What bike for beginner, eventually wanting to do 50 miles a day

[idontlikecoffee]

Hello,

I"m very new to road bikes, i've never ridden one before, I have been a casual mountain biker for about 30 years, but its rather flat around here and i only really get to enjoy them when i'm on holiday.

My car is getting old and i want to increase my fitness as i can be a bit lazy, so i'm thinking about maybe getting a road bike and try and get to the point where i can cycle to work, its 25 miles each way, I know it might take a while to get to that level of fitness, and even if its only one or two days a week it will be something to aim for (maybe i'm just having a crisis because i've just turned 50!)

I have a few lovely mountain bikes but I think it would be much harder to travel that distance on a MB, and a road bike would be more suited, as i know nothing about road bikes, and they look quite alien to me, I would love some advice and suggestions about type of bikes might be suitable, and perhaps models. As I am female should i look at women's bikes, is the geometry different? In MBikes it is, but i have both mens and womens bikes.

At the first instance i'm looking at just increasing my fitness, perhaps in a year or so commuting to work sometimes.

Budget wise, probably up to £1000.

Thanks for reading

Julie

 

[Rooster1]

Great decision if I may say. Choosing the right bike is exciting! My crisis came at 40, so I got in early.

I think a lot of people will tell you to goto your local bike shop (LBS) and make a shortlist, then find the best deal.

 

[welsh dragon]

Hi. I can't help you regarding which road bike to buy, but welcome to the forum from powys. . I Am sure someone with a lot more experience will be along to help you to make a wise choice.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Welcome.

Can I suggest you take a peak at

http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/63013-roadcc-buying-basics-buying-your-first-road-bike
http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/116764-10-best-£500-£750-road-bikes
http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/71216-2014s-hottest-£500-£900-road-bikes

or similar.
Do you need a women's specific design? Depends on your body shape.

http://totalwomenscycling.com/road-cycling/road-bikes/

 

[raleighnut]

Why not try Smooth tyres on a rigid or hardtail MTB, drop bars might take some getting used to but you could hybridise a 26 or 29er easy

 

[Spinney]

A 'proper' road bike is hard to fit mudguards to and often doesn't come with attachment points for a rack. If you are going to use the bike for commuting to work, consider a touring bike instead - mudguards stop quite so much crud from the road spraying up your back in the wet, and you can carry your change of clothes etc in a pannier on the rack instead of in a rucksac.

A tourer will be a bit heavier than a road bike, and I think may have a slightly longer frame, but is probably more suited to what you want. It will still have drop handlebars etc.

(PS - I don't like coffee either! <-- tea )

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'll second that. 50 miles is a mini-tour.

 

[machew]

Round wheels, the rounder the better and of course the front forks around the right way, as the great one Lance Armstrong once said "It's not about the bike"

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I tend to carry loads a fair bit so use a tourer, after an MTB and a road bike. I've done 50 mile round commutes on it, wouldn't fancy it on the MTB

A cyclocross type isn't as heavy as a full-on tourer but does have a little more comfort, year-round rideability, and an easier ride than a proper road bike

It's all about preference really

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I do a 22 mile commute each way 2 or 3 times a week and use a road bike that I was careful about choosing. It can take a rack & mudguards without issue so don't necessarily rule them out.

My 'crisis', btw, came at 38 - I just upped and left the country by bike instead

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Ask experts is the best bet, but until you do... :-)

In your position I'd be looking at bikes that are being sold for the sportive or commuting markets, some will have mudguard and rack fittings if you like that sort of thing. There are a lot of bikes around the £1000 price point because it's nominally the cut off for cycle to work schemes. On which note as that's what you are looking to spend, it's worth checking if your work is part of it (or might consider being part of it, they get tax benefits too I believe) as it'll save you some pennies in the long run and paying for the bike in 12 month installments makes it feel cheaper (has for my two anyway).

It used to be that womens bikes were just mens with a pink paint job, but some of the companies are taking the market a lot more seriously now, I think Trek and Specialized are up there, but I'm willing to be proved wrong on that. There can be some shape differences but equally everybody is a different shape so finding the right size for you is more important than specifically going male or female.

If you have a hardtail MTB that could take some road tyres that wouldn't be a bad starting point as you build up miles, it'd definitely be a good way to be sure you're happy with the ins and outs of road commuting before committing serious money to it. I was happily commuting a Mongoose hardtail with road tyres on for a number of months doing 12 miles each way. I'd suggest by the time you get up to 25 miles each way something with drops would be good, although it really depends on the terrain, the pace you want to keep and how comfortable you want to be. I moved to a hybrid from the MTB and have added a sportive bike (because I have a sportive coming up) but I'm actually pretty happy swapping between the two as the mood (or mechanical issues) warrants. Riding with the drops does feel quicker and somehow more 'right' as the distance goes up though, and it does give more options for positioning on the bike which I miss sometimes on the hybrid.

Finally, have a think about what options you have at work for kit etc. I'm currently doing a 32 round trip commute (carrying the bike to the start point in a car, from my door it'd be more like 75 miles round trip and I've not go the spare time for that even if I had the will) but only carry a hydration pack, with tools and a minimal change of clothes because I have a locker at work with trousers, towel and wash kit in, plus access to a shower. It's also why I'm not so bothered about adding mudguards. I know I can arrive soaked, but be clean and dry quarter of an hour later. Riding home in damp kit is a bit horrid, but do-able. As is driving home wet if it's poured down on the way home. But all commutes are different so have a think about the positives, and issues with yours.

Sounds like you have a plan anyway, good stuff and I look forward to hearing how things progress :-)

 

[vickster]

Women's specific - depends on your height and build really, and personal preference. The problem potentially with a men's / "unisex" bike is you may find you need to spend a bit to get it right which might not be the case with WSD - not only the saddle, but also stem, bars (& tape), cranks. Alternatively you could look at Ribble and Dolan who build to order and you can adjust spec.

Another consideration could be the size of your hands. Although I am by no means small, I simply don't get on with the Shimano hood shape, I simply can't brake comfortably from the hoods. SRAM works - the ergonomics are far better for me. 90%+ of bikes in the UK come with Shimano so you'll need to hunt for SRAM if you find the same issue. Crosslevers are good too for confidence - some WSD bikes comes with them, on others you can fit them (although if you need a narrow bar, space ends up as a premium for lights etc)

The Avail range from Giant is excellent for WSD IMO - see if there is a Giant store near you. Trek do some good looking WSD bikes, so do Scott. I've never looked closely at Specialized, not my brand

What bike will depend as others have said, on what you'll carry, the weather's you'll ride in, when only roads or mixed, what is the state of the roads, how hilly is it round you etc

Try to test ride if at all possible, Evans have free, no obligation tests if you have one nearby

Happy shopping

 

[GrumpyGregry]

hey @idontlikecoffee how tall are you?

I'm currently commuting on one of these and it is a lot of bike for the money and with the right engine will go plenty fast and far.

 

[raleighnut]

hey @idontlikecoffee how tall are you?

I'm currently commuting on one of these and it is a lot of bike for the money and with the right engine will go plenty fast and far.

Nice

 

[fossyant]

Rack and guards is a must for a long commute. Just makes life easier and more pleasant.

I have a fixed gear commuter, with racks and guards. I once upon a time did 40 mile returns with a rucksack when younger, go for a rack and panniers these days.