Cycle 2 Work Scheme: Help me choose!

A question about : Cycle 2 Work Scheme: Help me choose!

Hi all. The time has come to say see ya to London public transport and hop on the bike to commute to work.

I have a cycle 2 work scheme with work, allowing me to save the tax off a new bike etc.

I have a maximum budget of Ј1000 for all bike gear, this includes everything the bike, helmet, hi vis gear etc.
I want a good bike to commute, will ride it a total of about an hour 5 days a week. From North into Central London.
Bike + items have to be available via Halfords, as this is the only store the scheme is with for us.
Preferably would pay up to around Ј500, any more I don't see the point.
Help me pick it all! Such as the best helmets, hi vis gear, etc. I can get it all in one purchase.
I need obviously a good road bike, however road bikes are typically bent over and some people have said it aches the lower back quite a bit when you are not used to it, I already have lower back problems so I don't know whether I should get a road bike, perhaps a hybrid instead so I am more upright?
Mens bike with wheel size for height 5'10

Help me pick a bike (AND helmet, mandatory hi vis etc), link me to suggestions off the Halfords website

Best answers:

• best thing to do in the road bike vs hybrid suggestion is go to a store and have a trial with your criteria in mind. When I did mine with Evans two years ago I told them what I was doing and my price range and they walked me through everything and the types of bikes, size of frame etc. I ultimately went for a speedy road style hybrid and loved it, although I never rode my specific bike from the shop. There are loads of bikes on the market so kind of hard to give recommendations on such a broad scope. Also, if you're going up to Ј1000 budget you can probably spend Ј700 on the bike. And be aware, I had some cycle to work limitations - the only accessories I was allowed were safety related. So mudguards, water bottle cage & bottle, cycle tops & shorts, handlebar extensions, extra carriers, pump, etc. were all not available to me.
  Oh, and last one - if it's possible to do on the internet try for cashback. I think I managed to get a little!
  Hope this helps
• Definitely worth investing in a very good (sold secure gold or similar) lock and possibly property marking the bike also, just to make similar 'temptations' a little more inviting to a thief.
  Decent lights are invaluable if any part of your commute involves unlit/country roads (these can be very expensive however). go with the more lights are better than 1 approach -a steady and flashing light at both ends attracts motorists eyes better than just one or the other IMHO.
  Bigbosh has more than adequately covered the rest!
  Might add that if you are unused to clip in pedals that you might wish to make sure you're 100% happy before venturing out as falling off still 'clipped in' isn't much fun and can be downright dangerous.
  My boardman hybrid (my commuter bike) was Ј550 and I added, decent lights, lock, saddle bag with essential tools and a bell along with mudguards.
  I also bought decent all weather gear from wiggle and came in well under Ј1k all done
• https://www.halfords.com/cycling/acce...10x110mm-black
  is gold sold secure as in the description.
• Can you leave a lock at work? I leave a heavy lock at work and take a lighter one if I am stopping on the way home or going somewhere else.
• Gold is a weak metal and very expensive. It is gold sold secure which is better than bronze or silver sold secure.
• When I bought a fast hybrid like the one you are looking at I found the position a bit uncomfortable. You can get the handlebars a bit higher by the use of this sort of product:
  https://www.wiggle.co.uk/bbb-bhs-24-h...standard-stem/
• I resisted helmet wearing for a long time and then gave in and bought a Giro Indicator. I really like it and can't tell I am wearing a helmet.
  I pay a lot for bike lights but I travel along unlit roads. If you need to light the road you need a powerful steady light. I imagine in London you would just need bright flashing lights almost competing with the others to get noticed?
• Right now looking something like this combo:
  Bike:
  https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike...port-bike-2014
  Helmet:
  https://www.halfords.com/cycling/acce...lmet-56-61-5cm
  Lock:
  https://www.halfords.com/cycling/acce...10x110mm-black
• Something to ask the bike shop: if you fit a bottle cage can you also mount the lock on the frame. I'm struggling to find a way to do it. It's a pain carrying a lock asI always need a rucksack when I want to lock the bike.
• sorry: yes, 'gold' is a level of security under the sold secure scheme. The lock will definitely state 'sold secure' if it qualifies.
  Definitely a good idea to keep a heavy lock at work and a good quality cable lock JIC you stop anywhere, always lock it is the idea.
  A decent cycle shop will help you find a bike that 'fits' never buy a bike without going to a decent cycle shop (Halfords get slagged off but if you know what you are talking about and find a knowledgeable and interested member of staff you can get a good deal -yes I know the staff can be hit & miss!)
• Regarding helmets, if you head is large or of a unique shape you may need to try a lot, I certainly have had to. Even in the same brand some fit well some are awful so I would recomend trying until you find one that fits you well otherwise you may resent wearing it (not that you have to wear one but that is a whole different discussion )
  Good luck with your shopping, and happy cycling.
• I also give a thumbs-up to the Boardman hybrid, but you do NOT need the more expensive version, and you probably don't need a drop-handlebar road bike either. I'd say all you need is the basic "Sport" hybrid. I bought one recently at Halfords when they were doing a 15% discount so I got mine for under Ј330.
  "Road bikes" - the ones with drop handlebars are definitely not a good choice for a beginner, they are difficult to ride especially if you haven't developed your muscles yet. A hybrid is a better choice.
  You will not go faster just because you've got a "faster" bike, plus you don't want a bike that is going to hurt your wallet when it gets stolen.
  The Boardman's are great, but choose carefully; it's basically a flat-handlebar racer, so comfortable it is not, at least not until your body has got used to it. My old Marin Kentfield is much more comfortable.
  I reckon Ј600 is enough to buy everything. If you can keep a pair of normal shoes at work, buy a pair of cycling shoes - MTB type are much better for walking in, just remove the studs if they have any. Cleats are a must for fast riding, but you might want to start out with normal pedals.
• I had a similar dilemma when trying to choose my C2W road bike a few years back. I was obsessive about comparing spec between bikes and desperately trying to find the best bike for the budget. The one thing I didn't think about too much was the fit - stupidly. I eventually got what I thought was the best bike, but as it turns out, one size too big.
  I'd say getting the right fit is just as important as spec, if not more important. I would happily trade my poorly fitted bike for a lower-spec correctly fitted bike..
  Halfords can be hit and miss when it comes to fitting, but having said that, I got my bike from somewhere that had a decent rep for fitting. My advice would be to go to a couple (or more) bike shops and get them to fit you on exactly the same bike.
• If you havn't already bought it, i would suggest signing up to British Cycling.
  This will give you an additional 10% at halfords. The savings you make will more than cover the membership fee.
  This will also give you liability insurance and free legal help for when your cycling
  The discount is in additional to other halfords discounts, so if you time it right, you can get quite abit off