Mountain Bikes, Hybrid Bikes, Road Bikes......etc

[pod]

If you're interested in cycling, just on roads not off road, would anyone have any suggestions on which type of cycle to opt for?

Ordinary road/racer bikes might be ok, but I'm not too keen on the drop handlebars, and the tyres are thin so presumably more punctures.

Mountain bikes have thicker tyres, so less punctures and they have proper handlebars. Though presumably you have to use more energy pushing them since they're heavier, and the tyres are thicker so more friction...

And what about mountain bikes with either front suspension or full front & back suspension. I assume they're more comfortable, but would you not use more energy cycling the bike due to the bike having vertical movement due to the suspension?

Perhaps the answer is a hybrid cycle?

Anyone have any opinions or advice...?

[iamconfusedagain]

Hi

I would try lots of bikes, you can not tell just from the theory. Getting one that feels nice is just trial and error, there is no magic formula. Dont worry if you dont like the saddle on any bike you try as you wil most likely have to change it. Most suck!

You definately do not want rear suss. It is only for real mountain bikes £1000++. It depends on your price range whether you want the fronk forks. If you are looking at £1000 cannondale do some lovely bikes called 'badboy' very fast, bit of a hybrid 700 wheels. They also do a non suss version £600. This is fantastic bike, very light and quick. But a consideration is that they must b the most nickable bikes out there.

Apart from the above mentioned badboy I do not like hybrids. To me they are the worst of both worlds.

I would tend to go with a mountin bike that is tailored for the road. These can be very fast with the right tyres (A pair of thin 100% puncture resistant ones are about £30 a pair) I would avoid both front and back suspension to keep the weight down. You are still able to jump on and off curbs with a bike like this, and they can be a lot more comfortable than a road bike. Look to spend about £400 if going for a new bike. A lovely bike I once had was the Marin Muir Woods. It does not look to flash so will not be such a target for chav scum.

http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2006/ht..._muirwoods.html

There are more and more of there 'urban' bikes that I think are pretty good.

Oh yeah the tyre I have got are continentals:

http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle/ti...20contact.shtml

Anyway good luck.

[kinesin]

If you're interested in cycling, just on roads not off road, would anyone have any suggestions on which type of cycle to opt for?

Ordinary road/racer bikes might be ok, but I'm not too keen on the drop handlebars, and the tyres are thin so presumably more punctures.

Mountain bikes have thicker tyres, so less punctures and they have proper handlebars. Though presumably you have to use more energy pushing them since they're heavier, and the tyres are thicker so more friction...

And what about mountain bikes with either front suspension or full front & back suspension. I assume they're more comfortable, but would you not use more energy cycling the bike due to the bike having vertical movement due to the suspension?

Perhaps the answer is a hybrid cycle?

Anyone have any opinions or advice...?

If your on the road get a road bike. Drop bars give the hand so many options for postions that it will stop the soreness in the upbody/arms. Riding on the hoods still allows braking and gear shifting and is comforable. Getting on the drops in great when hitting that headwind.

As for punctures road bikes don't suffer any worst than MTB's. Plus with the pressure been so high (track pump needed) at 120psi the rolling resistance is fark all.

MTB's with full suspension really do suck below the £1500 price limit, a rear shock is pointless on the road and just wasted energy - even with a locking shock. At lower price points they are heavy and don't work. Front suspension is completely uneeded, add weight and often doesn't really do the job without $$$/. My Trek 1400 is smoother than my Marin MTB.

In order to not lose energy a stiff frame is better, carbon seat posts and especially front forks take the roughness out the road. Get a set of SPD pedals and learn to pedel correctly and you can really get some juice to the rear wheel.

I started out with Marin Front sus MTB, and upgraded the wheels to MTB slicks - MTB tires are scary in the wet on the bends/leaves, upgraded to cityjets slicks with a keval lining meant to be punctune proof.

In summer switched to a Trek 1400 racer, lighter, easier to go fast on - plus you don't run out of gears at high speed. I can go for much longer distances on it due to comfort.

Hybrids are just than.. a flat bar on a racer. None of the sti shifters, - which are just cool, and imo a little too wide for traffic cutting.

[enworb]

I have had the same predicament for a while now. I was forced off my MTB at speed when a motorist cut me up. Now my off road days are up, at least for another year. Slight bone fracture and fluid where it shouldn't be is very painful

I've got a full suspension Cannondale, and the main problem I have is I really like road riding but my **** can't take a hard tail. So i'm tailoring my Cannondale to my needs.

