New bike or keep old?

jozi

I've got a Carrera Kraken Ltd edition which I bought about 2yrs ago. I kina got it to cycle to work and with the intention of maybe going mountain biking with it, the later never happened and it probably never will. I've had been using it regularly to cycle to/from work (approx 5km), fitted road tires as the offroad ones were a bit much.

I recently, after a year, got a new job and I'm looking for places to live around Dublin which are 5km or maybe around 7km from work. I'm wondering would I be as well of holding onto my bike or maybe looking for something else?

I like the look of some of the hybrids you see, I wouldn't be into a racer as a new purschase. I absolutely love the disc brakes on my current bike and would be after something that also has these! What kind of options are there out there for me? My current bike has 150mm travel shocks, I don't think I care much if I lost these on a new bike, I'm after something I can go decently fast on and good brakes.

I'm not really sure on a budget as I'm not sure what's out there. I'll probably try and sell my current bike as money to put towards a new one - if it's worth buying a new bike...

Civilian_Target

If you're not heading towards a racer, I think your current bike is probably good enough.
Road tires of course make a huge difference and if you stiffen the suspension as hard as you can and add mudguards, this will also help. But you probably won't get an enormous benefit moving from a mountain bike to a hybrid: the sitting position is still relatively upright and the benefits (larger, narrower wheels, no shocks, slightly lighter) are probably not worth paying for if you're only cycling 50k a week around town.

Plastik

jozi wrote: »

I've got a Carrera Kraken Ltd edition which I bought about 2yrs ago. I kina got it to cycle to work and with the intention of maybe going mountain biking with it, the later never happened and it probably never will. I've had been using it regularly to cycle to/from work (approx 5km), fitted road tires as the offroad ones were a bit much.

I recently, after a year, got a new job and I'm looking for places to live around Dublin which are 5km or maybe around 7km from work. I'm wondering would I be as well of holding onto my bike or maybe looking for something else?

I like the look of some of the hybrids you see, I wouldn't be into a racer as a new purschase. I absolutely love the disc brakes on my current bike and would be after something that also has these! What kind of options are there out there for me? My current bike has 150mm travel shocks, I don't think I care much if I lost these on a new bike, I'm after something I can go decently fast on and good brakes.

I'm not really sure on a budget as I'm not sure what's out there. I'll probably try and sell my current bike as money to put towards a new one - if it's worth buying a new bike...

New. The answer is always new.

jozi

Thats kind of the answer I was expecting.

After cycling into work this morning I have a whole list of new parts I'm going to need! I'd forgotten how uncomfortable my saddle is!

Ryder

if its just for a 7k comute, and thats all you want it for, you could get slick tyres for under 50 euros. a hybrid with discs will set you back over 400e. its hard to see a hybrid making more than a 10min difference to your comute times.....

BostonB

Its only a 15 to 20 min cycle. Want to be some bike to drop 10 mins from that.

jozi

Decided to keep the bike but it needs a very good make over, namely, brake pads, grips, saddle, bottom bracket (it's been screetching on/off for ages), tires, headset (overtightened by me to many times) chain and cassett arent that old but might do with changing also. All in all I'm looking at roughly €200.

A mate of mine has a old GT Aggressor xc2, similar spec to mine I believe, that he used very little, would I be as well of buying it and throwing on some road tires and selling my own or is it pointless? I can't decide myself.

BostonB

That sounds like a lot of work. If your friends is cheaper, that would seem to be the easier router.

jozi

It is but I don't mind very much, except for the headset, I don't have the tools to do it.

I did a quick add up of parts on Rose bikes and Chainreaction and not choosing the cheapest options (or the expensive ones) I'm looking at 200+

Would I get a 2nd hand decent hybrid or will I just be looking at replacing at the above on one at this price point?

f1000

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-ribmo-folding-mtb-tyre/

For a fit and forget tire I would recommend these. I have had them on my MTB commuter for the last 4yr. Low rolling resistance, not a single puncture, still look like they were only fitted & good in wet conditions. I keep them at their max psi and cannot fault them.

Sagi

I would recommend to do the repairs on the bike if you can do them yourself and are willing to invest in some tools.
But still you wil not be able to replace the headset without special tools or som diy fun. Are you sure all these parts are gone? Maybe some of it can be repaired.

I would recommend to get a rigid fork, I can't imagine you have a 150mm fork on the bike at the moment. which make and model is it? That way you will reduce the weigth of the bike and also reduce the necessary maintainance to keep it running.

I would go for nice city tyres like the schwalbe big apple or something like it, tyres with a bit more volume but without an off road profile.

DaveyDave

Unless you're willing to spend at least €750 on a road racer I say stick with the Carerra. No point half arsing it and getting a hybrid, I guarantee you'd regret it soon enough once you realise you could go faster and lighter. I do 40km spins multiple times a week on my hardtail Crapierre, 14kg bike on 650g/800g tyres front and rear, no point getting something new to do a few km. I was commuting to college on the MTB for 2 years, 11km each way no bother.

I will admit, those hybrids with discs look tasty but there's nothing won't with riding an MTB over those distances to warrant buying a new bike to be honest.

jozi

Having thought about it a little. I'm going to replace just a few parts, the crank doesn't have play in it but doesn't sound to healthy but is probably fine fire another while. The headset while also not to bad can wait and I'll replace the tires one they start getting punctured.


I'll replace what really needs doing now and the rest can wait. Seems like the most sensible and least painful to my pockets right now.

I've got most of the tools except the headset one, maybe a shimano bb tool won't work on my sram crank set?

ghogie91

My friend picked up the specialized hardrock which can lock out the front suspension and also has disc breaks. He got continental sport contact tyres and regularly does a 7/8 km trek to college and swears by the bike. I on the other hand have a defy 3/4 I use to do the same commute so all in all its about what you find comfortable!