Fatal Swan
Senior Retro Guru
- Feedback
- View
Unless you really don't have the space for two bikes, my advice would be to keep to two since the way I see it, they're doing quite different jobs:
The road bike's job is mainly to make sure you're getting as much enjoyment out of the rides that you do for pleasure. If you're studying your Strava times then having to compromise by dragging around the bike that you use for work will eat into your satisfaction (well it would for me, anyway!) In practice your enjoyment could come from being able to travel as far/fast as possible as your fitness will allow (speed/efficiency), comfort and handling, appearance/style, but that budget should get you a bike you can cherish and appreciate on the roads whatever you prioritise. For a more classic-styled modern road bike that could be something like a Genesis new, and second hand your budget would probably get a titanium frame model.
The commuter bike's job is to get you presumably relatively short distances reliably and effectively and ideally not to get stolen in between - but not to matter that much if it does either. A £1000 bike locked up in the city is always going to look like more or less like a £1000 bike, and regardless of whether it looks attractive to your everyday thief you're still taking that risk with your £1000 bike every time it goes to work with you.
That kind of budget would be more than adequate to get you a road bike you could really cherish plus a reliable but cheap/replaceable second hand commuter that you won't have to worry about all day. Your current commuter might already do that, though personally I think 26" wheeled retrobikes can make great commuters since they're now entirely unfashionable, cheap to buy second hand, cheap to get second hand parts for, have lots of tyre options depending on your needs (comfy high volume slicks, winter grip, puncture resistance etc), lightweight and can be nimble in the traffic.
The road bike's job is mainly to make sure you're getting as much enjoyment out of the rides that you do for pleasure. If you're studying your Strava times then having to compromise by dragging around the bike that you use for work will eat into your satisfaction (well it would for me, anyway!) In practice your enjoyment could come from being able to travel as far/fast as possible as your fitness will allow (speed/efficiency), comfort and handling, appearance/style, but that budget should get you a bike you can cherish and appreciate on the roads whatever you prioritise. For a more classic-styled modern road bike that could be something like a Genesis new, and second hand your budget would probably get a titanium frame model.
The commuter bike's job is to get you presumably relatively short distances reliably and effectively and ideally not to get stolen in between - but not to matter that much if it does either. A £1000 bike locked up in the city is always going to look like more or less like a £1000 bike, and regardless of whether it looks attractive to your everyday thief you're still taking that risk with your £1000 bike every time it goes to work with you.
That kind of budget would be more than adequate to get you a road bike you could really cherish plus a reliable but cheap/replaceable second hand commuter that you won't have to worry about all day. Your current commuter might already do that, though personally I think 26" wheeled retrobikes can make great commuters since they're now entirely unfashionable, cheap to buy second hand, cheap to get second hand parts for, have lots of tyre options depending on your needs (comfy high volume slicks, winter grip, puncture resistance etc), lightweight and can be nimble in the traffic.
