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road.cc Commuting Bike of the Year 2016-17

The best commuting bikes to spend your money on

Commuting is the most accessible form of cycling, and for many people, replacing the car or bus with a bicycle is their introduction to cycling. These are the ten best commuting bikes we've tested in the past year.

There are no rules about what sort of bike you can commute on. You can literally use any bicycle you want, which is why you see such an assortment in the cities, towns and countryside across the UK. And that is reflected in this category; we've got adventure bikes, touring bikes, purpose-built city bikes and a few others added into the mix. The bike you choose will depend on the distance, terrain and nature of your commute, your riding style and whether you want to use it for more than commuting, such as long weekend rides. Many people get into cycling through commuting with half an eye on longer cycle rides in the future, and that's why a road bike can be a good choice.

- Beat the strike — go by bike! Cycle commuting top tips

Despite the apparent differences, we reckon there are some key features that people buying a bike for commuting will be looking for: value for money, easy handling, comfort, durability, reliability and versatility. These ten bikes demonstrate the variety of choice available and demonstrate that that whatever your commuting needs you should be able to find a good bike to meet them, and there’s everything from affordable first road bikes to single speed, adventure bikes and even a “super commuter”.

10. Vitus Razor VR £599

Vitus Razor VR - riding 1.jpg

Vitus is a brand from the past that slipped away, but online retailer Chain Reaction Cycles resurrected it with a 'direct to market' ethos along the lines of Canyon and Rose. What this means is that it can bring very good bikes to the marketplace at very sensible prices.

You’re getting a really good bike for the money: we had no complaints with the aluminium frame, carbon fork and Shimano Sora groupset. The Razor offers a responsive ride while one of Shimano's entry-level groupsets has become 9-speed and very much refined. For its weight, the Vitus responds well to rider input. Acceleration and climbing are slightly better than expected of a 9.5kg bike, especially if it's already rolling – though pushing off from a standing start can be a bit of a grind. The stack to reach ratio comes in at 1.44 which is a little bit on the racy side; most race bikes are around the 1.4 mark, with an endurance machine we'd be looking more at the 1.55 mark. (Stack and reach are the vertical and horizontal measurements from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube. 

Making it ideal for commuting is the inclusion of mudguard mounts and the long reach brake calipers providing plenty of clearance for them. This 2016 model is still available and being discounted at the time of writing. 

Why it’s here: Ideal first road bike, and with the ability to use mudguards it would make a great quick commuter too

Read the review

9. Mango Point R £849.99 (currently on sale for £699)

Mango Point R - riding 1.jpg

The Mango Point R bagged a spot on the Commuter awards last year, and it’s put in another consistent performance to find itself once again featured. The top level model tested here comes with a full Shimano 105 groupset and upgrade brakes and tyres making it a really compelling package, with a performance that will satisfy both a new and experienced cyclist. Road bikes make great commuter bikes; fast, nimble and light for beating the traffic, and this one has rack and mudguard mounts so you can shield yourself from rain soaked roads and carry some essentials into the office.

Mango has gone down the Mike Burrows (think Giant TCR) route of using just three compact frame sizes to fit the majority of people, which means they are a little longer in the top tube than most. The fact that it's designed to take full mudguards also increases wheelbase length. The frame itself is pretty impressive for the money, with smooth welds and internal cable routing belying its entry-level price tag. It looks much more expensive than it actually is. Come the weekend you can head out into the hills for a longer ride. And at the top of writing, the bike we reviewed is being discounted so you can grab it for just £669. That’s a bit of a bargain really.

Why it’s here: An impressive take on the beginner's bike, and shows that weight has little to do with all-out performance

Read the review

8. Verenti Technique Tiagra £650

Verenti Technique Tiagra - riding 1.jpg

The Verenti Technique Tiagra may look like a nineties throwback thanks to its paintjob but the spec list is bang up to date with a hydroformed alloy frameset, tapered headtube, full carbon fibre fork and Shimano's latest Tiagra 4700 groupset.

Road bikes obviously make great commuting bikes, especially for longer distances or you want to be able to explore longer cycle rides as the weekend. From the online behemoth that is wiggle comes the Verenti Technique, and it’s ticking all the boxes if you’re looking for a commuting bike. Mudguards aren’t hugely popular with road cyclists but for commuting they’re hard to beat, ensuring you don’t arrive in the office completely covered in road grime. Verenti has utilised the space in the frame and fork to fit some sensible 28mm Continental Ultra Sport II tyres.

