Help buying new commuter
Discussion
Morning,
I am currently in process of buying a new bike which will mainly be used to commute to work. My commute is about 30mins but i often do a longer training ride on the way home up to 1. 5 hours. I would also like to use the bike for occasional winter long rides and general rides out with the kids in the summer (this will include v light off road). Note I do also have a carbon summer road bike.
I am going to use bike to work scheme to buy the bike and have narrowed it down to either a specilised allez sport or trek domane al 3
I like the specification of the specilised and the fact it's nice and light, i do alot of hills, but worried the position will be too aggressive for commuting with a backpack?
The trek looks cool and this is what i was recommended in the shop but it's a heavy bike at 10.5kg?
What would you recommend?
Thanks
I am currently in process of buying a new bike which will mainly be used to commute to work. My commute is about 30mins but i often do a longer training ride on the way home up to 1. 5 hours. I would also like to use the bike for occasional winter long rides and general rides out with the kids in the summer (this will include v light off road). Note I do also have a carbon summer road bike.
I am going to use bike to work scheme to buy the bike and have narrowed it down to either a specilised allez sport or trek domane al 3
I like the specification of the specilised and the fact it's nice and light, i do alot of hills, but worried the position will be too aggressive for commuting with a backpack?
The trek looks cool and this is what i was recommended in the shop but it's a heavy bike at 10.5kg?
What would you recommend?
Thanks
Just taking a 54 as an example.
Trek:
Stack 575mm
Reach 374mm
Specialized:
Stack: 570mm
Reach: 580mm
...so the Trek is 5mm higher and 6mm shorter. Other sizes end up in going longer/shorter, lower/higher but never quite aligning.
Whilst you may feel that difference, it’s easily dialled out with spacers, stem length, stem angle, handlebar reach and handlebar drop so not the end of the world. Would guess it’s a case of going for whatever is available given the current stock situation!
Although I believe the Trek has disc brakes and rack/mudguard mounts. The Speciallzed has rim brakes and, from memory, cannot take front mudguards.
Trek:
Stack 575mm
Reach 374mm
Specialized:
Stack: 570mm
Reach: 580mm
...so the Trek is 5mm higher and 6mm shorter. Other sizes end up in going longer/shorter, lower/higher but never quite aligning.
Whilst you may feel that difference, it’s easily dialled out with spacers, stem length, stem angle, handlebar reach and handlebar drop so not the end of the world. Would guess it’s a case of going for whatever is available given the current stock situation!
Although I believe the Trek has disc brakes and rack/mudguard mounts. The Speciallzed has rim brakes and, from memory, cannot take front mudguards.
There’s no way I would be doing a commute of that length with a backpack rather than a rack/panniers setup.
My priorities would be:
Brooks saddle
Dynamo front hub and LED lights
Mudguards
Rear rack
Drop bars
Mechanical disc brakes and interruptor levers
Basic STI drivetrain, Tiagra would be fine, wide gear spread.
Weight wouldn’t even figure on the list. It’s a commuter. Get a bigger workout in and then enjoy your nice light bike on weekends.
My priorities would be:
Brooks saddle
Dynamo front hub and LED lights
Mudguards
Rear rack
Drop bars
Mechanical disc brakes and interruptor levers
Basic STI drivetrain, Tiagra would be fine, wide gear spread.
Weight wouldn’t even figure on the list. It’s a commuter. Get a bigger workout in and then enjoy your nice light bike on weekends.
^What he said^
Dynamo and fixed lights are a game changer, no more having to remember to take my lights with me, or take them off when I park the bike, or make sure they're charged...
Panniers are also a massive improvement over a backpack. I have the Ortlieb bike packer plus, and one pannier is idea for my laptop, lunch, waterpoofs, etc. Ortlieb also do an additional anti theft cable you can fit in to the mount and then use to lock the panniers to the bike if you want to leave them attached when parked.
I wouldn't want to commute without mudguards either.
What's your bike parking like at work? Are nice carbon forks going to get trashed by other people bashing your bike in the racks?
Dynamo and fixed lights are a game changer, no more having to remember to take my lights with me, or take them off when I park the bike, or make sure they're charged...
Panniers are also a massive improvement over a backpack. I have the Ortlieb bike packer plus, and one pannier is idea for my laptop, lunch, waterpoofs, etc. Ortlieb also do an additional anti theft cable you can fit in to the mount and then use to lock the panniers to the bike if you want to leave them attached when parked.
