New commuter bike advice

[The fat commuter]

Hi all

I'm after a new bike for commuting to and from work. I'll also be using it for leisure rides.

Currently I have a cheapo bike that I got through a work scheme to try to get people to use pedal over petrol power. Anyway, I could do with something a little faster and with non-rim brakes.

Two bikes that I've seen are these:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec067773

and

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec070671

I'd be wanting to have mudguards and a pannier rack fitted too. The more expensive bike (plus accessories) is right at the top of my budget - maybe a little over.

The new bike needs to be able to handle my weight (just under 17 st) plus work stuff - laptop, clothes, sarnies, etc. It will have to have brakes that won't make the wheels disintegrate under the load, the hills of Sheffield as well as the fact that it will be ridden in all weathers.

So, looking at the two bikes above - what extra do you get for the extra £250 for the more expensive bike and is it worth it? Are there any other bikes that I should be looking at?

Many thanks in advance

[maxcherry]

If your getting into cycling and you have hills, the triple is a good option.
Are you buying on a CTW scheme? have you thought about CX or Adventure bikes?
Nothing against Hybrids, i was just wondering

[Brucey]

17st plus work stuff is a heavier load than some folk take touring.

For day-in day-out use I'm not at all sure that buying a 'lightweight hybrid' bike (with limited load carrying capacity) is quite the best idea; honestly, I think you may well break it.
[edit, the less expensive sirrus has 32 spoke wheels. These wheels (rears especially) simply don't last if you give them heavy treatment; round my way the LBS's scrap bins are full of them. The more expensive version has 28 spoke wheels; a pretty good exemplar of 'style over substance' I reckon.]

If you want something really strong, look at what people ride round the world. If you want something that will do the job for a few years, I'd suggest that you look at a bike that is designed for touring with a load on. Something like a Surly Disc Trucker might do the trick.

Also, don't ignore the possible benefits of using CSS rims, if rim wear is the only thing putting you off rim brakes.

cheers

[SteveHunter]

I have a Sirrus Elite which I use for commuting. Mine is an older version without disc brakes, I specifically didn't want discs as I don't know how to maintain them.
I have had one problem which is I have had to move my panniers as far back as I can get them, I still hit them with my heels occasionally, and I only have size 7 feet.

[thidwick]

I worked through the same question a few years ago. I wanted something reasonable quality, sturdy (95kg of me), wide range of gears for my windy hilly commute, flat bars, and suitable for rack and full length mudguards. I bought a Cube CRL. I'm not sure these are sold the same now. Have a look at the Cube SL range instead.
I've done a lot of miles on mine: to and from work in all weathers. Shopping trips too.

[bohrsatom]

Specialized publish a "weight guide" which gives the maximum weight limit for each of their bikes in terms of rider weight and luggage weight (http://www.specialized.com/media/docs/s ... 057_r1.pdf). The majority of sirrus' allow 25kg luggage as long as you don't go above a total luggage + rider weight which varies depending on the model (between around 120 and 135kg). With your kit you'd be at the top of this but I'd expect the bikes are built to withstand more weight, just you wouldn't be able to sue Specialized if something went wrong. Other brands probably have similar guidelines and, I imagine, similar weight restrictions.

On the subject of durability, last year we did a 6000km tour and my gf took her cheaper sirrus with 32 spoke wheels. Even with a fair amount of luggage nothing broke and they stayed true (actually she never got a puncture either so I think she might be some kind of witch) so YMMV.

[Tonyf33]

The Sirrus, used to be a great value for money bike, now they have gone the way of many other manufacturers with downgraded components, that elite model has 3 grades down from 7 years ago, everything is bottom rung. If you're dead set on it your weight is not an issue, not even close even with lots of kit.
As for getting discs..why?
If you set your brakes up properly you can stop plenty quick enough using Vs, I'm around the 16.5stone mark and I've never had issues stopping with V's, even from almost 50mph on alpine descents, they're also easier to adjust/service and pad availability is massively more widespread on every highstreet, even supermarkets if you're in a bind.

If you want to spend £650 AND get value for money with a rock solid fame that'll give you comfort room for guards and decent spec kit...
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/253038/pr ... -bike.aspx
go through topcashback and you can get another 2% cashback from the purchase AND you get £13 in Rutland rewards as well, absolute steal at that price.
OR, if you want what i consider to be the best ever hybrid, cum audax cum tourer and load lugger, second hand Globe pro http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-G ... 2a4a114773
I have one and they ARE a beast of a bike, take a hammering, take silly loads over any terrain you fancy with superb levels of comfort yet are light and fast.

[fatboy]

Taken a look at touring bikes. They make good commuters. The weight looks worse than a hybrid but they include racks and guards.

[The fat commuter]

As for getting discs..why?
If you set your brakes up properly you can stop plenty quick enough using Vs, I'm around the 16.5stone mark and I've never had issues stopping with V's, even from almost 50mph on alpine descents, they're also easier to adjust/service and pad availability is massively more widespread on every highstreet, even supermarkets if you're in a bind.

I've absolutely no problem stopping with my rim brakes - the problem is that using them in all weathers in heavy traffic on the hills of Sheffield. This is the gradient into work:


All in heavy traffic so using brakes all the time. It's a descent of 550 plus feet in two and a half miles. That wouldn't be too bad but the traffic is doing about 10 mph so I am constantly on the brakes. If the weather and the roads are dry then that's no problem. However, once the rims get wet then the brake blocks start to grate when keeping the bike at the same speed as the car in front. I can release and reapply the brakes but I do need to be using them a lot of the time. I give the rims a clean over at least once a week but they could do with a clean after every ride during the winter. I've also looked at hub brakes but getting a bike (that I would use) ready fitted with them is near impossible.

