Chocotwilight

Hi everyone, i'm living in Melbourne Australia currently and have been commuting with my flat bar HASA hybrid road bike for quite a while now. Recently i have been thinking about getting a road bike but i'm not sure what to get.

My current bike,
Buy HASA Shimano 105 Tiagra Carbon Flat Bar Road Bike 30 Speed | CD
(3x10 speed is really a complete hokum, i've rarely use all of them even climbing steep hills)

and i'm considering the below bike,
2014 HASA 18 Speed Road Bike Shimano Sora Black | CD
can you guys help me to determine if i the bike i look up is a good buy or should i go for another bike. if so, what are the recommendation?

Your help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

NormanF

A road bike is not really suitable for commuting. You need a dedicated commuter bike. Take a look at the Trek Allant:

Chocotwilight

Interesting. Is there any dropbar option? I'm not just commuting but will go on a regular bike ride. I usually just put on my messenger bag while commuting to university. My current hybrid is actually pretty good but just need a thicker tire for commuting.

lanahk

What do you want to do with the new bike? Ride trails? Do triathlons? Begin your professional road racing career? Use it to commute? Ride across Australia?

If you just want to try a road bike, go for it. If you want something for commuting, though, I'd look at something more laid-back, maybe with some braze-ons for a rear rack and fenders, unless you like showing up places with a mud stripe up your back. You can use it to haul beer around, too.

NormanF

It never hurts to ask the bike shop. Most people though don't do long distance commuting so they need a tough bike that can carry a load to where they want to go. A road bike will lack fender and rack mounts, can't take wide tires and won't be to haul a load safely - it won't feel stable like with a commuter bike. If you want a road bike for fast rides that's fine but its not up to the demands of heavy duty commuting.

Chocotwilight

I'm thinking of riding trails on my weekends. Although i wouldn't deny the temptation to ride on a road bike. My another question is would the above link i provide be a good bike to ride with? i was told by my local mechanics that my current hybrid bike shifter, "Shimano Tiagra" isn't really a good shifter and it might not provide a smooth shifting. so i just want to do a little bit of research on the next bike i buy.

gregjones

Were I you, I'd take a look at cross bikes.

NormanF

There is a company in Melbourne - Allegro Bikes that has dedicated commuter bikes.

Allegro Bikes

The T-1 is worth a look:



You didn't mention your budget. At $2900 AUD it may or may not be what you have in mind. But its the right bike for your commute and you really can't ask for more.

gregjones

There you go.....ready off the shelf!!

A few lights, a few pedals and you're in the wind.

TransitBiker

The bike i ride is something you may want to look into, or that trek, or something along those lines. I can ride for many miles at a moderate pace in normal everyday clothes. Road bike, i think you'd need more riding oriented clothing. then there are the other issues stated above about carrying things, lights, etc.

- Andy

TransitBiker

Not bad! Bit pricey though.

- Andy

Chocotwilight

which bike are you riding?

the sci guy 

surly cross check.
the end.

NormanF

Agreed. But its nothing when you consider what people shell out for a road bike on the Road Bike forum here. If it makes you happy and it fits your needs, somehow people manage to find the budget for what they want.

Jas556

This seems like a good option. I'm also considering the LHT as the balloon tires I'd end up putting on might save some rolling weight with the smaller wheels.

gregjones

I limit my efforts at weight savings to the road bike. I don't limit weight savings on the road bike. Nothing is off limits or sacred. You save an ounce by getting rid of 28 grams.

I found out a long time ago that after you equip a bike with lights, pumps, water bottles, LOCKS AND CABLES, racks, bags and...............things tied to the racks and things in the bags; that the advantages of less "rolling weight with the smaller wheels" will disappear like the spray from the first water puddle that you ride through.

TransitBiker

Hey, i'm all for it to support a company that makes bikes in original poster's home country (and not in china). Realistically, you often do not realize how much something costs when it is made by people paid a living wage (even with benefits etc). Just one more reason to make things yourself if you cannot buy from such manufacturers/shops. Anyways that's entirely a different topic...

I do feel that there is a bike for everyone, and that everyone can ride in some form or another (an should), and if you spend a lil more and it isnt making your lights get shut off or you evicted, then hey go for it.

- ANdy

tjspiel

There are lots of different kinds of road bikes. The ones that are very race oriented won't have mounts for racks or fenders but there are plenty of options for adding fenders regardless of whether or not a specific bike has built in mounts for them.

Even my entry level road bike has mounting points for a rack and it had no trouble carrying a load when I was using panniers but mostly I use a backpack anyway.

What is true is that lots of road bikes are limited in terms of the width of tire they will support, - which may or may not be a problem depending on the kinds of roads you commute on. Cross bikes and touring style road bikes will allow for wider tires.

Plenty of people put in plenty of commuter miles on various types of road bikes from fixed gears on up to high end touring and cross bikes. I even knew a guy that commuted on a tri-bike.

