How durable is a road bike?
Discussion
My 10 mile commute into work includes about 6 miles of canal toe path with another mile or so of rough cycle paths finishing with a cobbled street.
Currently I am riding a hard tail MTB fitted with slick tyres, its OK but I would like to keep the MTB as my bit of fun for the weekend.
For about £400 there is a large choice of 2nd hand road bikes available. (Boardman/Allez/a new Btwin). I’m just not sure if the bike or my bones would be up to the job?
Currently I am riding a hard tail MTB fitted with slick tyres, its OK but I would like to keep the MTB as my bit of fun for the weekend.
For about £400 there is a large choice of 2nd hand road bikes available. (Boardman/Allez/a new Btwin). I’m just not sure if the bike or my bones would be up to the job?
Id stick with slicked out MTB or buy an rigid 90/00s MTB and fit the slicks on that, they make good commuters
CX bike is good shout if you can get a decent one SH for the price.
Road bike will do it, but will be skitish on rubbish surfaces (esp in wet and mud) and wheels will let go after a few weeks (unless they are high quality , then you wouldn't want to risk em anyway!)
CX bike is good shout if you can get a decent one SH for the price.
Road bike will do it, but will be skitish on rubbish surfaces (esp in wet and mud) and wheels will let go after a few weeks (unless they are high quality , then you wouldn't want to risk em anyway!)
Road bikes are far more durable than most people assume. I've battered both carbon and alu bikes around tow paths and similar loose surface roads and paths without a second thought.
Once you watch races like Paris-Roubaix you start to think that maybe we are a little too protective over road bikes and their capabilities. Those guys generate huge power over the cobbles and cross them at something like 30 kmh so the bikes are tough. Yes they have cars behind if there are issues but I didnt see too many need to change a bike in this years race other than crash damage. There is nothing more fun than the look you get flying past mtbers on "their" terrain...
sure there is a common sense element, you need to be light on the pedals and avoid big rocks and drops and having a regular spoke pattern does help but in general, they are far stronger than you think they are.
Carbon frames do absorb poor road surfaces better than alu but even upgrading an alu bike with carbon bars and seat post shouldnt cost the earth and would make a fair difference if you ride that sort of terrain regularly. Just keep an eye on bolts that may come loose and use loctite as appropriate.
Once you watch races like Paris-Roubaix you start to think that maybe we are a little too protective over road bikes and their capabilities. Those guys generate huge power over the cobbles and cross them at something like 30 kmh so the bikes are tough. Yes they have cars behind if there are issues but I didnt see too many need to change a bike in this years race other than crash damage. There is nothing more fun than the look you get flying past mtbers on "their" terrain...
sure there is a common sense element, you need to be light on the pedals and avoid big rocks and drops and having a regular spoke pattern does help but in general, they are far stronger than you think they are.
Carbon frames do absorb poor road surfaces better than alu but even upgrading an alu bike with carbon bars and seat post shouldnt cost the earth and would make a fair difference if you ride that sort of terrain regularly. Just keep an eye on bolts that may come loose and use loctite as appropriate.
irob said:
A cross bike as in hybrid type thing or cyclo-cross?
Yes, a cyclocross bike. The tri-cross would work well for you imhohttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-Tricross-Spo...
pablo said:
Road bikes are far more durable than most people assume. I've battered both carbon and alu bikes around tow paths and similar loose surface roads and paths without a second thought.
Once you watch races like Paris-Roubaix you start to think that maybe we are a little too protective over road bikes and their capabilities. Those guys generate huge power over the cobbles and cross them at something like 30 kmh so the bikes are tough. Yes they have cars behind if there are issues but I didnt see too many need to change a bike in this years race other than crash damage. There is nothing more fun than the look you get flying past mtbers on "their" terrain...
sure there is a common sense element, you need to be light on the pedals and avoid big rocks and drops and having a regular spoke pattern does help but in general, they are far stronger than you think they are.
Carbon frames do absorb poor road surfaces better than alu but even upgrading an alu bike with carbon bars and seat post shouldnt cost the earth and would make a fair difference if you ride that sort of terrain regularly. Just keep an eye on bolts that may come loose and use loctite as appropriate.
I agree on high end bikes, esp high end wheels, but on lower end bikes that retail second hand -£400 I have found that they can get wrecked pretty quickly , especially the the wheels which are the weakest and most venerable part.Once you watch races like Paris-Roubaix you start to think that maybe we are a little too protective over road bikes and their capabilities. Those guys generate huge power over the cobbles and cross them at something like 30 kmh so the bikes are tough. Yes they have cars behind if there are issues but I didnt see too many need to change a bike in this years race other than crash damage. There is nothing more fun than the look you get flying past mtbers on "their" terrain...
sure there is a common sense element, you need to be light on the pedals and avoid big rocks and drops and having a regular spoke pattern does help but in general, they are far stronger than you think they are.
