r/ukbike

I'm getting back into cycling as a hobby, currently on a triban 120 with cyclocross tyres and want to jump to a gravel bike so i can use more of the tracks near me and have better grip on the coastal paths.

Im stuck between the following, willing to hear other suggestions and any sites to steer clear of;

NAME PRICE TYRE CLEAR GEARS

Boardman adv 8.9 £960 .50mm .GRX rx400.

Canyon End All Road £999 40mm Cues 6020/30. (OOS in my size)

Canyon Grizl 5 £1249 .54mm. Cues Mix.

NS bikes RAG+ 2 £1099 .45mm + 27.5 .Sram Apex.

Niner RLT 9 . 3 £1149 . 50mm + 650b. Sram Rival.

Cube nuroad pro £1199. 45mm. Cues

Ridley kanzo adv £1279 .54mm + 29".GRX rx400

Would be a fair mix of on and off road, intentions for bikepacking trips. I'm a heavier rider but losing weight with cycling and other exercises.

Is CUES good? It says online its more open with upgrade/repair options, but i know grx apex and Rival are all more gravel specific.

I recently bought a used Vitus Substance VR large frame on a total impulse. It has some great upgrades like Juin Tech semi-hydraulic brakes, Deda handlebars, and Maxxis tubeless tyres by the previous owner. However, I’ve realised this bike is way too advanced/overkill for my needs. I am a bit clueless and lack the mechanical expertise to get it 100% road ready as the rear brake doesn't work properly/needs looking at (apparently a new rotor) and it won't go into one or two gears but shifts fine otherwise.

If I list this on Marketplace for £300 ONO to get a quick sale, does that sound fair, or am I way off? Is it worth less or more than that? Basically I just want my money back and to get something a bit more simple. I understand I look like a bit of an idiot right now but any advice would be appreciated!

Would be very appreciative of some recommendations.

I'm moving for work and with it a new commute.

Currently commuting 3 miles each way on a Planet X XLA, technically a CX bike but perfect for me currently with 33mm all terrain tyres, disc breaks and SRAM Apex 1x (0 dropped chains in 8 years!).

Unfortunately after 7+ years of abuse over university it's time for a new bike.

The new commute:

- 6 miles each way

- Includes a 600m stretch of off road (bark path/gravel, gets muddy in wet weather)

- Otherwise flat-ish roads and cycleways

Requirements:

- Commuting main use case, will be used for getting around town & some light gravel/trails occasionally.

- Would like to try wider tyres 38mm+

- I've enjoyed the simplicity and reliability of 1x. But not a requirement at all.

- Mudguard mounts

Budget = ideally under 800, can stretch

I've never used my drops commuting but it seems hybrids are a polarising topic here - can anyone explain?

Shoot some recommendations down below. Many thanks

Hello fellow pedal powered folks!

I currently have a fairly nice Ridley Kanzo bike and will soon be adding a Cube Attain C:62 to that. I’m looking at insurance options and can see a few well know insurers but I’m curious about people’s interactions with them.

I know British Cycling I think it was - has membership that includes a discount for Bikmo who are well reviewed so that’s currently my likely route.

Happy to hear who you use, positives, negatives etc.

I should also add: I mainly road cycle with a few days a week commute to work and back. Both bikes are worth around 1800ish if that has any effect on recommendations.

Dark Blue Road Bike found unlocked in SW London (Battersea overnight). Likely commuter bike -- well used but well maintained. Would love to reunite with its owner. Please get in touch with identifying details if you think it's yours.

So been smashing the gym hard last couple years.

Last few months i found the static bike and can consistently do 15km in 30-31 mins. 30.20 is my best time.

Decided to take it on the road. Never ridden on the road before, as a kid i would ride on grass or pavement i guess.

Got a helmet. Got some old Vans for shoes.

I got a Boardman 8.6 HYB for £480 quid down from £600. So think i got a decent bike for the money. All seems to stack up.