The tidy aluminium frame isn't as refined as some we've been testing lately, but it’s purposeful and puts in a sprightly performance. And the new Shimano Tiagra groupset is a great addition. The Verenti offers everything that a new rider could possibly need and keeps offering more too. The bike responds to what you put in so as you become more confident and start to ride harder and faster the Verenti just takes it all in its stride replying with that same stable, surefooted ride. If you like the look of this bike, wiggle still has stock of the 2016 model and it’s currently been discounted. 

Why it’s here: Excellent value for money first road bike, audax machine or year-round commuter

Read the review

7. Raleigh Mustang Elite £1,000

Raleigh Mustang Elite - riding 1.jpg

Affordable road bikes have long been the ideal fodder for commuting bikes, but we’re increasingly seeing adventure and gravel bikes take over as the popular choice. Disc brakes and bigger tyres are obvious attractions especially given the poor state of most of the roads, and hydraulic disc brakes are a revelation in the rain. The Mustang Elite is one of the more affordable bikes in Raleigh's new gravel bike range. For £1,000 you get an aluminium frame, and it's a smart looking thing with a swoopy top tube and big tyre clearance, fitted with TRP hydraulic disc brakes and SRAM's Rival 1 drivetrain.

British brand Raleigh has put together a good package in the Mustang Elite, and it's a really capable and versatile bike. It's right at home on the commute, with the frame accepting mudguards and a rear rack if you need or want them. It's fine on the weekend club ride and for sneaking in a couple of steady hours on a Sunday morning before lunch. Unless you really need the low weight and speed of a conventional race-inspired road bike, the Raleigh Mustang might actually be a more suitable choice. The SRAM 1x11 groupset provides all the gears you really need on a commute, even a hilly one, and the disc brakes bring the bike to a controlled and rapid stop. The Schwalbe G-One open up your route options, and impress on the road and let you add towpaths and bridleways to your ride home.

Why it’s here: The Mustang Elite is affordable, adaptable and accessible – a good buy for the money

Read the review

6. B'Twin Hoprider 520 £320

B'Twin Hoprider 520 28 - riding.jpeg

If it’s a dedicated city commuting bike with all the extras like mudguards and lights that you want, then the Hoprider 520 from B’Twin is a superb choice. The BTwin Hoprider 520 comes with everything you need to pootle round town, to the office or the shops or just round the park for exercise. It's not the lightest hybrid ever, but it's very well specced for the money.

For the same price as a Zone 1-9 Monthly Travelcard in London, you get a really well-designed bike that has been carefully considered for the demands of daily city cycling. We like the mudguards and chainguard for keep road spray at bay, the rack for attaching a bag, and the integrated front and rear lights. The ride position is adjustable and while not the lightest bike on the road, it rolls along nicely once you get it moving and its Continental Touring Plus tyres are very puncture-resistant thanks to a thick band of rubber under the tread. The other practical touches make this a superbly liberating bike. The chainguard and mudguards mean you can ride in regular clothes. The built-in dynamo lighting means you don't need to find lights or keep them charged. There are mounts on the seatstays for a frame lock, a highly recommended add-on. Get a key-retaining model and you don't even have to find your key; it's there in the lock until you close the shackle.

Why it’s here: Great value, practical round-town package with no need to add lights, rack or mudguards

Read the review

5. Charge Plug 1 £499.99

charge-plug-1-riding.jpg

Singlespeeds, with their lack of expensive parts to wear out or go wrong, are ideal for the demands of commuting throughout the year. There are five models in Charge's Plug line, a range of bikes with what the brand from Somerset calls 'all-road' geometry, meaning room for on-trend large volume tyres and rack and mudguard mounts, making them ready for either commuting or epic adventures, or both, and everything in between. 

This, the cheapest model, is certainly a distinctive looking bike - a more subdued matte black is also available if you want to go under the radar at the traffic lights. Under the pink paint is a smartly designed aluminium frame. The frame comes with mudguard mounts front and back and rack mounts at the rear as well, with bolts either side of that bulging wishbone seatstay. There are twin bottle mounts should you wish to venture far from taps and pubs. The Plug has plenty of room in the frame and fork for the supplied 38mm Kenda tyres, though you could fit fatter in there without mudguards if you wanted. Knobbly 'cross rubber road.cc favourites Surly Knard 41s fit in both ends happily if you wanted to go chunky and off-road, as well as any of the new wave of voluminous gravelly tyres.

