opinions on adventure road bikes

zonular

Right guys I'm in the market for a new bike and I'm trying to get the most bang for my buck. I'm currently commuting swords to city centre on a fixed gear langster which I love but I realise for longer distance gears may be handy. I took a lend of a hardtail mtb and I'm taken aback by its sturdiness and speeds I was able to get up to.

I was looking at either a cyclocross bike (as a faster bike with some off road options) or some of the adventure road bikes might fit the bill.

Any opinions on the trend, are they simply hybrids with drop bars and discs or would I get away with a bit more on it?

zonular

So the option being single speed plus a new bike?? With the probably being I've a budget of 500/600

magicbastarder

i was asking similar questions recently:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=96003885

Tenzor07

With your budget you'd be looking at a 2nd hand 5yrs old CX bike, if you can find one..

Lumen

CX bikes are expensive. If you're not going off-road then don't buy an off-road bike.

Peterx

The most bang for your buck (in my opinion) is a second hand carbon roadbike with externally routed gear cabling. It will weigh about 8kg and have an excellent groupset. The wheels might be worn out so that's something to watch for. An oldish Trek OCLV 5200 would be perfect.

In the newer bikes there are about 7 million bike to work jobbies sitting in sheds getting sold every week - A Trek 1.2 or Giant Defy 4 or a Lapierre - all for sale at €500.

A carbon framed road bike is hardy enough for most roads in Ireland.

eeeee

Not for locking up every day though! There's no way I'd commute on a carbon bike I had to lock every day, with a good heavy couple of u locks. I think it would damage the structural integrity of the frame ( the locking, not the commute. Carbon road bikes are the nicest thing to cycle on Irish roads in my experience).

OP the fastest and most efficient use of energy is a road bike. If I were you I would pick up a second hand aluminium framed road bike in good nick. You can lock it up and fly in and out of town on it
I have no experience of cyclocross bikes so can't comment on them.

zonular

I was looking at either a jamis nova sport from Evans for 500 or a norco search s3 for 560 both cx / adventure bikes jamis is alu while the norco is cro mo frame, not sure about commuting on carbon either.

nak

I commute on a cyclocross bike and also use it for racing - most of us are racing on aluminium frames.

No need to get a carbon frame for cross, it's going to take a beating and tyre choice is probably the most important factor in racing bikewise. My frame is very light, it's the components that add up weight wise - that's why many don't like disc brakes.

Use cheaper wheels for commuting, but wouldn't leave that bike locked up in town as I have decent components on it.

Have a carbon road bike and the main difference between the 2 is that it's stiffer, lighter and faster, but that is more to do with the spec - CX frame is entry level, road bike is the opposite. Not keen on the idea of leaving a carbon frame unattended with a lock on it as other people may just chuck their bike against yours and cause a bit of damage.

zonular

So are the adventure road bikes just spin, or are they hybrids in disguise? Could I get away with a cx bike for long distance?

Lumen

zonular wrote: »

So are the adventure road bikes just spin, or are they hybrids in disguise? Could I get away with a cx bike for long distance?

They are not hybrids. Hybrids have flat bars.

If you're going off-road you'll need off-road tyres. Doing long distances on off-road tyres is not fun. If you put skinny road tyres on then off-road will not be fun.

It is not possible to create one bike that is fun to use on and off road without changing components (e.g. tyres). And then it's not really one bike.

zonular

I don't mean a direct comparison of a trad hybrid bike. Maybe a burly "endurance" bike is a better comparison?

If I was looking at something for long distance (I would like to get an audax ride in, if I can get time without the kids) that I don't really have to worry about potholes and are comfy enough.

Like I Said I'm on a fixed gear langster with 23 tyres, its bloody fast feels very responsive, just coming thru Gardiner street/dorset st can be tough going.

The Norco search with steel frame (I know its not Reynolds but cro mo is alright right?) "relaxed" geometry, disc brakes, 28 tyres as standard and ability to add a pannier rack and mudguards sounds good for that audax?

The other option I'm kicking around I buying a 2nd hand mtb for fun and frolics and building up a on one pompino for audax and longer spins with a 67 gearing

paulgs

The Bmc hybrids on Evans cycles look pretty cool

smacl

As per the previous linked thread, would _daragh's Kaffenback on adverts fit you. Seems a pretty good match for your requirements and budget.

Without seeming a total smartarse, if you want a bike for the odd audax, maybe consider an audax bike :pac:

Ribble audax bike builder starts at €681, so not far off your budget.
SPA steel audax is £990, so a bit out of your budget but still a nice bike for the money.

zonular

I think putting the head down saving for a little bit might be the option I was looking at the rubble winter/audax alright. Sadly the kaffenback wont fit, id love it though

rollingscone

zonular wrote: »

I think putting the head down saving for a little bit might be the option I was looking at the rubble winter/audax alright. Sadly the kaffenback wont fit, id love it though

Did someone say Passhunter?

arybvtcw0eolkf

If my budget was 500/600 I'd be looking at a hybrid and possibly fitting CX tyres to it for your commute's off road.

Tenzor07

If I had the spare cash:

OldBean

rollingscone wrote: »

Did someone say Passhunter?

Definitely an option.

saccades

zonular wrote: »

Right guys I'm in the market for a new bike and I'm trying to get the most bang for my buck. I'm currently commuting swords to city centre on a fixed gear langster which I love but I realise for longer distance gears may be handy. I took a lend of a hardtail mtb and I'm taken aback by its sturdiness and speeds I was able to get up to.

I was looking at either a cyclocross bike (as a faster bike with some off road options) or some of the adventure road bikes might fit the bill.

Any opinions on the trend, are they simply hybrids with drop bars and discs or would I get away with a bit more on it?

Fit an alfine IGH to the langster?

mtb on the road is like a duck out of water - alright, but not really.
CX bike has a higher BB and low gearing (compared to proper road bike), might not have rack mounts.
Do you cycle off road much? proper offroad needs a mtb.

I used to ride a pompino with a flip flop hub, had similar thoughts to yourself and then fitted a alfine hub and front brake and now it get used everywhere for everything.

24km commute ew to work.
Down the pub.
Towing the kids in the trailer (on and off road)
Wicklow 200

5-6 years old and still on original everything ('cept brake pads) barely needs looking after and has the ability to take rack and guards.

zonular

Looking at the sensible options. I don't off road much just would like the option and I building up a pompino like that sounds about right. I think what I might be asking for would be solved with n+1