Ok, so last year I bought my first commuter bike, previously I had a mountain bike that I'd had for 15 years.
I bought a Ridgeback Speed, which was ok, sturdy, seemingly quick enough and it was cheap £220.
No, I feel like I've "outgrown" it already. I want something lighter and faster, that is suitable primarily to get me from home to work and back again (just short of 5 miles each way), it's predominantly downhill there (with enough humps, bumps and potholes to make it a bouncy ride) and obviously uphill on the way home.
It has been recommended to me that a Specialized Tricross Sport might be what I'm looking for. As well as being lighter and fast, with some nice bits (brakes on the straight part as well as the front of drop handles), it can take a pannier rack (as I prefer pannier bags to a rucksack).
What do you reckon?
For added info, my company have joined upto cycle scheme where your company pays for a voucher (which you apply for, based on your quote), reclaims the VAT then charges you the Net cost to your gross pay (so you save the PAYE & NI). You can get a voucher upto £1000. As a 40% taxpayer I would end up paying around £400 (spread over 6/12 months) for a £1000 bike.
The Tricross sport is £700, this would cost me £352 (£59 pm over 6 months or £29 pm over 12 months). Which seems like a bargain to me.
If price (within reason) was no object, with the above criteria, what would you recommend.
Hobbes please not it doesn't apply to 2nd hand bikes.
Tricross Sport
I bought a Ridgeback Speed, which was ok, sturdy, seemingly quick enough and it was cheap £220.
No, I feel like I've "outgrown" it already. I want something lighter and faster, that is suitable primarily to get me from home to work and back again (just short of 5 miles each way), it's predominantly downhill there (with enough humps, bumps and potholes to make it a bouncy ride) and obviously uphill on the way home.
It has been recommended to me that a Specialized Tricross Sport might be what I'm looking for. As well as being lighter and fast, with some nice bits (brakes on the straight part as well as the front of drop handles), it can take a pannier rack (as I prefer pannier bags to a rucksack).
What do you reckon?
For added info, my company have joined upto cycle scheme where your company pays for a voucher (which you apply for, based on your quote), reclaims the VAT then charges you the Net cost to your gross pay (so you save the PAYE & NI). You can get a voucher upto £1000. As a 40% taxpayer I would end up paying around £400 (spread over 6/12 months) for a £1000 bike.
The Tricross sport is £700, this would cost me £352 (£59 pm over 6 months or £29 pm over 12 months). Which seems like a bargain to me.
If price (within reason) was no object, with the above criteria, what would you recommend.
Hobbes please not it doesn't apply to 2nd hand bikes.
Tricross Sport
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