Looking for a good commuting bike.

TomJoe Wallace

Hi guys,

I'm on the lookout for a good quality road bike so that I can commute to work with on a daily basis.

My budget is about 300 euro and I've been looking around.
Does anyone have any recommendations and also could people tell me if any of the following makes are good or not? (EXTREME BIKE NEWBIE HERE).

Pulse Gtx
http://www.donedeal.ie/bicycles-for-sale/brand-new-road-bike/5927526

Apollo Fusion
http://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/apollo-fusion-road-bike-51cm

Castello potenza

Any advice would be appreciated.

macnab

I would suggest the likes of a Carrera TDF, they can be got for around €200 2nd hand or about €320 new in Halfords. I commuted from Meath to Dublin on one last winter and found it fine.
I wouldn't buy an Apollo as they are not built to a standard I would consider acceptable for frequent use.

Buchaill_Mor

If I were going again I would go for a second hand TDF to see if I prefer a road bike and then use my bike to work for a good one. Instead I used my bike to work for a new Giant Defy (which I love) and bought a cargo bike for full whack which I love more but the kids and their cousins think is the best thing in the world ever. Would love to have used the Bike to Work for the cargo as it was over 3k where the Defy was just under the 1k mark.

Buchaill_Mor

Still having issues with the edit. Just wanted to say the cargo thing might not be for you, but hindsight is 20/20 and all that. Flat bar hybrids have their attractions but a lot of people I know who got them on the bike to work usually get the bug and change to a full drop bar road bike afterwards and all say they wish the got something like the TDF before they used their bike to work and got something better.

TomJoe Wallace

Yeah I had a look at those Careers TDFs in Halfords but they weren't in stock in my local.

So I tried to get to ordered in to my local halfords online and no avail?
No second hand ones around the place that I've found anyway so no dice in that area either!

Thanks for the advice guys. Deffo stick away from the Apollo's anyway!

Macy0161

I got a cheap and nasty bso (bike shaped object), and then went for a carrera. There's really no comparison between even the (in road bike terms) bottom end carrera and the bso. Looking forward to the upgrade on the bike to work in the new year (only waiting as I want to pay it off over the full year), as I can imagine it'll be another significant jump in quality.

TomJoe Wallace

Is this bike any good?

http://www.adverts.ie/road-bikes/trek-1200-racer-bike/6171622

veetwin

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

Is this bike any good?

http://www.adverts.ie/road-bikes/trek-1200-racer-bike/6171622

Certainly better than any Apollo or castello or similar but €300 is plenty for it. A good service by a bike mechanic and it should be a excellent commuter.

quozl

Yes, that's a nice bike but it's pretty old.

I'd guess it's the 2006 model - http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2006/archive/trek/1200/#/us/en/archive-model/details?url=us/en/bikes/2006/archive/trek/1200

As the colours match (and they change every year) plus it's 9 speed 105 gearing, and it's been a while since 105 was 9 speed.

MB Lacey

Yes, I bought a similar 2nd hand Trek (think it's an SLR 1400 2007?). I use it for commuting and love it - so light and nippy, but quality too. Mine came with ultegra and yours looks to have a new 105 deraileur (which is good). That should be a carbon fork too, and you've got dual sti shifters - I'd buy it.

MB Lacey

quozl wrote: »

Yes, that's a nice bike but it's pretty old.

I'd guess it's the 2006 model - http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2006/archive/trek/1200/#/us/en/archive-model/details?url=us/en/bikes/2006/archive/trek/1200

Does it matter if the frame's old? If the components have been well maintained/ replaced it will ride better than a newer poorer quality bike.
I'm only saying this because my experience with my 2nd hand trek has been very good.
I nearly prefer it to my more expensive 'good' bike

quozl

Nope and that wasn't my implication.

It's more of a negotiating point when buying it and it also means you'd want to be that bit more suspicious of things like the bottom bracket than you would on a similarly well maintained but recent bike. Which again ties back to the price point during negotiation

TomJoe Wallace

I don't mind that it's old as long as it's a decenet enough quality bike. Just don't wanna be sitting on it and it breaks :P

Trying to get a bike before the weekends out. Even today is possible!