Carbon frames do absorb poor road surfaces better than alu but even upgrading an alu bike with carbon bars and seat post shouldnt cost the earth and would make a fair difference if you ride that sort of terrain regularly. Just keep an eye on bolts that may come loose and use loctite as appropriate.
surprisingly durable:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0
followed by :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee54EP-nho4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0
followed by :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee54EP-nho4
Edited by BMWBen on Thursday 13th June 11:58
My erstwhile commuter was an old GT ZR3 road bike (alu frame, carbon forks) with the original wheels and 28c Conti Gatorskin tyres.
Although I only had about 1/4 of a mile of (very badly potholed) track to contend with rather than your 6 miles, between me, laptop, panniers, spare clothes etc, etc (but mostly me!) the bike was frequently carrying 140kg or so and did so with only 3 punctures (not necessarily caused by the track part) and no broken spokes over several thousand miles.
Probably the biggest reason not to take the road bike approach is actually brakes. If it's raining, the last thing you want to do is be commuting on a muddy path with standard road bike brakes. At best you'll be going through blocks (and eventually rims) at a silly rate of knots due to the sandpaper effect of getting mud in them, and at worst you'll find yourself with no braking just when you need it!
This last was my reason for getting a Boardman CX bike (with discs) to replace the old one. It's still brand new, so I've only done a couple of hundred miles on it, but the improved wet/muddy conditions braking on it have made me feel far, far more comfortable about wet weather commuting into London.
Although I only had about 1/4 of a mile of (very badly potholed) track to contend with rather than your 6 miles, between me, laptop, panniers, spare clothes etc, etc (but mostly me!) the bike was frequently carrying 140kg or so and did so with only 3 punctures (not necessarily caused by the track part) and no broken spokes over several thousand miles.
Probably the biggest reason not to take the road bike approach is actually brakes. If it's raining, the last thing you want to do is be commuting on a muddy path with standard road bike brakes. At best you'll be going through blocks (and eventually rims) at a silly rate of knots due to the sandpaper effect of getting mud in them, and at worst you'll find yourself with no braking just when you need it!
This last was my reason for getting a Boardman CX bike (with discs) to replace the old one. It's still brand new, so I've only done a couple of hundred miles on it, but the improved wet/muddy conditions braking on it have made me feel far, far more comfortable about wet weather commuting into London.
Tougher than most people think...
I know it was for an advert but see this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee54EP-nho4
One bike, One set of wheels and only one puncture!!!
(The original advert- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0)
Assuming you ride with abit of care and use decent 25mm tyres abit of non-road road biking isn't an issue IMO
(You should have seen the start/finish lane for the New Forest Sportive a couple of weeks ago, was a gravel track strewn with huge, sharp and loose 50mm rocks... but a couple of thousand rode over it)
I know it was for an advert but see this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee54EP-nho4
One bike, One set of wheels and only one puncture!!!
(The original advert- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0)
Assuming you ride with abit of care and use decent 25mm tyres abit of non-road road biking isn't an issue IMO
(You should have seen the start/finish lane for the New Forest Sportive a couple of weeks ago, was a gravel track strewn with huge, sharp and loose 50mm rocks... but a couple of thousand rode over it)
TwistingMyMelon said:
I agree on high end bikes, esp high end wheels, but on lower end bikes that retail second hand -£400 I have found that they can get wrecked pretty quickly , especially the the wheels which are the weakest and most venerable part.
I'd say its the other way round, the intended customer of the cheaper bikes would expect a level of perfromance relative to the price of the bike so although they use a lower quality of steel or aluminium, they can be surprisingly durable. Wheels on these bikes tend to be 32 spoke too and will take a fair amount of abuse regardless of the quality of the material. If anything goes first it will be the bearings.Cross bike is the best option for this. New Revolution Cross from EBC http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolutio...
Or a used TriCross, Jake or other 'cross' type bike. I've just bought a barely used Boardman CX from ebay and it's great - (generally £600+ though).
Or a used TriCross, Jake or other 'cross' type bike. I've just bought a barely used Boardman CX from ebay and it's great - (generally £600+ though).
Mr Will said:
Better brake pads (Swisstop Greens) solve 90% of road bike braking issues. Cannot recommend them highly enough.
I found they gave better braking as long as the rims were clean, but the rims don't stay clean for long on London roads in the rain, so even with the Swisstop blocks I had little or no confidence in them. Discs, on the other hand, have no such issue.If I wasn't terminally lazy, I'm sure I could improve matters by cleaning my rims after every ride, but I haven't got the patience for that.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff