Cycling to Work

Kiith

Ok, so i plan on cycling to and from work, starting in a few weeks. I live near James Street in Dublin City Centre, and i work near Grange Castle, Clondalkin and i was looking for some info. The cycle is about 12km (or there abouts)...how long would that take me at a decent speed? (i'm fairly fit...or at least i was)

Also, can someone recommend a good, but not too expensive bike? I was looking around the 400-500 mark. And someone i know said a hybrid would be the best choice for this kind of cycle. And maybe a few shops in town to look for some good ones?

This was a recommendation from a friend, who also cycles...http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14991

rubadub

Just do the cycle at the weekend and time yourself. Then add on 10mins for bad traffic or wind.

12km would take me 45mins, when I started as a fat bloke on a mountain bike it would have been almost 2 hours though!

The bike looks alright but I prefer a hybrid on our crappy roads. Unfortunately CRC do not do many hybrid types. This place does though

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/

Giant FCR and dawes discovery ranges are pretty good/popular, FCR is veering towards a road bike, giant have other good cheaper hybrids too. The more expensive the hybrid the more likely it is like a road bike

seamus

That route is flatish. 45 minutes sounds about right. The trip back home should be a breeze and about 10 minutes quicker.

Just make sure you get yourself some good tyres. The cycle tracks and roads in Clondalkin are littered with broken glass and debris.

Kiith

Ok, so i thought the bike i selected was a hybrid (new to this whole thing), but my brother recommended this one to me...http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24887...or maybe this one...http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/index.html?pageTitle=Dawes_Discovery_501_Bike_2007&pageDesc=The_price_jump_from_the_401_to_the_501_is_quite_striking_but_also_are_the_features_on_this_Excellent&action=detail&maincatID=0&catID=&prodID=11769&brandID=

Its supposed to be alot tougher then the racer, which given the condition of the roads would help. And i will get some good tyres as well, once i chose the model. Also, size wise, should i go for the largest one available (i'm 6ft3")?

Itsfixed

I think that Cube bike would be spot on for your flattish commute. Bikes with road-sized wheels roll better than MTB ones. The schwable tyres are not too thin and are probably puncture proof so you probably wouldn't need to replace them. it should be reasonably light given the aluminum frame. the nexus hub gear is well made and highly reliable so fewer mechanical worries than derailleur bikes. Looks nicer too.

You'll need full mudguards. And seeing that you might buy from the excellent CRC website, make sure you pick the right size.

rubadub

Either one looks good. I have the 501, though 2005 or 2006 model. It is a class bike. The cube has internal hub gears at the back which some reckon are more reliable, or need less mainenance, as mentioned, I also think it makes the bike less attractive to ignorant theives.

I wanted high gearing and the 501 has a 48/11 setup, dunno what the cube has.

winstanleys will slap and extra €30 or so for delivery and it could take a while. But CRC is free and will be couriered down in a few days if in stock, so CRC looks a better deal at the moment, i.e. within your price range and more discount off the RRP and free delivery. With bikes you generally get what you pay for, i.e. there are no real ripoff brands to watch out for. Like you could get a better 30gb mp3 player for the same money as a 30gb ipod.

Frame size depends on your leg length. There are calculators online, a given leg length will usuall take a larger frame road bike, and a shorter mountain bike. So the hybrid is in between.

http://www.google.com/search?complete=1&hl=en&q=bicycle+frame+size+calculator&aq=f

Gavin

That cube looks interesting, I always wanted to try out a bike with hub gears, seems like a great alternative to the traditional derailleur.

Certainly for commuting with the rain and filth in a cycle lane, not having to clean the drive chain so much would be good.

petethedrummer

I do almost the exact same cycle. Stoneybatter to Grangecastle.

It took me 45 mins to get in this morning, sometimes it can take up to 55(depending on the wind). There is nearly always a breeze in your face and it seems to be ever so slightly uphill all the way. On the way home it can be as short as 30 mins. but i'd say usually 35-40.

I'm reasonably fit, but no athlete. If I did it everyday, which i plan to, I reckon I could knock a few minutes off each way.

I have a Giant FCR 3 and I recently bought some proper cycling clothes. They are way better than cotton t-shirts (which take ages to dry even on a radiator) and are easier to wash.

penexpers

rubadub wrote: »

Either one looks good. I have the 501, though 2005 or 2006 model. It is a class bike. The cube has internal hub gears at the back which some reckon are more reliable, or need less mainenance, as mentioned, I also think it makes the bike less attractive to ignorant theives.

The other huge advantage of hub gears if you are a commuter is that the gears can be changed while stationary.

macinalli

Hi Kiith,

I went back to cycling to work about 6 months ago after a long time away, one of the best decisions I ever made. My commute is also about 12 km each way, I got a Giant FCR3 and no problems so far

+1 for what Pete says - cycling clothes are expensive but it really is money well spent

blorg

The clothes do make a big difference. You can get enormous savings online in the sales, I've bought shorts/tights from €20, jerseys from €10, etc. and quality stuff too. www.chainreactioncycles.com and www.wiggle.co.uk are good places to check out for this.

These long sleeve t-shirts for £4.99 are a good example of the savings you can get (I have two of these myself, but was ripped off at the crazy price of £7.19 back in October.) These t-shirts are quite light, cycling jerseys with back pockets would be advisable if you weren't going to have a jacket over them.

The_B_Man

u can probably use these sites to actually get a good route:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/

http://www.dto.ie/web2006/jp.htm