commuting on a bike.

Oakesy2001uk

Oakesy2001uk

Oakesy2001uk

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Joined
7 Sep 2005
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10ish mile each bike commute (I'll measure it on the way home) - Am I mad and how long will it take at a decent pace. Its country lanes mainly and a mile of town, no hills worth mentioning.

I'm quite fit but not sure I like the idea of turning up for work all sweaty. I would just use the car if it rained. Save money on petrol and get fit, then I could buy a fast car for playing and not worry about petrol. Think it might be too far though. I have a specialised rockhopper I could probably put back on the road quite cheap..... I think it might be too far.

EDIT - its 9 miles apparently, should I buy a road bike to do this or would the rockhopper be fine? probly have to spend a bit on it, its set up for trials from when I was a Kid with hard front.
 
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I have not rode it for about 2-3 years and seem to remember it needs a bit doing to it. I cut down the seatpost so have to buy a new one. It has rigid forks to, will i be better with some suspension. I reckon I will be ok!
I seem to remember it used to snap chains for fun for some reason dont fancy that as walking 9 miles dont sound fun.
And tyres were really hard to get on/off the rims no idea why, richley rims! might be easyer to buy a new bike, but need to know I would be willing to do it day to day before I do that.

Just dont know if I fancy getting sweaty by riding 10 miles in the morning, the evening is not really a problem.
 
Cool, cant remember how big my frame is, think its an 18" so should be ok is I can get a bigger seat. Might have to fit a drivetrain though as I seem to remember the LX stuff being knackered plus it snapped chains every 5 minutes so something is up. Where is good for bikes and bits, might be tempted to buy one any reccomendations for >350 (preferably a lot less) hard front or should I build one using some of the bits I have.
 
I really think I will, I can just use the car in bad whether. I think I will adjust seatpost etc... and have a go with what Ive got, never set up a full gear set before, can be that hard surely? I need a chain, front/rear mech and casette and a long seatpost any reccomendations or good shops?

Or anywhere that sell good 2nd hand stuff. Or just a good cheap road bike.

How much easier do you think I would find it on a road bike?
 
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might buy a roadbike or hybrid then but will have to make the dicision to actually do it first, I think I will. £250ish I want to spend, the less the better, was looking at these hybrids too....

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=5878

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=5221

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=60901

no idea what size I would want, but I presume these hybrids are ok, but a good road bike is a lot lighter.

EDIT - no no suspension, its got planet x rigid trails forks on it at the mo. It is a specialized Rockhopper the last of the steel frames ones, think its 2000 bike. Got full shimano LX everything. but because I used to do trials its got a bit messed in the gearing, I broke it trying to covert it to single speed (young and daft was only about 17)

any reliable places to pick up well looked after 2nd hand?
 
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how far was your commute? I think 9 miles shouldnt be too much should it, just not sure, I could spend a few hundred on a bike, it would save me that in a few months, I might see what I can do, its a 2000 rockhopper so aint heavy, its 17" though and Im 6 foot!
 
right ive decided Im going for it! its a pretty bumpy country lane 9 miles, couple of incline/decline, but nothing I would call a hill.
Also It will save me 30-60 quid a month in fuel depending on how much it rains! so I reckon I will get a decent bike on 0% finance, no messing, also had a look at the bike and the frame crank brakes bars shifters etc are good but whole drivetrain are gone and both wheels have seen better days so think a new bike is on the cards. so, what are the reccomendations, I want to be able to jump curbs, and as its only 9 miles I think a road tyred mountain bike will do, either hard front or lockable suspension, deffo hard tail obviously, tell me if I'm wrong, so what bike do we think?

edit - this looks good, anyone had any dealings with the site, also whats this internal gearing malarky sounds really good they only got it is 17" tho, im 6 foot, do you think 17" or 19"?
http://www.awcycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s4p2834
 
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that giant looks fantastic, but is the suspension lockable?
I want to buy online and could spend 300-500 with me wanting about a 10 mont finance, maybe even a little more for the right bike.
So 3 questions left....

what size fram for a 6 footer
bike reccomendations
What shop for online 0%
 
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anyone? I dont think there is much point in wasting money on something with suspension, it will be used mainly for a commute, riding round the girfriends etc...
There seems to be a few good cheap no suspension bikes with road tyres already on on here. The offer 0% finance aswell, any opinions.

http://www.awcycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s4p0

Edit - I have found the giant xtc SE for £375 which is a great price, it near me aswell about 15 miles away so I have e-mailed them. To the guy who has one, do the forks have a lockout?
 
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I think I'm going to go for this Giant at £375 I dont think I will get a better Bike, but ther is a couple of gary fishers at the not so local bike shop I am going tommorow. The only question left is which road tyre to use. dont want punctures and dont fancy a 9 mile commute on nobblies.
 
I do like the look of that, but whats the gear range like? I think this giant is too good a deal to pass up, with slick tyres on it it will commute well enough wont it? means I could do a bit of recreational off roading too, just swap tyres.
ARGH i need to decide by tommorow morning because they are holding a 19" giant for me until lunch time, its the last one and it really is cheap.
 
I got the giant, thanks guys for all your help, and also big reccomend to the bike pedlar in biddulph. Fantastic shop, did me the bike fully built up gresed and ready to rock and role for £375, stuck some DMR v8 pedals on it for free, then knocked me 20% off all the accessories I bourght. Even said they will service it for nothing in 6 weeks, check it all over.

I have to say the bike is immense, the brakes are nothing short of amazing and compared to my specialized rockhopper the feel from both ends is great. Gave it a good seeing to today at delamere forest and it stood up well. So well my mate had a go, and is going to pick up the 2007 model tommorow. same bike with some J2 rock shocks on it for this year.

Sorry to babbel but as you can tell Im chuffed, and some semi slick middle with nobbely edges should satisfy both forest and road, so I'll give them a go. any reccomendations would be great, or are these going to be dangerous when it comes to do forest bashing, I do slalom courses with small jumps and a little down hill. Considering thats not really what this bike is for, its great!
Thanks for the help guys!
 
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