to do with the legs turning the pedals as much as the weight of it - I am sure Cav could ride the heaviest CX bike rather quicker than I could ride the lightest roadbike

Have you considered getting a higher end bike, but used?

 

[Cyclist33]

i cant honestly in this case see why you would switch from a flat bar bike.

you can get a hybrid thats as light as a touring bike and youre getting the same or more clearance for fat tyres and mudguards, youre getting a riding position thats inherently more upright and stable which is useful when off road, likewise probably a longer wheelbase. if you believe in such stuff they may also come with mtb gearing components which the marketing dept will have you believe are more durable.

the cannondale quick fits the bill exactly. not the quick cx by the way. im biased coz ive got one, of course. but still. my giant defy 3 weighs 9.6kg with cheap pedals and a stock build. my quick weighs 10.3 with spd pedals (heavier), a triple chainset, good road wheels and road tyres. so like for like not a lot of difference. i would and have taken the quick on light trail several times with various tyres, but wouldnt take the defy.

sorry to rain on the parade but i just wouldnt waste good money on a road bike or tourer if its going off road. proper cx bike or flat bar hybrid.