A bike to ride to uni on...

[-Adam-]

Heres one for some of you to get your teeth into:

I will shortly be back at uni and as such need a bike that will get me to uni on, mudguards would be useful as I don't want to arrive with soaking wet jeans...

Heres the conundrum, I have a Giant TCR frame hanging about, which is what I was on when hit by a van in Feb. Sigma reckoned it was slightly twisted so recommended not re-building it for proper road riding, but I reckon it should be ok for riding to uni on. I also have bars, stem, and a 105 gruppo sitting about which was on it at the time, as well as wheels. So all I would really need is a fork, which I can get fairly easily. Not sure about the mud guards though? But given the question mark over the frame, is it worth even doing anything with it? That said, Sigma also said that the ''twist'' could actually be still within manufacturers tolerances, so maybe it is still good to ride properly?

But there is a part of me that thinks ''sod it, just buy a town bike!'' as it is only 6 miles each way, so is a proper road bike necessary for such a short commute? I also quite like the idea of a bike I can just cruise about on to the pub or whatever. I was in the Decathlon at Canada Water the other day and they had some decent looking hybrid style bikes.

That said a shiny new bike is not cool, and very stealable. So perhaps an old bike?

What do others commute on?

Realistically I have a budget of around £200 for a commuting machine, so, any thoughts?

Ad

[Will]

Bit dodgy to use that frame

I'd go second hand

Perhaps pick up an old training bike, or maybe even a singlespeed (for overall low cost)

[Dombo]

I'd go secondhand. Just picked up a nice 11-yr old fully rigid steel mtb on ebay for £130. Took a couple of weeks to find what I wanted. Perfect for commuting and nipping to shops. And I never worry about it - I'm always checking my good bikes are still there whenever I ride to work, and that's with the 24 hour ring of steel security lockdown we enjoy in Docklands. For uni I'd want something a bit scabby that won't mind being used every day, left outside pubs etc.

[Graham O]

Adam,

Watch the ribble website. I got my winter frame for £120 including frame and mudguards.....

Absolute bargain for a new frame !!

Ta,

Graham..

[huw williams]

Get a fixed - definitely. In fact, get my fixed. I've suddenly got too many bikes again

It's a Pinarello so instantly cool It's an old frame so doesn't look too nickable, but its got new wheels, chainrings and brakes etc

I can use my Bianchi track bike on the road instead.

Yours for a £100 then you can spend the rest of your budget on hookers and beer (I've been to Uni, I know how it is)

[Apples]

Huw , pm'd you

About the Hookers and beer, Apples?
[quote="huw williams"]Get a fixed - definitely. In fact, get my fixed...
chainrings more than one?
and brakes more than one?

[quote="Andrew G"]About the Hookers and beer, Apples?
[quote="huw williams"]Get a fixed - definitely. In fact, get my fixed...
chainrings more than one?
and brakes more than one?

[Apples]

Andrew G wrote:
About the Hookers and beer, Apples?

I don't drink

[quote="huw williams"]It's a Pinarello so instantly cool

[Jon H]

[quote="huw williams"] then you can spend the rest of your budget on hookers and beer (I've been to Uni, I know how it is)

[Paul on the Pearson]

How about a unicycle. There's one on the Pearson site for £89.99, so you'd save even more money and you'd only have to buy one mudguard and instead of doing any course work you could just waste your time learning to juggle.

[Amy]

Or a week on Sunday - 31st August - cycle jumble at Ripley Village Hall opposite Police Station, Ripley of course.

You never know what you could find there - I've seen some amazing junk and spectacular bargains - but someone could have just the bike for you.

[-Adam-]

Amy, thanks for the heads up on that.

Sean, good find, may well look into that... Gotta love a Giant.

Does anyone have any idea of someone or somewhere who can definatively tell me whether my Giant frame is usable or not...

Sigma's words were ''The frame is twisted by about 5mm or so, although this could be within the manufacturers (Giant) tolerances. But we wouldn't be particularly keen to rebuild it for you.''

As even if I get a specific bike to riding to uni on, the thought had crossed my mind to build it as a TT bike...

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

If it's twist steers it to the left, could make a good track bike