change from hybrid to road bike for commuting

eightyfish

I've been commuting in Dublin for the last three years on a Lapierre hypbrid similar this one:

But there's a few thing I don't like about it. The breaks aren't good in the rain, I have to re-tune the gears every few weeks, but mostly it's too heavy. (Also, not an issue now, but the dynamo lighting system was terrible. Had to get if fixed four times before I abandoned it and went for reelights)

So I'm thinking of upgrading to a road bike and I have a couple of questions.

I do a fair bit of hopping on and off curbs, (to avoid cars parked in the cycle lane etc), so I was wondering if a road bike would quickly get buckled doing this? Also, would it be a good idea to go for disc breaks so they work better in the rain, or is this an unnecessary expense? Finally, does a lighter bike really make that much difference to a commute?

Thank you!

Lumen

If you want better brakes then upgrade your pads.

If you want to hop kerbs, don't. If you still want to, then it depends on how heavy you are and how strong your wheels are - the frame will be fine.

A lighter bike will not be noticably faster, but might feel better to ride.

If you want a prettier shinier bike, go for it.

petethedrummer

Lumen wrote: »

A lighter bike will not be noticably faster, but might feel better to ride.

Going from that hybrid to a road bike will be noticeable. Going from a road bike to a lighter road bike might not be noticeable.

I suppose all we can do is post what we commute on ourselves. I ride a Giant SCR 1.5. the only upgrade is Mavic Aksium wheels cos the alex wheels(rims? i dunno...) that came with it couldn't take the beating. I haven't had a need to hop kerbs yet.

Jawgap

I went from mountain bike to mountain bike with slick tyres to hybrd and then to road bike for commuting and I found the difference very noticeable.

I reckon on the road bike I'm 12 to 15% faster and I've already started going for much longer spins for my own enjoyment. The longest spins I did on my hybrid now feel quite modest on the road bike.

The penalty though is that the road bike needs to be looked after much better than the hybrid (I've already washed, cleaned and lubed it more times in the last month than I did the hybrid in the last year!!) and you can't really go whacking up and down kerbs - actually I suppose you can but you'll need to learn how to take buckles out of wheels:)

I also found the road bike to be a bit "skittish" in the wet so on rainy days I tend to switch back to the hybrid if there is a lot standing water about.

eightyfish

Cheers for replies.

Really want to upgrade, especially with the thing feeling faster - question of finances at this stage. I get new brake pads every few months, but still in heavy rain they're not great. How good are disc breaks?

Lumen

eightyfish wrote: »

I get new brake pads every few months, but still in heavy rain they're not great. How good are disc breaks?

Enjoy.

DePurpereWolf

I would not go with a road-bike when you do a lot of kerb hopping. You feel everything, it's like a race-car in that sense.

Wouldn't these be what you are looking for?
(Sorry for using the CSS website again, I just know my way around on it, I'm not affeliated or think they are the best or anything)

But it's better than Halfords

Road cruisers

blorg

To be honest I would just try to avoid the kerb hopping. If there are cars parked in a cycle lane just don't use the cycle lane. Having said that good road wheels are very strong, probably far stronger than what you have at present. The issue is that with the narrower tyres you have less cushioning for this sort of thing.

A road bike will be a hell of a lot faster and more fun than what you have at present and set you up for longer spins although to be honest it won't make a major difference to a short commute.

Do you need to carry luggage on the rack? A consideration as most road bikes will not take them, although many entry-level ones do.

petethedrummer

Jawgap wrote: »

you can't really go whacking up and down kerbs - actually I suppose you can but you'll need to learn how to take buckles out of wheels:)

Bunny hopping is easy if you are strapped/clipped in.

Jawgap

petethedrummer wrote: »

Bunny hopping is easy if you are strapped/clipped in.

yeah, it is, (and it's a bit of craic) but I may be wrong but I don't think it does the rims much good, does it?

Hopping in an emergency is one thing, but is doing it habitually on a road bike a good idea?

petethedrummer

Probably not a good idea, just saying like. I saw a mountain biker do a bunny hop on gravel up at Lugalla a few weeks ago. Ended up in a drain at the side of the road. Poor fella.

BostonB

Jawgap wrote: »

I went from mountain bike to mountain bike with slick tyres to hybrd and then to road bike for commuting and I found the difference very noticeable....

If you were doing it again and know what you know now, would you have bought the hybrid?

Chips Lovell

Hopping up and down curbs isn't necessary, just overtake parked cars on the right.

Jawgap

BostonB wrote: »

If you were doing it again and know what you know now, would you have bought the hybrid?

Hmmmm, interesting question........

Yeah, I would buy the hybrid again, but I wouldn't have bothered with the MTBs (unless I was going off road).

