Comments on: Best Commuter Bike

By: tejvan

tejvan — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:07:07 +0000

Hi, I wouldn’t worry too much about weight. Most commuter bikes will be fine for riders upto 100Kg, probably more. You might want to take a look at some of these hybrid bikes for offering best value. http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/products/commuting-bikes/best-hybrid-bikes/

By: Florin

Florin — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:22:27 +0000

Great advice. I’m looking to buy a sturdier commuting bike (I’m a big lad) and I was wondering what would you recommend. What is the maximum weight a commuter’s bike can take?

By: tejvan

tejvan — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:43:06 +0000

Sounds good choice of commuter bike. I’ve not heard much about Norco Ceres, but it ticks a lot of boxes.

By: Ted Daniells

Ted Daniells — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:45:04 +0000

Best commuting bike for me is one that keeps me clean and requires little (no) maintenance. It has to be clean as I work in a small office with no showering facilities so I wear my work clothes into the office. Well the ride is only 5 miles each way, so I don’t really work up a sweat. I didn’t want a chain and went for a gates carbon belt. An excellent choice for me. I didn’t want derailleur gears either. I was happy with hub gears. My daughter lives in Amsterdam, and the residents there leave their bikes out in all weather, with no apparent ill effect. They get stacked when parking, so a derailleur gear would get knocked out quite regularly and easily. For a commuter bike, I did not want to keep adjusting the gears. Hub gears on the continent are much more popular than in the UK. If you wear lycra, could you be seen with a hub geared bike ?! So in the end I went for a Norco Ceres. Anyone else have experience of a gates carbon drive ?

By: David

David — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:17:22 +0000

I have had a number of bikes, but over the years I’ve found the only one that I will still enjoy riding is a Dawes Galaxy Tourer.

It has had a variety of components replaced by shorter/smaller versions, and has a set of Conti 2000 Top Touring tyres, a Brooks Pro saddle, clipless pedals and replacement cassette giving a bottom gear of 19″. The combination of variable riding positions, the ‘relaxed’ steering geometry that actually thrives on a bit of weight carried, and the overall ‘fit’ for me make it completely out of the league of my old (vandalised) Raleigh 3 speed, or nearly as old (not used unless I really can’t avoid it) Trek Hybrid.

Funnily though this is the second ‘types of bikes’ listing that hasn’t even ‘nodded’ in the direction of a traditional touring frame that I’ve read today.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:07:48 +0000

Exactly so. Age = Experience

By: tejvan

tejvan — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:14:42 +0000

Interesting experience, thanks for sharing. Though with things falling off, it’s probably worth paying £350 in first place.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:31:56 +0000

A note on the Ammaco hybrid and probably most of its ilk. To my original £150 purchase, I have replaced/added – tyres (Schwalbe Marathon 700Cx38, £22, superb), chain (£10),bottom bracket (£10 + tool), chainset (£30), shifter (£12), pedals (£15), stand (£16), saddle (£25), stem (£20). The latter 2 ended up totally destroyed after a year or so. All parts were the cheapest sensible from the LBS/H***ds.

One of the plus points of buying a bike this cheap is that ANY aftermarket parts are an improvement. As a result I’ve ended up with a superbly capable city bike for around £350. The cost and irritation of bits just dropping off or dying miles from home is another matter altogether of course. But whatever else you do, with a cheap hybrid get the bottom bracket changed AT PURCHASE!!!

By: Giles P

Giles P — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:35:34 +0000

Two points to note; (compare like with like) A retro bike is neither neccessarily heavier or slower. And is unlikely to have the stupendous number of gears machinery manufacturers like you to buy, but you don’t need.
Aluminium frames are not lighter than, equivalent standard, steel frames but are much more rigid and take about eight times as much energy to produce.

By: Liam H

Liam H — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:49:15 +0000

Fixies are ok if you get the gear ratio right- alot of companies seem to finally be adjusting to more suitable gearings compared to relatively huge track gearings. Personally I think you should have had a Cyclo Cross Bike on your list for their sheer do everything practicality.