I like the suggestion of the cyclocross/adventure bikes. May have to go and have a look at them and see what they're like for size and feel.

Basically, I could do with a better bike. This is my current bike:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rid ... e-ec043396
It works - and I would consider putting hub brakes on but, whilst the bike is OK on shortish rides - I could do with something that I can be in the saddle for longer. The new bike also needs to be able to be used in all weathers. Needs to also be able to take my weight.

[Brucey]

I daresay that you can safely carry the rated weights etc on these bikes (for a while...) in sunny California or on the occasional summertime tour. BUT... commuting in the UK is (mile for mile) a much more severe duty than that!

Most of the journeys are done in darkness for about 1/3 of the year, or more if you work long hours. There are potholes. There is road salt. There is the stop-start. There is the endless grind on the brakes. Most people don't clean their commuting bikes more than once a week even if they are keen.

The road salt is a real bike killer; if you have that kind of stuff lathered all over the bike, the effect can be devastating. The stress required to crack many of the materials and components used on bicycles can be reduced considerably by the presence of road salt or other corrosive materials. By 'reduced considerably' I mean half or even less stress will break your bike where otherwise it would be OK. The parts that are under stress all the time, e.g. the frame (from residual stresses remaining from welding), the spokes, the rim, the hubs etc can be merrily cracking away whilst the bike is parked up. The service stresses add to this when the bike is in use of course.

They use Urea (instead of salt) on the roads in some places; I have no idea how bad that is but I can't believe it is good for bikes either. Whatever they do use, they are sure to apply it on main roads just before the morning and evening rush hours so you will, er, 'feel the full benefit' as it were. I think that even without there being much dirt per se, brakes, rims and transmission parts wear at a much faster rate when the roads are salty too.

So rider for rider, weight for weight, year-round commuting is often not the same thing at all as other forms of riding, and you should select (and maintain) your bike accordingly. Even on a hilly commute, an extra 2kg (carried in, say, a stronger bike) is unlikely to affect your average speed very much; you can work it out, but it won't be that much.

cheers

[Tonyf33]

I daresay that you can safely carry the rated weights etc on these bikes (for a while...) in sunny California or on the occasional summertime tour. BUT... commuting in the UK is (mile for mile) a much more severe duty than that!

Most of the journeys are done in darkness for about 1/3 of the year, or more if you work long hours. There are potholes. There is road salt. There is the stop-start. There is the endless grind on the brakes. Most people don't clean their commuting bikes more than once a week even if they are keen.

cheers

Where's your evidence that the models the OP first mentioned cannot carry the weights he wants them to for any given period of time in UK conditions? (define "For A while"?).
Evidence that the frames will break under normal loaded use any more than any other frame with like for like maintenance?
You keep banging on about how X is fragile or not up to the job and can't do this, can't do that, yet time and again you have no hard evidence at all, it's getting boring now.
Instead of talking about wild generalisations and the blindingly obvious (maintained bikes generally last longer than those that aren't) come up with something useful..

[honesty]

I'm currently 100kg and cycle to work on a touring bike. To my mind when I bought it it had everything I wanted already fitted, low gears, pannier rack, mudguards. You can get a good tourer for 600 ish quid.

[Brucey]

Where's your evidence that the models the OP first mentioned cannot carry the weights he wants them to for any given period of time in UK conditions?

I see the results of the way such bikes are specced on a daily basis. Lots of broken wheels. If you want to know how it is that I know that this is in good part caused by UK conditions, go and do some materials science.

Evidence that the frames will break under normal loaded use any more than any other frame with like for like maintenance?

I owned a sirrus for a while; it wasn't a bad bike, but the wheels failed and the frame corroded rather badly. It doesn't take much corrosion to greatly increase the chances that such frames will break, yes.

... it's getting boring now.

no kidding; a little scepticism is a good thing in general but having said that.... I don't know what you do for living but when people don't respect your professional views and can't be bothered to acquaint themselves with the facts, trust me, that gets pretty boring.

cheers

[maxcherry]

Hay did you choose a wonderful bike yet?

Any pics if you did.....love seeing others new joy toys

[fatboy]

Brucey makes a very good point about cleaning regimes being poor on commuting bikes and it's something that a lot just don't get. I googled good all year round bike and found a cycling weekly article about winter bikes and the first recommendation was to wash after every ride. Needless to say I didn't read on! I weigh 13.5 stone and I wouldn't commute without a 36 spoke back wheel and less than 32 wide tyres.

I am still on the quest for the ideal commuter and may get something German and tank like on cycle to work with hub gears, chain guard, mudguards, hub dynamo etc. These are heavy at over 15 kg but it is easy to forget the weight of stuff that you need on a bike. My tourer which was approx 14 kg when bought has "grown" to 15.5kg with the addition of hub dynamo, lights, pump, bottle cages etc. More important for speed than weight IMHO is riding position which is tweakable.

Sadly I think that bike shops don't get commuting bike needs. And the cycle to work scheme hasn't supplied many good commuting bikes (other than Bromptons).

Good luck in your quest. I don't think that the Sirrus is the right bike for your commute.