I've got a few options on wheels and tyres. The originl Coda wheels, carbon fibre 4 spoke Spinergy and Spin thermal plastic tri-spoke wheels. I used to use Continental grand prix tyres on my MTB , 25mm and very quick. I could start off in 27th gear and be at full speed withing a few pedals. BUt if I did gte a puncture it was a pain removing the tyre to repair the puncture. As I was using my bike to go to and from work, I couldn't afford to gte a puncture and take forever to repair.

I've just got a pair of Michelin road tyres, 1.4mm and a 60T chain ring but I have yet to buy a crank to match. Because of working away all week I haven't been able to rty out the whole lot together but for me I thin k it will be fine.

I'll have the comfort of my bike ( I love Cannondale geometry) and I can max the suspension to 300psi. Not solid but not far off. A little give hwne I go over pot holes.

As for the 60T chain ring. It may sound excessive but i've weight rained most of my life so i'm looking forward to the challenge. The standard 42T (I think) chain ring is far too small.

If you've never ridden a full suspension bike, and want to ride very very quick, go for a road/racing bike (or 2nd hand triathlon bike - check eBay).

If your rear can't take a hard tail, i'd go for a mod to top of the range full suspension and convery it to suit your requirements.

If you go for a new bike, tyr to buy an older model that has been updated. I bought my Cannondale Super V700 half price in 2000. It was a 1999 model, brand new but the newer models had a lefty fork (only a left fork) but i prefered the SV700 anyway. £1799 down to £900 and it still looks brand new.

If you are planning on putting in plenty of miles, make sure that the groupset are of good quality. Mine has XT everything and nothing has ever gone wrong. XTR used to be the best but I don't read up on MTB'ing any more.

I'll let you all know how my hybrid turns out when I get a chance to put it all together. I'll posts apic too to show how odd it looks

Whatever happens, don't buy a cheap £100 bike. The components won't last 5 minutes and it will weigh too much for the road. There are bike forums but I couldn't find the answers to my questions so i'm doing my own crazy thing.

[pod]

I would tend to go with a mountin bike that is tailored for the road. These can be very fast with the right tyres (A pair of thin 100% puncture resistant ones are about £30 a pair) I would avoid both front and back suspension to keep the weight down. You are still able to jump on and off curbs with a bike like this, and they can be a lot more comfortable than a road bike. Look to spend about £400 if going for a new bike. A lovely bike I once had was the Marin Muir Woods. It does not look to flash so will not be such a target for chav scum.

Thanks.

I didn't know about puncture resistant tyres. Sounds good!

MTB's with full suspension really do suck below the £1500 price limit, a rear shock is pointless on the road and just wasted energy - even with a locking shock. At lower price points they are heavy and don't work. Front suspension is completely uneeded, add weight and often doesn't really do the job without $$$/. My Trek 1400 is smoother than my Marin MTB.

Thanks.

So seems to be best to stay away from suspension bikes unless it's an expensive Cannondale.

I've got a few options on wheels and tyres. The originl Coda wheels, carbon fibre 4 spoke Spinergy and Spin thermal plastic tri-spoke wheels. I used to use Continental grand prix tyres on my MTB , 25mm and very quick. I could start off in 27th gear and be at full speed withing a few pedals. BUt if I did gte a puncture it was a pain removing the tyre to repair the puncture. As I was using my bike to go to and from work, I couldn't afford to gte a puncture and take forever to repair.

Thanks

Did you ever use puncture resistant tyres as mentioned above?

Was it more difficult to remove the Continental grand prix tyres than "regular" tyres? Why is that?

I'll let you all know how my hybrid turns out when I get a chance to put it all together. I'll posts apic too to show how odd it looks

Look forward to it!!

One other thing...

You know how road racing cycles have very narrow tyres, well are they not slightly dangerous to use when the weather is wet? Especially when cornering!

I would feel safer on a bike with thicker tyres when the weather is wet... What do you think?

And what about disc brakes? Are these better than regular brakes? I'd imagine they are good in wet weather? Are there any disadvantages with them?

Also, other than Cannondale, which other brands are generally thought of as being top quality brands?

[iamconfusedagain]

Hi

There is a massive number of brands that are good. I reckon go to a FRIENDLY bike shop (leave halfords they are poo)and try out all the different bikes they have at the £400-£500 to get an idea of the type of bike you like. Also like kinesin said, a more road based bike can be more comfortable if you are putting in longer journeys.

