Recommendations for MTB/Hybrid bike please!

[MNut]

I have a budget of £400 (ish) and will use the bike mostly on road with occasional off road antics

Have been looking at Specialized, Boardman, & Claud Butler. Not sure if I should go for Hybrid or MTB.

I currently have a 6 year old Specialized Hardrock MTB (on road tyres) which to be fair is good enough but needs a new cassette, chain, tyres, brake pads and chain ring so was thinking rather than spend money on it I'd get something else instead.

My local bike repair shop has offered me a freshly serviced Klein MTB for just £300 but it's 8 years old (although was apparently £2000 when new) and am wondering is this a step in the wrong direction as it's older than the bike I currently have.

Thanks for your help!

[Shivit]

At that price point I'd say go for a Btwin Riverside 3 from Decathlon. I've got one for taking the miles / tracks / not so good weather. It's a very nice light alloy cross / hybrid with more than acceptable Shimano components and comes in under 300 notes.

[anonymous-user]

it all depends what "off road antics" means. A hybrid with suspension forks, in my opinion, is a waste of time, too heavy for the road and the suspension and geomoetry not really suitable for much off road bar forest paths. A rigid hybrid is faster and essentially a flat bar road bike, sounds like you already have the ideal bike to be honest...

[MNut]

You may be right Pablo but as the current bike needs some money thrown at it I thought why not just sell it as is and buy something new?

I don't go on treacherous down hill runs but do occasionally go off road into the local forests and plains with the kids but the bike is mostly used on road.

[AC43]

The Klein sounds interesting.

It presumably has a pretty good groupset on it, decent wheels, etc.

If you buy a very cheap new MTB I'd argue the frame might be OK but you'll get cheap brakes, cheap shifters, cheap wheels (and if it had it) cheap front suspension.

To put that into context the shifters on my recently-deceased 1993 Diamonback (cost £450 21 years ago) are better than those on the lightly-used Trek Cobia I've just bought (retailed at £950 last year).

Good groupsets go on forever.

Edited by AC43 on Friday 7th March 12:39

[richardxjr]

Slightly different have a look at the Charge Grater 1. It has guards and 32c tyres, so could fit proper off road Cyclocross tyres if venturing further off road.

Agree that componentry is the issue at this end of the market. So the less the better.

[mie1972]

pablo said:

it all depends what "off road antics" means. A hybrid with suspension forks, in my opinion, is a waste of time, too heavy for the road and the suspension and geomoetry not really suitable for much off road bar forest paths. A rigid hybrid is faster and essentially a flat bar road bike, sounds like you already have the ideal bike to be honest...

Agree - got a Specialized Crosstrail Sport which I really like as a commuter/bimbling around bike - but doesn't do road or off road that well. It will do it, just not very well.

If you could ONLY have 1 bike then a hybrid "sort-of" works. But its a compromise - most of us have several bikes for good reason.

Ive replaced cassettes/chains/brakes on the Crosstrail (its a lowish spec 2010 model so things are now wearing out). These are all consumables tho and dont cost that much to replace, so if you like the bike and it does the job you want it too - replace parts as needed.

Must admit i'd be tempted by an old MTB originally costing £2K tho. Sounds a bargain if in decent condition.

[Gizmoish]

If you're riding on road... get a road bike. It really is that simple.

[MNut]

Some nice points there guys, thanks.

I'm still a little undecided, have come across a nice MTB Boardman frame for sale that's tempted me as I like the idea of building a bike up but I should imagine this will end up costing way more than the original budget (if using components worthy of the frame)

I've seen a picture of the Klein bike and whilst I'm sure it's very good, from a superficial standpoint it's not doing it for me as I just don't like how it looks!

[AC43]

Gizmoish said:

If you're riding on road out of town on totally smooth tarmac without any cracks, craters, potholes, draincovers or speedbumps when there are very few junctions and where top speed is the only criteria... get a road bike. It really is that simple.

[Gizmoish]

AC43 said:

Gizmoish said:

If you're riding on road out of town on totally smooth tarmac without any cracks, craters, potholes, draincovers or speedbumps when there are very few junctions and where top speed is the only criteria... get a road bike. It really is that simple.

I don't agree. Riding on road is about efficiency. Which may mean the highest speed, but might also mean the lowest effort.

And road bikes aren't made of eggshells.

[Shivit]

Gizmoish said:

And road bikes aren't made of eggshells.

That's what a lot of people don't get. They equate lightweight and thin wheels with fragility. They would be amazed at what punishment a decent road bike can take, with no ill effects.

[AC43]

Gizmoish said:

AC43 said:

Gizmoish said:

If you're riding on road out of town on totally smooth tarmac without any cracks, craters, potholes, draincovers or speedbumps when there are very few junctions and where top speed is the only criteria... get a road bike. It really is that simple.

I don't agree. Riding on road is about efficiency. Which may mean the highest speed, but might also mean the lowest effort.

And road bikes aren't made of eggshells.

I was being a bit tongue in cheek. A modern roadie is an amazing thing. If I was commuting longer distance I'd get a roadie or the one in between (cyclo cross?)

Having said that I do like being bake to batter over poor Tarmac without worrying about punctures and other damage and I do like to have my head up on traffic.

[Shivit]

AC43 said:

I was being a bit tongue in cheek. A modern roadie is an amazing thing. If I was commuting longer distance I'd get a roadie or the one in between (cyclo cross?)

Having said that I do like being bake to batter over poor Tarmac without worrying about punctures and other damage and I do like to have my head up on traffic.

A CX is a good compromise. It has a lot of roadie characteristics, and the increased ruggedness of a Hybrid. You can change the wheel set for something a bit chunkier if you need to. If you buy one out of season you can get a bargain too.

[Barchettaman]

+1

CX bike & two wheelsets is the answer.

[richardxjr]

You can't get much of a CX bike for £400-odd hence my Charge suggestion.

[Dr Imran T]

Barchettaman said:

+1

CX bike & two wheelsets is the answer.

Op might not want drop handlebars though.

I've got a flat bar cx bike and it's a very nice bit of kit.

A entry level hybrid of sorts is what the op might prefer.

Not bad on road and Ok on light off road..

Ultimately a compromise as it does two things.

[Barchettaman]

richardxjr said:

You can't get much of a CX bike for £400-odd hence my Charge suggestion.

Well, I did, but I did build it myself... and had a 10-speed Sram drivetrain not doing very much to go on it....