What bike to buy for cycling to work.

[jacobgeorge]

OK so i decided i want to start cycling to work. Its a 4.1 mile trip there and then obviously another 4.1 miles back and its on roads. I worked (for a month) somewhere fairly close on the same route but about 3/4 of the way and it was difficult the first 2 weeks then i found it alot easier. The bike i was using was a mountain bike 'Boss Mayhem' Fairly cheap thing from argos. But thats been stolen! and i need a new bike to cycle to work. So was thinking about getting a road bike.
So my actual questions would be.

Is it a lot easier on a road bike as opposed to a mountain bike?

Im not sure if i want to be spending hundreds on a bike, So would something be ok for around £200? Or is it worth spending nearer to £400? But this would take a lot more time.

And lastly Could someone point me in a direction of a good bike for around the £200 mark, i dont exactly know what is good and what isnt!

Thanks a lot. Any help is appreciated

 

[MikeW-71]

You could do 4 miles on anything TBH. Cheapest would be a flat bar hybrid with road tyres on, something like the Carrera Subway from Halfords, which is a decent bike at that price point.

A road bike would be a bit quicker, but you would need to be spending £300 minimum for something decent and closer to £500 minimum for a better entry level bike. Do you have secure storage for it at both ends?

Do you want to do more cycling at the weekends? If so, consider the road bike, if not a cheaper hybrid would do you well.

 

[mattobrien]

A road bike not he road is a lot easier than a MTB on the road.

Many folk on here will tell you to look at a Triban 3 as a minimum for an entry level road bike, they can be had from Decathlon for around £300. I understand they are highly regarded for the money, but don't have one myself.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Welcome!
Any bike, preferably with no suspension, will do for short trips.
If there are hills involved you might want gears (no need for 35 though ) sleek and fattish tyres are easier to ride on the pot holed roads than knobby or skinny ones.
You need a truck pump to keep tyres at correct pressure to minimize the chance of punctures, you will also need lights to be seen on the road, mudguards to protect you from water splash.
Budget for those items also.

 

[jay clock]

I think the OP would class a hybrid as a road bike. The answer is that a decent light bike with narrower tyres and no suspension will be a revelation. Something like http://www.decathlon.co.uk/btwin-city-bike-hoprider-h500-id_8222609.html

or http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/motion-2013-hybrid-bike-ec043394

or the Carrera Subway is outstanding. Avoid the Apollo range at Halfords.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My OH uses a Btwin Triban 3 for commuting 12 miles each way, though he is rarely at his office to actually do this commute . It is more than satisfactory for what he needs it for plus weekend rides with me and holidays. He has had it 18 months now and I have only just had to buy it new wheels (didn't want the hassle of servicing the wheel bearings yet again), new cassette, chain, brake cables and brake blocks. Until now, everything will have been the original stock parts. Cost £299 and we added a rack & lights plus water bottle cage.

He's not that good at keeping it clean and with it being cheap for a road bike, just putting it alongside any other bike in the bike rack makes it look worthless (which is a bonus when it comes to theft). He uses a D-lock to secure it which gets left at work, and with people locking up bike 3 or 4 times the value of his and only locking them up with cheap spiral locks (in one case one bike worth 4 figures is being locked up with a cheap spiral combination lock!) his is unlikely to be the one that gets stolen.

Something along those lines would be more than suitable.

Edit: I also have the Triban 3 but with the mileage I have done in it, there are few original remaining parts, but I have covered +6,000 miles on it in the 15 months I have had mine and very quickly fell out with the wheels.... brake pads were changed immediately because the stock ones are crap.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

You need a truck pump ...

Caspita!, just how fat are your tyres?

GC

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Caspita!, just how fat are your tyres?

GC

 

[jacobgeorge]

Have had a look at the Carrera subway. Then tried finding some second hand ones and came across this.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/giant-compact-mens-road-bike/1046701999

Any good?

 

[jacobgeorge]

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/m...ike-heavily-upgraded/1045851378#photo-content

this is the only real other option ive found in my price range and within a distance i can pick up. I have no idea about these 'upgrades' Any opinions are appreciated.

 

[fossyant]

I've deleted your other thread @jacobgeorge as we don't need two threads asking the same thing.

 

[jacobgeorge]

I've deleted your other thread @jacobgeorge as we don't need two threads asking the same thing.

Yeah i made that one then realised i could of followed it up on here. Sorry!!

 

[HLaB]

Jacob, I usually commute that distance, I currently do it on a heavy fixed gear road bike (I wouldn't reccomend it to a beginner though); I would reccomend a good town bike (I used to commute 90% uphill in Edinburgh on a Ridgeback Velocity and that was a good bike). Thats a mtb orientated town bike very comfy but better rolling but a bit more harsher are road bike orientated town bikes (like the Specialized Sirrus or Giant Rapid) more likely they'll be towards the top of your budget. Drop bars bikes are even better rolling but can be harsher to ride again, my favourite type of bike, largely they are over your budget but the excellently reviewed Triban comes in to it. To sum up very generally the more you spend the faster/ lighter/ more easily rolling bike you will get but it may involve compromising on comfort.

 

[jay clock]

Giant looks excellent and at 100pds good value. Size looks small to me though. very small. Depends on your height

 

[jacobgeorge]

Giant looks excellent and at 100pds good value. Size looks small to me though. very small. Depends on your height

Do You have any idea what exact bike it is? or can you not tell from the photo?