...rough city roads/paths? Essential features I am looking for:
(1) Light weight bike (for carrying up station steps when travelling and 2 triathlons a year)
(2) Drop handlebars (so I look the part when with occasional triathlon training outings)
(3) Fast, nippy and respnosive (great around the city)
(4) Robust enough to go on rough roads/paths/short cuts around town and up and down low curbs
(5) Able to have mudguards (when not racing)
(6) Able to have back rack (when not racing)
(7) With braze-ons so I can have bottle cages afixed
So I am choosing between getting either:
(1) Road bike
(2) Cyclocross bike (lightweigtht one such as Giant TCX 2 at 9.26kg or another you suggest?)
A tourer is out of the question. They're heavy and I need a bike that is nippy and responsive. The last thing I need is a slow-at-turning tank!
Road bikes disadvantage:
(1) Not very robust; can't go up and down curbs or across rough short cuts when around the city
(2) Can't attach decent mudguards or back rack.
(3) Riding position not great for city cycling perhaps
Cyclocross possible disadvantages???
(1) I hear cyclocross bikes tend to suffer from break shudder. Is this true of all of them?
(2) I hear cyclocross bikes are expensive and while the frames are great they have low end components meaning you don't get value for money. Is this true?
(3) Would I stand out too much on a social triathlon training ride on a cyclocross bike with slicks?
My preference is leaning towards a cyclocross bike, but I'd like to know if the possble above disadvantages are correct.
I definately don't want a road bike that isn't robust and can't have mudguards fitted. I only do about 2 triathlons a year and triathlon cycle training once a month. So if I got a road bike that I couldn't ride around the city everyday, I'd only use it now and then, which would be a waste.
Please, no one suggest a mountain bike. I have no need for a mountain bike at all!
But, if you guys know of a fairly robust road bike that can take mudguards and be ridden around the city, then that would be great.
By the way my budget is about £600-£700
(1) Light weight bike (for carrying up station steps when travelling and 2 triathlons a year)
(2) Drop handlebars (so I look the part when with occasional triathlon training outings)
(3) Fast, nippy and respnosive (great around the city)
(4) Robust enough to go on rough roads/paths/short cuts around town and up and down low curbs
(5) Able to have mudguards (when not racing)
(6) Able to have back rack (when not racing)
(7) With braze-ons so I can have bottle cages afixed
So I am choosing between getting either:
(1) Road bike
(2) Cyclocross bike (lightweigtht one such as Giant TCX 2 at 9.26kg or another you suggest?)
A tourer is out of the question. They're heavy and I need a bike that is nippy and responsive. The last thing I need is a slow-at-turning tank!
Road bikes disadvantage:
(1) Not very robust; can't go up and down curbs or across rough short cuts when around the city
(2) Can't attach decent mudguards or back rack.
(3) Riding position not great for city cycling perhaps
Cyclocross possible disadvantages???
(1) I hear cyclocross bikes tend to suffer from break shudder. Is this true of all of them?
(2) I hear cyclocross bikes are expensive and while the frames are great they have low end components meaning you don't get value for money. Is this true?
(3) Would I stand out too much on a social triathlon training ride on a cyclocross bike with slicks?
My preference is leaning towards a cyclocross bike, but I'd like to know if the possble above disadvantages are correct.
I definately don't want a road bike that isn't robust and can't have mudguards fitted. I only do about 2 triathlons a year and triathlon cycle training once a month. So if I got a road bike that I couldn't ride around the city everyday, I'd only use it now and then, which would be a waste.
Please, no one suggest a mountain bike. I have no need for a mountain bike at all!
But, if you guys know of a fairly robust road bike that can take mudguards and be ridden around the city, then that would be great.
By the way my budget is about £600-£700