What do you think it the best bike for the city

Peter Clinch

Doki wrote:

> I don't find the racer unduly uncomfortable, as whilst the saddle is
> hard, the steel frame is fairly flexy and your weight is further
> forward, so you tend not to have so much weight on the saddle.

Discomfort can be places other than one's backside. I particularly
prefer more upright positions because I tend to suffer discomfort in my
arms and wrists rather than my arse, for example. Dutch bikes, built
for utilitarian comfort, have bolt upright seating positions... and
comfortable saddles if the owner uses it much!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

POHB

On 23 Apr, 12:48, "Doki" <mrd...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I like my racer as it allows me to travel fairly close to the speed of the
> rest of the traffic. However, I'm not in London, and traffic there might be
> much slower.

You said it! Average traffic speed in London is generally much slower
than a moderate cycling pace. Cycling speed is limited by having to
keep stopping and starting for traffic lights (for those of us who do)
and squeeze past stationary vehicles.

Daniel Barlow

POHB <google@hayward.uk.net> writes:

> On 23 Apr, 12:48, "Doki" <mrd...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I like my racer as it allows me to travel fairly close to the speed of the
>> rest of the traffic. However, I'm not in London, and traffic there might be
>> much slower.
>
> You said it! Average traffic speed in London is generally much slower
> than a moderate cycling pace.

The key word here is "average", of course - it stops and starts. I
like commuting on a road bike (even though I have loaded it down
rather a lot with rack/mudguard/panniers) because it means I can keep
up with the starts as well as the stops.


-dan

Roger Merriman

Peter Clinch <p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk> wrote:

> Doki wrote:
>
> > I don't find the racer unduly uncomfortable, as whilst the saddle is
> > hard, the steel frame is fairly flexy and your weight is further
> > forward, so you tend not to have so much weight on the saddle.
>
> Discomfort can be places other than one's backside. I particularly
> prefer more upright positions because I tend to suffer discomfort in my
> arms and wrists rather than my arse, for example. Dutch bikes, built
> for utilitarian comfort, have bolt upright seating positions... and
> comfortable saddles if the owner uses it much!
>
yup my big heavy hybrid has a fairly upright postion which is very
comftable, i have good clear sight lines it has good clearance for 38mm
tires to survive deep holes at speed and can carry a good load. plus is
deeply unsexy so has allways been where i've parked it, which is plus!

> Pete.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

lardyninja

On Apr 23, 11:34 am, TerryJ <jone...@breathe.com> wrote:
> I sometimes consider plaintively calling
> after them ''oh, but I have just done 70miles and I'm not home yet''


Respect!!! That's one hell of a commute.

LN

Doki

"Peter Clinch" <p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:678o0qF2o0pfiU1@mid.individual.net...
> Doki wrote:
>
>> I don't find the racer unduly uncomfortable, as whilst the saddle is
>> hard, the steel frame is fairly flexy and your weight is further
>> forward, so you tend not to have so much weight on the saddle.
>
> Discomfort can be places other than one's backside. I particularly
> prefer more upright positions because I tend to suffer discomfort in my
> arms and wrists rather than my arse, for example. Dutch bikes, built
> for utilitarian comfort, have bolt upright seating positions... and
> comfortable saddles if the owner uses it much!

Yep, but my mountain bike had a less comfy position for me than the racer,
until I got a high rise stem for the MTB. I'd not say one type of bike is
always comfier than another.

TerryJ

On 23 Apr, 15:12, lardyninja <lardyni...@gmx.net> wrote:
> On Apr 23, 11:34 am, TerryJ <jone...@breathe.com> wrote:
>
> > *I sometimes consider plaintively calling
> > after them ''oh, but I have just done 70miles and I'm not home yet''
>
> Respect!!! That's one hell of a commute.
>
> LN

well, yes it would be.
I forgot to mention solid build and big tyres mean that you can
survive the potholes that you have to crash through when you are
surrounded by traffic, and being able to look around easily is a big
plus.
This is usually recommended by someone:
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...=c003155c002910

Mark T

Doki writtificated

> Yep, but my mountain bike had a less comfy position for me than the
> racer, until I got a high rise stem for the MTB. I'd not say one type
> of bike is always comfier than another.

In the uncomfy corner we have the time trial bike. In the comfy corner we
have the dutch roadster.

That said, something as simple as an extra inch of reach to the bars,
saddle 10 degrees out etc can make riding a bike into a form of torture,
and I'd be more comfy trying to hold 25mph for 10 miles on a time trial
bike than doing the same on a roadster. Plenty of swings and roundabouts
to whizz around on this topic.

Doki

TerryJ wrote:
> On 23 Apr, 15:12, lardyninja <lardyni...@gmx.net> wrote:
>> On Apr 23, 11:34 am, TerryJ <jone...@breathe.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I sometimes consider plaintively calling
>>> after them ''oh, but I have just done 70miles and I'm not home yet''
>>
>> Respect!!! That's one hell of a commute.
>>
>> LN
>
> well, yes it would be.
> I forgot to mention solid build and big tyres mean that you can
> survive the potholes that you have to crash through when you are
> surrounded by traffic, and being able to look around easily is a big
> plus.

There is that. My road bike wheels need truing a hell of a lot.

Peter Clinch

Doki wrote:

> Yep, but my mountain bike had a less comfy position for me than the
> racer, until I got a high rise stem for the MTB. I'd not say one type of
> bike is always comfier than another.

Poor comparison pieces though, because your examples are both basically
sports machines designed with comfort as a distant priority behind going
over their respective terrains quickly. Throw in a bike where comfort
is one of the design priorities and it's a rather different case.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Doki

Peter Clinch wrote:
> Doki wrote:
>
>> Yep, but my mountain bike had a less comfy position for me than the
>> racer, until I got a high rise stem for the MTB. I'd not say one
>> type of bike is always comfier than another.
>
> Poor comparison pieces though, because your examples are both
> basically sports machines designed with comfort as a distant priority
> behind going over their respective terrains quickly. Throw in a bike
> where comfort is one of the design priorities and it's a rather
> different case.

Indeed. MTBs seem to be regarded as the standard basic transport for some
reason, rather than a comfort / utility bike.

Don Whybrow

spindrift wrote:
>
> I see more and more people on fixies and although I'm not prejudiced
> most fixie riders are mental.

Of the 3 fully working adult bikes in the shed [1], when I reach for the
steed to take me to work, it is invariably the fixed that I select. To
those that have never ridden fixed for any length of time [2], it is
difficult to express the experience. To those that have, it is not
necessary.

For most urban trips, and possibly many rural ones, you do not need any
gears. My commute is 6 miles each way with a change in elevation of
330ft. I am probably as fast on the fixed as I would be on either of the
geared bikes.


[1] As opposed to the 4 that are not working and the kids bikes.
[2] i.e. enough to get used to the differences.

--
Don Whybrow

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Don Whybrow

Dan Gregory wrote:
>
> http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...5c002912m003020

I'll see your Langster & raise you a Touche

<http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/index.html?action=97>

Looking around their site I see that they have a new singlespeed out
that is built to a steel frame.

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/page/113/Pearson_Hanzo


--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

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(i.e. advertisers) don't WANT an intelligent, thoughtful
audience. And they no longer have one." (Rich Tietjens)

Don Whybrow

Mark T wrote:
> Plenty of swings and roundabouts
> to whizz around on this topic.

Roundabouts I have ridden, yet to try a swing.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

"I've noticed that the press tends to be quite accurate, except
when they're writing on a subject I know something about."
(Keith F. Lynch)