Thinking of a Boardman 8.9 hybrid for my commute - comments?
Discussion
Hi All,
I've just signed up for Cycle2Work and so can get a new commuter at Halfords or Cycle Republic.
I've been commuting on a MTB for years (Trek Cobia 29er) but fancy a hybrid with carbon forks for the next one.
My BIL has an Boardman Hybrid Pro which he swears by so I've been looking at today's equivalent - the 8.9.
https://www.cyclerepublic.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/b...
Seems to have a reasonable spec and tick a lot of boxes (hydraulic discs, carbon forks, reasonably wide rims, seems to fit OK when I jump on one in the shop.
It also seems to be the only thing in that price range that they have on offer.
I'll bring in my cycling gear next week and have a proper test ride.
Meanwhile has anyone got one?
I've just signed up for Cycle2Work and so can get a new commuter at Halfords or Cycle Republic.
I've been commuting on a MTB for years (Trek Cobia 29er) but fancy a hybrid with carbon forks for the next one.
My BIL has an Boardman Hybrid Pro which he swears by so I've been looking at today's equivalent - the 8.9.
https://www.cyclerepublic.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/b...
Seems to have a reasonable spec and tick a lot of boxes (hydraulic discs, carbon forks, reasonably wide rims, seems to fit OK when I jump on one in the shop.
It also seems to be the only thing in that price range that they have on offer.
I'll bring in my cycling gear next week and have a proper test ride.
Meanwhile has anyone got one?
Sensible 1x11 set-up, hydraulic disc brakes, useable tyres, not much over 10kg, seems about right for a sensible every day commuter bike.
But, the 8.8 is £250 cheaper and seems to tick the same boxes. Same frame, wheels, fork and cockpit. Deore gears and shimano brakes are fairly equivalent to the SRAM stuff on the 8.9, so I'm not sure what the £250 is buying you - From a solid 1x10 to a solid 1x11 with the same high and low ratios. I'm sure the slightly better tyres will also help, but it is a big jump for a little improvement I think.
But, the 8.8 is £250 cheaper and seems to tick the same boxes. Same frame, wheels, fork and cockpit. Deore gears and shimano brakes are fairly equivalent to the SRAM stuff on the 8.9, so I'm not sure what the £250 is buying you - From a solid 1x10 to a solid 1x11 with the same high and low ratios. I'm sure the slightly better tyres will also help, but it is a big jump for a little improvement I think.
Ha you're looking at a bike not sold in a proper bike shop 
Why not get a proper brand to look a bit more 'Pro'? AND you'll fit in better with your cycling friends!
Taking the proverbial of course - Boardman is probably the most underrated and snubbed brand I've ever come across. Go with Deore BTW it's fantastic.
Why not get a proper brand to look a bit more 'Pro'? AND you'll fit in better with your cycling friends!Taking the proverbial of course - Boardman is probably the most underrated and snubbed brand I've ever come across. Go with Deore BTW it's fantastic.
Edited by BeirutTaxi on Thursday 30th August 19:09
agent006 said:
Having had a carbon fork snap clean through on a 500 mile old Hybrid Pro, and suffered Boardman's complete and utter indifference to the situation; I can only recommend you buy something else.
That's a shame.. I own a 2014/2015 Air TT and every aspect of purchase and ownership has been great so far. Fantastic value, well thought out components, great frameset. It is a shame, yes. It's a lovely bike, and remains a lovely bike now with an Evans own brand carbon fork. Boardman's approach basically means their carbon components have no warranty as they will argue that you must have damaged it while riding in order for it to fail.
Personally I don't get on with the Sram doubletap shifters, but this is my wife's bike so that's irrelevant. Other than the fork incident, I can't really fault it. It certainly seems a better made bike than my Merida hybrid (crap grips, wobbly fork, cheap saddle, knackered BB after 200 miles).
I think the current Boardman 1x11 drivetrain will be a very difficult ride for a road bike that does anything other than stop start town riding. But then if the OP is used to road riding on an MTB then that shouldn't be too different.
Personally I don't get on with the Sram doubletap shifters, but this is my wife's bike so that's irrelevant. Other than the fork incident, I can't really fault it. It certainly seems a better made bike than my Merida hybrid (crap grips, wobbly fork, cheap saddle, knackered BB after 200 miles).
I think the current Boardman 1x11 drivetrain will be a very difficult ride for a road bike that does anything other than stop start town riding. But then if the OP is used to road riding on an MTB then that shouldn't be too different.
Paraicj said:
Sensible 1x11 set-up, hydraulic disc brakes, useable tyres, not much over 10kg, seems about right for a sensible every day commuter bike.
But, the 8.8 is £250 cheaper and seems to tick the same boxes. Same frame, wheels, fork and cockpit. Deore gears and shimano brakes are fairly equivalent to the SRAM stuff on the 8.9, so I'm not sure what the £250 is buying you - From a solid 1x10 to a solid 1x11 with the same high and low ratios. I'm sure the slightly better tyres will also help, but it is a big jump for a little improvement I think.
Hmm....good points.But, the 8.8 is £250 cheaper and seems to tick the same boxes. Same frame, wheels, fork and cockpit. Deore gears and shimano brakes are fairly equivalent to the SRAM stuff on the 8.9, so I'm not sure what the £250 is buying you - From a solid 1x10 to a solid 1x11 with the same high and low ratios. I'm sure the slightly better tyres will also help, but it is a big jump for a little improvement I think.