I wouldn't want to commute without mudguards either.
What's your bike parking like at work? Are nice carbon forks going to get trashed by other people bashing your bike in the racks?
100% get mudguards.
Are dyno lights really enough for unlit roads?
Bike lights are really cheap and have excellent battery life these days. I run x2 front + x2 rear LED lights over the last winter, under £100 all in. Battery life on the front lights lasts a whole week of 1hr commuting with ease, rears lasts weeks. All the lights clip on/off in seconds and can be charged via micro USB at the best.
Heated gloves are good too when temperatures drop below zero, battery life on them is far worse but usually not 100% needed.
Are dyno lights really enough for unlit roads?
Bike lights are really cheap and have excellent battery life these days. I run x2 front + x2 rear LED lights over the last winter, under £100 all in. Battery life on the front lights lasts a whole week of 1hr commuting with ease, rears lasts weeks. All the lights clip on/off in seconds and can be charged via micro USB at the best.
Heated gloves are good too when temperatures drop below zero, battery life on them is far worse but usually not 100% needed.
I've had both an aluminium Trek (Domane AL5) and an Allez. The Trek I found to be quite heavy and slow, it took quite a bit of effort to get it up to speed and you could feel the extra weight on hills, however you'll be getting disc brakes with the Domane and only axis rims on the Allez.
The Allez felt much lighter and more nimble and quicker to get it going but the brakes were woeful. I imagine if you are going to be commuting on this year round the disks would probably be the better option.
Edit: The domane I had came with 32MM wide gravel tyres which would be spot on for your light offrroad riding
The Allez felt much lighter and more nimble and quicker to get it going but the brakes were woeful. I imagine if you are going to be commuting on this year round the disks would probably be the better option.
Edit: The domane I had came with 32MM wide gravel tyres which would be spot on for your light offrroad riding
Edited by JayRidesBikes on Saturday 24th July 19:30
JayRidesBikes said:
I've had both an aluminium Trek (Domane AL5) and an Allez. The Trek I found to be quite heavy and slow, it took quite a bit of effort to get it up to speed and you could feel the extra weight on hills, however you'll be getting disc brakes with the Domane and only axis rims on the Allez.
The Allez felt much lighter and more nimble and quicker to get it going but the brakes were woeful. I imagine if you are going to be commuting on this year round the disks would probably be the better option.
Edit: The domane I had came with 32MM wide gravel tyres which would be spot on for your light offrroad riding
Thanks Jay that's really useful that you have versions of both bikes. The Allez felt much lighter and more nimble and quicker to get it going but the brakes were woeful. I imagine if you are going to be commuting on this year round the disks would probably be the better option.
Edit: The domane I had came with 32MM wide gravel tyres which would be spot on for your light offrroad riding
Edited by JayRidesBikes on Saturday 24th July 19:30
I think i will go for the specialized. I am in Edinburgh so going up hills (Arthur's Seat) will be part of it's job and i did worry about the weight of the Trek. I have always used rim brakes so should be able to manage rim's again.
I am experienced at commuting on a bike just trying to sell my old winter bike (already gone) and old commuter and condense those two into one new bike, with a bit of man maths thrown in to please my wife😂.
Just to agree with previous posters. Commuting bike needs proper mudguards, fixed dynamo lights (mine are always on) and a rack. I’d also look at a gates belt drive and hub gears for ultra low maintenance.
I ride my commuter every day in all weather and maintenance is tyres, annual hub oil change and the idd disc brake block.
I ride my commuter every day in all weather and maintenance is tyres, annual hub oil change and the idd disc brake block.
I concur with what others have posted, especially having mudguards and a rack.
Weight isn't really an issue when you're going to be carting your stuff about anyway, and some extra weight on the bike is a lot easier to deal with than a hefty backpack.
Although not huge, I really like my Topeak rack and matching bag, it just slides onto rails and clicks in place, really quick to get on and off.
Weight isn't really an issue when you're going to be carting your stuff about anyway, and some extra weight on the bike is a lot easier to deal with than a hefty backpack.
Although not huge, I really like my Topeak rack and matching bag, it just slides onto rails and clicks in place, really quick to get on and off.
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