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Where to start with road bikes?

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  • April 12, 2013 at 7:13 am #18464
    Jason16941

    to work and cycle back.
    It’s a 17 mile ride which I am currently doing on a cheap Raleigh mountain bike, it does have the advantage of a suspension giving a little comfort on the poor roads but it feels quite heavy and sluggish when I get up any speed or have to stop and start at traffic lights.
    Does anyone have any recommendations for a good entry level road bike or can tell me the advantages of a road bike over a mountain bike and what I should be looking at when buying one?

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  • April 12, 2013 at 5:04 pm #727427
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    Colin Peyresourde

    Right – the problem you are
    Right – the problem you are experiencing with your old mountain bike is something called ‘Rolling Resistance’. The bigger, and wider the tyre, the more resistance you have to the road. This is why road bikes have skinny tyres. The reason for big fat tyres on mountain bikes, is that it gives it extra traction in wet and muddy conditions….something you just don’t need on the road.

    Whether you go for a commuter bike, cyclocross or road bike will purely depend on the level of comfort, vs. the level of speed that you want. That said a nice carbon road bike will give you great comfort and speed.

    I don’t think you need panniers, a good courier bag which doesn’t sit on your back like a wad of roof insulation, can take care of what you need when you get to the other end.

    It basically comes down to how much do you want to spend after that. You can get a perfectly good road bike or whatever for less than £1k for a commute. I’m guessing that you’ll need to leave it locked up somewhere, so you are probably better just getting a second hand bike which you’ll be happy donating to someone’s skag fund at some undisclosed and inconvenient point in the future…..and actually having an older, less sparkly bike will probably deter thieves on the basis that it won’t get them a full baggy of drugs.

    April 12, 2013 at 2:23 pm #727425
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    TheHatter

    badkneestom wrote:Don’t get a

    badkneestom wrote:
    Don’t get a cyclocross bike!

    I’d agree with “don’t get a *pure* cyclocross bike” but some of the more general use ones (genesis CDF) are perfect commuters: rugged, fast, rack/guard eyes, good brakes etc

    I use a condor cross bike with slick 25’s and it keeps up fine on a club run during the 10 months of winter and is a great commuter.

    April 12, 2013 at 1:10 pm #727423
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    roly

    haha badkneestorm. but on the
    haha badkneestorm. but on the longer commutes fitness is the last thing i need.i want more of that rollability lol. not got a skinsuit yet, but if these easterly winds continue i might have to (my return journey heads east)

    April 12, 2013 at 11:45 am #727421
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    badkneestom

    Roly, baggy clothes help with
    Roly, baggy clothes help with fitness too! You just might not get to your destination as you balloon away =P

    All these points are great ones, I’d like to elaborate though. Many bikes that look like road bikes that accept 28and higher tires may in fact be cyclocross bikes! Be wary, as these will have a much smaller gear range, which means less top speed and almost no hill grinding gears (real hills). Don’t get a cyclocross bike!

    Cannondale Synapse, Trek Domane, ask your local bike shop!

    April 12, 2013 at 9:54 am #727419
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    roly

    my commute is 21 miles.
    i got
    my commute is 21 miles.
    i got the entry level decathlon bike.
    i’ve upgraded now after two years of it, but only because it got stolen.
    Weight is not the issue. rollability is (a new word?)
    once you are settled in think about getting some new wheels with really nice hubs.
    i still ride on 23s with pressure of about 110 and the thought of comfort doesn’t cross my mind when i’m riding.
    the main benefit is a more aerodynamic position.
    this becomes important with headwinds before anyone starts muttering about needing to be over 15 mph before its relevant.
    it also allows you to get faster once your fitness builds.
    and you’ll also have a bike you can use when you inevitably decide to ride sportives.
    on those long rides the length of time it takes is the most important bit to me.
    i would recommend saving the cycle to work scheme for your second bike once you know about me through experience.
    just my thoughts, but it worked for me.

    April 12, 2013 at 9:37 am #727417
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    mattyb95

    Have to disagree with the
    Have to disagree with the first post. If you own a mountain bike, a tourer is too similar in my mind and you can just add slick or semi-slick tyres to an MTB to achieve a similar aim. If you plan to keep the MTB, look at a proper road bike as an alternative. These days they wont all be race orientated so whilst the position may be a bit more head down, if fitted right it shouldn’t be uncomfortable and as others have said, should take slightly wider tyres for a bit more comfort.

    Does your employer offer a ride to work scheme at all as that may be somewhere to start? If not, any idea of budget? Also is that a 17 mile round trip or 17 miles each way? If the former then a rucksack should be fine, that’s what I do, but if 17 miles each way, then rack mounts may be preferable.

    April 12, 2013 at 8:28 am #727415
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    Cycle_Jim

    Price range?
    A road bike is
    Price range?
    A road bike is going to allow a lot more of your effort to be put into moving the bike rather than being absorbed by the shocks/suspension. If you chose the right road bike you could fit some larger tires, say 25 or 28’s at a lower pressure which would provide some more comfort. Talking to your a local bike shop would be your best bet here they will know what you can/can’t do as far as tire sizes and also if your commuting I’d assume you’d want mud guard clearance, again something your LBS will help with.

    It all depends on price range for what you’ll get for your money.

    April 12, 2013 at 8:24 am #727413
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    TheHatter

    the difference will be
    the difference will be massive – like comparing an old land rover to a ferrari! you will also become far more attractive to women and winning the lottery becomes inevitable.

    Get a bike that will take wider (28mm) tyres and fit mudguards. The rest depends on budget – below £3 to 400 and I’d suggest looking 2nd hand.

    April 12, 2013 at 8:23 am #727411
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    Cranky Acid

    I could write all day but
    I could write all day but simply put I would recommend a touring bike. If you are not experienced then buy from a shop that will sell you one of the correct size. This is crucial.

    A race bike will be fast but uncomfortable and impractical. A touring bike will have more forgiving geometry for the bumps, clearance for bigger tyres (also good for the potholes), mudguards and also become the basis of a great utility bike for shopping if you wish. You could even try a bit of touring…

    A mountain bike can be easily converted to commuting but I’d say the suspension is a false comfort. The extra weight more than negates the benefits on roads. I sometimes use an old mountain bike with no suspension and road tyres but it’s still not anything close to as enjoyable a ride as a 1/2 decent touring bike.

    Make sure you get good long mudguards. A pannier rack is also great as 17 miles with a rucksack is no fun. You can carry a change of clothes as well so you don’t have to worry about the weather or get restricted by wearing everyday clothing if you don’t want to.

    I cannot point you at a specific bike as I tend towards old steel bikes I build up and maintain myself. 2nd hand Dawes Galaxy is a reasonable start although you pay an undeserved premium for the brand name.

    Sorry if this is too basic info.

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