I currently have a 3 year old Carrera Vanquish (link below) that is currently going to cost more to fix than to buy new. Hence opted for C2W scheme that is exclusively through Halfords. My commute is primarily a straight 1.5 mile road through moderate-high traffic, however there are patches which see me hop on and off pavements and occasionally grass and dirt. I commute all year round, mud, fallen leaves, ice, salt, slush are common conditions. So I've been recommended rather than go for a road bike to opt for an adventure / gravel.
Halfords Link to current bike: Carrera Vanquish Mens Road Bike – Red – S, M, L Frames | Halfords UK
I have replaced the tyres with Marathon Plus, added a pannier rack, and mudguards. It's light and fast and the tyres help in poorer conditions vs frost and given my commute often sees me biking through less than tyre friendly conditions the extreme puncture resistance has paid for itself.
Given my experiences with the Vanquish, I will be adding a pannier rack and mudguards, I've got two in mind:
The Boardman ADV 8.6:
Halfords: Boardman ADV 8.6 Mens Adventure Bike – S, M, L, XL Frames | Halfords UK
Review from 2021: ADV 8.6 | BikeRadar
The Voodoo Nakisi:
Halfords: Voodoo Nakisi Adventure Bike – S, M, L Frames | Halfords UK
Review from 2022: Voodoo Nakisi review | BikeRadar
I'm leaning towards the ADV 8.6, it's lighter and geometry and tyres does seem better balanced towards Tarmac riding, which will be my primary travel surface. But spec for spec, the Nakisi seems similar enough that the extra £175 seems a little much…? My biggest hesitation is with the brakes, the ADV8.6 uses the same brakes as my old Vanquish which were "good enough" as it is… the Nakisi uses lower end still… and in high traffic, stopping power is crucial.
by MasterZixx