Need help.

Ehsan14
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Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:56 pm

Need help.

Postby Ehsan14 » Sun Jul 08, 2018 6:26 pm

Hello everyone.

I plan on purchasing a commuter bicycle to help me get to and from office. My commute will be around ~9km each way and will mostly be on paved roads in dubai/sharjah. I'll usually carry an avg size office bag. My budget is around 2000 usd.
Btw i like the idea of a internal gear hub (less maintenance and all)and belt driven cycles which is why i quite liked Canyon Urban 8, badboy 1, Scott evo. Are hybrids more suitable?

My first bike was Trek Fx 7.1 which i used in sydney on avg 5km a day. The problem with that bike was that it had very thin tyres and a poor paint job.

I was hoping to get some advice from the more knowledgeable members here as my know how regarding bicycles is limited. I welcome all suggestions even ones without carbon belt. Please help me not waste my hard earned money! Thank you.

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10speedsemiracer
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Re: Need help.

Postby 10speedsemiracer » Mon Jul 09, 2018 12:21 am

Ehsan14 wrote:Hello everyone.

I plan on purchasing a commuter bicycle to help me get to and from office. My commute will be around ~9km each way and will mostly be on paved roads in dubai/sharjah. I'll usually carry an avg size office bag. My budget is around 2000 usd.
Btw i like the idea of a internal gear hub (less maintenance and all)and belt driven cycles which is why i quite liked Canyon Urban 8, badboy 1, Scott evo. Are hybrids more suitable?

My first bike was Trek Fx 7.1 which i used in sydney on avg 5km a day. The problem with that bike was that it had very thin tyres and a poor paint job.

I was hoping to get some advice from the more knowledgeable members here as my know how regarding bicycles is limited. I welcome all suggestions even ones without carbon belt. Please help me not waste my hard earned money! Thank you.
Maybe something like a Giant Toughroad? Or a Kona Sutra if you prefer drops..

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Velt
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Re: Need help.

Postby Velt » Mon Jul 09, 2018 10:58 am

Malvern Star Oppy S series are great commuters. Also good commuters include the dedicated gravel bikes - trek checkpoint, specialized diverge etc.

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redsonic
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Re: Need help.

Postby redsonic » Mon Jul 09, 2018 11:37 am

What about a Polygon?
Polygon Path i8

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I don't know how hilly Dubai is, but with only 8 gears, you may be running out of options on the hills. This would be the case with any internal gear hub

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Thoglette
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Re: Need help.

Postby Thoglette » Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:33 pm

redsonic wrote:I don't know how hilly Dubai is, but with only 8 gears, you may be running out of options on the hills. This would be the case with any internal gear hub
About as hilly as Holland. :D And the city is along the coastal strip, so the local freeway crossings are the biggest hills you'll encounter. I've not been across the border to Sharaj but I assume it;s similar.

I was surprised by how relatively pedestrian friendly Dubai is (compared with some other gulf states) on my few trips, and there's lots of subcontinentals riding subcontinental bikes around (if you'll excuse the terminology). It's hot and dusty and 32mm or bigger tyres are "the go" as it involves lots of kerb hopping/cobbles etc. Get a rack for the office bag (and change of clothes).

My only thought would be: if you're near the Dubai Metro, would a folding bike be worth considering? 9km is a fair distance in summer and a folder might (check the rules!) allow you to reduce that to two shorter stints.
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Ehsan14
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Re: Need help.

Postby Ehsan14 » Mon Jul 09, 2018 5:50 pm

Thoglette wrote:
redsonic wrote:I don't know how hilly Dubai is, but with only 8 gears, you may be running out of options on the hills. This would be the case with any internal gear hub
About as hilly as Holland. :D And the city is along the coastal strip, so the local freeway crossings are the biggest hills you'll encounter. I've not been across the border to Sharaj but I assume it;s similar.

I was surprised by how relatively pedestrian friendly Dubai is (compared with some other gulf states) on my few trips, and there's lots of subcontinentals riding subcontinental bikes around (if you'll excuse the terminology). It's hot and dusty and 32mm or bigger tyres are "the go" as it involves lots of kerb hopping/cobbles etc. Get a rack for the office bag (and change of clothes).

