Reccomend me a Hybrid.....

[Ben Jk]

Budget £700

Looking at http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

and also

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/75-fx-dis...


Any advice/other suggestions?

Also...are hybrids okay for woodland paths/towpaths etc. Is it worth having a set of wheels with slicks and a set with some tread?

[Spy]

Hybrids are excellent on roads and good for well worn tracks.

The two you linked to look really good. The Boardman's are highly rated.

You may want to consider going for one without hydraulic/mechanical brakes and stick to the traditional v brakes. As you won't be going off-road, the V brakes will be sufficient and make the bike lighter.

Another couple to consider are:
Whyte Portobello - http://www.evanscycles.com/products/whyte/portobel...
Whyte bikes are beautiful and british designed

Specialized Sirrus Comp - http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/si...
Specialized tend to make pretty good value bikes with a great reputation

If you do want mechanical discs, this Bianchi looks like decent value http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bianchi/camale...

Edited by Spy on Saturday 2nd July 19:08

[anonymous-user]

hybrids are more than capable of forest fire roads and tow paths but thats it..... the secondhand market is gret for hybrids becuse people buy them thinking they are two bikes in one, a road bike and something to take on said fire roads but then they are frustrated when they are unusable on anything more rough and slower than a road bike on smooth tarmac...

just check out the usual classifieds for a specialised sirrus or something and let someone else take the hit on the value. seriously, i only know one person from a dozen or so who having bought a hybrid still owned it a year later...

[Ben Jk]

My reason for going for a hybrid is so I can use it for road, but also the odd towpath etc.

Also from experience I don't get on with pure road bike drop handlebars but thats probably due to being used to mountain bikes.

Plan is to get a hybrid. See how I get on as i'm pretty much a newbie to "serious" cycling. If I find i'm only really doing road stuff then maybe look at a pure road bike in the future.

[djone101]

I just bought a Scott Sportser 50 from Evans at £399. Doing the London to Brighton Off Road (75 miles) in Sept and my 21 year old Alpine Stars is getting a bit long in the tooth. I've only had a short ride so far but impressed - 700c wheels feel good on the tarmac. Planning a longer run tomorrow....

[Mars]

I've got a Whyte Portabello. Really love it but sometimes wish I had a front sus. That said, when I get the opportunity to push-on (when I don't have the kids in tow) it's a massively capable machine.

Reaonably light too. Doubt there's another hybrid as light at that price.

[Bonefish Blues]

Squeezing the budget ever so slightly...http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPOMPALF/on-one-pompetamine-alfine

[S2Andy]

I've had a Boardman Hybrid for 18 months now and done about 3000 miles incl the C2C recently. Overall an excellent bike with good spec and completely trouble free. I use it on roads, bridletracks old railway lines etc. The biggest snag with it is the harshness at speed on our current pot holed back roads. Cycleing in the Peak District the other day it was all I could do to hang on on some downhill B roads. In fact currently I prefer my full sus Marin on slick tyres for comfort if I know the going is rough, at the expense of weight and some speed. However on the right roads it is superb and easily adaptable to take paniers, mud-guards etc. Andy

[Ben Jk]

S2Andy said:

I've had a Boardman Hybrid for 18 months now and done about 3000 miles incl the C2C recently. Overall an excellent bike with good spec and completely trouble free. I use it on roads, bridletracks old railway lines etc. The biggest snag with it is the harshness at speed on our current pot holed back roads. Cycleing in the Peak District the other day it was all I could do to hang on on some downhill B roads. In fact currently I prefer my full sus Marin on slick tyres for comfort if I know the going is rough, at the expense of weight and some speed. However on the right roads it is superb and easily adaptable to take paniers, mud-guards etc. Andy

One of my mates who has both a MTB and a proper road bike has suggested getting a Hybrid with lockable from suspension, so on tracks etc its there, and can be locked solid for road use. Like this one...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/felt/qx80d-201...


However i'm not sure I want extra weight and maintenance of suspension.

[S2Andy]

Ben Jk said:

S2Andy said:

I've had a Boardman Hybrid for 18 months now and done about 3000 miles incl the C2C recently. Overall an excellent bike with good spec and completely trouble free. I use it on roads, bridletracks old railway lines etc. The biggest snag with it is the harshness at speed on our current pot holed back roads. Cycleing in the Peak District the other day it was all I could do to hang on on some downhill B roads. In fact currently I prefer my full sus Marin on slick tyres for comfort if I know the going is rough, at the expense of weight and some speed. However on the right roads it is superb and easily adaptable to take paniers, mud-guards etc. Andy

One of my mates who has both a MTB and a proper road bike has suggested getting a Hybrid with lockable from suspension, so on tracks etc its there, and can be locked solid for road use. Like this one...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/felt/qx80d-201...


However i'm not sure I want extra weight and maintenance of suspension.

Its certainly crossed my mind to put a very short travel suspension fork on it if I can find one dimensionally correct and light enougth. The other alternative might be some much bigger tyres eg 38 wide rather than the 28 wide standard tyre. Andy