Bike recommendation

[ibbydibby]

Am on the lookout for a new / secondhand bike for daily commute. Currently riding an ancient (poss 40 or 50 yr old) touring bike, which I bought 2nd hand in 1993 or thereabouts........round trip each day is 12 miles, mainly on single track roads, often littered with soil / stones.

Ideally looking for something with rack on the back, for pannier. If buying new, would prob go for purchase through work. Would prefer second hand though, as work at university, current bike got quite badly damaged a while ago, prob not deliberately but perhaps due to too many bikes in bike rack. Though aware that if going for 2nd hand, I can't be too specific.

So, just posting here to see if anyone has any suggestions / recommendations please? Thanks!

Budget? Do you want another tourer or try a different style (like MTB?).

Mudguards & panniers are extras you can add on after usually, you want a solid lightweight frame and good wheels.

Prob up to £1k (but preferably less...open to ideas). Was thinking of hybrid of some kind... Tourer is v heavy

and thanks for posting Trout cos I was feeling a bit Billynomates

An old steel tourer would be very heavy. No relatively modern bike in your budget would be heavy.

How tall are you...?

Ah. This is gorgeous. I could eat it up.

You need mud guard & pannier lugs, though, let me keep looking.

Specalized Tricross. Doesn't come with a rack but you can fit one easily. I have one and its a fab bike.

I'm thinking X bike, too.

But this Kinesis winter trainer seems nice, and a snip 2nd hand at £500 on Bikeradar.

Gazelle bikes are really decent hybrids, DH was trying to persuade me to have one when I was thinking of a new hybrid - really well thought of.

www.royaldutchgazelle.co.uk/collection-bikes

Have to say though that my Dawes galaxy is 20 years old and I can lift it with one hand whereas my Trek T30 leaves me puffing. In fact because I am selling my T30 I am going to sell the carrier that fits on the tow bar, just because the galaxy is so light I can put it in my car with the seats down without any effort at all.

Wiggle own brand bikes can be good value. This was DH's winter commuter for the last few years and he really rated it.

road.cc/content/review/25794-verenti-kilmeston

Maybe they have something to look at.

If I were buying a new made up tourer I would look for last years model in something made in steel, like the ridgeback world series.

Basically the same as my Galaxy despite the age difference - weighs the same as a modern hybrid in aluminium or much less than my mid range Trek - about 13/14kg.

Like this sort of thing, bet one can be found cheaper though

www.slanecycles.com/ridgeback-panorama-bike-pewter-metallic-p-25616.html?language=en&currency=GBP&delivery=222&fo_c=303&fo_k=77862d11646ec59e74b382b00a40d33d&fo_s=gplauk&gclid=CJ7f-u-pgcgCFdUaGwodVuYB4A

14 kg seems awfully heavy to me. For money OP is willing to spend, should get under 11kg with rack & mudguards.

Depends what she wants though, a steel frame will go on forever, be repairable and adaptable. Steel is the choice of the high end custom bike builders. My 20 year old Galaxy is going for a respray and I am in the process of ordering another steel frame because I want a traditional tourer with longevity and I am spending £2k.

Lightness isn't everything - unless OP is wanting speed and considering a hybrid and panniers are in the equation I am not sure it is!

Thanks for all these suggestions! Much to think about. Re weight, I will weigh current bike and report back.

My main steed is a 1970s classic tourer (Motobecane). But it doesn't weigh no 14 kg. With pannier I think it might be nudging 27 lbs or so.

I think we all come at it from different perspectives too OP. I have had a hybrid for 5 years but prefer a tourer. I can manage 12-14 mph on my tourer and always have a bag on it so I am not bothered about one or two extra kg. Not interested in speed really but strength, longevity and the ability to carry weight.

Hybrids do not tend to be light bikes. My trek is heavy, so heavy that I insisted on having a tow bar mounted rack because there is no way I could ever lift it onto the rack on the top of the car. Discovering my tourer just lifts in and slots inside the car nicely was amazing.

Even the decent gazelles weigh 16 kg ish.

Steel bikes are made for touring because anyone, anywhere in the world can find a welding shop.

If you decide what sort of bike you want then eBay or gumtree is your friend for a used one. Or the CTC forum which has a good, generally honest sort of seller, used bike section.

If you decide on a tourer, are 5'7 and live near the North west , this is a beauty ....

forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=99011

Thanks lavender - looks good, surprised it hasn't sold. Sadly am miles away (East Anglia). I do keep my eye on Gumtree, local FB cycle page etc, but anything good is snapped uup quickly.

If you went down the used hybrid route I have a Trek for sale in Norfolk. 20" frame if that would fit, I am almost 5'8" and it is adjusted for me. I would be happy with £80 for it.

Have to say that whilst it is great for actually in town (Cambridge) I don't enjoy riding it at all on any journey above 2 or 3 miles. I find it slow and sluggish and it seriously adds 10-15 mins onto my 6 miles to my horses field if I ride it there. So I am not sure I would recommend it for your round trip to be honest!

Maybe a better hybrid would be nicer to ride than this one.

Where in East Anglia?
You could post msgs to local clubs (like Iceni Velo) to ask if anyone is selling a no-longer-required tourer. Try before you buy usually best.

In your situation (and assuming I didn't already have several bikes), I would consider Islabikes' adult bike which looks like a perfect all rounder. I agree that a cyclocross bike would be good too, and agree that you wouldn't be dissapointed in a Specialized. It may be worth trying out a few bikes in shops to get a feel for which geometry suits you. I always find Giant bikes' top tube too long for my arms, despite being quite tall.

Ooh... I just weighed some of our bikes.
Hybrid with mudguards + rack = 15kg+
1970s tourer with rack = 13 kg
2007 X bike, no rack but just to show the difference = 8-9.5 kg, depending which wheels are on it.

I wouldn't pay close to a grand for a bike over 11.5 kg with rack & guards.

Ok - up to £1k was max I'd go up to, but have no idea of "good" ballpark price of bike for commuting. I have weighed bike in a very Heath Robinson ish manner (ie weighed myself, then weighed me + bike) and it seems to be in region of 12kg. I think I need to get myself off to a bike shop or 2, with your suggestions in tow :)