Anyway try:

Trek

Specialised

Marin

Dawes (slightly cheaper i think)

Claud Butler (British)

Kona

Giant

Diamondback (budget i think)

Gary Fisher

GT

Haro (my first bike cheap I loved it)

Raleigh (dunno what they are like these days)

These all do mountain bikes, and most do hybrids of some type. I dont know about road bikes sorry

Disk brakes have pro's and cons. They are a must these days for real mountain bikes but dunno about road use (i have them on mine, feel a lot safer in the wet)

Pro's

Power and modulation

They work in the wet (big plus point)

Pads on hydraulics take seconds to replace

They do not wear out the rims on your wheels

Not that expensive these days

hydraulics are 'fit and forget'

Cons.

The ones that come on a cheap bike (I guess less than £500) will not be worth it

They add some weight-not too much these days

Mechanical ones can be a pain and need adjustment

If hydraulics do play up, you have to bleed them=hassle (never had to do it!)

When you first try them you may fly over the handle bars!

With tyres i have had more funny moments on fat mtb tyres. Big knobbly bits make you quite unstable cornering on tarmac. In the wet the theory is that thin sliks are better...I lose the back end in the winter whatever tyres i am on. Just go easy on your brakes, modulation is the key. You are f***** on ice whatever.

[pod]

When you first try them you may fly over the handle bars!

Thanks. So did I read that right, there's two different types of disk brakes, hydraulic disk brakes and mechanical disk brakes? Didn't know that...

With tyres i have had more funny moments on fat mtb tyres. Big knobbly bits make you quite unstable cornering on tarmac. In the wet the theory is that thin sliks are better...I lose the back end in the winter whatever tyres i am on. Just go easy on your brakes, modulation is the key. You are f***** on ice whatever.

Would I be right in thinking that sliks have no grips on the tyres?

[iamconfusedagain]

You get the whole range in terms of tread pattern, from completely bald (slick) to tractor tyres. But there are semi-slicks too with a bit of tread too-I think these are a bit of a gimmick for people who (naturaly) think slicks do not have any grip.

The same with the width 1 inch to 2.5. I have the two extremes on my bikes. Being muddy in Bristol I have big chunky ones that are hell on a road. I swear they halve your speed.

You will run thin slick tyres at 80-100psi on a mtb. It has to be said that this makes the ride a bit more bumpy. You can even get fat 2+ inch slick tyres, these are meant to keep the drag down but make it a bit more comfortable.

I think the conti tyres site has quite a range of types. When it comes to tyres buy online. Find the type you like and use www.wiggle.co.uk or www.chainreactioncycles.com Wiggle even have my tyres with 18% off. Or print out the info and get a price match at the bike shop!

As for the disks.

Mechanical use cables just like normal v brakes. This means they are not as powerful and you get friction which can cause the pads to drag on the disks. I think they need adjusting when the cables stretch or maybe it when the pads wear. I have never used them myself.

Hydraulic are normally self adjusting (mine are anyway) the power is amazing. I have got some of the cheapest on the market but they are very good. Shimano M-525 £50 each.

If you are spending £400-£500 I would be tempted to keep it simple, If you cut out suspension, disks etc you can get a nice frame with nice wheels for that kind of money and an ok drivetrain. If you make sure the wheels and frame are compatible with disks you can always upgrade later.

You could always take up mtbing as a hobby then you could justify getting a bike with all the bits, two sets of wheels and justify the expense because it is both for work and play

[iamconfusedagain]

I just remembered this forum is pretty good. A pretty good range of opinions and a whole section on commuting!

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=20

Do not forget to hassle your employer. Tax breaks on bikes means you can get some better kit for your money.

http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/

Every bit helps especially yhen you have to budget for a lock, helmet, lights bags etc!!!

My bike (one of):

[enworb]

Did you ever use puncture resistant tyres as mentioned above?

Was it more difficult to remove the Continental grand prix tyres than "regular" tyres? Why is that?

Look forward to it!!

One other thing...

You know how road racing cycles have very narrow tyres, well are they not slightly dangerous to use when the weather is wet? Especially when cornering!

I would feel safer on a bike with thicker tyres when the weather is wet... What do you think?

My new Michelin road tyres are supposed to be more resistant to punctures but i've still yet to try them. I used to use Specialized armadillo tyres which were so resistant to punctures that I could jump up and down curbs, and they were quite narrow slicks. But they weighed much more than my 2.1" offroad tyres and were actually harder to get turning. I carried on using them anyway because I was confident that they would never puncture but in the end, the reinforce wire (the reason for the weight) poked through the inner tube.