The Plug 1 is just perfect for smashing through the city. What you might lose in speed and acceleration over the trendy skinny-tyred fixie-singlespeed bikes you definitely gain in being able to straight line through the usual bumps, potholes and urban detritus with cheery alacrity. And if you wanted to take the short-cut through the park, maybe go down those steps or skip along a snicket, then those large-volume Tendrils are spot on for the job of sneaking the cheeky way to work. The bike positively encourages a wandering behaviour, to be honest.

Why it’s here: Simple and fun cyclo-cross bike that can mix rough commuting with off-road exploring – but that gear would need sorting

Read our review

4. Reid Blacktop £379.99

Reid Blacktop - riding 2.jpg

If your commute takes place primarily in a city, then the Reid Blacktop is a really good bike for the job, and at £380 it’s not going to break the bank. The aluminium frame and fork is tough and durable and the black paint finish and matching graphics give it a very understated appearance, it definitely goes under the radar. Keeping the task of cycling easy and simple, Reid has gone with a Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub with a single chainring and a chain guard to keep the oil away from your trousers. It works well, gears are easily changed with the grip shifter and the range is very usable. If you live somewhere very hilly then you might find it a touch over geared, but a chainring swap won't cost you much if it's a real problem. Obviously, the 3-speed hub doesn't have either the gear range or the close ratios of a derailleur system, but it's simple, cheap and durable.

It's a fun bike to ride, the Reid. At 11.7kg it's hardly a lightweight but it's still good to punch away from the lights and the steering is on the lively side of neutral, which makes it good for flicking through traffic. It's not twitchy, though, and 40mph descents don't require any more than the usual amount of care. The position of the bike is just right: not too racy, but not too sat up either. It fits the nature of the bike: the Blacktop is a bike that likes to be thrown about a bit. You can cruise about on it at no great speed, but it's more fun if you're putting a bit more effort in. That all makes it a simple and durable city bike that's fun to ride.

Why it’s here: Simple and durable city bike that's fun to ride and easy to winterise

Read our review

3. Norco Search Alloy Tiagra £949

Norco Search Alloy 105 — riding 2.jpg

Gravel and adventure bikes, as they’re variously called, make ideal commuter bikes. They combine all the elements you want from a cyclocross, touring and endurance bike and wrap them up in a go-anywhere bike that’s ideal for any sort of commute. The versatility of the Norco is enabled by the 35mm Schwalbe Tyrago tyres - they are fast and smooth on the road and can tackle gravel, mud, grass and dry earth with aplomb. If you were going to have just one bike for everything except racing, the Search would do the job, though you might want a second set of wheels to save faffing with tyre changes for road-only rides. It'll cheerfully handle anything from tarmac to well-surfaced singletrack and from the commuting run to days out exploring lanes and dirt roads.

The Search's tidily welded double-butted aluminium frame has lots of thoughtful touches. One of the cleverest is the Flip dropouts. Undo a fixing bolt and an aluminium piece slides out with a threaded hole for mudguards so you can tidily fit both a rack and mudguards. Up front there are mudguard eyes hiding inside the fork legs.

The Norco offers a stable ride, with the beefy carbon fork and thru-axle providing a very precise front-end - it goes where you point it with no twang or wander - but the bike is as forgiving of mistakes as it's reasonable to expect of a drop-bar bike without mountain bike-style fat tyres.

For 2017, the sub-£1,000 Search Alloy Tiagra has, as the name suggests, Shimano's Tiagra groupset, with TRP Spyre cable disc brakes. If you want Shimano 105, as found on the 2016 bike we reviewed, then you're looking at the £1,399 Search Alloy 105 Hydro. The hydraulic brakes on that bike offer a control upgrade that justifies the extra cost.

Why it’s here: A go-anywhere bike that's great for 'accidentally' getting lost in the wilds, and an ideal candidate for commuting

Read our review

2. B’Twin Triban 540 £650

BTwin Triban 540 - riding 4.jpg

B’Twin makes some of the best affordable road bikes, and last year the Triban 520 walked off with the best commuting bike of the year, and it’s another strong appearance from the company this time around. A smartly executed aluminium frame with a carbon fork provides a light and responsive ride and it’s impressively comfortable. For commuting, you might want to be able to fit mudguards and racks, and the frame duly comes equipped with them. The new 540 is also available with flat bars which for many commuters might be a more useful option than drop bars, which are only really necessary for racing.

