Where to buy a bicycle?

[AlastairS]

Hi, I have a Dawes Galaxy touring bike which I use to commute to work (6 miles each way). I'm thinking of buying a lighter bike to make my commute easier (then I could use it more days per week rather than each alternate day).

I am thinking of a road bike or maybe an audax bike or something else (open to suggestions).

I was wondering, where do I buy a bike?
I know you should use your LBS and I will certainly consider them 1st, though they are likely to be dearer than from an internet store or elsewhere. I know of course LBSs should be supported and I would certainly give my LBS the business should there not be a large difference in cost. I'm new to the cycling scene. I've heard of Wiggle and Ribble. Are these places worthwhile for bicycles ? Is there somewhere else ?

Alastair

[al_yrpal]

Decathlon - great bikes, great value

Al

[Jonty]

You need a lighter bike than a Dawes Galaxy in order to commute 6 miles?
You can't be serious.
jonty

[martin biggs]

everybody always says Galaxy's are great for that kind of work , so why do you want to change it ?

[Big T]

Lots of cheap internet shops - Chain Reaction, Planet X to name but two. Trouble is you can't try them out before you buy.

If you're near an Evans store, they usually have a decent selection of road bikes and if there's something special you want, they can order it in for you.

Halfords Boardman range is also worth consider, as very good VFM.

A new bike will hardly make you any quicker on your commute. On my tourer, my 6 mile commute takes around 25 mins. The fastest I've ever done it on my audax bike is 22 mins, but that was really gunning it. Tourers can go quite fast once you get them up to speed. If your commute is hilly, then it might make more of a difference.

[vjosullivan]

You need a lighter bike than a Dawes Galaxy in order to commute 6 miles?
You can't be serious.
jonty

Why not. Whilst Galaxies are fine for commuting, they are primarily designed for carrying loads over distances. For a six mile, unladen blip into work there are plenty of other lighter and faster bikes than will do the job as well, if not better.

[wirral_cyclist]

You need a lighter bike than a Dawes Galaxy in order to commute 6 miles?
You can't be serious.
jonty

Why not. Whilst Galaxies are fine for commuting, they are primarily designed for carrying loads over distances. For a six mile, unladen blip into work there are plenty of other lighter and faster bikes than will do the job as well, if not better.

I think the point Jonty was trying to make was that it's hardly worth getting another bike for only 6 miles, I can understand your point that for say a longer 15 mile+ commute then a lighter bike would be nicer but still hardly worth it.
A galaxy will after all withstand a drop into a pothole better than some lightweight carbon nano tube special and easily cope with carrying work stuff much better than the street missile, said missile would at best only have a marginal time benefit, and in 'real 3rd world road conditions' (TM) may not actually manifest as any actual time saving at all.

As an excuse for the n+1 bike principle it is of course essential to get something very light or shiny (preferably both) and much haste should be made to a suitably stocked LBS - if the OP would provide a location then a suitable LBS can probably be suggested.

[elmo]

I have just purchased a galaxy to be my touring bike and 'relegated' my horizon to commute to work which replaces the mountain bike that is now my ride around in the mud and along the canal and find a pub bike. After three years or so of riding 12 miles to work with a heavy ruck sack I have finally decided to go the easy route of touring frame and large panniers. Lighter bike? What luggage do you need, you will find panniers far 'lighter' than a lower capacity back pack. You might be better off staying as you are.
Elmo

[s1965c]

Having convinced myself that a light/fast bike would make a difference to my commute (similar to yours in length), I bought a road bike. Lovely machine that it was, it made no difference for commuting. Had it not been for the CTW scheme, I would have dropped a stack of cash learning that lesson.

What did make a difference was putting together a comfortable bike that fitted, and using it every day. A Galaxy would seem like a good starting point for building a comfy commuting bike.

[bikes4two]

A couple of points re the original question: the OP said they were thinking of changing bikes to make the commute 'easier' - define 'easier first? Do you mean more comfortable or faster or what?