BeirutTaxi said:
Ha you're looking at a bike not sold in a proper bike shop Why not get a proper brand to look a bit more 'Pro'? AND you'll fit in better with your cycling friends!
Taking the proverbial of course - Boardman is probably the most underrated and snubbed brand I've ever come across. Go with Deore BTW it's fantastic.
Not at all bothered about brands. Plus I don't actually have any choice, really. But always happy to look at Boardmans. Why not get a proper brand to look a bit more 'Pro'? AND you'll fit in better with your cycling friends!Taking the proverbial of course - Boardman is probably the most underrated and snubbed brand I've ever come across. Go with Deore BTW it's fantastic.
Edited by BeirutTaxi on Thursday 30th August 19:09
BeirutTaxi said:
agent006 said:
Having had a carbon fork snap clean through on a 500 mile old Hybrid Pro, and suffered Boardman's complete and utter indifference to the situation; I can only recommend you buy something else.
That's a shame.. I own a 2014/2015 Air TT and every aspect of purchase and ownership has been great so far. Fantastic value, well thought out components, great frameset. agent006 said:
It is a shame, yes. It's a lovely bike, and remains a lovely bike now with an Evans own brand carbon fork. Boardman's approach basically means their carbon components have no warranty as they will argue that you must have damaged it while riding in order for it to fail.
Personally I don't get on with the Sram doubletap shifters, but this is my wife's bike so that's irrelevant. Other than the fork incident, I can't really fault it. It certainly seems a better made bike than my Merida hybrid (crap grips, wobbly fork, cheap saddle, knackered BB after 200 miles).
I think the current Boardman 1x11 drivetrain will be a very difficult ride for a road bike that does anything other than stop start town riding. But then if the OP is used to road riding on an MTB then that shouldn't be too different.
Thanks for the perspective. I'll obviously have a go on one. Personally I don't get on with the Sram doubletap shifters, but this is my wife's bike so that's irrelevant. Other than the fork incident, I can't really fault it. It certainly seems a better made bike than my Merida hybrid (crap grips, wobbly fork, cheap saddle, knackered BB after 200 miles).
I think the current Boardman 1x11 drivetrain will be a very difficult ride for a road bike that does anything other than stop start town riding. But then if the OP is used to road riding on an MTB then that shouldn't be too different.
Based on the retail experience so far I'm not expecting much (or anything really) in aftercare.
In terms of gears my riding is entirely stop start city and I've spent the last two years in the top 4 gears.
Thread update; I bought one last week.
In the end I didn't have time to look at bikes anywhere else than Halfords and Cycle Republic so it was always going to be a Boardman 8.8 or 8.9.
Since I tend to keep my bikes for a long time and the fact that the scheme gives a decent discount I went for the 8.9.
The bike is a good fit for me and, unsurprisingly, I find it light and fast having spent the last 30 years on rigid and hardtail MTB's.
I found the grips very uncomfortable so I stuck on some gel ones yesterday which smooth things out at the front. And if I'm being picky the brakes don't seem to have quite as much initial bite as the Avids on my Trek although they are powerful enough.
All in all it's what I was hoping for and I've been having fun setting it up and bombing round town on it.
In the end I didn't have time to look at bikes anywhere else than Halfords and Cycle Republic so it was always going to be a Boardman 8.8 or 8.9.
Since I tend to keep my bikes for a long time and the fact that the scheme gives a decent discount I went for the 8.9.
The bike is a good fit for me and, unsurprisingly, I find it light and fast having spent the last 30 years on rigid and hardtail MTB's.
I found the grips very uncomfortable so I stuck on some gel ones yesterday which smooth things out at the front. And if I'm being picky the brakes don't seem to have quite as much initial bite as the Avids on my Trek although they are powerful enough.
All in all it's what I was hoping for and I've been having fun setting it up and bombing round town on it.
I took it out for a longer ride yesterday and did about 12 miles around London on a variety of familiar roads.
The brakes are bedded in now and much better. The saddle, forks and grips take a lot of the chatter away. The fork in particular is surprisingly good on major imperfections.
The bike is no quicker downhill than my old 29er in terms of top speed but (no s
t Sherlock) a lot faster on uphill sections where I set a few PB's.
Very happy with it.
The brakes are bedded in now and much better. The saddle, forks and grips take a lot of the chatter away. The fork in particular is surprisingly good on major imperfections.
The bike is no quicker downhill than my old 29er in terms of top speed but (no s
t Sherlock) a lot faster on uphill sections where I set a few PB's.Very happy with it.
Not Ideal said:
^ glad to hear all worked out well for you.
Thanks. I'm sure the equivalent bikes from Trek or Specialized would have been equally but the voucher pushed me to Boardman.What's interesting to me is that they seem to have done a good job building some decent absorption into the rear of the frame. I grew up on steel framed racers and then moved onto steel MTB's. I stayed on steel as long as I could as I really didn't really like the ultra-rigidity of earlier aluminium bikes.
My 2013 Trek Cobia is just about OK in the respect and is on fat slicks but it can be horribly punchy at times through the saddle . But I happened to take my old Rockhopper (2005?) out today and the difference between in and the Boardman is massive.
Presumably advances in materials and construction techniques allow them to put a bit of flex back in.
Happy days.
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