The Triban 540 is a pleasure to ride, whether you're on smooth new tarmac, decaying and rough road surfaces or, to my surprise, over some particularly toothy London cobbles. But this makes sense when you check the seat tube – proudly proclaiming that the bike was designed in Lille and tested on the (relatively close) roads and cobbles of Flanders. It shows. Thanks to these design features, the bike is stiff enough to react well to bursts of power, while out of the saddle it's easy to get into a rhythm to climb or accelerate out of a corner. It's so comfortable, and fun rides felt shorter than they actually were.

Although the 540 is marketed as providing a Shimano 105, BTwin has reduced costs by putting a Tiagra 12-28 cassette and Prowheel Ounce 721 compact 50/34 chainset on the frame. It doesn’t negatively effect the performance; gear changing was easy, if not totally effortless. We did really appreciate the clearance for up to 32mm tyres, so if you find the 25mm stock tyres a bit underwhelming that would be a prime upgrade for further increasing comfort. The bike is decked out with all the mounts for fitting mudguards and a rear rack.

Why it’s here: A pleasure to ride whatever the road surface, with an excellent spec for the money

Read our review

1. Whyte Wessex £2,150 

whyte-wessex-riding-1.jpg

And winning the Commuting Bike of the Year is the 2016-17 is the superb Whyte Wessex.

In reality, each of the bikes in this commuting category fulfils its remit extremely well, and each will appeal to different cyclists. If you want a “super commuter” then look no further than the new Whyte Wessex. What’s a super commuter? It’s our term we've coined for a high-end bike that has all the practicality for commuting, from mudguards to disc brakes and easy handling, but can double up as weekend mile muncher or sportive conqueror. It’s a bike that can turn its hand to any sort of riding (well, apart from racing) and the Whyte Wessex was the highest scoring such bike we tested this year. 

You’d expect a British company to completely nail a bike that is perfectly suited to British riding, and Whyte has done just that with the new Wessex. A sporty looking carbon fibre frame and fork with a distance and commute friendly geometry, ample clearance for 30mm tyres with full tubeless readiness, and of course disc brakes. There are also mounts for which Whyte has designed its own sleek ‘guards, which come fitted on the bike for an optional upgrade cost, and we like that they fit seamlessly with the bike and we had no squeak or rattle issues during testing.

The geometry of the Wessex allows for a comfortable riding position that's just right for country or city commuting or both. Whyte has used a long fork to provide the necessary wide tyre and mudguard clearance but has kept the head tube short. The get-up-and-go response of the bike is incredible. That it can on the one hand travel along at a serene pace with ease and then react so positively to more aggressive riding, and be as fast as you like, is a big appeal of the Wessex. It's no slouch, that's for sure, yet it's as comfortable as you like if a relaxed cruising speed is your highest ambition for a cycle ride.

As a package, it comes together really well. It's very much a bike of the moment. It meets the needs of British cyclists wanting a dependable and reliable bike for riding in all weathers, and the equipment is smartly chosen to ensure it delivers brilliant performance and reliability. If you want a bike for daily commuting and also want a bike that you can enjoy on the weekend, the Wessex is an outstandingly good bike. And that’s why it’s our Commuter Bike of the Year.

Why it’s here:  A British designed bike that is perfect for year-round British road cycling and commuting

Read our review for the full story on the Whyte Wessex.

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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31 comments

Avatar
congokid | 7 years ago
0 likes

My commute includes a train journey and there is no space at my workplace to store a regular bike, so my ideal commuting bike is my Brompton folding bike, which has a fitted rack, mudguards, and dynamo lights as well as a mount for a front pannier. It's pretty much the complete city commuting bike. It was expensive but it has paid for itself several times over since I bought it 16 years ago.

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congokid | 7 years ago
0 likes

My commute includes a train journey and there is no space at my workplace to store a regular bike, so my ideal commuting bike is my Brompton folding bike, which has a fitted rack, mudguards, and dynamo lights as well as a mount for a front pannnier. It's pretty much the complete city commuting bike. It was expensive but it has paid for itself several times over since I bought it 16 years ago.

