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Best bike for 10 mile commute
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QuincyBella
Posts: 234 Forumite
I have started commuting to work on my bike but it is a very old mountain bike which isn't ideal. It was fine for nipping around town which is what I originally bought it for. The terrain is 90% cycle routes, so mostly tarmac or tightly packed gravel with a few wooden bridges across the estuary (which are the biggest challenge for my bike at present). There are also a couple of very steep hills which are proving a struggle on my current bike.
My workplace is talking about reintroducing the cycle to work scheme so I could be a little bit flexible on price but really I wouldn't want to spend more than £250 on the bike itself.
I've looked at the Carerra Subway on the Halfords site as people have told me it is the best bike I'll get for the money. I'll be honest, I really don't like the look of it! It's not just the aesthetic look, the saddle looks really uncomfortable, and for me the saddle is positioned too high and cannot be moved. If anyone has any really positive comments on it I'd be happy to hear them though.
Any suggestions what would be a good first bike for me? I am female b t w and don't like bikes with high cross bars as I have short little legs! :rotfl:
My workplace is talking about reintroducing the cycle to work scheme so I could be a little bit flexible on price but really I wouldn't want to spend more than £250 on the bike itself.
I've looked at the Carerra Subway on the Halfords site as people have told me it is the best bike I'll get for the money. I'll be honest, I really don't like the look of it! It's not just the aesthetic look, the saddle looks really uncomfortable, and for me the saddle is positioned too high and cannot be moved. If anyone has any really positive comments on it I'd be happy to hear them though.
Any suggestions what would be a good first bike for me? I am female b t w and don't like bikes with high cross bars as I have short little legs! :rotfl:
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I've never seen a saddle that can't be adjusted, if it won't go down enough, the frame is too large for you so you need a smaller one.
Saddles are very personal things and one man's sofa is another's razor blade, but - almost counter intuitively - the smallest, less padded saddles are usually more comfortable than wide squidgy ones.
You will never be able to tell how good or bad a saddle will be by looking at it or even sitting on it in a shop.0 -
I have an older Carerra Subway 2 hybrid and it is a very good bike for the money. Agree with mcfisco with regards saddles, the less contact you have with the saddle, the less there is to rub and chafe.
Could you find a local independent bike shop, a lot of the time they will have staff who know what they are on about and even let you test ride different bikes to find one that fits.0 -
My friend has a carerra with a (imo) v painful looking saddle! I will ask if I can have a go. The only reason I mentioned the non adjustable handlebars/saddle was because someone mentioned it in a review. They also tend to have the higher cross bar which make me quite uneasy...0
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If crossbars are a worry for you, look at something that has a step-through frame.
Maybe the Specialized Croossroads would suit you?0 -
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_842993_langId_-1_categoryId_165534.
What about the Pendleton Brook Hybrid? these are quite reasonable and have good reviews. Most bikes will be o.k for 10 miles or so. I'd go for something like this if I was just after a general tripping about/short commute bike.
I think though that an old mountain bike should be o.k for a 10 mile commute unless its falling to bits or is a really cheap dual suspension bike. If its o.k you could get some slick tyres for it that will help with a commute.Why wont your bike cut it with a wooden bridge?0 -
dandelionclock30 wrote: ».Why wont your bike cut it with a wooden bridge?
I'm assuming the wooden slats run length ways and have gaps between them, which would be really nasty on narrow tyres. Wouldn't make sense on a cycle route, but then many cycle routes are so poorly designed that it would not surprise me.“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”
<><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/0 -
The slats run across wooden footbridges which stretch across the estuary where I cycle. Would it make sense if I said they were wooden but with textured strips running across them? My mountain bike with it's trippy tyres makes very heavy work of them but at least I can't complain it's uncomfortable.
Thanks for suggesting the Brooke. I am a little (a lot) in love with the Pendleton Somersby bike, though assumed I would be prioritising style over substance if I opted for that beauty. I will certainly look at the Brooke but what are your views on the Somersby?0 -
It will be able to do 10 miles each way but its 3 KG heavier than the Brooke plus it has less gears. Being bolt upright is initially comfortable but on longer rides is not really that comfy.
Before you decide to buy one, lift it up and feel the weight. I think this bike is more designed for a potter round town say a couple of miles than a serious commute.
If your going to be riding over wooden bridges I would stay away from it and get a sporty hybrid type bike.0 -
IMO, the best kind of bike for a 10 mile commute is a mountain bike with road tyres. You can have front suspension and disc brakes so you can stop real fast when car doors open in front of you and you can drop down kerbs without your fillings falling out.
A hybrid would be okay but a racer limits you to the road quite a bit, jump up or down kerbs and you'll probably buckle a wheel not to mention hitting a pot hole. I've been out on a hardtail (front suspension) mountain bike before with road tyres and overtaken people on road bikes, fast and comfortable0 -
dandelionclock30 wrote: »It will be able to do 10 miles each way but its 3 KG heavier than the Brooke plus it has less gears. Being bolt upright is initially comfortable but on longer rides is not really that comfy.
Before you decide to buy one, lift it up and feel the weight. I think this bike is more designed for a potter round town say a couple of miles than a serious commute.
If your going to be riding over wooden bridges I would stay away from it and get a sporty hybrid type bike.
You have confirmed my suspicions about the Somersby, and I think I will definitely check out the Brooke, which looks to be more what I'm looking for.
From reading some of the responses I've realised that calling this journey a commute is a bit misleading as really I am just cycling through the countryside - therefore I'm not especially worried about a bike's performance on roads/let's etc because I barely encounter any.
I'm not the most technically gifted person so I have no idea how to change wheels etc. I'm guessing somewhere like halfords might be able to assist as I wouldn't know where to start with changing them over myself...
Thanks to everyone for your answers. You have given me a lot to consider.0
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