Help in bike type!!!

[harrisspanias]

Greetings,

I am searching for what bike type it fits for my needs but i have no experience at all and i find it hard to choose!

I love watching (and propably doing) mountain trails/downhill, but i need a bike to go efficient, safe and fast to my daily classes and workplace. The distances i want to cover on city road (Athens) is about 30-40km. I was thinking to get some experiece on mountain trails but to get there i must go by bike at least 20-30km (+30 to return) by bike (i dont have a car)!

I am between a crosscountry hardtail (with a lockout suspension for the road and propably another set of tyres)/hybrid or a cyclocross/road bike.

I will use the bike 90% on the road so i thought instead of buying an allaround bike (hybrid/cyclocross), to sacrifice my passion and buy a "good" road bike so i can move fast, safe and comfortably (at least i think that these are the features of the road bike)in my daily routine.

As i mentioned above, i have no experience at any bike type! If you could help me on that i would be grateful!

Do you think that i ll go a lot faster and efficient to these ~30km per day on road with a road bike compare to a xc ht with a lockout suspension? Or i would not even understand the difference and it would be almost the same thing for me?

Thanks in advance,
Harris Spanias.

 

[ustabe]

Greetings,

I am searching for what bike type it fits for my needs but i have no experience at all and i find it hard to choose!

Does it have to do triathlons, too?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. You need at least two bikes, one to serve as the car substitute, a bike that is reasonably light and quick over pavement; and the other to satisfy your trail visions, which are indicating heavyweight, rugged, and going downhill. And they're visions, not yet passions.

You need to decide which is more important, getting to work or playing in the singletrack.

 

[harrisspanias]

Does it have to do triathlons, too?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. You need at least two bikes, one to serve as the car substitute, a bike that is reasonably light and quick over pavement; and the other to satisfy your trail visions, which are indicating heavyweight, rugged, and going downhill. And they're visions, not yet passions.

You need to decide which is more important, getting to work or playing in the singletrack.

I understand what you said and thanks for the fast reply.

I mean that the distances i want to cover daily is in general small (~30km). Is the difference on the speed and efficiency so big in these distances inside the city (athens, not very flat and long roads) ? I see road bikes and it seem to me very fragile and sensitive in general or it just seems to me this way! Is that type appropriate for city roads?

 

[krebs303]

Greetings,

crosscountry hardtail (with a lockout suspension for the road and propably another set of tyres

This would work well. Not great at either but very adequate until you need to upgrade. then a genre specific bike will be required

 

[hiero2]

This would work well. Not great at either but very adequate until you need to upgrade. then a genre specific bike will be required

This is a good answer, and I agree. But I also think going the other way - towards a hefty cyclocross style could be good.

Around town, you will appreciate something a little heavier - like 28 or 32 tires. On the trails, you will appreciate the bigger trail tyres (still measured in inches here, so I don't know the cm size).

Both frame types would be good. The crosscountry hardtail type is a little heavier, and you will end up riding slower. The cyclocross bike will be faster on the regular roads.

For my commuting bikes, when going more than 5-10 km, I prefer a sturdy road bike, set up more like a cyclocross bike, but frequently with fenders. For shorter distances, I use a crosscountry hardtail type, because I can just hop on - no special shoes, no special shorts - just ride.

If I were working in the store you went in to, and you asked this question, I would ask you if you had ANY sort of bike, and if you did, what type of riding did you find yourself doing for everyday fun? Then I would suggest you go in that direction.

Either direction you go, you sound like you are putting intelligent thought into the process, and I am confident you will make a good decision.

 

[harrisspanias]

Thanks a lot for the answer, were both very helpful! I 'll look for an xc ht 29er so i can get used to mountain trails and the mtb riding position, cause in the future i am thinking if i still like it to start downhill!

Thanks again all for the help! Does anyone have any model to suggest for a budget 1000 - 1600 euro?

 

[harrisspanias]

Τhanks a lot everyone for your answers and your help!

I finally decide to buy a xc ht 29er with lockout suspension. I will link some models i liked and i will be waiting for opinions!

All bikes have the same fork suspension FOX 32 FLOAT CTD. I like them all as appearance so this in not a problem for any bike below!

CUBE
Cube REACTION Pro 29 2014: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/cube/reaction-pro-29-2014

Cube Reaction Pro 29 2013: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/cube/reaction-pro-29-2013

SCOTT
Scott Scale 950 2014: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/scott/scale-950-2014

Scott Scale 940 2013: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/scott/scale-950-2014

Scott Scale 950 2013: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/scott/scale-950-2013

TREK
Trek Superfly AL Elite 2013: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/trek/superfly-al-elite-2013

Trek Superfly AL Elite 2012: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/trek/superfly-al-elite-2012

MARIN
Marin Indian Fire Trail 29er 2013: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/marin/indian-fire-trail-29er-2013

GHOST
Ghost HTX Actinum 2975 2013: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/ghost/htx-actinum-2975-2013

Ghost HTX 29 Actinum 9500 2012: http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/ghost/htx-29-actinum-9500-2012

 

[hiero2]

What I used to find, when comparing models of approximately the same price, but across brands, was that there was very little difference in the long run. One might have a groupo that was one step better, or lesser.

Outside of the fact that some of these have disc brakes, it looks to me like this is still pretty much the case.

I would say compare the overall weight of the bikes, and take that into consideration. You'll be happier around town with less weight.

Whichever model you choose from these, I am sure you will be happy. They all look good.

But I just had a thought - what about racks and places to carry stuff? Is that a consideration?

And one other piece of advice - you mentioned an extra pair of tires. Seriously consider adding a 2nd set of wheels to your shopping list - even if used so long as they will fit. That way you can switch to a skinnier tire for around town, and keep the big fat stuff for honking down those trails.

 

[harrisspanias]

@hiero2 Thanks a lot for the suggestions.

Yes i ll prolly buy a second set of wheels for the road!

 

[avanti]

Of your list my suggestion is buy a 2012 model - you should get that at a large discount. As you ride that bie over the next year or so you should be able to figure exactly what your next bike should be.

I needed a commute/dirt trail bike so I traded in my CX bike and bought a flat bar (hybrid?) Cannondale Quick with wide tires. My Trek MTB was too heavy to cart around and not fun to use for commuting.