Nekarsulm

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

I don't mind that it's old as long as it's a decenet enough quality bike. Just don't wanna be sitting on it and it breaks :P

Trying to get a bike before the weekends out. Even today is possible!

http://www.donedeal.ie/bicycles-for-sale/trek-slr-road-bike/7659654

How about this? bargain him down a bit, and away you go!

MB Lacey

For what it's worth, I bought mine for €300 without wheels.
Might seem pricey for a 2006 bike but I'd pay it again.
Reading the offers for that bike, the seller seems happy to let people go if they don't offer near to asking.
I think he's wrong saying the forks are aluminium, they're likely carbon as per the link quozl posted.

TomJoe Wallace

Nekarsulm wrote: »

http://www.donedeal.ie/bicycles-for-sale/trek-slr-road-bike/7659654

How about this? bargain him down a bit, and away you go!

How much different is that to the Trek 1200?

MB Lacey wrote: »

For what it's worth, I bought mine for €300 without wheels.
Might seem pricey for a 2006 bike but I'd pay it again.
Reading the offers for that bike, the seller seems happy to let people go if they don't offer near to asking.
I think he's wrong saying the forks are aluminium, they're likely carbon as per the link quozl posted.

He happily offered me it for 325. Seems like an alright chap. Ill ask him for 300

MB Lacey

Nekarsulm wrote: »

http://www.donedeal.ie/bicycles-for-sale/trek-slr-road-bike/7659654

How about this? bargain him down a bit, and away you go!

Ha, that's exactly the same as the one I bought! Same colour too, only difference is mine has the old ultegra.
From searching online mine's a 2006 Trek 1400, which isn't listed in the Trek archives, though with the 105 spec as in ad above, I think the blue one in the ad is a Trek 1500.

Nekarsulm

Just looked at the ad, and the price has dropped 90 euro (unless I'm starting to rave......was it not 350?.)

MB Lacey

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

How much different is that to the Trek 1200?

They both seem to have 105 specs, the 1200 is 9 speed, the 1500 is 10 speed.
1500 has carbon forks, seatpost and stem, it's in Sligo which seems to be your location and is cheaper (he's asking €260!), but most importantly that electric blue is to die for
I'd go for the 1500.

TomJoe Wallace

MB Lacey wrote: »

They both seem to have 105 specs, the 1200 is 9 speed, the 1500 is 10 speed.
1500 has carbon forks, seatpost and stem, it's in Sligo which seems to be your location and is cheaper (he's asking €260!), but most importantly that electric blue is to die for
I'd go for the 1500.

Im actually living in Galway now so guess I'll have to go for the 1200 :P Would cost me 30 euro on the bust to get to Sligo anyway

MB Lacey

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

Im actually living in Galway now so guess I'll have to go for the 1200 :P Would cost me 30 euro on the bust to get to Sligo anyway

Sorry, don't know why I thought you were Sligo.
Well the 1200 looks good too, the owner seems into his cycling and has looked after it.
Enjoy your new commuter.

TomJoe Wallace

MB Lacey wrote: »

Sorry, don't know why I thought you were Sligo.
Well the 1200 looks good too, the owner seems into his cycling and has looked after it.
Enjoy your new commuter.

Haha no need for apologies. I'm from Sligo only moved to Galway recently

I'll let you all know how the new bike is

Thanks for all the help!

nc19

I have a Merida Ride 77 c.2011 I bought a few months back that I might be looking to move on. Its my first road bike but I think im more suited to my hybrid.

TomJoe Wallace

Got the bike and loving it so far.

Cycled to work now twice with ease.

Couldn't figure out how to gear down for ages. Thought the bike was busted :P
Turns out I was doing it horrible wrong as I could gear up fine haha.

Thanks everyone for the help! Really really appreaciate it.