What type of bike for main transport?

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Seigi

Senior Member
Location
Carlisle, UK
Hi all, long time since I've posted here - I'm getting rid of the car entirely and I've decided I'm going to use my bike as my main form of transport but I'm undecided what style to get - it needs to be able to carry shopping/stuff, for commuting, generally getting about town. Theres the odd off-road track but most cycle paths are paved.

Would rather not have an aggressive road bike purely for comfort

I'm umming and ahhing between a touring bike and a hybrid but having never owned either I'm unsure (only had road bikes and mountain bikes)

Any suggestions welcome
 

vickster

Legendary Member
What's your budget? What sort of mileages will you be doing?
Do you want drops or flatbars?
If a hybrid, make sure it'll take a rack, mudguards and decent width tyres.
Ensure the gearing is right for the terrain when laden, e.g. If it's hilly
Getting dynamo lighting might just make things easier if your main transport day and night
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
A hybrid may not be too happy with a large and heavy load. A solution would be to buy a trailer for shopping, in my experience a pair of rear panniers will do for small shopping and, when doing the 'big shop', using the trailer for large and heavy items, they come in for glass and other fragile items. Then the hybrid will be fine.
 
For car free use, a bike, a spare bike, a play bike and a trailer.
Hybrids can handle as much load as any other style. Modern cyclo-cross tourer style mashups are good.
Cargo bikes are more for full time haulage.
I would recommend disk brakes and dynohub lighting. And join your local car club.
My trailer is a Freedom Cary Y frame 20" flatbed with a green plastic bin for carrying shopping.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Trailer is an excellent idea for shopping. When you go shopping you can lug a phenomenal load safely, and when the trailer isn't hitched the bike isn't compromised and rides as normal. If you're going completely carless it is a good option.
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
I think you might need more than one bike.
@Andy in Germany is car free so I'm sure he'll give you the best option.
 

BigMeatball

Senior Member
I'd just buy a good touring bike. Something like these

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cinelli-HoBootleg-700c-2018-Touring-Bike_209365.htm
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Genesis-Tour-De-Fer-30-2019-Touring-Bike_113949.htm
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Genesis-Tour-De-Fer-20-2020-Touring-Bike_219291.htm (this one with flat bar)

If it's your only bike, it's better to have one that takes full mudguards. Also if you're going to use it to carry shopping, it should have pannier racks for both front and rear.

They're heavier than your average bike but you can always take off the racks when you don't need them.
 
For the spare bike, consider a folder. It doesn't have to be a Bromton, a good enough 20" alu frame will do the job. You can use it when your main bike needs repairs and you can haul it on the trailer.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I'd just buy a good touring bike. Something like these

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cinelli-HoBootleg-700c-2018-Touring-Bike_209365.htm
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Genesis-Tour-De-Fer-30-2019-Touring-Bike_113949.htm
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Genesis-Tour-De-Fer-20-2020-Touring-Bike_219291.htm (this one with flat bar)

If it's your only bike, it's better to have one that takes full mudguards. Also if you're going to use it to carry shopping, it should have pannier racks for both front and rear.

They're heavier than your average bike but you can always take off the racks when you don't need them.
Or get your own spec from Spa (with dyno)

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s21p2983/SPA-CYCLES-725-Steel-Tourer
 
Last edited:

vickster

Legendary Member
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