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mortbone | 7 years ago
0 likes

Does anybody know when the decathlon bikes will start having disc brake options?

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mortbone | 7 years ago
0 likes

If I commuted on the whyte I'd only get to do it one day and one way. Sure fire bike to be nicked from a rack. 

and another thing.  where are the rack mounts?

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Bob Wheeler CX | 7 years ago
0 likes

who locks a 2 grand bike up in a british high street? come on

 

if the reid had disc brakes, it would be an excellent choice (not sure about the tyres)

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belabatnom | 7 years ago
1 like

Normally find the naysayers on here a bit irritating (Are there any bikes available in the UK that come with dynamo lights? All I can think of is the btwin and the genesis tour de fers. Mudguards fitted are a bit more common but still very rare,.) but a commuter bike that costs over two thousand pounds is surely very nice but I personally wouldn't want to award it bike of the year status.

In my mind the commuter bike of the year should cost under 1000. So the actual bike of the year is the B'twin Triban. Congrats!

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ClubSmed replied to belabatnom | 7 years ago
1 like

belabatnom wrote:

Normally find the naysayers on here a bit irritating (Are there any bikes available in the UK that come with dynamo lights? All I can think of is the btwin and the genesis tour de fers. Mudguards fitted are a bit more common but still very rare,.) but a commuter bike that costs over two thousand pounds is surely very nice but I personally wouldn't want to award it bike of the year status.

In my mind the commuter bike of the year should cost under 1000. So the actual bike of the year is the B'twin Triban. Congrats!

That makes a good point, if the bike cannot be bought on a Cycle to Work Scheme then it is not the best commuter for most.

So for me the criteria for being considered in this catagory would be:

Under £1k
Pannier Mounts
Mudguard Mounts
Clearance for bigger tyres for tracks, trails, potholes

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briankmoore | 7 years ago
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Does anyone have any reservations about using a carbon frame for commuting?

I've only had aluminium or steel bikes to date and they have suffered the odd ding or scratch, so I was just wondering how robust carbon frames are?

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dreamlx10 replied to briankmoore | 7 years ago
1 like

briankmoore wrote:

Does anyone have any reservations about using a carbon frame for commuting?

I've only had aluminium or steel bikes to date and they have suffered the odd ding or scratch, so I was just wondering how robust carbon frames are?

 

None at all. I have been using a Giant TCR Advanced frame for commuting for the past five years, no problems about durability at all. I've fitted it with Road Racer Mk 2's and it's handled all weathers and been a pleasure to ride.

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madcarew replied to briankmoore | 7 years ago
0 likes

briankmoore wrote:

Does anyone have any reservations about using a carbon frame for commuting?

I've only had aluminium or steel bikes to date and they have suffered the odd ding or scratch, so I was just wondering how robust carbon frames are?

No, no reservations at all. Carbon is overed with a tough eopxy layer that takesfairly serious abuse to damage. Carbon tubes are actually flexible in sideways compression (you can depress them with your fingers) so a far less likely to dent, and more forgiving to the minor bangs that might dent a steel or aluminium frame. I ride with 20 or so people who all commute into the city, and all are on carbon bikes except one who is on a custom titanium. In that group there's been 2 bike destroying crashes(bike vs car) in the last 8 years. One on a high end carbon bike, the other on a high end steel bike. Really, carbon is more durable (longer lasting, more forgiving ) than steel or alu.

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Jimthebikeguy.com replied to briankmoore | 7 years ago
0 likes
briankmoore wrote:

Does anyone have any reservations about using a carbon frame for commuting?

I've only had aluminium or steel bikes to date and they have suffered the odd ding or scratch, so I was just wondering how robust carbon frames are?

I commute 365 on a gt grade. Its like the whyte above. No issues. The parts attached to the bike are usually the weak points. Mine is all 105 so cheap to replace when stuff breaks.