My only thought would be: if you're near the Dubai Metro, would a folding bike be worth considering? 9km is a fair distance in summer and a folder might (check the rules!) allow you to reduce that to two shorter stints.
Maybe i havent thought this through....but folding bikes are out of the question. I want something that looks good too.
One of the reasons for considering bike commuting was that due to a hectic schedule i would find it difficult to go to a gym so this activity would have served as a workout too.

I might have to just get a bike for the weekend rides. ☹

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Thoglette
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Re: Need help.

Postby Thoglette » Mon Jul 09, 2018 7:03 pm

Ehsan14 wrote:One of the reasons for considering bike commuting was that due to a hectic schedule i would find it difficult to go to a gym so this activity would have served as a workout too.

I might have to just get a bike for the weekend rides. ☹
Depending on your route it should be eminently do-able, if you have a shower at the office or nearby gym. And can ride home after sunset in summer (perhaps pause the commute then :0)

Like everywhere else it's a case of "plan your route": the trick is to stop thinking like a car driver (e.g. you're not likely to be using Sheik Zayed). The challenge is to find shared paths or low-speed roads that link your two ends (Dubai has rules about riding on the road and on the footpath. And you need a helmet*). Something to do on a quiet Friday.

Just watch your hydration, especially during Ramadan!

*If you haven't been there for long, I'd certainly be talking to long-term expats about what is currently considered viable and acceptable. Social "norms" can be complex and subtle (to outsiders like me). It's a bit like the bathers/undies "Trumpet ad
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

Ehsan14
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Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:56 pm

Re: Need help.

Postby Ehsan14 » Fri Jul 20, 2018 5:48 pm

Hi guys. I would like your opinion on the following:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/mens- ... 684-129092


https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ ... 209d7ee695


https://www.canyon.com/en/fitness/roadl ... l-8-0.html

Which do you think is the best fit in your opinion and better value for money. I've got 1 more month to decide and I'm taking my time. I do not want to haphazardly make a decision and regret later. Thank you for your help.

Ivanerrol
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Re: Need help.

Postby Ivanerrol » Sat Jul 21, 2018 1:40 pm

If you want to test ride a Sirrus. Make sure you try one with the road bike component setup - there's a great deal of difference to the ones with MTB drivetrain

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10speedsemiracer
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Re: Need help.

Postby 10speedsemiracer » Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:02 pm

Ehsan14 wrote:Hi guys. I would like your opinion on the following:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/mens- ... 684-129092


https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ ... 209d7ee695


https://www.canyon.com/en/fitness/roadl ... l-8-0.html

Which do you think is the best fit in your opinion and better value for money. I've got 1 more month to decide and I'm taking my time. I do not want to haphazardly make a decision and regret later. Thank you for your help.
I think, of those three, the Canyon floats my boat a bit further, seems to be a more integrated mix of components (Ultegra 11s) with the Shimano BB where both the Specialized and the Cannondale get into component mixing (FSA etc).
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CKinnard
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Re: Need help.

Postby CKinnard » Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:35 pm

hmmm.... have you spoken to anyone who has been commuting for a few years?
UAE regularly gets a lot of airborne dust and sand....and I am not talking about full on sand storms that occur less often (every couple of years).



Respiratory diseases are a big issue in the UAE due to dust/sand/pollution combined with the temperature extremes.

If I were you, I'd be looking more closely at the carbon belt bikes, cos typical Shimano drive trains are not going to tolerate the sand and dust well.

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Thoglette
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Re: Need help.

Postby Thoglette » Sun Jul 22, 2018 12:04 am

CKinnard wrote:If I were you, I'd be looking more closely at the carbon belt bikes, cos typical Shimano drive trains are not going to tolerate the sand and dust well.
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks".

There's plenty of people riding conventional bicycles around that part of the world, from decrepit Flying Pigeons to blinged-out carbon "statement" bikes.

The nice thing about the GCC is that it (almost) never rains. So no water in your chain :-)
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

CKinnard
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Re: Need help.

Postby CKinnard » Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:25 am

Thoglette wrote: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks".

There's plenty of people riding conventional bicycles around that part of the world, from decrepit Flying Pigeons to blinged-out carbon "statement" bikes.

The nice thing about the GCC is that it (almost) never rains. So no water in your chain :-)
The only plentiful roadies I saw in Dubai 2 years ago were in fine weather under ex pat weekend cafe riders.
And blingees very likely wouldn't know carbon belt driven bikes exist, and tend to buy what the local LBS imported and hangs from the ceiling.

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