Bike Advice?

jimmycrackcorm

I'm going to buy a bike tomorrow for commuting and need some opniinos.

Story is I got a lend of a Lapierre rcr100 to try out for a 15km commute and found that it beats the hell out of driving and the bus.

Now I don't like the Lapierre as I find it it too hard on the road - sore wrists and arse. So I'm wondering about these:

* Would I be better getting a front suspension bike - I'm thinking in my price range of a Giant CRS 4.0FS. I find the road a bit rough in places and jarring if you know what I mean?

Is there a huge differential between the rigid and suspension as I'm more keen on the comfort of the commute. I'm happy with the time taken so far to get to work that I think with regularity will get faster and balance out any potential slow down for a slightly heavier bike?

I got a chance spin on a trek mountain bike today and I found it much more comfortable - is this a good option considering my commute is basically fairly flat? I was recommended fo this by someone who cycles all the time and was put off by hybrids and slick tyres in the wintertime. I had discounted mountain bikes from reading online but the bike I was on definitely felt more comfortable for the very short period I was on.

I don't mind shelling for a bike later on but not as a first bike so I'd like to stick to round the €400 mark initially (bike only).
So the burning question for me is am I looking for a road bike with big tyres and front suspension and what is that bike?

All in all I can't wait until september to see the traffic level on the canal I'll be passing .

DeepBlue

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

.......was put off by hybrids and slick tyres in the wintertime.

Just curious - what put you off the hybrids?
I would have thought that a hybrid would be the most suitable for what seems to be your requirements i.e. a comfortable commuter.

jimmycrackcorm

I wasn't put off, but my friend who does nothing but cycle and I'd trust their many years experience. Basically said that after a few mishaps on the hybrid clicks that the the extra bit of speed was not worth the safety of the MB tyres in the winter.

delllat

i bought a heavy mountain bike recently and the weight should be considered carefully
My bike is surefooted and comfortable but i half wish id bought a hybrid with bigger 28" wheels and slick road tyres when i see people flying past me going faster with less effort
when i have to stop at traffic lights etc or even worse going uphills its damn near impossible to keep up with the bicycle couriors or people on bikes more suited to road use
my bike was 22kilos including the cardboard box it came in and the acceleration is noticably slow,also the bigger mountain bike tyres create more rolling resistance which in turn makes it harder to pedal and suspension bouncing up and down steals some of your momentum and sapps your energy so id consider carefully if you really want to get a suspension bike for road use
at the moment im thinking of selling my bike to get something faster and a bit more suited for my intended purpose but i havent decided 100% yet
let us know what u decide anyway

jimmycrackcorm

I'm nothinking of something like that - 22Kg is a very heavy bike. I'm more thinking that a light alu frame with MB style tyres and suspension fork might be more comfortable than thin slicks on a rigid frame.

delllat

it would be more comfortable for sure,its a question of speed vs comfort,ive always avoided road bikes in favor of rugged mountain style bikes myself but im just tempted to try a faster bike

if u inflate the mtb tyres to their maximum psi u can still go fast enough on them and the suspension is a nice touch,i find myself sometimes bouncing up or down high kerbs just for the sake of it and cycling down flights of stairs as well just for entertainment and i wouldnt fancy doing those things on thin hybrid wheels and a rigid bike

Brian?

I never understand people who don't think road bikes are comfortable. Any bike is uncomfortable once you're not used to it.

After cycling a road bike for a while it'll be fine, there are very few pro cyclists who retire or suffer in later life with back issues you know.

blorg

"Slicks" are in no way more dangerous on the road- in fact mountain bike "knobblies" have _less_ grip. Roughly, the more rubber that is in contact with the road, the more grip. Tread decreases the amount of rubber in contact with the road. Bikes can't hydroplane as the contact patch is just not big enough (unless you are cycling over 150km/h!) Read more here, from the master.

Tyre width however does have a major influence on comfort. So don't swear off the hybrid, just look for one with wider tyres- for your use I would suggest 700x35-45C. There is no point getting a mountain bike for city use, it's like driving an SUV around the suburbs.

blorg

Just re-read your post an see you mention the Giant CRS 4.0- this is a hybrid with thicker tyres and would suit you fine (you should even be able to go wider than the stock tyres on that one for even more comfort, although 700x35 should be OK.)

I would avoid a suspension fork personally- this is very useful off-road as it improves traction and speed by keeping the front wheel in contact with the ground as you go over bumps but utterly unnecessary on-road where it will just sap your pedalling energy. Cheap suspension forks tend not to be great either. For increased comfort, look at the tyres instead.

Vélo

Suspension bikes are pointless for what you want. They're only for going off-road.

I bought one last year and ended up selling it and bought a racer a couple of months ago.

I have no problem with comfort, you hve to make sure the bike is the right size for you and everything is set up to fit properly.

I did my 1st commute the other day which is a 40km round trip, there's no way I would have done it on a suspension bike.

Brian?

blorg wrote: »

"Slicks" are in no way more dangerous on the road- in fact mountain bike "knobblies" have _less_ grip. Roughly, the more rubber that is in contact with the road, the more grip. Tread decreases the amount of rubber in contact with the road. Bikes can't hydroplane as the contact patch is just not big enough (unless you are cycling over 150km/h!) Read more here, from the master.

That beard again!

SetOverSet

OP, I use a Specialized Sirrus with 700X28c tyres for commuting from ballycullen/stocking lane to city, ~25k daily. You be surprised how comfortable and grippy hybrid is...

Brian?