The hybrid, I find, compliments the road bike very well - for my commute, spins on my own or a bit of fitness training I've found the road bike is your only man. But, the one I got is quite entry level which suits me because I've no real interest in going racing, but I do want to do much longer spins, and I think it's great for that.

The hybrid (it's a Giant FCR), is great for wet day commutes and for going for spins with Mrs Jawgap and the little jawgaps - although son number 1 is already eyeing up the road bike!!!

eightyfish

el tonto wrote: »

Hopping up and down curbs isn't necessary, just overtake parked cars on the right.

Sometimes that ain't possible. I try to avoid curbs, but about once a day I find I need to do it for one reason or another, however I accept the point.

Lumen

el tonto wrote: »

Hopping up and down curbs isn't necessary, just overtake parked cars on the right.

Kerb hopping is handy coming up through the Phoenix Park. The bike path curves around at the first roundabout, which makes for a very slow/dangerous junction, and there's no break in the kerb, so I hop onto the road then rejoin the path afterwards.

Of course, you can stay on the road the whole way up, but I prefer to use the path unless it's very busy.

Also, riding a road bike on wet grass is good for the handling skills.

Chips Lovell

I just ride on the road.

eightyfish

Lumen wrote: »

Kerb hopping is handy coming up through the Phoenix Park. The bike path curves around at the first roundabout, which makes for a very slow/dangerous junction

OT but a couple of weeks ago in the car at midnight we nearly hit a guy cycling the wrong way around the Rialto village roundabout with no lights, no helmet and headphones in.

Lumen

eightyfish wrote: »

OT but a couple of weeks ago in the car at midnight we nearly hit a guy cycling the wrong way around the Rialto village roundabout with no lights, no helmet and headphones in.

Ninja bicycle salmon. Very irritating.

DePurpereWolf

Yes, if there is no bike-path, I ride on the road. Footpaths are for pedestrians. Please don't get bullied into riding on the sidewalk.

Some kerbs are inevitable, I brake and go really slow over them. I don't want a puncture, non-true wheel, crushed balls.

eightyfish

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Please don't get bullied into riding on the sidewalk.

+1. Good point.

monument

And if you are overtaking parked cars, learn how to look over your shoulder a bit and than do it like this...

\
. \
C |
. /
/
|
^

Not like this...

\
. \
C |
--
|
|
^

It's crazy the amount of cyclists I see doing the latter, which can be dangerous never mind time consuming. And if there are a row of cars with space in-between, keep out, don't go in and out, you're more likely to get hit by going in and out, so something like this:

\
. \
C |
.. |
.. |
.. |
C |
C |
. /
/
|
^

Chips Lovell

And signal. It's crazy the amount of cyclists who don't. I nearly got taken out by a fellow cyclist the other day as I was overtaking hiim and another guy in front of him. Without warning he decided to swerve out in front of me to overtake the other guy.

DePurpereWolf

Very true monument, it is also crazy the amount of cars who would try to just get in front of you wile you are moving to the center of the road.
Indeed, start moving to the center of the road 50 meters ahead.

Rule one of driving with cars, be as big and impressive as possible. I'm not muscular, nor big (nor impressive, your regular nerd) but on the bike I try to look like a rock.

eightyfish

el tonto wrote: »

And signal. It's crazy the amount of cyclists who don't.

I'd say most don't.

monument gets the improvised art prize.

this seems to have become a cycling safety thread somehow.

Chips Lovell

eightyfish wrote: »

I'd say most don't.

About 90 per cent of the people on the road don't know how to cycle properly.

eightyfish

el tonto wrote: »

About 90 per cent of the people on the road don't know how to cycle or drive properly.

FYP.

Lumen

el tonto wrote: »

About 90 per cent of the people on the road don't know how to cycle properly.

That's why I cycle on the footpad.

Jawgap

el tonto wrote: »

And signal. It's crazy the amount of cyclists who don't. I nearly got taken out by a fellow cyclist the other day as I was overtaking hiim and another guy in front of him. Without warning he decided to swerve out in front of me to overtake the other guy.

Indeed, but they don't even need to signal - I think a lot of cyclists just need to get in the habit of doing "lifesavers" and looking behind them before manoeuvring out or turning. It only takes less than a second.

Chips Lovell

eightyfish wrote: »

FYP.

At least those who drive have some vague idea of road traffic law and the fact that they aren't magically exempt from it.

DePurpereWolf

el tonto wrote: »

And signal. It's crazy the amount of cyclists who don't. I nearly got taken out by a fellow cyclist the other day as I was overtaking hiim and another guy in front of him. Without warning he decided to swerve out in front of me to overtake the other guy.

In Cork, I see more cyclists signaling than car drivers, but that says more about the car drivers here.

