DannyLGC

Hi,

I'm looking for my first road bike for commuting to work, its about 6 miles daily. I don't know anything about bikes but have been looking around for a bargain. Ive found a 1986 Peugeot PH10 LS for 80quid, a 1982 Bianchi Nuova Racing for 80 quid also. I'm not sure if i should be looking at bikes as old as these or not? I just don't want to spend a lot. I also found a Specialized Crossroads Hybrid for 120 quid.

Any suggestions you can make me?

Danny.

gna

Welcome to the forum. Those bikes should be fine, if they're in decent shape. For 6 miles, you can ride just about anything. I've been riding a $20 Triumph Sports 3-speed for the last month. From your use of "quid," I'm going to guess you are in the UK somewhere. What is your commute route like? Flat or hilly? On busy roads or quiet lanes? Big city or suburb?That may help you decide on a bike.

paul2432

This really depends on some things you have not stated:

1) Are the roads in good condition?
2) What will you be carrying and how will you carry it?
3) Will you be riding in rain or snow?
4) Are there hills or is it flat?
5) Do you have a safe place to lock the bike at work?
6) Can you do repairs yourself?

That said, six miles is not that long, so any bike will likely work, though some will be better than others.

Paul

MichaelW

120 quid, that means you are a fellow brit. Consider how you re going to ride on wet days. The best solution is a bike capable of fitting fenders/mudguards. Full length, bolt-on ones are best, so look for a bike with threaded eyelets.
You may want to carry stuff. Rear luggage racks are the best way, again look for threaded eyelets at the rear axle and below the saddle on the seat-stays.
Some road bikes do have the clearance and eyelets to become practical, useful and fun commuter bikes. Without eyelets you end up clamping or zip-tying stuff on.

xtrajack

You say that, like it is a bad thing.

DallasSoxFan

+1.

I've got full fenders on a 2010 specialized secteur road bike that was NEVER designed for fenders.

Shot of homemade reacharound brackets for fenders. If you are curious how I bolted the brakes back on through the bracket, I drilled an access hole through them for the hex wrench.


Shot of front fender racharound bracket. The front fender cantilevers out and shakes a bit, but works well.

tjspiel

I had an 87 Peugeot Road bike that I used for commuting about 7 miles each way and it was fine. The model you're looking at might have had a Helicomatic rear hub though which was only around a short time and you'd have a hard time finding cassettes for.

DannyLGC

1. Yes, they are pretty smooth for say 95%. The rest is slightly bumpy.
2. I'll probably just carry everything in a rucksake i think, still deciding on what is necessary by reading threads on here.
3. Yes.
4. Its not major, but theres a bit of a slope about 40% of the journey. Uphill on the way home thankfully.
5. Ill take my bike in the building, but am going to persuade them to provide somewhere to lock up outside.
6. Yeah i guess so :S i know nothing of bikes like i said, but google is your friend in those situations!


The roads are busy, but theres a cycle path most of the way. Just a couple of large roundabouts i'm not looking forward to battling!

I'll keep my eyes peeled for easy access for fenders, because although you have clearly done a good job, DallasSoxFan, i don't fancy that much DIY personally.

Thanks for your replies so far.

PS: This specialized bike includes a bag for spanners, a cycle computer and an upright pump also.

JPprivate

Like Paul said, I think most bikes will do. Road bike will do, but it's not your only option. Looking for used bikes is smart, try out a bunch, see if you find one with rack and/or fenders. As you keep reading you'll find that a rucksack is not the best option so you'll learn to appreciate a rack. Also, if you look at hybrids, a chain guard can come in really handy, esp. if you like the idea of riding in regular street clothes.

IanHelgesen

There's no problem with older bikes (my newest bike is from the late 80s). In fact, they often make better commuters than modern ones, which tend to be aimed at sport riders. All of the bikes you mention sound quite good (links to pictures would good). I'd recommend the Bianchi, as long as it has eyelets for fenders and reasonable tire clearance. The Peugeot is also good, but will be less compatible with new parts. I don't know much about the Specialized, but I'm not really a fan of hybrids (others here like them, though).

goalieMN

I put about 10k miles commuting on a Specialized Crossroads before I bought a Bianchi San Jose a few years ago. I loved it.

labelcd6

I've been commuting on a Trek ZX 6500 mountain bike for the past year with no problems. As others have said, any bike will do. Here are the absolute essentials if you are going to commute every single day.

1. Spare tubes - you will get a flat eventually
2. Some type of rain gear - I paid $60 for a cheap rain shell and pair of rain pants from LL Bean. There's no need to get really expensive stuff.
3. Lights - cheap lights that have a strobe mode will do. You don't need to shell out $100 for a quality light unless you are commuting in an area with absolutely no street lights. A PB Superflash for the rear is fantastic and cheap.
4. Bicycle Lock - Once again, don't freak out about this. Just get one.

Everything else I have related to commuting is a want, not a need. I know that people go crazy about getting fenders, but I didn't really need mine because I am wearing my rain gear if it's raining. I don't wear my work clothes on the commute. However, I still have the fenders on the bike. Shrug.

Here are some things that I found were nice additions but not necessities:

1. Helmet - personal preference
2. Rear Rack - I got a super cheap rear rack for $20. It has held up just fine for over a year with a daily load of 40lbs.
3. Gloves - for winter, obviously
4. Chain Lube - Don't use WD-40. People act like your chain is going to explode if you don't clean it every five minutes, but it's not a bad idea to clean it once in a while.
5. Studded Tires? - I bought some Nokian Mount and Grounds before last winter. They are nice; however, I'm still not sure if they are necessary. I didn't fall this winter, so perhaps they are worth it.

Good luck!

DannyLGC

Cheers for all the advice. Very helpful.

I ended up buying a Peugeot Team Festina Replica for £120. Not too sure if its a good deal, but he says the bikes in good condition and i like the look! Link below to ebay page if your interested. Does anyone know if i can attach fenders the easy way?

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...T#ht_508wt_968

IanHelgesen

It looks like it has eyelets (bolt holes near the axles) and decent clearance around the wheels, so fenders should be easy to install. I'd recommend the planet bike cascadias, if you can find them locally, but any full fenders should work. You should also be able to fit a rack, if you get sick of the backpack. I don't know much about Peugots, but it looks like you got a decent deal on this.

tjspiel

You might need P-Clips for fenders or you could get something like SKS race blades. I can't tell if there's eyelets or not.

I like that bike but then again I have a soft spot for Peugeots.