Bear in mind that there is often a trade-off between speed & comfort: fast road bike / 23c tyres / rigid frame = not so comfy ride as touring bike / 28c tyres / more flexible frame (e.g. steel).

Buying: if like me and Mrs bikes4two, the first, second, third & forth bikes are still not the 'perfect' choice (what ever that might be) and you don't have a bottomless pit of money, then consider used bikes from places like this forum or eBay. You buy at a used price, try it out and if not liked, sell on at a minimal cost difference.

[Nettled Shin]

you will find panniers far 'lighter' than a lower capacity back pack

With panniers, you won't be so sweaty on arriving at work, but if speed is the issue, a contoured rucksack forms an after-body that might reduce your pressure drag.

[Vorpal]

Why do you need something different to use it every day? Why do you currently only cycle alternate days? Or did I misunderstand?

My commute was 28 miles. When I started doing it, my only functional bike was a hybrid, so I bought a road bike. It did make a few minutes difference in 28 miles, but I can't imagine it making any discernible difference in a 6 mile commute.

What will you do with it besides commute?

[eileithyia]

I think I would probably agree with most on here, why?

Of course it is always essential to have another bike, it is great to have a new shiny lightweight bike...

I really do not think a new bike will make much difference on a 6 mile commute, traffic is traffic, stopping and starting in it is just that and takes just as long no matter the bike.

If you want to be faster and comfier on your commute increasing how often you do it might be useful, ie why do you only do alt days if it might be possible to do more on a lighter bike. Why not ride 4x a week for a few weeks and see how you feel, then increase to 5x.
That is likely to make you fasster and fitter.

However if you want and nicey shiny new bike then go ahead we all deserves treats
If you want to do some more cycling at weekends on a lighter in different circumstances, then go ahead.

As we are now heading into Autumn, it might be worth looking at Ribble, they produce a 'winter' training bike. Comes with mudguards and I have a rack on my son's. It is a lightweight aluminium frame and perfectly serviceable for commuting (I even borrow it myself when my bike is off the road for various reasons). It has adequate options for fitting lights.

Alternatively Decathlon produce some good quality lightweight bikes.

After that it would be Evans where you can at least see a variety of bikes.
Then you could be looking at things like Thorn Audax and starting to pay increasing amounts of money.....

[AlastairS]

Thank you for all your comments.

I am 45yrs and male and I cycle sometimes to my office 6 miles away. It is mainly flat, but there are a few hilly sections.
When I arrive at work I feel tired and it takes me a while to recover enough to do my job (a database maintainer). I really like to energy that cycling gives and it also helps me to be more positive and enjoy life more. However, it can take a while to recover from my cycle. I don't feel that tired when I arrive in the office. I hardly ever sweat as I take my time, but I do need time to recover (sometimes several hours) before I can think software stuff.
So I though maybe a lighter mike would be less effort and then less recovery time.
Perhaps it is more my physical cycling fitness.
I've just started cycling to work again after a year. I will cycle each alternate day (I get too tired on consecutive days) and see how I get on and may increase to every day.
Since my post, I noticed my tires needed inflating. Also one of the cantilever brake blocks stays on the rim when the brake is released (that wouldn't help). Also possibly a slight buckle which is being fixed today was discovered.

I'll just clean, oil and tidy my bike and then cycle alternate days for a month and then see how my recovery time is.

Thanks for all your replies, which is very helpful.

Alastair

[eileithyia]

If you are just back after a lay off then I would agree it is probably your fitness that is the problem not so much the bike.
Not sure if your lay off has been due to sickness, but this would nothelp.
I would expect a reasonably fit 45 male to cycle 6 miles without too much trouble but it may depend on what else is going on in your life and where you started with your fitness level, weight etc.

Do you eat before or after your ride and what sort of stuff are you eating, all this could be key to your recovery from your ride.

As you say continue alt days for a while until you rebuild your stamina and fitness, do not push excessively hard ride at a comfy pace.
enjoy the ride and feeling of freedom it gives you, the more you enjoy it rather than worrying about the clock the happier you will be and possibly recover better.