"New" bike for commuting - advice? :)

[Ugo51]

Hi guys,
long time no see.

I'm planning to go back to biking to work, like I used to do when I lived in Glasgow. Now I'm in London. Better weather but more traffic.
I don't intend to buy a new bike with a frame that looks like a modern art sculpture and brakes more powerful than my Ducati's, so I'll go for a nice late '90 early 2000s bike than makes me feel like I'm 15 again
Any advice on what I could go for? I haven't looked what's for sale here on the forum yet, will do as soon as I post this.

I'd be looking to spend no more than £200, and ideally a rigid frame bike. I could stretch a bit more than that but at the same time I won't say no if I can find something nice for less

Thanks for any input and advice.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

I used my Cougar for a year or so as a London Commuter, set up single speed and rigid with fairly wide, lightly treaded 26" tyres and a riser bar, it was pretty solid and easy to use. Today's weather reminded me that I was the only person who managed to make it into work one day a few years ago when it snowed, pretty surreal being the only person to be using Mile End road on a Friday morning.

 

[Ugo51]

Re:

Ohhh, that's a nice bike! Love the color scheme.

Single speed looks cool, but it's too much for me legs. Even in a relatively flat city like London.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Ta, it;s now pinker.

This Bridgestone is still my winter commuter for when I need to lock a bike up, the Salsa is too cherished to be used on the bad streets of London town any longer though:

 

[Big Hammer]

£200 is way too much money to be paying for a 20 year old urban commuting bike, you should be looking at well under £100, maybe even under £50.
Ideally you want something reliable but unfashionable, so it has low attraction to bike thieves. A 700c wheel hybrid would probably serve you better than an MTB. Whatever you choose you needs good road pattern tyres not anything knobbly that will be harder to push. The most common low-value commuter bikes I see locked to on-street bike racks in central London are old Raleighs, and dare I say it, Halfords Apollos.

 

[Ugo51]

Re:

I'm lucky enough to have a place to keep the bike locked up at both ends of the journey

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Re:

Personally, if I’m riding the bike every day, I want it to be nice and work well.

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

As above: Have you posted in this section because you want a 26-inch wheel bike, or would you consider a 700c?

Marin hybrids from the nineties make light, fast, comfy commuters. I love my 95/96 Stinson and I saw a nice Point Reyes at the supermarket this evening. You can probably get one for less than £100, then spend the other £100 on protecting yourself against all the incompetent drivers.

 

[Ugo51]

Re:

I'd prefer a 26 inch

I'm not excluding a 700c but if I have the choice I prefer 26'

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

You're probably looking at a mid to upper range bike in good condition then: a Rockhopper, Pine Mountain perhaps, Avalanche maybe, something by Saracen, just to name a few of the better known options. It's such a personal choice though, depending on all sorts of things. I think you've just got to look at what's available and something will grab you.