What to do?

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vickster

Legendary Member
I currently commute on a racked and mudguarded up 2011 Sirrus Elite and have a crazy notion to sell the hybrid and replace with drops...more comfortable braking for my ongoing tennis elbow and quicker. I would want Tiagra at the minimum or preferably SRAM double tap and need a rack and guards. Such a bike looks like it'll cost at least £700-800 new

Now, my dilemma is that I also have a rather under utilised lovely carbon road bike. It has no holes for the rack of course, and I am not sure if it will take guards? One question is how practical (i.e. safe) would it be to put one of these on the roadbike. I have the bag that slides on this type of rack which is on the Sirrus
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/topeak/quick-release-beam-rack-mtx-ec005811

Silly question, to what do they attach - seatpost or the top of the frame that the seatpost slides into?

I really don't want to go back to a backpack, hot and sweaty - I am more of a fair weather cyclist but do not disintegrate in the rain (although the carbon bike may :whistle: )

Seems rather silly to spend several hundreds on a new bike when a current one is fit for purpose for a small outlay!

There is always the used bike route, but I am rather unknowledgeable and indeed, impatient!

Thoughts and advice appreciated :smile:
 
Related: my choice of road bike was partially dictated by Carradice SQR that advised not to mount on a carbon seatpost. I found advice on the interwebs saying you'd be ok, but others saying that if a carbon seat post fails it shatters like glass and um ... try not to think what happens next.

You're call, but I wouldn't mount a rack on a carbon seat post.

(and that must go on the seat post. if it went on the frame, it would interfere with the rear wheel on lots of bikes)
 
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vickster

vickster

Legendary Member
Cheers! I think the seatpost is carbon....by tapping it!

Hmmm so I a) keep the Sirrus 2) find £500ish for a new bike (once Sirrus is sold) 3) get a sweaty back :wacko:
 
Now, my dilemma is that I also have a rather under utilised lovely carbon road bike. It has no holes for the rack of course, and I am not sure if it will take guards?

You shouldn't have problems fitting mudguards. There are options such as the Crud Roadracer Mk2 which I have fitted to my Kinesis Racelight Grandfondo Ltd.

IMG_3162.JPG


Another option is SKS Chromoplastic mudguards. Personally I prefer the Crud Roadracer on my narrow tyre bike.

Regards
Andrew
 
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vickster

vickster

Legendary Member
4) Get a good strong steel/alloy seat post?

Thanks, could be a consideration. I'll mull all this over a little while longer. Luckily, in my perusal of the Interweb, I haven't found a road bike I have to have - I do have one bike being watched on fleabay. At some point, I'll go talk to my LBS from whence the carbon came
 

lejogger

Guru
Location
Wirral
There are other options for mounting a rack to a carbon frame. If you get a good quality light rack from Tubus (i.e. the Fly) you can get a QR skewer adapter that attaches at the base to your quick release running through the wheel and from the single stay at the top to your brake caliper or seatpost (via an adapter).
This article is what I referenced when I was considering doing the same thing. there may be more if you google adding a rack to a carbon bike. This would be a much more sturdy option than a seatpost rack.

Clip on race blade guards should also be fine to complete the conversion.
 

P.H

Über Member
It is a dilemma, while the idea of getting more use from your under utilised bike is to be applauded, there's also something nice about having a bike kept for best. I have one bike that I wouldn't want to commute on, I don't have to look at longevity or practicality when I buy components for it. It is an indulgence, it's the bike that gets the best of everything and the least use, that makes it even more a pleasure when I do ride it.
 
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vickster

vickster

Legendary Member
Problem is I only ever use the carbon if I am not needing to carry anything more than what will fit in the seatpack, or if I am not going to leave it anywhere as I don't want to have to stick the monster lock in a backpack. Thing is, when I ride for pure pleasure, I usually want to have a coffee stop somewhere. Now I have wheeled it into Starbucks before, but did get some funny looks :whistle:

I am also not sure about commuting clipless, probably a confidence thing...and feel safer on the Sirrus when it's wet due to the slightly fatter tyres

I am certainly not averse to indulgence, I think I'd just like to ride her more...probably covered 300 miles max in a year...pretty poor!
 

Mike!

Guru
Location
Suffolk
Just do what I did and buy a Boardman CX Team, SRAM, rack and guards with room for big tyres. Join British Cycling for an extra 10% off and it's a bargain for how versitile it is.

I too have a "best bike" which only comes out in nice weather....
 
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vickster

vickster

Legendary Member
It's a bit much to spend at £900 even with the BC discount (am a member) but cheers for the suggestion
 
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vickster

vickster

Legendary Member
I'll want a better groupset - Tiagra / Sram Apex minimum - if this is the Sirrus replacement. I don't want button shift, only brifters and am a bit of a snob ultimately!
 
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