new to cycling to work help please

[jonmann85]

Hi all

really hope somebody can help. i have recently started cycling to work and borrowed a bike to get me by for now, its no good as its more a leisure bike and not really fit for purpose.
i live in Leeds and my entire route is a purpose build cycle path and well looked after, rather smooth and minimal curbs or bumbs.

i have been looking at this bike ( https://www.cyclerepublic.com/voodoo-ma ... -2018.html ) after talking to staff and they said as i cycle a lot of up hill both going to work and home, having no suspension would be beneficial for me, also has hydraulic brakes, very lightweight and 27 speed gears.

question, is this right?? Would this bike be any good? i do around 5 miles each way a day.

any help would be great

[horizon]

It looks fine to me for your intended purpose - I think it has rack eyes in case you need to carry a laptop or other stuff. Bt you'll probably want mudguards. Would they throw them in as part of the deal?

The big tyres will be good in the winter when that cyclepath is a bit less pristine than it is now.

[Vorpal]

What is your borrowed bike & what don't you like about it?

Does the Voodoo fix the things you don't like? Have you ridden one & found it comfortable?

Other than that, the spec looks good for the price. I don't know the specific bike, but I'm sure it will be fine, and the bike shop staff are right about the suspension. At that price, it will be nothing but unneeded & unreliable weight. Make sure you budget for mudguards, lights, a rack, and maybe some panniers.

The only thing I would caution you about is the cycle path isn't always treated in winter, so you may want to consider the need for winter tyres.

Enjoy the cycling!

[jonmann85]

thank you so much for the reply, fortunately our cycle path in Leeds is tended to and if it snow / is icy we have a specify machine that goes down it and clears it.

The bike i have at the moment is from halfords and it is an apolo guru.

[Vorpal]

thank you so much for the reply, fortunately our cycle path in Leeds is tended to and if it snow / is icy we have a specify machine that goes down it and clears it.

The bike i have at the moment is from halfords and it is an apolo guru.

What do you not like about the Apollo? I think the Voodoo you linked to will be better, but there's a risk that you will only get an incremental change, when you are expecting a revolutionary one.

edited to add: If you haven't, you should test ride the Voodoo and see what you think.

[Marcus Aurelius]

It’s a nice bike, with reasonable components. If you like flat bar hybrids, it’s a good bet.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/hybrid-bike ... 05264.html

This is better in my opinion.

[Pete Owens]

No suspension is a definite plus unless you want to do serious off road stuff. If your path is well maintained you will probably be better with less knobbly tyres. For commuting you will need proper full length mud guards - and a pannier rack if you regularly carry stuff. With the gears it is not so much how many (27 is more than enough), but will the lowest gear be good enough for your steepest hill.

[reohn2]

Hi all

really hope somebody can help. i have recently started cycling to work and borrowed a bike to get me by for now, its no good as its more a leisure bike and not really fit for purpose.
i live in Leeds and my entire route is a purpose build cycle path and well looked after, rather smooth and minimal curbs or bumbs.

i have been looking at this bike ( https://www.cyclerepublic.com/voodoo-ma ... -2018.html ) after talking to staff and they said as i cycle a lot of up hill both going to work and home, having no suspension would be beneficial for me, also has hydraulic brakes, very lightweight and 27 speed gears.

question, is this right?? Would this bike be any good? i do around 5 miles each way a day.

any help would be great

That bike providing it fits you is a good tool for your intended purpose,with full SKS mudguards fitted and regular maintenance it will serve you well.
Voodoo bikes punch well above their weight and always get good reviews.

[gazza_d]

Three wins for any practical commuter bike are:
1. full length mudguards. It's the UK. even when it doesn't rain most of the time the road and paths are damp and mucky. The guards will keep you and the bike dryer and cleaner

2. a rack and some luggage. Whatever you carry be it a small toolkit , though lunch and a shirt to a full change and a laptop, let the bike take the strain. Much better than a rucksack. Back doesn't get sweaty or tired.

3. Lights. dynamo lights are not essential but will mean you don;t have to worry about whether you have charged the lights or how much life the batteries have. There is a selection of city bikes that do have them as standard.

Decathlon have this for about your budget (based on the Voodoo) of about £400 https://www.decathlon.co.uk/hoprider-500-urban-hybrid-bike-id_8405476.html
Comes with all the above. 3 less gears and doesn't have hydro brakes but frankly the rest easily trumps the brakes in my book.

[Spinners]

Whether you go for hybrid or road bike or gravel bike or MTB... I cannot stress how important mudguards are!

[horizon]

Whether you go for hybrid or road bike or gravel bike or MTB... I cannot stress how important mudguards are!

It would be interesting to hear from an Evans or Halfords salesperson whether mudguards on a bike are actually a deal breaker.