10
There are a bunch of bikes sold in the UK that are specifically designed for the cycle-to-work scheme: they have good specs for commuting, are priced to come in under the £1000 limit, etc. A number of online vendors stock these. So that would be a good place to start. Or find someone selling one of those bikes used.
The additional weight of a steel bike is ...
9
Given your budget you'll be looking at aluminum or steel framed bikes, but that's fine. There are many choices of steel or aluminum drop-bar bikes available.
The first thing I would think about is how much gear do you need to carry when commuting? Can you carry everything you need in a backpack or will you need panniers or other on-bike luggage? mass is ...
5
One point which hasn't been mentioned here is maintenance. A bike used for a non-trivial daily commute, especially through the winter, sometimes in wet conditions, will need a significant amount of care, both in terms of money and time.
The chain and sprockets/chain rings as well as the brake pads (for rim brakes; I have no experience with disk brakes) ...
5
A steel tourer will make a great commuting bike. You will want mudguards, a pannier or two and puncture-resistant tyres. It will be a bit slower than your road bike but this won't add up to more than about 5 minutes over 13 miles especially in London. Steel is usually a little bit heavier than aluminium at a given price point but has a better ride.
4
Excluding tires so old and worn they obviously need replacement, there are two main root causes of punctures in well maintained bicycles.
Low Pressure causing 'snake bite' punctures. When the pressure is too low, and you hit a bump, the tire can pinch the tube against the rim and cause a puncture. Small tires have to run at higher pressure to stop this ...
3
Good type of bike to get for commuting.
Product recommendations are off-topic for Bicycles Stack Exchange, but we can offer principles to use when shopping.
You have a clear purpose in mind for your bike and you have some ideas for the a type of bike to meet your need. What you have in mind is an excellent place to start, and it may be the place that you ...
3
Welcome aboard! I am probably not the typical member of the cycling community, at least not in UK; however, I have cycled both in UK and in Denmark, where I grew up, for some 50 years, so I have some experience.
I have tried many different types over the years, and it may surprise you to hear what I have settled on, for the last 25+ years: a heavy, sit-up-...
2
As someone who routinely rides that sort of distance, I'd say the biggest worry about punctures is knowing how to fix them, and being equipped (a couple of tubes, patch kit, pump, tyre levers). They're rare even on the poorly maintained back roads I often find myself on, and can happen whatever tyres you ride.
Over the last two years, in 26 rides of over ...
2
Without seeing the exact tires that are on the bike, we need to speculate. Mattnz discusses how the width across the tire affects the chances of puncturing. Another factor is the thickness of the tire carcass, which might be what the shopkeeper meant. A thin-wall tire will obviously be more prone to punctures than a thick-wall tire, at any given tire width.
...
2
The weight savings is 30grams, aircap 15g, original 45 grams.
1
2004 Pinarello Dogma Frameset
Source
1
Since no-one else brought it up i will, have you considered an electric bike?
20 km is a large distance, you could make it easier for yourself.
I commute about 15 km using a electric bike. I think it saves me a little time because my speed remains 20-24 km/h even if i'm tired. And it is just easier. Both these factors make that i always look forward to my ...
1
Nobody mentioned belt here, so I'm going to. A belt drive is a fantastic thing for commuting. The belt won't be putting grease on your leg, or if you're really unlucky, on your work clothes. It is supposedly less efficient than a clean chain/derailleur system but when commuting, especially when you can expect a little water and grit to accumulate, it stays ...
1
General thoughts:
Personally I have to say that while 20 km mostly flat commute sound OK to me, I'm not so sure that I'd like 20 km big city commuting by bike: the first step IMHO should be to find a good route for that commute (if you haven't already). Living in a rural area, I find city biking sucks because it's so slow and tedious due to traffic lights/...
1
Some thoughts outside the box, i.e. not exactly what you asked for, but which might be an option for you anyways:
My stamina/endurance isn't at the greatest yet, so I plan to stick with my road bike to practice and build up stamina, […] My current milestone goal is to be able to start cycling to work,
Although it might not be the right bicycle for you on ...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible
