Battleships!

Ive recently had my bike stolen outaide Waitrose of all places, anyway, this time im definitely getting good insurance and ive ordered a stronger U shaped bike lock with an extra large 300mm size to go round large lampposts.

Anyway, i need a new bike! I DONT know the difference between BMX and mountain bikes, i need a bike that go VERY fast in highest gear, i was constantly in highest gear with my last bike, except up steep hills! So 15 gears obviously wasnt enough range...It will be used mostly for going back and forth from my part time job, but i need a bike for mutil purpose city travel really, so it needs to be very durable

My budget is anywhere between £200-£500, but im sure that bikes towards the higher end will probably have a lot of features i dont need, crucially, it needs to go very fast and be very strong!

thanks guys, what are my best options...

Juha

A note on this: more gears does NOT equal to "faster" high gears. Chances are you will get more or less the same gear range with just more gears in between. Your bike shop can help you select a custom combination of front ring(s) and rear cogs to suit your needs. I have never had a problem with my gear range, so I don't even know what kind of combination I have now. More knowledgeable members may have suggestions on suitable combinations.

Sounds like you don't need a mountain bike, or at least you don't need suspension and the knobby tires. In addition to your budget it might be helpful to know what kind of mileage you plan to ride. How long is your commute, for example? Do you ride in all UK weather?

Also, about the U-lock: the tighter it fits around your bike frame and the object you lock into, the more difficult it is to break. In that sense larger U-lock is not necessarily better. But at least it gives you the option of locking into lamp posts etc.

--J

seely

I would look at:

Kona Dr. Dew/Dew (2004 clearance Dr. Dews just arrived and are priced at $650, normally $999, no changes to this years model)

Specialized Sirrus series

Giant Cypress SX/SL

Those are all flatbar roadbikes, so you get a riding position of a mountain bike, the ability to fit wider tyres than a road bike, and the speed of a road bike. They are all nice choices for commuting, and start at pretty reasonable prices (especially the Giant/Specialized models). I don't know the money conversion but I imagine these would fall into your range or close to it. One thing is to consider is that when buying the bike you will probably get a service warranty from the shop, and fit properly to the bike, which itself is worth spending the extra money to buy from a shop.

MichaelW

A bike in the style of a Specialized Sirrus is ideal for general city transportation. They are light and responsive and have a good selection of gears.
You do need to lock the bike anytime you leave it. Cables are better for lamp-posts. U locks are good for railings and official bike lockups. I use both when I leave my bike unattended all day

alanbikehouston

If you live in the UK, pick up an issue of "Cycling Plus" and take a look through the ads. There are a lot of bikes sold in the UK that are not available in the USA. In particular, the UK has a lot of bikes built for commuting, and that come with fenders and lights included (rumor has it that the UK can be a dark and rainy place). One example is the Claud Butler Urban 500 with fenders and rack for 300 pounds. Fat tires to shock up potholes. The 24 speeds provide good choices for flat areas and hills.