Ladies commuter bike

levi

I've had lots of help from different people on here when buying previous bikes so I'm hoping you'll be able help me again. I've started cycling into work which is about a 5k cycle down the grand canal. Largely flat as you know. I currently have a pretty old unbranded hybrid that I got a few years ago for €80 second hand. It's done me well but for a couple of reasons, needs to be replaced.

I'm between getting a fairly cheap hybrid or else waiting for the bike to work in the new year and spending a bit more. Just wondering if spending more really gets you much more with these types of bikes.

Currently considering a Giant City bike - here

Or this Orbea in Fitzcycles - here

I would like to put a back carrier, decent mudguards and a chain guard on them to make it good for commuting in and out. Hoping to use panniers too.

I'm willing to spend up to €400 before considering using the Bike to Work. Wouldn't mind hanging onto my Bike to Work for something a bit more valuable in the future like upgrading my road bike.

Qualitymark

The Giant Alight is a nice bike.

A back carrier and panniers might be nice, and of course you'll need mudguards (are they mad, selling bikes with no mudguards?)

You might also consider one of these pretty baskets:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005XT2U6K?keywords=reisenthel%20cycling&qid=1449651652&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3

- you'll need to buy the click-on clip for it as an extra. The advantage of this is that you can stick your bag into it and have it in front of your eyes, but covered from rain, etc. The basket also holds an immense amounts of shopping. It clips on and off the bike so you can take it with you.

And you'll need a good lock. Buy one with the Sold Secure sticker; ideally, get a small, strong U-lock and also a cable lock - something like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004C94T84?keywords=kryptonite%20new%20york%20mini&psc=1&qid=1449651904&ref_=sr_1_8&sr=8-8-spons

How to lock a bike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgHubY5Vw3Y

(others will give extra advice).

At the moment, this crap is necessary because bike theft is the fashionable crime - it's like having a cheap car in the 1980s, when everyone had Krooklocks

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003R7W8TY?keywords=krooklock&qid=1449652161&ref_=sr_1_7&sr=8-7

locking their steering wheel to their accelerator because if they didn't, the car would be gone when they came back.

Presumably this will stop being necessary when the Gardaí get on top of the epidemic of bicycle theft; there's one tiny blip in the figures this year that looks hopeful on this.

Good cycling gear is important - for your commute, maybe an Aldi or Lidl rain jacket and a good pair of 'wets' - waterproof overtrousers - and nice cycling gloves like Sealskinz or the Aldi ones, which make a surprising difference in the cold or wet.

Enjoy your cycling!