I want a better bike. Advice, much appreciated.
Discussion
Recently chucked in driving to work and started commuting by bike. 15 miles each way, fairly flat, except for motorway bridges (M25/M4).
Current bike is a 2012ish BTwin/Decathlon mountain bike on 3x9 Sram gears, mech disc brakes and 559 wheels now in Schwalbe City Jet 38mm tyres. It's a good workhorse but not going to last in the long term. I bought it for trails, not this.
Journey time is 1h10 ish, I'm spinning out on descents and I'm generally spending most of my time at the top of the cassette and in the top chainring - wind makes a difference, but that goes both ways and the above is the best case/fastest scenario.
Route is a mix of road of various surfaces - some quite rutted - shared cycle ways (flagstones etc - uneven, dropped kerbs of varying quality, pedestrian crossings over major junctions - typical urban cycle way fare). There is a 15 mile canal tow path option that is fun in daylight, and various other plays on the route that take in gravel/loose surface tracks over heathland etc between road sections.
My budget is £300, £350 if I can find what I really really want - so I am talking used bikes here.
What I need is a CX/gravel/adventure road bike.
What I want is an Arkose, which was recommended on my other thread, and which I have effectively been lured into. You told me I wouldn't save any money... you were right!
TBF it does seem the 'right' answer.
However, they're thin on the ground unless you want to travel for a ropey 2013/14 Arkose 1, and with prices for a 2020 D1 at Evans currently £740 I'm not going to spend my budget on a 5 year old version. Popular bikes, a good sign.
In terms of the spec, regardless of make:
- 2x11 gearing
- 10 kgs - up to 11 tops
- Can take 37mm / 1.5" tyres
- Not too 'roady' - I'm more at home on mountain bikes, I've nothing against road bikes but I gather they're a bit twitchy which isn't good news if I'm going to use it to run canal tow path in poor light (I am, inevitably)
- Disc brakes - slight preference towards Hyds rather than mech, now I've read more about it. I was a Hyd doubter a few weeks ago.
Aside from Arkose I'm aware of Spez Diverge and Boardman ADV8.8, Norco Search; No others really. Carrera, Giant, Trek, Cannondale, Kinesis, Genesis, Dawes, I know the brands but can't pin down what their used 'gravel' offerings would be.
TLDR / I want a new all surface all weather commuter bike, we're into used not new, I have a tight budget, Arkose is preference No. 1 but it looks like I'm in for a wait. What else is there?
Current bike is a 2012ish BTwin/Decathlon mountain bike on 3x9 Sram gears, mech disc brakes and 559 wheels now in Schwalbe City Jet 38mm tyres. It's a good workhorse but not going to last in the long term. I bought it for trails, not this.
Journey time is 1h10 ish, I'm spinning out on descents and I'm generally spending most of my time at the top of the cassette and in the top chainring - wind makes a difference, but that goes both ways and the above is the best case/fastest scenario.
Route is a mix of road of various surfaces - some quite rutted - shared cycle ways (flagstones etc - uneven, dropped kerbs of varying quality, pedestrian crossings over major junctions - typical urban cycle way fare). There is a 15 mile canal tow path option that is fun in daylight, and various other plays on the route that take in gravel/loose surface tracks over heathland etc between road sections.
My budget is £300, £350 if I can find what I really really want - so I am talking used bikes here.
What I need is a CX/gravel/adventure road bike.
What I want is an Arkose, which was recommended on my other thread, and which I have effectively been lured into. You told me I wouldn't save any money... you were right!
TBF it does seem the 'right' answer.However, they're thin on the ground unless you want to travel for a ropey 2013/14 Arkose 1, and with prices for a 2020 D1 at Evans currently £740 I'm not going to spend my budget on a 5 year old version. Popular bikes, a good sign.
In terms of the spec, regardless of make:
- 2x11 gearing
- 10 kgs - up to 11 tops
- Can take 37mm / 1.5" tyres
- Not too 'roady' - I'm more at home on mountain bikes, I've nothing against road bikes but I gather they're a bit twitchy which isn't good news if I'm going to use it to run canal tow path in poor light (I am, inevitably)
- Disc brakes - slight preference towards Hyds rather than mech, now I've read more about it. I was a Hyd doubter a few weeks ago.
Aside from Arkose I'm aware of Spez Diverge and Boardman ADV8.8, Norco Search; No others really. Carrera, Giant, Trek, Cannondale, Kinesis, Genesis, Dawes, I know the brands but can't pin down what their used 'gravel' offerings would be.
TLDR / I want a new all surface all weather commuter bike, we're into used not new, I have a tight budget, Arkose is preference No. 1 but it looks like I'm in for a wait. What else is there?
It's not a great time of year for buying secondhand 2 wheeled transport. You might have to wait until spring, when the fair weather riders consider going outdoors and fancy an upgrade.
I use a Genesis Croix de Fer to commute on. Takes 35c tyres easily with full guards, racks, panniers. Steel & dropped bars. Runs 46/30 up front, and 11/30 (11 speed). I wouldn't worry about spinning out downhill, more of a concern when you do that on that flat!
I use a Genesis Croix de Fer to commute on. Takes 35c tyres easily with full guards, racks, panniers. Steel & dropped bars. Runs 46/30 up front, and 11/30 (11 speed). I wouldn't worry about spinning out downhill, more of a concern when you do that on that flat!
) a £700 bike works out at <£500. I know ‘new bike’ is the correct answer, and of those on your list I can recommend the Norco Search - when I was looking for mine about 3-4 years ago it seemed like a gravel bike built by mtb’ers.
