Haven't cycled in a decade... I now need a bike, help!

[almoststew1990]

I will be commuting to work by cycle due to an office move. It will be a 25 minute commute (so I'm allowing 35 minutes cycle time, plus 10 minutes faffing time at either end). Can someone help spec me a bike (or at least a type of bike).

I can see bikes can vary in price from £100 for a basic halfords bike to many thousands for what to me look pretty similar. A local cycle shop sells 'refurbished' second hand bikes from £80 to £200+. I am hoping to spend max £300 and I am getting a bit worried that some local shops ranges seem to be from £400 and up!

I think I'll want something "reasonably light" because I am fat and I remember liking my old Gripshift gears (if they're still a thing). I'll be commuting on a mix of roads and paved off-road (through a park) but I don't want to fall over if it's a bit wet or I go on a little bit of grass so I suppose that rules out racing/road bikes (which I assume are the lightest).

Being a shorty (5ft 9) I have googled that I'll need a medium frame - 55cm. What determines what wheel sizes I need?

Any brands to avoid?

Is it worth buying a decent saddle?
Can anyone recommend a helment for someone with a higher than average of a) falling off and b) being flattened by a bus?
Any other accessories (I'm tempted to get a speed/mile computer)

 

[almoststew1990]

Thanks for the responses. I'll be commuting from Forest Hill Drives area, down through Riverside Park to Bitterne Bridge and making my way to London Road / Bedford Place area probably via the back road behind Lidl. I imagine I'll be varying this route to find one I feel safest on!

I'll keep an eye out for the sales and try out a range of frames.

I'll be commuting at 7.45 / 17.00 with not much flexibility to move this by more than 30 mins either way.

 

[almoststew1990]

I thought I'd update the thread to show what I got.

Office move complete, house move complete, I now get a bus to and from work. The evening journey home is about 1h and 10 minutes to do 4 miles (and I get motion sick if I try to read or watch something on my phone)! I therefore found myself on Saturday needing a bike for Monday so I don't find myself on that wretched bus again. I thought of all the comments above about the budget but I couldn't face spending that much on something I'm, if I'm honest, unlikely to stick with.

I went to a local shop to try out a few bikes to see what I liked. I was very wobbly on a more "road bikey" hybrid bike, although it was quite nice and light. I got on much better with a couple of bikes more on the mountain bike end of the spectrum. I picked up this for £120, on the basis I couldn't really see what spending an extra £100 got me in that shop. I was shown new bikes at £200 which were very basic and simple. The main reason I got it over say an £50 bike off Gumtree was that it was safety inspected, serviced (apparently) and had snappy sequential gears. I spent another £55 or so on a helmet, hi-vis jacket, a "soft" saddle and a front light.



It's a, er, *squints at picture* whatever that is.

Having ridden to work and back a couple of times I am slightly regretting and that I might have been ripped off a bit:

- Gears are not that smooth and often need a light second nudge of the selector to go from the low-range to the middle range. The chain jammed on my first ride in half way through selecting a gear. This could well have been my fault if I "confused it" (I have no idea what I did if anything). I think it's the low range where I can hear a rattle / rubbing from the chain as if it's thinking about changing gear a bit. I might take a look at it at the weekend.
- It is quite slow. Downhill in top gear I think I can do 25mph or so before my legs start spinning silly fast.
- It is quite light, much lighter than the mountain bike I had when I was a teenager
- Once I factor in getting ready for the bike ride to work, showering at the other end and getting "dry" it's about the same journey time as the bus (but free). Coming home today at lunch was about 25 minutes though.
- The saddle is very hard
- I'm very unfit and it's hard work with quite a heavy bag! Today was much harder (probably because it was the second day, and I was cycling into the wind). I thought me going on my exercise bike 2 or 3 times a week for the last couple of years would mean it wasn't so hard but it is hard work!
- I was so apprehensive about my first ride, preparing everything the day before and trying to remember my route and make sure I had my helmet, the right keys to get into my new Dry Room locker etc when I get to the office that I forgot to take my work shirt and bike lock! I don't think anyone will let me forget that
- we have showers at work but on the second use my towel wasn't dry enough to dry me. Had as sticky work shirt all morning.

However the route I have picked is quite quiet and so far (four trips) I haven't met any impatient drivers (or cyclists - I'm easily the slowest thing on the road!)

I'll see how it goes but at the moment I'd say it's equally as annoying as the bus. I have to man up basically! I have been spoilt all last year by having a 15 minute motorway commute to the office.