What advantages does a Hybrid actually have over a road bike though?

Thats one I never figured out.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

briankeating wrote: »

What advantages does a Hybrid actually have over a road bike though?

Thats one I never figured out.

They're stronger, should give an easier ride on potholed and bumpy roads and allow a more relaxed ride position.

Civilian_Target

Now I don't like the Lapierre as I find it it too hard on the road - sore wrists and arse. So I'm wondering about these:

* Would I be better getting a front suspension bike - I'm thinking in my price range of a Giant CRS 4.0FS. I find the road a bit rough in places and jarring if you know what I mean?

This won't really help. Like others have said, it's probably the combination of bad seating and narrow, high-pressure tires that are bumping you about. Get a more relaxed saddle and some wider (slick) tyres and you'll be much more comfy, doubly so on a hybrid with a more relaxed sitting position to start with.

Is there a huge differential between the rigid and suspension as I'm more keen on the comfort of the commute. I'm happy with the time taken so far to get to work that I think with regularity will get faster and balance out any potential slow down for a slightly heavier bike?

Yes, suspension is more comfy... but you have to put a lot of money in to make it worthwhile (putting you outside your €400 budget) and anyway, it's not so useful on the roads.

I got a chance spin on a trek mountain bike today and I found it much more comfortable - is this a good option considering my commute is basically fairly flat? I was recommended fo this by someone who cycles all the time and was put off by hybrids and slick tyres in the wintertime. I had discounted mountain bikes from reading online but the bike I was on definitely felt more comfortable for the very short period I was on.

I think it sounds like you're actually looking for a hybrid. you find something like this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/claud-butler/classic-2008-hybrid-bike-ec000261 to be quite solid and comfy, although you might be looking for something that looks a little less old-fashioned

Harrybelafonte

I use both a mountain bike with road tyres and an old racer with slicks to commute. Though the mountain bike is heavier and has suspension I definitely feel more comfortable and safer on it while commuting. The road bike is great for weekend cycle, like a different world, but I can feel it slip sometimes when cornering at speed etc, though that maybe a shortcoming on my own part

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I use both a mountain bike with road tyres and an old racer with slicks to commute. Though the mountain bike is heavier and has suspension I definitely feel more comfortable and safer on it while commuting. The road bike is great for weekend cycle, like a different world, but I can feel it slip sometimes when cornering at speed etc, though that maybe a shortcoming on my own part

Would that be going over manholes? Or in the wet?

Both can be lethal and combined while cornering = almost certain spill.

jimmycrackcorm

I had a look in a couple of shops yesterday and i'm still confused. I did really like a carrera bike in halfords. It was a road bike with thin tyres but felt comfortable. It also had disc brakes - do they make any difference?

kenmc

the RCR range are road bikes with flat bars as are the Giant FCR range and the Specialized Sirrus, all of which I would consider ahead of the Halfords stuff, especially given the lack of support/after sales you will receive from halfords.
Flat bar'd racers are probably about the best for commuting to be honest - they have the speed of a racer with thin wheels, but the more upright ride of a mountainbike, which is handy for being visible in traffic and is a bit nicer for short spins. That said I'm commuting on a racer with drop handlebars. They can all handle the roads fine, especially if you put 28 or 32 mm tyres on them. Suspension at the sort of price range you are talking is going to be heavy and poor.
Don't know too much about disk brakes personally, but would suspect that, like the entry level suspension, it would be poor and heavy, but I'm open to correction on that.

In general though the advice from here would be to stay away from halfords unless you know what you're getting and are able to put it together/service it yourself, cos generally they can't.

copacetic

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I had a look in a couple of shops yesterday and i'm still confused. I did really like a carrera bike in halfords. It was a road bike with thin tyres but felt comfortable. It also had disc brakes - do they make any difference?

sounds like the carerra gryphon, see review below, the cheaper disc brakes are mechanical and better suited to commuting imo that more expensive hydraulic discs which are harder to maintain.
The weight doesn't make a big difference to bikes at this price range.

Thats a good value and well specd bike for the price although halfords don't have a great name for service the carerra and boardman ranges have an excellent name for performance and value.

The equivalent giant or spesh will be lower spec, you are paying for the name really. You can go to any
bike shop for service afterward, not like you are stuck with halfords unless it is warranty issue

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/gryphon-18314

Harrybelafonte

Sean_K wrote: »

Would that be going over manholes? Or in the wet?

Both can be lethal and combined while cornering = almost certain spill.

Actually it was dry, but scary

blorg

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Actually it was dry, but scary

What tyres do you have? Were they worn? I tend to find many road bike tyres very grippy, can corner at 70km/h+ on mine (obviously not a 90 degree corner )

Stark

I'm using 23mm Continental Ultra Gator Skins at the moment and I find them great for both grip and comfort. Better than the 32mm Bontager Race Lite Hardcase tyres I had on my bike previously in fact. On the old tyres, I'd feel the bike slip a little going round corners. On the new tyres, my only worry when cornerning is having the pedals scrape off the ground.

Harrybelafonte

I have the original tyres on it (early 90s Raleigh). No threads on them, but checked with Joe Daly's who said they should be fine, but they are very very skinny.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

That there's no treads on them should make no difference unless you're cycling off-road or in much which is not an option in thin tyres anyway.

Slicks offer the best grip on tarmac and hard-surfaces.

blorg

As Sean K said, tread will make no difference and slicks offer best grip.

15+ year old tyres though, that may be your problem. Tyres perish with age. They are possibly fine for tootling around slowly on but I wouldn't try cornering at speed