Continental grand prix tyres are awesome. Like I said, I only needed top gear. But to get them on the rim is very difficult. Getting them off is even more difficult. Ideal for pro racers because they have someone following with a spare wheel but a pain when I got a puncture on the way to work.

As someone has already said, slicks are better for turning corners than knobbly off road tyres. I've tried to take a corner quickly on knobblys and ended up on the deck :angry:

I found the Continental grand prix tyres (25mm) fine in the rain, as long as you don't need to slam on the brakes of course. Any you need to be careful on bends but no more so than when using wider offroad tyres in the wet.

If you go for disc brakes, make sure they are hydraulic, not mechanical. Mechanical disc brakes are no better than regular brakes because of the smaller braking surface.

Check out a few mountain bike mags. Mountain Bike UK and MBR are the 2 I used to check for good deals on older models (models replaced because of slight colour change for instance) but are still brand new.

[backtoparents]

For me, the hybrid works well. I think mine is hybrid. High gearing and slim, treaded though robust tyres mean I can leave mountain bikes behind, and have had only a couple of punctures. I find the bigger frame more comfortable too. I've had it six years, it looks scruffy, someone stole the horn :angry: (my only upgrade), but the rest has remained theft free . Lives outside. Occasionally lubricated and tightened, never cleaned. Bloomin marvelous.

If just for town/road use why not grab a second hand one for a tenner or so. You'll use it more if you are less worried about where you park it.

And please consider a helmet, a bell and something to be seen by others easily!

hth

btp

[pod]

I just remembered this forum is pretty good. A pretty good range of opinions and a whole section on commuting!

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=20

Thanks for that. I'll check it out now.

[pod]

My bike (one of):

Nice bike! A bike which looks very similar sold on eBay the other day for £820

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...Q%3AUK%3A1&rd=1

Though I suppose now isn't a good time to buy a bike. I'd imagine prices might go down after Christmas...

[OzzMosiz]

I have a Specialized 27 gear mountain bike with slim-line puncture proof tyres. Can definitely notice the speed improvement. Only downside, those tyres are hell to get on and off - really tight!

[pod]

I have a Specialized 27 gear mountain bike with slim-line puncture proof tyres. Can definitely notice the speed improvement. Only downside, those tyres are hell to get on and off - really tight!

Is that because they're slim-line, or puncture proof - or both...?

[iamconfusedagain]

I have a Specialized 27 gear mountain bike with slim-line puncture proof tyres. Can definitely notice the speed improvement. Only downside, those tyres are hell to get on and off - really tight!

Good plastic tyre levers really help getting them off. My thumbs are nearly bleeding getting the damn things on though.

Edit: hi pod, i think it is the slim fit that does it. Wide tyres are easy to get on and off with your fingers especially folding ones

I have a Specialized 27 gear mountain bike with slim-line puncture proof tyres. Can definitely notice the speed improvement. Only downside, those tyres are hell to get on and off - really tight!

What spesh have you got?

they make some good value bikes

Good plastic tyre levers really help getting them off. My thumbs are nearly bleeding getting the damn things on though.

Edit: hi pod, i think it is the slim fit that does it. Wide tyres are easy to get on and off with your fingers especially folding ones

What spesh have you got?

they make some good value bikes

There is a bug in this thing it keeps merging my posts and mixing up the quotes, sorry if it makes no sense

[OzzMosiz]

Is that because they're slim-line, or puncture proof - or both...?

Probably a bit of both!

Good plastic tyre levers really help getting them off. My thumbs are nearly bleeding getting the damn things on though.

What spesh have you got? they make some good value bikes

Yeah tried using the plastic levers - still a bugger to get them on and off.

Not sure what model it is to be honest, but it has a lovely light frame. Bought it about 6 years ago

and it cost me around £400 at the time - and like someone else mentioned earlier - the saddle had

to go - bloody killed.

[Carabansity]

I graduated from a BSA Star Rider to a Raleigh Chopper (my fav) then on to a Peugeot with Reynolds tubing. Went through a rear tyre almost every week...

