Help buying a new bike please

littleredhen

I have recently been cycling 12k everyday on my exercise bike, I would like to start cycling to and from work, only about 5 miles along a railway line, a couple of hilly bits at the end and only a small amount of road.
I went out on my bike last night and did about 3 miles and was surprised how difficult it was!! I think some of it is the gears, my bike was put together by my ex some years ago from old bikes, I had the gears serviced about a year ago but I am thinking if I can cycle 12k on an exercise bike how difficult can it be so cycle to work with a proper bike.
I don't have a budget, although wasn't thinking of spending more than £500, because we get quite a lot of snow in the winter.
Any suggestions please

Norman_Castle

Put more air in the tyres. Use a lower gear. Keep riding, it will get easier.

Hopefully a disused railway line.

PasturesNew

If it's just 5 miles then £500 seems mental as a new venture. Why not start out with a simple/regular, second hand bike and see how you go for £30-50.

I used to cycle 6 miles each way to my first job, on one of those old-fashioned (WW2 style) ladies bikes, with 3-lever sturmey gears and a big wicker basket on the front.

After 3 months you'll have either decided cycling isn't for you, or know more about what you want from your bike.

Mankysteve

You switch out gear sets to make hills easier. If your unsure how to it shouldn't be that much for your local bike shop to do it for you.

littleredhen

Thanks for advice, I was changing gears and tyres are fully inflated. I am off for the summer hols now, 6 weeks to practice cycling to & from my place of work, can then decide if I want a different bike.

Keep_pedalling

Nothing wrong which a bike cobbled together from bits of old bikes as long as the builder knows their stuff. There could be a number of reasons why you are finding your bike hard work. The frame size may be wrong for you, like many cheap bikes it may be fitted with heavy front suspension forks, heavy and or knobbly tires, and the gearing. If the frame size is wrong or the thing is fitted with suspension of any kind then ditch it.

Nothing will make you give on on this great idea more than using an inappropriate bike, as well as getting the exersize it should be fun as well. If you have a well established local bike shop take your bike along and have a word about the suitability of using it for commuting, and any modifications they could make to improve its suitability for the task. If you really do need a replacement, then going down the new route does have the big advantage that you are going to be starting out on a frame of the right size.

£500 should get you a reasonable quality commuting bike. You need one fitted with mudguards, and rear rack to carry panniers (ruck sacks and bikes are a bad combination) and as you plan to ride through the winter a good lighting system and personally I would go with hub dynamo route with LED front and rear lights.

littleredhen

My current bike does have front suspension and thick tyres

Keep_pedalling

littleredhen wrote: »

My current bike does have front suspension and thick tyres

In that case you need something better, the suspension they put on cheep bikes is just for show and would fall to bits if you put it over any real rough stuff. It just slows you down riding roads or tow paths.

If you have one availably pop along to you local bike shop and give them a description of what you are looking for. They should come up with a few options which you can test ride. Take your time over this especially as the 2016 models will be coming out soon so there should be some good deals on 2015 models to be had.

richj

£500 gets you a lot of bike. Head over to the cyclechat forum and do a search.

can you post a picture of your current bike?

tyres make the biggest difference , if you can swap these out to a 'semi slick' rather than a fully knobbly this would help a lot. is the disused railway line tarmac or gravel?

Lioness_Twinkletoes

'Real' cycling is always going to be harder than an exercise bike. The terrain, wind, hills etc. are all going to make quite a significant difference.

jbainbridge

What is your current bike - brand/model? or picture?