Will a road bike really make a difference

[Graemeb1783]

I currently do my 40mile round trip commute on a standard Carrera Subway hybrid averaging around 17.5 miles per hour.

I am toying with the idea of getting myself a road bike but am just wondering will it really make much of a difference to my average speed, enjoyment of cycling etc etc.


I have never even riden a road bike never mind owned one so just looking for advice.

 

[TheDoctor]

I'm frankly appalled that one even needs to ask!!
Seriously, a road bike will be a little quicker, and feel a good bit livelier. Whether you want lively handling on a 20 mile commute is another matter, but only you can know that.

 

[Graemeb1783]

Well I am really beginning to enjoy the cycling and hopefully into the summer it will become more than just commuting.

Just looking for ways to get quicker and make it even more enjoyable

 

[Graham1426]

Depending on your budget, a road bike could transform your commute.
What is your budget ? Your making a decent average speed at the mo, only a quality road bike will eat into the speeds you say you are doing at the mo.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

That's a damn good pace over twenty miles on a hybrid!

If you think you will be riding for pleasure over longer distances, then a dedicated road bike would certainly be a good idea.

With such a bike you will find that it takes less effort to get it (and keep it) moving and the dropped bars will give your hands a variety of positions to relieve fatigue and allow you to get out of the wind.

How marked that difference will be, rather depends on your budget. For around £300 you could buy a Halfords Carrera TDF, Decathlon Triban 3 or a Raleigh Airlite 100: all very worthy, first road bikes and you'll get the benefit of drop bars, but I'm not sure that you'll be hugely quicker.

Double your budget, which is where the "proper" road bikes start, and you will certainly notice a difference; spend £1,000 ("serious" road bike money) and it will be a revelation.

If you just stick to commuting or you just want to play around then you could change your tyres. I'd guess that you have something over 30mm and heavily treaded at the moment. Thinner, slick tyres will quicken things up but you need to be aware that the internal width of your rims will limit your tyre choice: have a look at this page for more information (Width Considerations near the bottom).

 

[Maylian]

Got to admit I thought having a Cube Tonopah that the move to a road bike wouldn't be much difference since the Cube is only about 13kgs etc. I got my Giant and it makes a world of difference, average speed up some of the hills has increased by about 4-5mps and feels easier cycling along and average time has dropped by several minutes over 4 miles.

I was very dubious about drop bars due to my size (6'4") and weight (17st) but now I look forward to any opportunity to get out on it. My only issue is that you have to be a lot more observant on a rooadie dodging any little pot hole and being slightly more nervous about punctures than on the hybrid.

 

[zexel]

It also depends what type of commute you do. If it's mostly urban (traffic and crap roads) you will miss the disk brakes and the position of the hybrid, oh and the comfort (tyre's).

Agree with the above, "dodging any little pot hole and being slightly more nervous about punctures than on the hybrid." Whether that will add to your enjoyment is questionable but a road bike will definitely be faster.

 

[Graemeb1783]

For a budget I'm thinking around about the £800-£1000 mark

My knowledge of bikes is fairly limited but I have been reading some reviews and I quite like the

Cube attempt and the Cube peloton Or Giant defy

But I also think the Bianchi Via Nirone 7 in celeste is a very good looking bike.

My commute is all on roads and they are actually in relatively good condition with a couple of moderate hill climbs.

 

[zexel]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind. Go for it. I reckon you'll see a 1-2mph speed increase just from the road bike position.

For £1,000 you can't go far wrong. Cube's are very nice bikes and you'll get a lot of bike for the money as opposed to Specialized for example. (Admittedly I'm slightly biased, I cant stand Specialized bikes)

 

[Graham1426]

You definately can't go wrong with a Cube great spec for your ££££, if you could go another £250 you could get a Carbon Agree GTC simply an awesome machine and well worth the extra £££'s.

 

[tug benson]

That`s really my dilemma right now, took up cycling to shift a bit of weight ended up really enjoying it, was looking at getting a road bike but am not really sure if it will make a difference to me...thinking i will give myself another few months of just using my carrera mountain bike

 

[ShredderX]

I share your dilemma! I average around 15mph on my Trek 7700, and live in a very hilly region - I'm really enjoying my riding, but would like more speed, and maybe to join a cycling club.

 

[Sittingduck]

I currently do my 40mile round trip commute on a standard Carrera Subway hybrid averaging around 17.5 miles per hour.

Have you considered racing?

 

[BSRU]

I used to commute on a hybrid but after buying a road bike I realised what I was missing.
The road bike is faster, more responsive and my worries about my head height disappeared.
The downside of the road bike was it generally not best suited to bad weather, so I bought a steel drop bar tourer to be my main commuting bike, the direct replacement for the hybrid.
I enjoy riding all my bicycles but I enjoy the road bike the most

 

[2pies]

I recently added a proper road bike (£900) to the cyclocross (a hybrid bike with drop handlebars) I already have, and the difference is significant. On a 6.7 mile lap of Richmond Park, I was a full 2 minutes quicker. That tells you everything you need to know.