I saw a young lad on a harley chopper style bicycle the other day, long raked out forks, big fat rear tyre, must be a bugger to peddle but...looked really cool

I bought an Emmelle Mountain Bike with suspension last year but stopped riding it when people at work laughed at my socks tucked into my trousers

[right_freds_dead]

these bikes are rubbish.

whats wrong with a 10 speed racer with cowhorns on it and a sturmey archer gear changer and water bottle carrier minus the bottle. which you burned with petrol. plus have as many lights on it as possible, but minus the batteries. some are halk nicked leaving just the bracket and bottom part of the light fitting. poor design. thin racing tyres so you get a puncture as soon as you run over a sharp blade of cut crass or the edge of a spent match. plus a small, rock solid seat that encourages fungus. where also the remains of a cyclists puncture repair kit hang from the back of the saddle. empty of all contents due to 1980s theft.

i suggest a kick stand that falls over in the wind, but also wont lock properley and needs to be tightened up all the time with a 'bone spanner'.

rusty spokes that you cant get to with a brillo pad. short mud guards that leave a mud stripe over the back of your jacket in the wet. a rubbing back wheel against the rear fork. slowing you down. stuck in 3rd gear so your knees pop when starting off. brakes that squeak and go "HHuuuurrrggHHHH" whenever you try to sneak up on a hot honey from schools bedroom window after 11pm. trying to avoid her dad. a lock thats half busted when somebody tried to steal your bike while you played donkey kng at the local taxi rank. (circa 1984)

overall, a poor bike, but enough of a bike to give you the false confidence to set out for a trip that should have really needed a car. and got you stuck. so stuck that you threw the bike where it died. from now on...its bover boots and tobacco flavoured buses.

[enworb]

Is that because they're slim-line, or puncture proof - or both...?

I thinks it's the materials used as well. Cheap tractor tyres are very stretchy rubber. Thin raod tyres can't be made entirley of rubber because it is far too heavy. I know Kevlar is used on the wall on may road tyres, which I guess is the main reason that's it difficult to get Conti gran prix tyres on. Getting them off is almost impossible because it sits so tight inside th rim.

Anyone that can get one off without cursing and sweating must have something better than the standard plastic tyre removers because they are just too thick. And spoons bend :angry:

[beerhunter]

If you're interested in cycling, just on roads not off road, would anyone have any suggestions on which type of cycle to opt for?

Not sure if this helps, but when I bought my bike it helped me.

I asked myself ;

1 ) Where am I going to ride?

a ) road only

b ) off-road

c ) road and occasional track / tow path

2 ) Why am I going to ride? (tick one or more)

a ) fun

b ) fitness

c ) commuting

d ) long distance touring

e ) racing / audax

f ) carrying stuff

3 ) When am I going to ride

a ) Just in good weather

b ) All year round

(I haven't listed all possible answers... but hopefully it should give some ideas).

From this is becomes quite straight forward to determine what you should be looking for in a bike... eg for me I wanted a bike

- for road and occasional track / tow path (so medium pressure road tyres)

- that I could use all year (so need to be able to mount mudguards, reflective stuff, lights)

- which could carry stuff (so a rack and panniers... plus if it's a big load you want to look towards stronger frames / better braking, and lower gearing)

Once you know what your looking for, what your budget is... it becomes a lot easier.

BTW I bought one of these;

[JST]

Not sure if this helps, but when I bought my bike it helped me.

I asked myself ;

1 ) Where am I going to ride?

a ) road only

b ) off-road

c ) road and occasional track / tow path

2 ) Why am I going to ride? (tick one or more)

a ) fun

b ) fitness

c ) commuting

d ) long distance touring

e ) racing / audax

f ) carrying stuff

3 ) When am I going to ride

a ) Just in good weather

b ) All year round

(I haven't listed all possible answers... but hopefully it should give some ideas).

From this is becomes quite straight forward to determine what you should be looking for in a bike... eg for me I wanted a bike

- for road and occasional track / tow path (so medium pressure road tyres)

- that I could use all year (so need to be able to mount mudguards, reflective stuff, lights)

- which could carry stuff (so a rack and panniers... plus if it's a big load you want to look towards stronger frames / better braking, and lower gearing)

Once you know what your looking for, what your budget is... it becomes a lot easier.

BTW I bought one of these;

What kind of Dawes is that? Is it a tourer? I've always thought they look pretty useful bikes. I've been considering buying a Dawes racer recently, though I'm still not sure whether to go down the racer or mountain bike route.

[iamconfusedagain]

What kind of Dawes is that? Is it a tourer? I've always thought they look pretty useful bikes. I've been considering buying a Dawes racer recently, though I'm still not sure whether to go down the racer or mountain bike route.

I think it is a galaxy. £750 at wiggle (same as everywhere else i expect)

They look great for carrying a lot of stuff. ... how does it handle beerhunter??

I reckon beer hunter has the right idea, you need to be realistic what you are going to use it for. It is funny seeing people commuting on a downhill bike!