I'd say for most people that commute on roads commuting is one of the least demanding uses for a bike, compared to racing, long group rides, or offroad riding.

Jas556

The issue is with 2"+ rubber, which I understand to be a pain in the butt when starting and stopping.

gregjones

True. One of the most respected tires for commuting is the Marathon Supreme. Schwalbe states the weight of a 26X2.0 at 565 grams. I just put a 700X25 GP 4000 on the road bike---221 grams on my scale.

I thought that I had spare tubes for the commuter. I did, wrong size (used) put in the right box. Ooops. I had to use Cheryl's front wheel/tire waiting for new tubes. Going to the store I was amazed at how sluggish it was. I actually stopped to make sure nothing was wrong. On the way home, with the rear racks loaded and the front rack with its 4.5lb-2ltr Mtn Dew counterweight everything seemed normal.

I got the new tubes and weighed the 26" road wheel/1.25" slick vs. Cheryl's wheel and tire. Her MTB rim, with a smooth "road" tire (2.X wide and no knobbies) was three extra pounds. I was amazed at the difference the extra weight made on an empty bike.

Saving Hawaii

Man, I don't get the hate for road bikes in this thread.

You're not going to have any issues commuting on a road bike. Many of the frames may not handle great with a big load on a rear rack but there are still ways to mount racks and do that if you want. I usually just wear a backpack or a trailer for groceries.

Ride a bike that's fun for you and gets you where you're going. For me that's my Specialized Allez. No issues using that as my only form of transportation.

TransitBiker

Road bikes are literally road versions of... track bikes. They are fantastic for going places fast. In my own experience, they are not as easy to live with in terms of car free. They are not built to take cargo, they are not built to hit pothole after pothole. I do not think it is "hate" just people speaking from experience. I had a 21 speed diamond frame flat bar road bike before my cruiser. It was fantastc for leisure & fun rides, but i could not ever see me hauling groceries on it. As soon as i got my cruiser, i was off all over doing errands & starting to get groceries and so on. Road bike for a route that includes gravel sounds dodgy at best to me, based on my own experience.

- Andy

gregjones

I feel lucky to have the roads that I ride on. I read of other's horror stories about the trash that they brave every day. I guess my rural back roads are about the best conditions, from what I've read. I get awful tired of the hills and the rain in West Georgia but they must combine to wash the roads clean. I don't ride through trash. I refuse to cast a spell upon myself by stating how long it's been since I had a flat. There's not a goathead within 1500 miles of me!! I try to ride the road bike every day that I can, saving the commuter/utility ride to get as much work out of it in one trip as possible....so I can get back to the roadie.

I guess that if I were to live in a "more civilized" urban environment I would have to deal with worn out, overused roads in counties that can't maintain them due to the cost of fighting drugs and the expense of attempting to solve the numerous crimes that occur every hour. Then I imagine that I would have to consider 28-35mm tires and a bike that they might fit on. But I don't worry about that and am thankful for the freedom of not having to consider road trash every morning as routine.

The Allez is a perfect commuter. Just pick the level that best suits your environment and put it in the wind.

I am considering a trailer, I have to take the trash to county dumpsters. The truck gets about 15 miles a month on it....hauling trash. Four insurance payments=trailer. What do you pull behind your Allez??

PaulRivers

You're getting a lot of retrogrouch answers that are worse than the bike you currently own. A curly bar road bike is a little faster if you're going into the wind, but is not terribly faster or anything. I don't know that it would be worth your money to "upgrade". It's unusual for a flat bar bike to not have rack mounts - but if it doesn't, you can add a rack anyways with an Axiom DLX Streamliner Disc rack -
Amazon.com : Axiom DLX Streamliner Disc Cycle Rack, Black : Bike Racks : Sports & Outdoors

Is there something wrong with your current bike?

The Trek Allant is going to be the same speed or slower. The Surley Crosscheck comes with bar-end shifters which drive me nuts - every other bike comes with the shifters built into the brakes so you don't have to take your hands off the brakes.

Personally, I ride a Specialized Sequoia (replaced by the Secteur) and it's been great. Thinking about a full carbon model to replace it - you can get a Bontrager rack that will go onto a Trek Domane.

I don't think you're going to get a lot more out of a cheap road bike than you already have with the flat bar you're currently riding. If you're going to invest money in a new bike, I'd spend more money than that - or sticking with your current bike is perfectly fine imo to. If you want to feel like you're going faster (and actually go a little faster), might consider nicer tires.

TinkerinWstuff

I commute on this Giant Anyroad and am very pleased. Over 1000 miles on it so far. Works great on commute, rides to the park with my family, and even forest service roads. Cost me a reasonable $1300 US after tax.
I ride it 20miles each way for 40 miles a day, so I'm not sure I agree with the opinion that you have to have a dedicated commuter bike.