Orro bicycles / MTB to road bikes / Bike to work / any recommendations?

[Mr Kobayashi]

Cars are the biggest waste of money in our lives.

I’d be better off standing on my balcony throwing £fifties out to everyone.

Can you PM me the date and time for this please? :)

 

[Manchester1894]

Entry level Decathlon bikes are pretty rubbish, but when you hit their mid and top range you get really good value for money.

I bought a simple rockrider for £270 and it was leaps and bounds above the Halfords cycle to work type bikes. I remember once the local repair shop weighed one and said it was heavy as a downhill bike. I had thighs like Roberto Carlos

 

[blueinsa]

Orro are great bikes, you want disc brakes and road tyres for road use.

Enjoy.

 

[Gremlin]

Thinking of switching from MTB/hybrid to road bikes. Any advice?

Anyone own an Orro bicycle? Any good? Had a quick look at one yesterday, whilst getting a new tyre and some repair advice.

Anyone used the bike to work scheme this last decade? Still worth it?

Any recommendations for a bike shop? I quite like the look of Never Mind the Bike Shops.

Far too many questions before any useful advice can be given:
- budget?
- what are you using it for - commuting only or weekends as well/instead/
- long trips or just short scoots around the local area?
- Any preference on gearing - is it hilly around you?
etc. etc.

 

[Oystercatcher28]

Far too many questions before any useful advice can be given:
- budget?
- what are you using it for - commuting only or weekends as well/instead/
- long trips or just short scoots around the local area?
- Any preference on gearing - is it hilly around you?
etc. etc.

I have a frame that is too small and pedals are now pretty much shot. 3.5 years of hammering a bike. Had a new bike about every 3 years since 2008. A bit like City buying leftbacks.

Cheers. I appreciate the questions to by vagueness.

Upto £2K (on bike to work distribution of payment)
Commuting (19 miles round trip daily), occasional trips in Lake Dsitrict, Morecambe Bay, Pennines etc, a few bigger challenges, fitness... cycling to CITY if ever they get proper bike lockers
Gearing: incline ready, as cross 2 vales daily, often ending the ride at Culcheth Lane (Newton le Heath)

 

[roubaixtuesday]

If you're commuting 19 miles every day, I'd say proper mudguards are absolutely essential - not clip on ones (I do the same distance, year round). Most road bikes don't come with the right fittings or clearances for guards.

Other than that, you can't go wrong with a 2k budget, all bikes are very good indeed at that price point.

Totally disagree with comments on hydraulic brakes above, having done 6000 generally hilly kms on rim brakes this year already and in all weather. Road friction, not brake performance limits you. But at 2k budget, you'll probably get them regardless, and their key advantage is to avoid rim wear which is an issue if you ride in all weather regularly.

 

[Gremlin]

I have a frame that is too small and pedals are now pretty much shot. 3.5 years of hammering a bike. Had a new bike about every 3 years since 2008. A bit like City buying leftbacks.

Cheers. I appreciate the questions to by vagueness.

Upto £2K (on bike to work distribution of payment)
Commuting (19 miles round trip daily), occasional trips in Lake Dsitrict, Morecambe Bay, Pennines etc, a few bigger challenges, fitness... cycling to CITY if ever they get proper bike lockers
Gearing: incline ready, as cross 2 vales daily, often ending the ride at Culcheth Lane (Newton le Heath)

Thanks - you can do a fair bit with £2k - probably looking at Shimano Ultegra or 105 groupset (maybe 11-30 or 11-32 rear cassette and 50-34 front) or equivalent and a carbon frame, though if you want something a bit more bulletproof for commuting then a lightweight alloy frame would be good as well. A couple of suggestions (I know some are showing out of stock ATM):

ROAD BIKE VAN RYSEL Aluminium EDR ULTEGRA - WHITE VAN RYSEL | Decathlon

The big brother of the EDR AF 105, it features an endurance aluminium frame, the reliability of the Ultegra groupset, and the aerodynamics of…

www.decathlon.co.uk

Contend SL Disc 1 (2024) | All-Rounder bike | Giant Bicycles UK

www.giant-bicycles.com

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-725-disc/

SLR 8.9 Disc

The SLR 8.9 Disc brings the fantastic ride quality and aerodynamic performance of the SLR 9 Series bikes down to an even more affordable price point.

www.boardmanbikes.com

I'm sure others will have suggestions as well. See if you can try one of them out if you know anyone whose got one and will lend it?

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Thanks - you can do a fair bit with £2k - probably looking at Shimano Ultegra or 105 groupset (maybe 11-30 or 11-32 rear cassette and 50-34 front) or equivalent and a carbon frame, though if you want something a bit more bulletproof for commuting then a lightweight alloy frame would be good as well. A couple of suggestions (I know some are showing out of stock ATM):

ROAD BIKE VAN RYSEL Aluminium EDR ULTEGRA - WHITE VAN RYSEL | Decathlon

The big brother of the EDR AF 105, it features an endurance aluminium frame, the reliability of the Ultegra groupset, and the aerodynamics of…

www.decathlon.co.uk

Contend SL Disc 1 (2024) | All-Rounder bike | Giant Bicycles UK

www.giant-bicycles.com

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-endurance-725-disc/

SLR 8.9 Disc

The SLR 8.9 Disc brings the fantastic ride quality and aerodynamic performance of the SLR 9 Series bikes down to an even more affordable price point.

www.boardmanbikes.com

I'm sure others will have suggestions as well. See if you can try one of them out if you know anyone whose got one and will lend it?

That Boardman is hard to beat. You would do well to find a carbon frame with that spec for the same money.

 

[gaz76]

Bump!!
Did the OP ever go through with a purchase? I'm now in the same boat, thinking of a gravel/adventure(what's the difference?) Bike through the cycle to work scheme, looking at about 2.3k max, I've spotted a ribble that looks good https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-sl-shimano-105/

But to be honest I'm a rookie with this kind of stuff, also I may consider an ebike(or is that just cheating?) Will be using it for general commuting and the odd jaunt out to the peaks and whatnot.

Any tips more than welcome

 

[Tommy_Catons_Perm]

Bump!!
Did the OP ever go through with a purchase? I'm now in the same boat, thinking of a gravel/adventure(what's the difference?) Bike through the cycle to work scheme, looking at about 2.3k max, I've spotted a ribble that looks good https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-sl-shimano-105/

But to be honest I'm a rookie with this kind of stuff, also I may consider an ebike(or is that just cheating?) Will be using it for general commuting and the odd jaunt out to the peaks and whatnot.

Any tips more than welcome

I'm rather old school, but here are my tips based on 30 odd years of commuting with a dabble at time trialling.

You need at at least two bikes (But ideally you need n+1 according to velominati rule #12).
One bike is for bad weather and must have mudguards
Frame material....Steel is Real.
Rim brakes are adequate.
At least 3 lights at the front and back at night.
Carry at least 3 spare inner tubes and 1 spare pump.

My bikes are at least 25 years old and still in regularly use after over 100,000 miles. I've changed the tyres and chains a few times though! Plus a few other bits and bobs.

Ribble bike with shimano 105 group set and mavic wheels quite decent.

And no to the ebike. Single speed or fixed is best for flattish commuting.