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I needs me a push bike

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Chalky.
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PostPosted: 11:54 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: I needs me a push bike Reply with quote

Want to get a pushbike to cycle to work, 3.5 miles each way.

At the moment I have a very old steel framed bicycle, it's shit and heavy and the gears are about fucked.

I want to travel as quickly as possible on my new steed - what shall I get? Should I get a bike with the curved handlebars? Or flat handlebars? The roads are country lanes, one car width at some points. All tarmac.

Any old second hand racer style bike?

Those of you who cycle to work, do you have workwear waiting for you ready to put on?
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Monkeypony
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PostPosted: 12:30 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Re: I needs me a push bike Reply with quote

Chalky. wrote:
Want to get a pushbike to cycle to work, 3.5 miles each way.

At the moment I have a very old steel framed bicycle, it's shit and heavy and the gears are about fucked.

I want to travel as quickly as possible on my new steed - what shall I get? Should I get a bike with the curved handlebars? Or flat handlebars? The roads are country lanes, one car width at some points. All tarmac.

Any old second hand racer style bike?

Those of you who cycle to work, do you have workwear waiting for you ready to put on?


For a 3.5 mile ride, any old piece of shit will do, in fact, the heavier and more awful the bike, the better the exercise.

However, if you're planning on doing longer rides, or actually enjoying the experience of cycling, I'd be looking at avoiding anything with any suspension, and making sure whatever I picked had skinny tyres rather than bulky off road ones with a high rolling resistance.

As for flat or drop bars, it's entirely up to what you're comfortable with. I'd always recommend drops as it gives you more options for your body position if you're going to be spending a while in the saddle.


I'm lucky and have changing rooms and showers at work where I can leave my work wear, It's a lot less hassle than dragging it back and forth every day.
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Baffler186
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PostPosted: 13:00 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends what the gradients are like, but I always found a good (2nd hand) road bike was much easier up the hills and on the flat. I could never get on with the drop bars so changed them to flats. Those skinny wheels are very hardy, I never hand any problems and only got 1 puncture in about 500 miles of riding.

other option, Hybrid, but will be heavier. Buy cheap road bike and see if you like it, then if you get into it more, buy better one
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Tungtvann
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PostPosted: 14:02 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd recommend a hybrid, I used to ride all over London on mine and still use it day to day around my base. A 3.5 mile ride on one is easy enough, probably wouldn't take you longer than 15 minutes as long as the route was fairly flat.

I have an old Trek 7.3fx, it's a good bike, light enough too. Depends what you wear to work and the weather you'd be riding in, but a 15 minute cycle needn't break much of a sweat if you don't want to, so you might not even need to change clothes. Riding as quick as you can, in hot weather or in the rain, then yes, you may want a change of clothes!
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Chalky.
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PostPosted: 14:07 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cheers all.

Are these any good?

https://rouxbikes.co.uk/shop/carbon-drive-g8/
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Monkeypony
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PostPosted: 14:09 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chalky. wrote:
Cheers all.

Are these any good?

https://rouxbikes.co.uk/shop/carbon-drive-g8/


In short. Yes. Great bikes with virtually no maintenance.
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Baffler186
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PostPosted: 14:18 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chalky. wrote:
Are these any good?
For a commute that looks really nice. No oily chain, no derailleur, looks light weight Thumbs Up
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 14:25 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

What is your old bike?

For 3.5 miles, you could probably go single speed unless there are some serious hills, ditching a whole load of weight and complexity in the process.

I ride an old 70's puch road bike with a bog basic "gas pipe" steel frame I got at the car boot sale for £35. Single speed conversion, alloy rims, alloy seatpost and more modern tyres made it a hell of a lot lighter. North road bars and a long-nose saddle took care of the comfort. I'd happily do a 3.5 mile commute on it
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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Monkeypony
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PostPosted: 14:25 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having said that, If I was spending that sort of money and was after flat bars, I'd probably go for something like this:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXSLPFBTIA/planet-x-pro-carbon-shimano-tiagra-flat-bar

There really is a fuck-ton of choice for your budget, but if you're only ever going to go a max distance of 3.5 miles, is it really worth the money?
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Tungtvann
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PostPosted: 14:31 - 11 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't spend that money unless you were planning on riding in your spare time as well and frequently doing rides of 20 miles or more. I still spent about £460 on mine (10 years ago) and it'd be more than enough for a short commute.

Unless you just want a fancy bike, in which case, cool!
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Chalky.
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PostPosted: 09:09 - 12 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is the old babe

https://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/fv53wkr/Fireblade/D99798C4-14F0-4C19-A6FE-AB4064C4161D_zpsawasdxp2.jpg

A Tensor Yeti or something.
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Seb
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PostPosted: 09:28 - 12 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

And on the flipside, I got a fancy £1700ish road bike to inspire me to ride more which it did in a big way. Imo that money was spent on my health, not just a shiny bike Thumbs Up

Back on topic:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXXLSFB/planet-x-xls-shimano-tiagra-flat-bar-road-bike

Another PlanetX recommendation, very much the same vein as the Pro road flatbar linked above but a little more commute friendly with all weather brakes and more clearance for mudguards etc.

As for the Roux, it'll be a hassle free bike but that does nothing for me, it's going to be as heavy, soggy and uninspiring as the bike it's replacing. A waste of £750 given the circumstances if you ask me.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 16:24 - 12 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chalky. wrote:


Dat some hell of a bike.

Ok. You COULD single speed it (the frame would work, has semi-horizontal dropouts) but it's on small wheels which limits options. Also them forks!

Yeah, you're right, I'd probably look for something else.

I personally like (but don't have because I prefer pissing around and tinkering) genesis bikes which use steel frames and are sensible, robust bikes.

They do one called a "smithfield" which is a tough, hub geared, town bike. Bit on the dear side.

I particularly like their "flyer" which is a single speed road bike. Will take mudguards and comes with a set of classic shallow drop bars with hoods for lots of hand positions. Could easily be replaced with flats and straight brake levers.

For a 3.5 mile each way run, you could ride almost anything. If I were in your place, I'd get down to my local cycle recycling cooperative and see what frames they have in that are a bit unusual, look good and fit well. Then I'd make myself either a single speed or a hub-gear road commuter bike. Next road bike I make for myself will probably have a hub gear and coaster brake.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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G
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PostPosted: 17:10 - 12 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smooth road biased tyres will probably be the biggest difference.
Personally, having occasionally ridden a bike stuck in one gear, I think single speed is silly.
If you want to do it with the least effort while riding, you definitely need gears. As the price goes up, the incremental ease reduces - not a massive difference going to a bike 250g lighter, even though that might cost you £200 extra.
Or, of course you'll get fancy stuff like 8 speed hub gears - which I do like the idea of, but there's also a good reason normal chain gears have been around for so long.
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Chalky.
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PostPosted: 13:33 - 08 Jun 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tungtvann wrote:


Unless you just want a fancy bike, in which case, cool!


Pretty much came down to that, so got the G8 thing.

https://rouxbikes.co.uk/shop/carbon-drive-g8/

RIP pal, just read about it.
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