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

[themosquitoking]

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.

Can you only change gear while in the drops on that bike?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Can you only change gear while in the drops on that bike?

Can you only? Not really no. You move your hands from tops or hoods or drops and change gear. Fairly normal with bar end shifters. A race bike it ain't.

 

[themosquitoking]

I've not seen them on a bike in the flesh so to speak so have never given them much thought until i saw that photo. Changing gear sounds a bit hairy with them tbh, not sure i'd want to let go of the bars while climbing.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I've not seen them on a bike in the flesh so to speak so have never given them much thought until i saw that photo. Changing gear sounds a bit hairy with them tbh, not sure i'd want to let go of the bars while climbing.

you change gear while climbing? I'm more of a pick a gear and stick with it type myself

It isn't hairy, no more than taking one hand off the bars to scratch you nose or press a button on your gps, or have a drink, or signal is. You get used to it, I guess. Nearly every drop barred touring bike stateside has them, especially wilderness touring bikes, and Jamis, being a US brand, naturally fits them to its touring bikes. In touring circles they are common and even more so on TT or Tri bikes, albeit fitted differently.

Don't forget, we all back in the day used to use down tube shifters before the pressure to "make like the pro's" meant we all went with brifters. I can't abide the Shimano brake and change gear type myself. Campag one's are ok.

But I'm a tourist. I've got all the time in the world to change gear....

 

[themosquitoking]

Back in the day when i used downtube shifters i apparently had much larger cahoonies as my max distance riding with no hands over the last year will also testify.

 

[MikeW-71]

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.

A lot has already been said, but I reckon a road bike is the logical tool for such a commute. I would suggest one that is of the "Sportive" or "Endurance" geometry. This basically means the position is a little more upright, which is great for those of us who are not as flexible as they once were

It doesn't necessarily need to be womens-specific. If a WSD frame doesn't fit your body proportions, try a mens/unisex frame instead, possibly with a different saddle as women will tend to use wider saddles than men. Thankfully the manufacturers are starting to take womens cycling much more seriously and don't just paint a mens frame pink any more.

I know some have said about carrying some luggage, but if you're only going to be doing the commute once or twice a week, can you leave a change of clothes at work? That can be taken in in the car and left overnight, bring it back when you next go in the car. If you have showers at work, that's ideal, otherwise, you can ride in and allow spare time to cool down, then freshen up with some baby wipes when you get changed. That only leaves mudguards , though even just a rear raceblade to keep spray off your back is enough.

I am a Giant fan I suppose (as I've bought 4 of them) and as they've been mentioned already, these are two of their WSD offerings that are in budget:

Avail 1
Equivalent of the Defy 1

Avail 2
Equivalent of the Defy 2 - also has rack mounting points.

 

[idontlikecoffee]

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.

I'm 5'4", thanks for the suggestion

 

[idontlikecoffee]

Thank you all for your great replies, you have given me a lot to think about.

I went to JE James Cycles in Rotherham yesterday and had a good look round, they had lots of lovely bikes and I was pleased how many they had in my price range. One thing i did find surprising was the chunkyness of the frames, I've never really studied road bikes , and in my mind I thought they would have super skinny frames, but some looked as chunky as mountain bikes. Not a bad thing, i thought they looked really nice, as i like the chunky mountain bike look, so at least they don't look as alien to me as i thought they would, but the tyres are so so thin, I know why they are like that, but coming from MTB's they look perilous

Looking around it seems if i go for last years model i can get a carbon framed bike (but lower spec components),I'm not sure what the pros and cons are regarding carbon and aluminium, i have got a lot of research to do, but i like researching purchases, I will be checking out all your recommendations and taking your advice seriously, thanks again.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

From what I can gather carbon is likely to be lighter but needs to be treated with more care. Also the frame can be tuned a bit more so its stiff where it needs to be but has a bit of flex for comfort in a way that costs a lot more money with metal. While I've not really been in the carbon price range with the couple I've bought (very bottom on last years model maybe) stories about single knocks being enough for a carbon frame to need checking (and pictures of dead ones) has been enough to put me off going that way until I really have money to burn (i.e. never). I'm pretty sure at least one of my noob bike drops (largely leaning it against posts badly, or trusting that it wouldn't just slide away from the car) would have clonked the frame badly enough for me to worry if it had been carbon.

I figure if I need the bike to be that lighter, I should stop eating so many pies.

 

[vickster]

It is harder to fix pannier racks and mudguards to carbon frame which is less than ideal for a commuter in my view. A good aluminium frame with a carbon fork in a small size will be plenty light enough. If in Rotherham, I assume it's hilly, so you may be best to look at a bike with a triple chainset or at least a wide range of gears

Something like a giant avail 2, probably in a small or even xs would be perfect, takes a rack and giants own very decent mudguards

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/giant-avail-2-compact-road-bike-id80857.html

 

[Ganymede]

Thank you all for your great replies, you have given me a lot to think about.

I went to JE James Cycles in Rotherham yesterday and had a good look round, they had lots of lovely bikes and I was pleased how many they had in my price range. One thing i did find surprising was the chunkyness of the frames, I've never really studied road bikes , and in my mind I thought they would have super skinny frames, but some looked as chunky as mountain bikes. Not a bad thing, i thought they looked really nice, as i like the chunky mountain bike look, so at least they don't look as alien to me as i thought they would, but the tyres are so so thin, I know why they are like that, but coming from MTB's they look perilous

Looking around it seems if i go for last years model i can get a carbon framed bike (but lower spec components),I'm not sure what the pros and cons are regarding carbon and aluminium, i have got a lot of research to do, but i like researching purchases, I will be checking out all your recommendations and taking your advice seriously, thanks again.

Hi there

I'm so glad you started this thread as I'm thinking of doing similar - especially since I recently lifted a road bike and realised how incredibly much lighter they are than my (rather out-of-date) hybrid. They are quite chunky looking but seem to weigh nothing in comparison! I have a hybrid so I can deal with the terrible country roads round here - some so narrow that you have to go off-road to get round tractors etc - but I do struggle with the weight. I have to sometimes haul it up staircases at the station and with my shoulders (which are the same age as yours!) it's no fun.

I carry quite a lot of bits and pieces on my bike and I also use mudguards - wouldn't be without them!

Anyway these suggestions for women's bikes are useful to me too and I hope you get exactly what you want for your commute.

 

[vickster]

Roadbikes are fine for going onto rougher stuff, you just need to be more cautious and slow down. You wouldn't want to batter through a forest, but fine for a bit of grass or light mud at slow speeds . The skinnier tyres are no less safe than chunky ones, in fact slicks can be better than knobbliest due to greater surface area having contact with the road. Just avoid wet drains and white lines as much as possible

 

[Ganymede]

but fine for a bit of grass or light mud at slow speeds .

No such thing as "light" mud on the Weald of Kent! I do think I need to have a test ride on some slicks though, after what you say (even if actually aimed at OP).

 

[vickster]

Cyclocross a good alternative. You can find at around 11kg, take rack and guards. Not many women specific ones though

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I'd not get too worried about buying women specific, when my wife was shopping around her biggest issue was an odd mix of lengths (she's around 5'3" but has long thigh bones in relation to her shin bones or some such.) so it really was the bike that fit her rather than anything else, we ended up with a larger framed Croix in the end because the smaller framed (and on sale) one we were looking at was too cramped for her despite being on the short side.