Need new bike for commuting, canal towpaths and trails £600

PermaBanned · 10 Mar 2016 at 14:33

That's the main thing, yeah - that the primary riding position (on the hoods) is waaay more comfortable over any meaningful length of time than using flat bars. But the variation is important to. You can use the tops as flat bars if you're resting or climbing, you can use the bends at the top, you can use the drops themselves.

I don't know why you wouldn't have seen people in the drops though, I use them fairly often. Sometimes while riding into a headwind, but mainly for descents and pathetic sprint efforts

Of course, if the OP already has a road bike then they'll be able to weigh up the benefits for their own personal uses. I would have said that a relaxed cyclocross bike would be the best fit for what they've described, but it depends a lot on the specific type of trails. If it's just dirt then any road bike would probably be fine. If it's grass and a bit of gravel then a cyclocross bike would handle it better. If it's rocks and gravel as big as your fist then maybe flat bars would be justified. But above all the key thing is that you're comfortable.

lordrobs · 10 Mar 2016 at 14:37

Lethal` said:
That's a good observation However, some do and it is far more comfortable to be sat on the hoods for hours than on straight handlebars

Maybe I'm just designed strangely but I can ride a MTB for 3 hours straight without issue yet bet hand pain on a road bike quite quickly.

FrenchTart · 10 Mar 2016 at 14:45

lordrobs said:
Maybe I'm just designed strangely but I can ride a MTB for 3 hours straight without issue yet bet hand pain on a road bike quite quickly.

Either a bad setup on the road bike or indeed a weirdly designed body

zophiel · 10 Mar 2016 at 14:46

my wife prefers straight bars to drops also. We tried both and its just the way it worked best for her. She said she felt more comfortable and in control

so we tried the boardman cross and hybrid. The hybrid is just a like the cross but with flat bars

FrenchTart · 10 Mar 2016 at 14:53

Preferring straight bars due to not being experienced with drops and not riding a lot is a completely different thing to whether or not drops/hoods are ergonomically better.

lordrobs · 10 Mar 2016 at 15:06

FrenchTart said:
Either a bad setup on the road bike or indeed a weirdly designed body

Could be poor setup I guess. I notice the more I ride with dropped bars the less it seems to be a problem.

randomshenans · 10 Mar 2016 at 15:14

FrenchTart said:
Preferring straight bars due to not being experienced with drops and not riding a lot is a completely different thing to whether or not drops/hoods are ergonomically better.

Everyone is shaky as anything first time on road bike bars, they do take some getting used to. As soon as you are though, it's like... riding a bike.

pumaz · 10 Mar 2016 at 17:58

Thanks again for the input, some good points raised

My take on drops vs straights, When I'm out on the road bike I do mostly ride the hoods but I will use the drops when going down hill or on long flats with little traffic, I do find find them comfortable and the fact you can ride in 3 different positions is great. I also like straights even if they're not quite as comfy as drops simply because the control and feel of security when on trails or towpaths etc.

I have passed other riders on cyclocross bikes on the towpaths I use so I know a cyclocross is an option but it just doesn't look comfortable.

pumaz · 11 Mar 2016 at 13:15

Just seen you can buy the Voodoo Marasa for £299 from Halfords eBay store and pick it up from your local store all setup after 4 days. Is there any downsides to doing this rather than just purchasing through Halfords website/store? Also the're only two sizes 18 or 20" I'm 5ft 8" and the size guide suggests size 18 from 5ft 5" and size 20 from 5ft 10" now I obviously don't want something that's too big but I feel my MTB is about 2" too small at size 17.

Anyone my size riding a voodoo bike size 18 or 20? Long shot I know!

SexyGreyFox · 11 Mar 2016 at 17:56

I'm 5' 6" and my 18" fits me perfectly.
The bloke I bought the MTB off was 6' 4"

lordrobs · 11 Mar 2016 at 19:32

pumaz said:
Just seen you can buy the Voodoo Marasa for £299 from Halfords eBay store and pick it up from your local store all setup after 4 days. Is there any downsides to doing this rather than just purchasing through Halfords website/store? Also the're only two sizes 18 or 20" I'm 5ft 8" and the size guide suggests size 18 from 5ft 5" and size 20 from 5ft 10" now I obviously don't want something that's too big but I feel my MTB is about 2" too small at size 17.

Anyone my size riding a voodoo bike size 18 or 20? Long shot I know!

Get the smaller one and run it with a bit more seat post showing, it'll be fine.

pumaz · 11 Mar 2016 at 20:51

I'm going to try and get to a Halfords tomorrow and see one in the flesh also ask if I can sit on one. I wonder actually if I show the the eBay listing if they'll just cut out the eBay palaver and just sell me one for £299!

UTmaniac · 12 Mar 2016 at 05:44

Besides the Marassa, try and get a look at the 13 Implicit Alpha, it has a good internal cable routing frame and Raidon forks for £450.

SexyGreyFox · 12 Mar 2016 at 11:03

Have you thought of looking on Gumtree OP?
The last 3 bikes I've bought on Gumtree have been bargains (1 for me and 2 for friends).
All 3 had hardly been used because they'd all been bought on a whim.
The best one was a Carrera Fury the guy had bought for £499, used it for about 5 rides to work and we got it for £160. The lad I went to buy it with used it for 2 weeks so it's still pristine.

pumaz · 12 Mar 2016 at 16:44

Just back from Halfords and didn't like the Marasa at all, looks like a youth bike in fact only the bordmams looked half decent. I know it shouldn't be about looks but I've got to want to go out on it!

PermaBanned · 12 Mar 2016 at 17:44

Fair. Looks do count for a lot when it comes to motivation. That Verenti Division on the last page does look a lot smarter but of course the issue is that you'd have to be pretty sure of your size beforehand as you can't actually see it.

lordrobs · 12 Mar 2016 at 17:58

Yeah, you've got to want it otherwise you won't use it.

I must admit that I always buy with spec for the price as the first criteria but I wouldn't buy one where the looks actively put me off.

pumaz · 12 Mar 2016 at 22:49

Yeah the Marasa looks worse in real life than pictures and the general finish wasn't very good. I couldn't sit on one which was the 20" version as it was padlocked in to the stand and no one was around. It did look a better size though but without sitting on one it would be complete guess work.

Been watching some GCN videos and the guys are riding what looks like cyclocross bikes over far worse terrain than I would be doing and they seem to cope ok so might investigate cyclocross as an option.

BTW they were down to £299 in store if anyone's interested.

pumaz · 13 Mar 2016 at 20:43

Think I've found the "one" it's a Specialized Diverge which is classed as a Adventure / Gravel bike and it seems like a proper do it all bike, could even replace my road bike!

Any thoughts on this?

Lethal` · 13 Mar 2016 at 22:10

pumaz said:
Think I've found the "one" it's a Specialized Diverge which is classed as a Adventure / Gravel bike and it seems like a proper do it all bike, could even replace my road bike!

Any thoughts on this?

You found one for £600? They're quite nice bikes - certainly can cover a lot of bases.