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Cycle2Work Suggestions

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  • May 5, 2016 at 8:05 am #25687
    JLammy

    Hi guys,

    I am currently wanting to sign up for the Cycle2Work scheme with my employer and I would like to have some recommendations on which road bike I should choose to go for, once I get my collection letter. I’ve only had MTBs in the past, so this will be my first ever road bike.

    The cycle to work is around 13 miles within London.

    I will be going for the maximum amount of £1000.

    I believe there is an option to obtain the bike from independent retailers, other than Halfords. However, I’ve been told that there are some benefits to getting the bike through Halfords:

    The following benefits will also be available to you (restricted to purchasing bikes from Halfords rather than independent retailers)
     

    •    7.5% free accessories (based on the value of the Letter of Collection) if you select any of the 32 bike brands stocked and sourced through Halfords stores. The accessories voucher forms a part of the Letter of Collection and needs to be redeemed at the same time as the Letter of Collection.

    •    20% loyalty card sent a month after the election window which give you 20% off cycle safety accessories for the length of the hire term.

    •    Free 6 week Service on all bikes supplied through the scheme.

    •    Free 1 year bike care providing over £100 worth of annual service and repair benefits:

    Comprehensive 25 point annual service (normally £29.99) including wheels and tyres; brakes; gears; drive chain and frame
    Free professional maintenance and repairs throughout the year by fully trained cycle mechanics – paying only for the parts used
    Free labour charges for parts and accessory fitting

    ————–

    More than happy to go for a bike through an independent retailer if the bike is better value for money – I’ll be more than happy to just spend the ~£75 on accessories from my own wallet.

    Any help or advice is much appreciated! J

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  • May 7, 2016 at 4:31 pm #871163
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    Simon E

    Disagree about “needing”

    Disagree about “needing” discs for rim life… maybe if your commute crosses the South Downs but not in London (though I’m told it does rain there occasionally so some Raceblades or Crud roadracer guards might be worthwhile).

    There is a bewildering range of brands and models under £1,000 to choose from. Best bet is to visit some shops, my preferences won’t really help you (probably a Giant or Cannondale, in case you’re wondering). They are all very good, it’s really down to personal preference. The wider tyres and clearances of CX and ‘gravel’ bikes are worth considering, I agree with alotronic about them being as fast as a road bike, and those model names are worth investigating.

    Road.cc buyer’s guides:

    £500 – £750 – http://road.cc/182603

    under £1000 – http://road.cc/178113

    gravel – http://road.cc/174720

    Unless you’re fortunate enough to have secure storage then a good lock (or two) is absolutely essential. A D-lock such as Kryptonite Series 2 for rear wheel & frame then something like an Abus steel-o-flex to secure the frame and the front wheel to something, otherwise it won’t last long.

    When you say “road bike”, do you mean drop handlebars? There are lots of lightweight flat-bar hybrids with good specs too. Some people prefer these due to hand position, braking or whatever, and they’re not just good for shorter journeys.

    May 7, 2016 at 2:36 pm #871161
    0
    Ratfink

    I don’t think Evans will

    I don’t think Evans will accept Halfords vouchers.

    I know wiggle and tredz do though.

    May 7, 2016 at 8:06 am #871159
    0
    alotronic

    You’d probably be really most

    You’d probably be really most ‘in tune’ with a CX/gravel bike – coming from MTB ‘normal’ road bike brakes are going to scare you! Specially in London. You get room for guards if you want them and racks if you want a long weekend. 

    Personally would go for Evans over Halfords, but really you have to go on the bike first. Halfords have got Boardman crossers which always rate well.  Evans have a few sligtly more ‘interesting’ brands like Jamis, and I would take a really good look at the Pinaccle range – not one for the brand-conscious but really good value and they do a couple of bikes in this kind of area that would suit you well. Genesis are all good, well-thought out bikes with good choices from the very touring (Tour de Fer) to the Croix de Fer and the CDa any of which would be a good buy for the money and offer various levels of raciness, though Pinnacle will trump them for showroom floor value. 

    Hub gears would be nice (I think Evens do Genesis and some of them have alfine hubs) but you’ll pay a little more for them. If you are allergic to any maintenance a good idea – or buy a single-speed, even better – but if you’re used to cleaning MTBs then a 11sp setup shouldn;t present you with any problems, though 10 is less fussy and 9/8 even less fussy again! For that money you should start to see 105 drivetrains which will serve you well.

    Coming from a MTB you probably won’t notice the draggy tyres these bikes will all have on them – switching to 28c road tyres like Duranos will make them very nearly as fast as a ‘proper’ road bike.

    A

    May 7, 2016 at 7:17 am #871157
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    gazza_d

    Year round commuting? – Look

    Year round commuting? – Look for hub gears, mudguards, rack and lights if possible in the deal.

    Hub gears and guards will make the bike much more resisistant  to the harshness of wet commuting and make it easier on you the rider. Lights powered by a hub dynamo are another godsend for year-round commuting. They just work, and never need batteries or remembering to charge. Being bolted to the bike means they are effectively unnickable as well.

    I’d happily recommend Halfords.

    Halfords are able to order in a lot of makes. I ride a Moulton and was able to order my TSR2 though them. I had to use Halfords as my empoyer’s cycle2work was through them. 

    Sadly a TSR2 out of the box comes with nothing I mentioned above and you’ll need to budget another couple of hundred quid or so.Bloody great commuting/urban bike though and something  different to stand out from the crowd. My commute is about 16.5 miles each way

    The 20% card is quite useful as well. I’ve bought a fair bit from Halfords. the website has lots on there for click/collect and is competitive as well.

    The staff at my local Halfords have been friendly and great and they do know how to service bikes well (at least the bread and butter stuff), but obviously stores and staff vary. 

    I had a serious warranty  issue with mine about 6-7 weeks after purchase and I had absolutely no issues. I just wheeled the broken bike in and they took care of everything with no quibbles whatsoever. Exactly as it should be.

    May 6, 2016 at 9:19 am #871155
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    arfa

    Evans are pretty good if an
    Evans are pretty good if an option for you as they usually throw in a free service ?
    Have you got somewhere secure to store the bike at both ends ? If not, my curve ball suggestion would be to consider a Brompton s type in 3 or 6 gear version. They are very durable, quick and fold and store easily. They also hold their value well.
    If you are after a road bike for commuting, you absolutely do want discs as they will extend wheel life and perform in all conditions.
    I commute on a cannondale synapse with 25mm tyres year round and can’t fault it.
    Try before you buy is good advice and good luck

    May 5, 2016 at 12:14 pm #871153
    0
    Daveyraveygravey

    If you’re used to MTBs. you

    If you’re used to MTBs. you may want to try a few road bikes out before you splash out.  Evans Cycles are the only shop/retailer I could find (when I was buying a year ago) that let you demo bikes.   Smaller bike shops do have demo bikes and will let you have them for a good period of time, but they tend to be higher end (my lbs demo fleet starts at £2.5k.  I took it out anyway, and was so impressed thought long and hard about finding the extra £1500…) Evans will let you try anything in the shop, or you can order it in from the warehouse a few days later.  You’ll have to book, leave a credit card deposit and your contact details, but you’ll get a much better idea of how the bike feels on proper roads, and whether it is stable or twitchy etc etc.

    I would think the best advice is a cx/gravel bike, or one that can take wider tyres and mudguards than a more pure “racer”.  Wider tyres give more cushioning over broken tarmac, and mudguards make a big difference when it is raining or the roads are still wet.  These bikes are versatile and can do soft roading like canal tow paths with no changes, or with more grippy tyres can go almost anywhere an mtb can.

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