Treated myself to a new bicycle over the weekend. Will be used for commuting two days a week (32 mile round trip) and an unsupported London do Paris
ride next month with full panniers. I've been training for a few weeks on my MTB fitted with road tyres, good training, but slow going on the
road.
Looked at many alloy and even carbon framed bikes, but having ridden a few miles on this I'm very happy with my choice of quality steel frame.
The paint job is stunning up close and the whole thing just feels right as a package. 
My steel framed MTB has done me close to 20 years and several thousand miles (only the frame and seat post are original). This should last me the
same again I reckon.
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/multi-sport/croix-de-fer
A road bike with diskbrakes eh...
Very, very nice....I really like the more unusual makes....I have a charge.
you should have bought one which has peddles, i've heard they're much easier 
quote:
Originally posted by Jenko
Very, very nice....I really like the more unusual makes....I have a charge.
Picked up the same bike a few weeks ago it's brilliant. I ditched the standard crappy tyres for some schwalbe marathons which are perfect for
touring and commuting as they are very difficult to puncture. My last set on my hybrid did 2000 miles with not a single puncture.
The steel frame is brilliant just soaks up the vibration and it eats the miles. Well happy with mine.
Looks good.
Nice to see it has disk brakes, my MB has these but my road race bike is just calipers, huge difference between the two. Already ran into the back of
a car once being outbraked 
I also fitted the biggest front cogs I could get as there's not many hills around where I take mine. Nothing better than roaring past some slow
assed MB 
quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
Picked up the same bike a few weeks ago it's brilliant. I ditched the standard crappy tyres for some schwalbe marathons which are perfect for touring and commuting as they are very difficult to puncture. My last set on my hybrid did 2000 miles with not a single puncture.
The steel frame is brilliant just soaks up the vibration and it eats the miles. Well happy with mine.
Very nice
Not much of a roadie bike person meself but have just bought my first (Giant Defy- cheapest in shop and my mtbs have all been giant) 30 odd years.
Using it for my first triathlon next Sunday
Cheers
Simon
[Edited on 19/5/14 by Simon]
That's just it, it's not really a road bike it's a cyclocrosser. Although I'm not sure if I'd take it too far off road. With
the relaxed geo and steel frame it's more a jack of all trades. I use mine for commuting and a once a year tour loaded up with a tent and
panniers. This year it's maiden tour is Newcastle to Edinburgh on the coasts and castles route.
My road bike mates scoffed at it at first but now are seriously impressed with its versatility. My brakes work better in the wet too
in fact one of
them went out and bought the slightly cheaper cdf and is equally impressed by it.
That's it for me too. My commute includes a couple of gravel sections that a full road bike would struggle with.I also wanted the ability to
load it right up for toduring as well. The more upright and relaxed positon should be better on really long rides as well.
Just been out for a few miles tonight and it really is comfortable.
quote:
Originally posted by dhutch
A road bike with diskbrakes eh...
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
Picked up the same bike a few weeks ago it's brilliant. I ditched the standard crappy tyres for some schwalbe marathons which are perfect for touring and commuting as they are very difficult to puncture. My last set on my hybrid did 2000 miles with not a single puncture.
The steel frame is brilliant just soaks up the vibration and it eats the miles. Well happy with mine.
Noted on the tyres. Not done enough miles on the stock tyres yet to really suss them out, but the bike shop did suggest some better tyres for distance commuting and touring work.
As I said I can't recommend the schwalbe marathon plus highly enough. They are a little heavy but then again so am I. They roll pretty good but
still have some tread for towpaths etc.
I nipped to the bike shop yesterday and came out another hundred quid lighter. Mudguards, bar tape, bottle holders and a new saddle pouch for my bits
and bobs. The joys of a new toy, I did manage to resist the guy trying to get me to order a hydraulic brake setup and a carbon fork for it though,
carbon?! On a steel bike ? Are you mad?
[Edited on 21/5/14 by sdh2903]
I have a slight rash of accessorising myself
I added a couple of bottle holders in the retro style. The fancy curved carbon jobbies just didn't sit right with the rest of the bike.
A carbon fork would indeed look awful on such a nice thin steel frame and the cable discs are more than ample for me so far.
quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
As I said I can't recommend the schwalbe marathon plus highly enough. They are a little heavy but then again so am I.
[Edited on 21/5/14 by sdh2903]
Covered a good few miles now training for my Paris trip next week.
Shaved my 16 mile work journey down from 1:14 to 1:03 so far and looking to get inside the hour by the end of this week.
I'd seriously forgotten how much I enjoy cycling and what it's like to have a good level of fitness. Knocking the beers on the head has
probably played a part too
Just signed up for an 80km "legs of steel" event in September, which seems to be all about hills
Would've clicked the "Like" button if there was one
I reckon you'll get down to about 55 mins in no time. Keep it up.
I'm just off to the forest on the mtb
ATB
Simon
Down to 1:00:07 in to work this morning