I reckon a racer is good when you are not hopping on and off of kirbs. I like the freedom of a mtb but a lot of peole find then uncomfortable on longer trips. My next bike might be a racer though, just to give it a try!

[beerhunter]

What kind of Dawes is that? Is it a tourer? I've always thought they look pretty useful bikes. I've been considering buying a Dawes racer recently, though I'm still not sure whether to go down the racer or mountain bike route.

It's a Dawes Galaxy (Tourer). Yes it is pretty useful... certainly is when I refuse to buy a car.. you can strap so much weight on it (so far I've just tried the weeks shopping and tents / camping stuff for a weekend) . I had a Dawes almost 20 years ago (before it was nicked) and never cycled again until begining of this year.. and the galaxy has done everything I hoped for and more.

As to the racer / mountain bike route.. in my mind two things made me go the tourer route (after deciding that I wanted to be on road)...

a ) Efficiency. Cycling should be a pleasure, having a frame shape which is efficient makes life easier and more fun.. and when your 6'5" a mountain bike doesn't tend to be efficient

b ) Road surfaces. To be honest I have the urge to race (even without a car I'm a closet speed freek... and I've broken 30mph on the flat on it ). However with the road surfaces around here, thin rims wouldn't last, and I'd be peeved about replacing them.. so went for the stronger option.

I think it is a galaxy. £750 at wiggle (same as everywhere else i expect)

This years RRP I think is £800... I got mine for £620 (with lights, pump and a reasonable basic oxford lock included). If I didn't need a 64cm frame (no one else stocked them) I could of paid £540 apr/may this year.

They look great for carrying a lot of stuff. ... how does it handle beerhunter??

I like it!

It's heavy compared to other road bikes (16kg including kryptonite lock which probably weights nearly a kg)... but I'm 90-95kg so a couple of kg isn't really going to matter for day to day use

Unloaded it's not much different to a racer... albeit a bit lower geared, which is great for hills. At a push I've hit 50kmph on the flat (but the legs are really going!).. in reality 45kmph is a realistic comfortable max speed (unless your doing race cadence).

With two full 25l (50l total) panniers on the back it is a different beast... it really turns into a workhorse. If it's really heavy you get a small bit of rear end wobble (which takes a few minutes to get used to). However I don't have the front racks fitted (yet) or the front panniers (looking for a cheap deal during the winter).. I would of redistributed the weight, which would (I think) make it more stable under extreme loads.

Having not ridden for years, the bar end shifters took some getting used to. But a few months on it's so good being able to shift up without moving your hand to the down tube (like you had to in the 80's!)... a small point, but being able keep the power on and to accelerate with the traffic is just cool

I reckon beer hunter has the right idea, you need to be realistic what you are going to use it for. It is funny seeing people commuting on a downhill bike!

I reckon a racer is good when you are not hopping on and off of kirbs. I like the freedom of a mtb but a lot of peole find then uncomfortable on longer trips. My next bike might be a racer though, just to give it a try!

I agree... find a good local bike shop... try things out and think about how you are going to use it

It only took me a year to buy mine.. and I'm now thinking what bike to buy next

[JST]

As to the racer / mountain bike route.. in my mind two things made me go the tourer route (after deciding that I wanted to be on road)...

a ) Efficiency. Cycling should be a pleasure, having a frame shape which is efficient makes life easier and more fun.. and when your 6'5" a mountain bike doesn't tend to be efficient

b ) Road surfaces. To be honest I have the urge to race (even without a car I'm a closet speed freek... and I've broken 30mph on the flat on it ). However with the road surfaces around here, thin rims wouldn't last, and I'd be peeved about replacing them.. so went for the stronger option.

This years RRP I think is £800... I got mine for £620 (with lights, pump and a reasonable basic oxford lock included). If I didn't need a 64cm frame (no one else stocked them) I could of paid £540 apr/may this year.

I like it!

On the subject of road surfaces I wonder how I'd fare on many of the surfaces near me in a pure road bike (never ridden on slicks before so not sure). I used to be pretty into cycling when I was a teenager, but hadn't ridden for ages until recently. I now ride a 10 yr old dawes eagle hybrid road bike, which is still ok, but I'm looking for something new.

I'm very tempted by a road bike as I love flying along country lanes. I've never ridden a racer before and so for that reason am pretty tempted to buy one now. On the other hand I live in a great place for mountain biking (swaledale, north yorkshire) so I'm pretty tempted by one of those too! How I'll decide which to go for I don't know!