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baeing | 7 years ago
2 likes

It's quite funny to see that bikes without mudguards and racks qualify as dedicated commuting bikes here. But I guess I'm not neutral, because I grew up riding a Dutch omafiets to get to school...
Joking aside - IMHO the only true utilitarian commuter bike in the list, Decathon's Hoprider, seems to be very heavy. I recently saw that a large chain of bike shops in the UK started selling bikes from German budget brand Hendricks, the model CR 660 equipped with Nexus 8 hub gears, hub dynamo lighting and mudguards/rack, but weighing much less than the near 20kg of the Hoprider. Maybe a suggestion for your list?
My favourite commuter though would be a bike like the Cube Delhi Pro or Rose Multistreet 3. Or my Brompton  1

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urbane replied to baeing | 7 years ago
0 likes

baeing wrote:

It's quite funny to see that bikes without mudguards and racks qualify as dedicated commuting bikes here. But I guess I'm not neutral, because I grew up riding a Dutch omafiets to get to school...
Joking aside - IMHO the only true utilitarian commuter bike in the list, Decathon's Hoprider, seems to be very heavy. I recently saw that a large chain of bike shops in the UK started selling bikes from German budget brand Hendricks, the model CR 660 equipped with Nexus 8 hub gears, hub dynamo lighting and mudguards/rack, but weighing much less than the near 20kg of the Hoprider. Maybe a suggestion for your list?
My favourite commuter though would be a bike like the Cube Delhi Pro or Rose Multistreet 3. Or my Brompton  1

Agreed, IMO proper mudguards are compulsory in the UK for any sane commuter because of rain, grit and other gunk, as are puncture resistant tires/tubes (no tiresome tire checking and tube swapping).  I also regard a back rack as useful for when bulkier/heavier stuff needs to be easily carried to and fro, including stuff delivered to work.  Give the degrading state of roads and cycle paths I also doubt that carbon forks are adequate shock absorbing, especially with narrow high pressure tires!  Frankly none of the Bicycles listed impressed me.

A Hybrid may be better than a road like bicycle for commuting, although I dislike hybrids. 

I'll stick with my MTB with 48T Deore Shadow gear set,  Cane Creek seat post suspension, shock absorbing grips, and folding Mondrial and Ice tires.  I haven't had to fix a puncture for several years now, so my spare tubes are gathering dust!

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Reddleman | 7 years ago
3 likes

I guess everyone's commute is different, and no doubt if mine were longer then a lighter faster ( but still comfortable) bike might do the trick. 

However, only two of these bikes had mudguards, and only one ( the B'Twinn ) is fully equipped. It does rain in the UK you know, and people often need to carry stuff to work, and might want to pick up some shopping on the way home. 

Iknow this is Road cc so the reviews are targeting a particular audience, but these machines to me don't seem to have the durability and practicality a commuting bike needs. No touring bikes, no proper Dutch style machines like the Gazelles, no folding bikes? 

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ashliejay | 7 years ago
0 likes

I would have at least mentioned the vitus Dee, it's cheap, fairly basic yet reliable components, and large volume tyres to soak up potholes.
 

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Rushie | 7 years ago
0 likes

Spesh Langster. My 2008 model just refuses to die. My commute's a 24-mile round trip and I do it year-round.

When it does finally die and I want to replace it the only other things I sometimes think I might want are a dynamo hub and maybe (just maybe) a 3-speed rear hub. Anyone know if such a bike exsists off the shelf?

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Muzzledoctor | 7 years ago
0 likes

Did the same bike win the Sportive and Commuting bike of the year categories?

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nortonpdj replied to Muzzledoctor | 7 years ago
0 likes

Muzzledoctor wrote:

Did the same bike win the Sportive and Commuting bike of the year categories?

 

Yes, I noticed that too. It's either a genuine superbike or there's a commercial aspect.

I wonder which it could be?

 

Clue: it's not a genuine superbike, for example look at the size range available - nothing for the taller rider.

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StantheVoice replied to nortonpdj | 7 years ago
2 likes

nortonpdj wrote:

Muzzledoctor wrote:

Did the same bike win the Sportive and Commuting bike of the year categories?

 

Yes, I noticed that too. It's either a genuine superbike or there's a commercial aspect.

I wonder which it could be?

 

Clue: it's not a genuine superbike, for example look at the size range available - nothing for the taller rider.

 

Well you're spectacularly wrong, have you ever seen an ad from them on here, I haven't and frankly I'll be surprised if we do. Odd that our reputation in the industry is that we are notoriously NOT at the beck and call of advertisers, yet people still like to see a conspiracy where there isn't one. You can't win them all! 

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Toad_82 | 7 years ago
0 likes

Did you consider the Planet X London Road?  I've found mine superb (apart from the freehub! Different issue!) For £999 its full SRAM Rival, hydraulic discs, relaxed geometry, mudguard eyelets and can be fitted with tyres for cyclocross work too.  I run mine with 28mm Rubinos and its fab for my daily commute.

