Which bike?

[v8will]

I'm looking at getting a new bike through the cycle to work scheme. Thing is I really no fanny all about bikes now. I still have my Carrera LRS3 which I bought back in 2005.

Any suggestions, something happy on road and for a little light cross country use. Budget I guess will be maybe around £1000.

[Mars]

Can you stretch a little?

http://www.whytebikes.com/2012/bike_page.php?ModNo...

[Dunclane]

Ive just ordered this http://www.cube.eu/en/hard/ltd/ltd-race-black-anod... £1039

[v8will]

Thanks, I'll have a better look at those two.

[HOGEPH]

I got the pro version of one of these through the ride to work scheme a couple of years ago. Very nice bike.


http://www.cube.eu/en/tour/cross/sl-cross-race/

[Mars]

v8will said:

Thanks, I'll have a better look at those two.

Note that we're giving you completely different ideas here.

I thought that as you'd be using it mainly for road, you ought to go for a road-oriented bike with concession to light offroad (towpaths etc). So I chose a 700c wheel with slightly gnarly tyres and a short-throw suspension fork.

The other option is for an out-and-out hardtail MTB.

And finally another "cross" bike but without a suspension fork. This type of bike is excellent on the road and still useful on towpaths. I have something similar myself. It's a bit harsh on anything more than a towpath though. I've put some cyclocross tyres on mine which are a little wider (35mm as opposed to the 28mm ones it came with) but it does crash over bumps, potholes and such.

finding my original bike a bit too road oriented, I recently went out and bought myself a hardtail MTB. I suspect something like the bike in my first recommendation might have served me well for all my use but you can never have enough bikes.

[Gren]

Dunclane said:

Ive just ordered this http://www.cube.eu/en/hard/ltd/ltd-race-black-anod... £1039

Just got mine delivered a few days ago - bought the 2011 model for £880. It is though a totally off road bike and if you're spending much of the time on road there are much better choices.

[XitUp]

Don't get something with fat tyres and suspension if you're mostly riding on road, you'll hate it.

How many miles will you be doing? What sort of road? What sort of gradient? Will you be wanting to carry anything?

[v8will]

Mars said:

Note that we're giving you completely different ideas here.

I thought that as you'd be using it mainly for road, you ought to go for a road-oriented bike with concession to light offroad (towpaths etc). So I chose a 700c wheel with slightly gnarly tyres and a short-throw suspension fork.

The other option is for an out-and-out hardtail MTB.

And finally another "cross" bike but without a suspension fork. This type of bike is excellent on the road and still useful on towpaths. I have something similar myself. It's a bit harsh on anything more than a towpath though. I've put some cyclocross tyres on mine which are a little wider (35mm as opposed to the 28mm ones it came with) but it does crash over bumps, potholes and such.

finding my original bike a bit too road oriented, I recently went out and bought myself a hardtail MTB. I suspect something like the bike in my first recommendation might have served me well for all my use but you can never have enough bikes.

This is where my inexperience shows. I will be mostly on road, anything else will be limited to the abundance of grassy banks and forest paths round my way.

I'm going to head over to Chain Reaction, luckily only 10 minutes from my house, and have a look at the Cube range. Get a little more advice as well.

[Dunclane]

Sorry ignore me! I didn't read the OP properly. As you were.

[Dunclane]

Gren said:

Dunclane said:

Ive just ordered this http://www.cube.eu/en/hard/ltd/ltd-race-black-anod... £1039

Just got mine delivered a few days ago - bought the 2011 model for £880. It is though a totally off road bike and if you're spending much of the time on road there are much better choices.

No I'm firmly in the offroad camp, I just didn't read the OP properly. How you getting on with yours? I should have mine next week fingers crossed.

[Gren]

Its still in the back bedroom, all put together but unridden. 2 reasons : it was a Xmas present so I can't touch it and I'm also waiting for pedals so can't even sneak out on it.