I agree, don't be an ass on the road. Too often I see cyclists weaving in and out of traffic thinking they own the road.

If the traffic gets to dense, to dangerous, for instance with big signed crossings, I use my transformer skills and turn into a pedestrian. That doesn't happen on my current route though.

(So I guess I am bullied into using the sidewalk than)

The double crossing at the opera house in Cork is one of them.

Chips Lovell

Jawgap wrote: »

Indeed, but they don't even need to signal - I think a lot of cyclists just need to get in the habit of doing "lifesavers" and looking behind them before manoeuvring out or turning. It only takes less than a second.

You should be doing both. Look to check that there is a gap to move into and signal so that a motorist doesn't decide to accelerate into that gap.

eightyfish

el tonto wrote: »

At least those who drive have some vague idea of road traffic law and the fact that they aren't magically exempt from it.

Agreed.

Like, you know, that red means stop and all.

DePurpereWolf

Red only means stop if there is traffic. It's a suggestion.

Raam

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Red only means stop if there is traffic. It's a suggestion.

From what I can see, with many cyclists it means... maybe I will stop, maybe I won't stop, but I sure as hell ain't gonna wait behind you no matter what I do, never mind that you got there before me and are already waiting patiently for the lights to go green.

BostonB

Jawgap wrote: »

Hmmmm, interesting question........

Yeah, I would buy the hybrid again, but I wouldn't have bothered with the MTBs (unless I was going off road).

The hybrid, I find, compliments the road bike very well - for my commute, spins on my own or a bit of fitness training I've found the road bike is your only man. But, the one I got is quite entry level which suits me because I've no real interest in going racing, but I do want to do much longer spins, and I think it's great for that.

The hybrid (it's a Giant FCR), is great for wet day commutes and for going for spins with Mrs Jawgap and the little jawgaps - although son number 1 is already eyeing up the road bike!!!

You prefer the road bike for commuting in the dry?

petethedrummer

Amber means stop (when safe to do so) also. Not speed up.

lastlaugh

Hi eightyfish,

I've been commuting in Dublin for the last three years on a Lapierre hypbrid similar this one:But there's a few thing I don't like about it. The breaks aren't good in the rain, I have to re-tune the gears every few weeks, but mostly it's too heavy.

Your Lapierre bike does look heavy and your riding position on it is probably too upright for any proper speed. I've been cycling a ten mile each way commute for the last 3.5 years on one of these:

A Specialized Crossroads Comp, it was the Business. I clocked up a good few thousand miles on it without any problems. The tyres were super, lasted for ages with very few punctures. I only had the gears tuned twice in the time I had it. The wheels were nice and strong, I could hop up and off kerbs when the need arose. I dropped the straight handle bars down and I could pick up serious speed on it.
If you are carrying any kind of weight at all (or hopping off kerbs!) I'ld avoid a Road bike, I wouldn't trust really thin wheels in the wet or winter either. I'ld go for one of these.
http://www.cycleways.com/store/search.asp

SetOverSet

Raam wrote: »

From what I can see, with many cyclists it means... maybe I will stop, maybe I won't stop, but I sure as hell ain't gonna wait behind you no matter what I do, never mind that you got there before me and are already waiting patiently for the lights to go green.

+1
This really gets to me. Nearly every morning on my commute I overtake some person on a €50 double suss bicycle shaped object with flat tyres, get stuck at the lights a short distance ahead at which point said POBSO twaddles in front forcing to overtake him again and again and again :mad:. I mean, if someones clearly travelling faster than you, why oh why would you do this!?

Sorry, rant over...

lastlaugh

That link didn't come out as expected, I'ld recommend one of these,
http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=09Sirrus&eid=121

As my Crossroads was stroked, I've splashed out on the Sirrus 'Expert' (Beggin yer pardon!)


I was tempted to go for a Tricross


But as I carry heavy bags and like to bounce up and down kerbs now and again decided against it.

(Does anyone have a Tricross BTW??)

Jawgap

BostonB wrote: »

You prefer the road bike for commuting in the dry?

Yes. I think it's a confidence thing - but the more I spend on it the more I want to take it out so I've been going out in increasingly worse weather on it.

I still don't like going out on it if there is a lot of standing water - wet road paint scares the bejaysus out of me!!! But I'm getting there.

Plus the route for my main commute can be quite muddy so all I end up doing is cycling along thinking about when will I get a chance to clean the bike!

eightyfish

lastlaugh wrote: »

If you are carrying any kind of weight at all (or hopping off kerbs!) I'ld avoid a Road bike, I wouldn't trust really thin wheels in the wet or winter either. I'ld go for one of these.
http://www.cycleways.com/store/search.asp

Thanks, good recommendations. I carry a fairly heavy backpack (laptop & several academic books) so will pay attention to this.