It has road ish tyres i think so i will get some speed i hope. Its very light and has some gear range. Its not to hilly around here so should have enough range

I cant believe how expensive bikes are, god damn. Some are like 10k. Went hybrid because i have never ridden or been near the bendy bar road bikes so riding low like that would feel alien to me.

Any tips or do i just plan a route i know and go for it.

I assume on the road im going to be coasting more and not continually pedalling or should i make a point of always moving my legs?

Planning on just using it for exercise about 3-4 times a week 30-45 mins a time and stop the cycling in the gym. Or cycle to the gym its a bout 7km away. But not sure how i will feel about cycling back.

Plan on just small stints endurance doesn't appeal to me too much. But maybe that will change in time. Or is bike riding more about longer stints and endurance.

As the title says - looking for recommendations for good cycling-specific holiday travel insurance - thanks in advance!

So i'm relatively new to this. I use a mountain bike, the route I take is 5 miles and about half regular streets, 30% tarmac cycle paths, and 20% gravel/dirt paths. Even ignoring the gravel and dirt, the roads and cycle paths are so full of root bumps and potholes that making the journey without suspension and wide low pressure tyres seems downright stupid. Most of the roads in england are like this, even in london and the other cities. I don't know how people manage on standard road bikes

I’ve been using shared pavements a bit more recently and I honestly find them more stressful than helpful most of the time. I end up constantly slowing down, second guessing right of way, and dealing with awkward close passes in both directions. I get why they exist, but it doesn’t really feel like a proper solution for either cyclists or pedestrians.

hi everyone! i’m a 20 y/o student who’s been cycling to and from campus most days over the past 3 years, so i _do_ consider myself a cyclist even if i only do it out of necessity. i have a liv women’s hybrid bike (2021), which _does_ get me around but i’ve still really wanted a foldable e-bike for some time now.

(1) e-bikes are (much) faster. cuts my commute time and i don’t have to rush.
(2) less energy / exercise on my part, really important since i’m chronically fatigued.
(3) foldable = i can carry it everywhere: buses, trains, cars etc. so i can take public transport and never have to walk places!

i’ve yet to buy one, though because (1) they’re mad pricey (2) i don’t know which one i should even get (3) my accom doesn’t allow e-bikes anyways. but i’m graduating this year, and will be moving back home so (3) won’t really be a worry, just (1) and (2).

so, my question is: should i get one? if so, which one? what price range am i looking at (reasonably)? i’m ideally looking for smthn under £1,000 but if it’s *really* good i could possibly do up to ~£1,500. where do i even get a bike? my current one was bought for me by my parents, so i don’t know. online? in-person? should i try and ride it first?

please eli5 because you are talking to someone who knows _nothing_ about bikes other than they get me from A to B (and that i need to wear a helmet). thank you sm. :)

**(my current bike, for reference):**
https://www.devercycles.co.uk/bikes/hybrid-bikes/2021-liv-alight-3-womens-hybrid-bike-in-blue\_\_46383

I'm looking to build a Chinese bike but still have a c2w voucher. Sometimes its cheaper to buy a bike and swap the parts over to the new frame but there doesn't seem to be much difference in price at the moment.

The best I've seen is a boardman at £1.5k but out of stock everywhere.

I'm looking at a bike in fairly poor condition (yeah, I know- it's just the way it is). I need to see it in person before deciding but how does that work in terms of paying through eBay? I believe you pay and then get a QR code which the seller scans, could I choose to not offer the code and walk away to get my money back if it's in worse condition than I thought? Or should I just not make any payment at all until I'm sure, i.e. pay on the spot? I'm just not sure as I've never used eBay for a collection in this way since they stopped cash on collection being an option. Thanks.

Being an avid walker and cyclist I've spent my fair share of time as a vulnerable figure on both roads and pathways. It baffles me how many cyclists who have no doubt been squeezed, ignored, and run off the road by cars suddenly adopt that very mindset on a footpath and endanger pedestrians. Flying around corners not slowing while passing people, it's all identical and some people clearly have no self-awareness.