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Jonomc | 7 years ago
0 likes

The whyte isn't reliable enough to make this list, let alone win it.  How about when you do a test like this, actually give the bike to someone who commutes everyday for a few months rather than just a quick ride around your local park for the photo shoot.  

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David Arthur @d... replied to Jonomc | 7 years ago
0 likes

Jonomc wrote:

The whyte isn't reliable enough to make this list, let alone win it.  How about when you do a test like this, actually give the bike to someone who commutes everyday for a few months rather than just a quick ride around your local park for the photo shoot.  

 

Have you ridden the Whyte? What is it about that bike that suggests to you that the reliability might be an issue? 

Avatar
StantheVoice replied to Jonomc | 7 years ago
6 likes

Jonomc wrote:

The whyte isn't reliable enough to make this list, let alone win it.  How about when you do a test like this, actually give the bike to someone who commutes everyday for a few months rather than just a quick ride around your local park for the photo shoot.  

 

Go on, admit it,  you've not actually read the review where Dave says "on my first 140km ride....." 

We do take them to a local park for first shots, yes, spot on, but then reviewers have the bike for about a month or maybe more, and ride many miles in all sorts of different conditions (dependent on weather obvs). Your comment suggests you don't actually know how we operate or how much we put into a review. I hope this helps inform you.

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bendertherobot replied to Jonomc | 7 years ago
0 likes

Jonomc wrote:

The whyte isn't reliable enough to make this list, let alone win it.  How about when you do a test like this, actually give the bike to someone who commutes everyday for a few months rather than just a quick ride around your local park for the photo shoot.  

Which bits break?

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Grumpy17 | 7 years ago
0 likes
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ClubSmed | 7 years ago
8 likes

In my mind if it does not include mounts for a pannier rack then it isn't a commuter bike.

That is probably just me though

Avatar
jollygoodvelo replied to ClubSmed | 7 years ago
0 likes

ClubSmed wrote:

In my mind if it does not include mounts for a pannier rack then it isn't a commuter bike.

That is probably just me though

It's not "just" you, but I think it depends on riding style, whether you're doing it every day, etc.  When I'm in the routine I do 2-3 days a week 22km into London.  Swap towel/clothes on a non-riding day so on riding days I can go fast(...ish) and light.  If I had panniers I'd be worried about catching them on a car while filtering or a narrow gap.

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brooksby replied to jollygoodvelo | 7 years ago
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jollygoodvelo wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

In my mind if it does not include mounts for a pannier rack then it isn't a commuter bike.

That is probably just me though

It's not "just" you, but I think it depends on riding style, whether you're doing it every day, etc.  When I'm in the routine I do 2-3 days a week 22km into London.  Swap towel/clothes on a non-riding day so on riding days I can go fast(...ish) and light.  If I had panniers I'd be worried about catching them on a car while filtering or a narrow gap.

In most cases, if your handlebars fit through a gap then so will your panniers.

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ClubSmed replied to brooksby | 7 years ago
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brooksby wrote:

jollygoodvelo wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

In my mind if it does not include mounts for a pannier rack then it isn't a commuter bike.

That is probably just me though

It's not "just" you, but I think it depends on riding style, whether you're doing it every day, etc.  When I'm in the routine I do 2-3 days a week 22km into London.  Swap towel/clothes on a non-riding day so on riding days I can go fast(...ish) and light.  If I had panniers I'd be worried about catching them on a car while filtering or a narrow gap.

In most cases, if your handlebars fit through a gap then so will your panniers.

Totally agree with Brooksby, if you think that you would have trouble going through narrow gaps you are either over estimating the size of a pannier bag or going through extremely tight gaps that you probably shouldn't be.

I would also add that if you are a little wider on the back end then cars tend to give (in my limited experience) a slightly wider birth when overtaking (that's why I have my single pannier bag on the right hand side).

 

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RMurphy195 replied to ClubSmed | 7 years ago
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ClubSmed wrote:

In my mind if it does not include mounts for a pannier rack then it isn't a commuter bike.

That is probably just me though

Not just you - I'd go further and say if you have to fork out extra for mudguards, pannier rack, and maybe even lights then it isn't a commuter bike!

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