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I like the concept of 'life bikes' pushed by Cotic for bikes liek the road rat and escapade. I am a bit of a steel fan already!
currently for my 15 mile commute I use a singlespeed Genesis flyer which is good on the way in but a little tough on the hills on the way home. I am overweightat 14st on a 5 10 frame so hills are not my favourite. I also use soemtimes my Boardman team carbon with mudguards whichis Ok.
I was thinking of sellign the flyer and getting a 'life bike' as a commuter?
Amny thoughts or recommendations?
just wanted to add flyer is 3 years old...
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That sounds painful Nemesis, you ok?
aw-fully kind of you to ask...
he's just
aw-estruck
I would stick with the flyer, the hills will get easier the more you ride and if you get your weight down that will help with the hills too
a steel bike with disks and gears would be nice but you could end up spending a lot of money for one that is as good or better than the flyer - the flyers are good bikes
thanks for the feedback edhornby...yes the flyer is a good bike. It is abit heavier than my boardman carbon bike but seems to cover the ground almost as quick. I am not sure if this is the 'magic' of singlespeed or the fact I have no place to go on hills i.e. I cannot change down when it gets a little tough!
I love the concept of 'life bikes but I guess that just means I have been 'sold' the advertiser's idea!
BTW - sorry about the 'aw' stuff Nemesis, will not happen in future posts 🙁
'life bike' = just a bike
SS is the way if you commute all year round IMHO.
Saves me a fortune on worn out parts and means you can't take it too easy.
I'm thinking of ss for new commuter. I used to run a ss years ago (Roadrat). Any recommendations for suitable ss gearing for 15 mile reasonably hilly commute with panniers?
Personally, I'd ride it fixed; more efficient, faster fitness gains. But if the gear is too high a singlespeed or fixed will feel a chore and you will long for gears (well at least one lower).
How hilly is the commute? 42x16 or 42x17 will get you up some modest inclines. I ride 42x15, and when tired or into a headwind, it is a grind. 42x16 is spinalong fine and geared for 16.7 mph. If you are riding slower than this, then you need to gear down. You could use a three-speed AW rear wheel, for example.
My all-round commuter (and winter road bike) is fixed wheel, (cheap) Kona steel frame with full carbon forks, full SKS mudguards, handbuilt Miche/Open Pro wheels, 9.25 kilos without rack. It flies along, handles like a proper road bike, and is geared for 19 mph (42x15). It is still a chore into a headwind on the morning after a race.
EDIT: for hilly commute; 42x16 = 48x18 is the norm when sold. You might want something a little lower, so perhaps 44x18. You will find 42x18 too low - I bought a used Langster and it had just had a new frewheel - an 18T. It was almost unrideably spinny on flat sections. Fine tuning of gearing is done with the chainwheel not the sprocket.
SS is the way if you commute all year round IMHO.
Saves me a fortune on worn out parts
Really? 9 speed cassette and chain every 2-4000 miles? £30? Hardly a fortune!
I was on SS for a good while, put a cassette on the back for a SDW jaunt, moved house up some hills at about the same time and it's stayed on since. It's also my road bike and cross type thing.
I might swap back to SS every now and then oif it didn't mean re-wrapping the bars.
Really? 9 speed cassette and chain every 2-4000 miles? £30? Hardly a fortune!
Don't forget chainrings, jockey wheels, front & rear mechs, cables. I've destroyed plenty of these over winter time, especially with snow & salt slush.
Fair enough, I haven't! Full length outer helps, and rear mech only. Old XT thing off another bike, shove some grease in the jockey wheels every couple of years, never bothered replacing them. living in the south, so less salt and slush than you maybe. One chainring in 8,000 miles.