However a cheaper option whilst you’re checking the market might be to make sure you run a 11-32 cassette with a 44 or 46T chainring. I’ve got this combo on my XTC, which combined with rigid forks and slick tyres (35c) has been used for many commuting miles over the years. The Norco put the XTC into semi-retirement but it’s still a useful tool and capable of pedalling a decent top end.
Edited to add that my XTC is a 26’er set up with 3x9
However a cheaper option whilst you’re checking the market might be to make sure you run a 11-32 cassette with a 44 or 46T chainring. I’ve got this combo on my XTC, which combined with rigid forks and slick tyres (35c) has been used for many commuting miles over the years. The Norco put the XTC into semi-retirement but it’s still a useful tool and capable of pedalling a decent top end.
Edited to add that my XTC is a 26’er set up with 3x9
Edited by PomBstard on Friday 20th December 08:16
PomBstard said:
I know ‘new bike’ is the correct answer, and of those on your list I can recommend the Norco Search - when I was looking for mine about 3-4 years ago it seemed like a gravel bike built by mtb’ers.
However a cheaper option whilst you’re checking the market might be to make sure you run a 11-32 cassette with a 44 or 46T chainring. I’ve got this combo on my XTC, which combined with rigid forks and slick tyres (35c) has been used for many commuting miles over the years. The Norco put the XTC into semi-retirement but it’s still a useful tool and capable of pedalling a decent top end.
Edited to add that my XTC is a 26’er set up with 3x9
That's a good shout and also something I'm looking at, partly because the bike hasn't really been maintained since I bought it - it's been local journeys and a few weekends a year away in the trails - and the sprockets and rings are all showing wear. I adjust the brakes and gears from time to time but that's about it. There's also a rumble from the rear hub on freewheel, but only unloaded i.e. not while riding. So it needs some TLC anyway.However a cheaper option whilst you’re checking the market might be to make sure you run a 11-32 cassette with a 44 or 46T chainring. I’ve got this combo on my XTC, which combined with rigid forks and slick tyres (35c) has been used for many commuting miles over the years. The Norco put the XTC into semi-retirement but it’s still a useful tool and capable of pedalling a decent top end.
Edited to add that my XTC is a 26’er set up with 3x9
Edited by PomBstard on Friday 20th December 08:16
There's an Arkose 4 locally but the guy hasn't replied so must have been sold already.
I think your reasoning is correct.
Bearing in mind the terrain of your commute I wouldn’t go lower than 32mm tyres.
You could refresh and renew the B Twin MTB but it sounds like it’s pretty worn out so the costs of sorting it out will add up.
My list of must-haves for a commuter to do that kind of distance includes:
Brooks b17 saddle
Full length mudguards
Dynamo hub and Led lights
Drop handlebars with interrupter levers
Rear rack
Panniers
Handbuilt rear wheel, min. 32 spokes
Oh, and GoreBikeWear paclite shell jacket and trousers.
Bearing in mind the terrain of your commute I wouldn’t go lower than 32mm tyres.
You could refresh and renew the B Twin MTB but it sounds like it’s pretty worn out so the costs of sorting it out will add up.
My list of must-haves for a commuter to do that kind of distance includes:
Brooks b17 saddle
Full length mudguards
Dynamo hub and Led lights
Drop handlebars with interrupter levers
Rear rack
Panniers
Handbuilt rear wheel, min. 32 spokes
Oh, and GoreBikeWear paclite shell jacket and trousers.
I have a trek crossrip which sounds like the type and spec of bike you want, I bought mine used and they were popular so there are quite a few about used. I have no idea how it compares to other bikes as it's the only bike of this type I have owned but happy with it, and another bike to add to searches.
Some good discounts going now on new bikes so attention has shifted. I don't have the patience to wait for spring, and having looked at a 2015 Arkose 4, top spec on paper but in the flesh it looked like it had just been pulled out of a hedge - there's every chance that £300 bike could be a £600 bike after 2 years so I might as well go all in now. Like I said. Man maths.
I can thoroughly recommend the Boardman Adv 8.8.
I got one myself last year on the c2w scheme and it was on offer as well at Cycle Republic at the time, so was a bargain!. Was my first try on anything other than a mountain bike and has proved to be a perfect commuter machine for me.
I wanted something that could cope with a bit of abuse, and wasnt going to be too harsh or too extreme in riding position. My previous commuting bike was a 1991 Kona Explosif on slicks, the Boardman cut my commute by 5 mins! (only a 7mile trip).
If you can get one on a discount, do it....was the best specced bike for the price by a good margin
I got one myself last year on the c2w scheme and it was on offer as well at Cycle Republic at the time, so was a bargain!. Was my first try on anything other than a mountain bike and has proved to be a perfect commuter machine for me.
I wanted something that could cope with a bit of abuse, and wasnt going to be too harsh or too extreme in riding position. My previous commuting bike was a 1991 Kona Explosif on slicks, the Boardman cut my commute by 5 mins! (only a 7mile trip).
If you can get one on a discount, do it....was the best specced bike for the price by a good margin
Just ordered a Norco Section A after a few test rides on this and that at the local and not so local Evans. It's marked down as ex demo so I'll wait til I see it in the raw before finally committing to it. The same frame was super smooth and light, compared against an Arkose D1 at least. Slick shifting Tiagra groupset and £650. The Sora on the entry level Arkose was a bit more workmanlike.
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