WORST HYBRID BIKE EVER ??
Discussion
Just how crap is the Carrera Subway ? ? ?
I started cycling to work (4 miles each way) in January and foolishly went to halfords for a bike (first mistake), as I wasn't sure how long I would stick with the cycling I didn't want to spend too much and went for a carerra subway(second mistake)
To start with I was sold an 18'' frame (I'm 5'10'') I now realise this was wrong. It cost the princely sum of 300 euros (with lights, mud guards etc) and it is crap. It has only 14 gears, not necessarily a bad thing, but the ratios are so bizarre that some of the lower gears seem higher than the top end.
My main hobby is fly fishing and it took me a while to realise that with fly fishing you really do get what you pay for....cheap kit is crap....expensive kit is generally good. I now realise that this principle applies to cycling too !!
Never in my life will I buy a bike for me or any member of my family from Halfords.
The Subway is now falling apart, brakes knackered, crankshaft buckled, gears f*cked.
Can anyone recommend me a nice bike to commute to work, nothing too flash but as I have realised that I enjoy the commute (in all Dublin weather) I am prepared to spend a few quid. If it was to be a car (carerra subway = Daewoo Matiz) then I would be after something in the Merc C-class range.
Thanks
I started cycling to work (4 miles each way) in January and foolishly went to halfords for a bike (first mistake), as I wasn't sure how long I would stick with the cycling I didn't want to spend too much and went for a carerra subway(second mistake)
To start with I was sold an 18'' frame (I'm 5'10'') I now realise this was wrong. It cost the princely sum of 300 euros (with lights, mud guards etc) and it is crap. It has only 14 gears, not necessarily a bad thing, but the ratios are so bizarre that some of the lower gears seem higher than the top end.
My main hobby is fly fishing and it took me a while to realise that with fly fishing you really do get what you pay for....cheap kit is crap....expensive kit is generally good. I now realise that this principle applies to cycling too !!
Never in my life will I buy a bike for me or any member of my family from Halfords.
The Subway is now falling apart, brakes knackered, crankshaft buckled, gears f*cked.
Can anyone recommend me a nice bike to commute to work, nothing too flash but as I have realised that I enjoy the commute (in all Dublin weather) I am prepared to spend a few quid. If it was to be a car (carerra subway = Daewoo Matiz) then I would be after something in the Merc C-class range.
Thanks
I know a few people happy with their Subways. And I'm 5'11 and would probably pick an 18" (my MTB is 17.5").
If maintaining it is too much like hard work (and it's not unreasonable to expect consumables to wear out or things need adjusting in a few thousand miles), look for something hub-geared - Shimano Inter-8, Nexus or Alfine. You'll still need to clean/lube the chain every other week or so but the rest of the moving bits are sealed up in a bath of oil (which will also need changing, but only once a year or so). They have the bonus too of being able to shift at a standstill so really easy to use.
Brake-wise look for disc or drum brakes - the latter again seal all the workings inside. Either is immune to minor wobbles in the wheel rims and will brake consistently in all weathers without much maintenance (other than new pads/shoes from time to time).
Ironically, one of the best bikes that offers all that is the Carrera Subway 8, which is generally well regarded and around the £400 mark. Ridgeback, Cannondale, Raleigh, Bianchi and others all offer hybrids around similar hub gear setups too.
If maintaining it is too much like hard work (and it's not unreasonable to expect consumables to wear out or things need adjusting in a few thousand miles), look for something hub-geared - Shimano Inter-8, Nexus or Alfine. You'll still need to clean/lube the chain every other week or so but the rest of the moving bits are sealed up in a bath of oil (which will also need changing, but only once a year or so). They have the bonus too of being able to shift at a standstill so really easy to use.
Brake-wise look for disc or drum brakes - the latter again seal all the workings inside. Either is immune to minor wobbles in the wheel rims and will brake consistently in all weathers without much maintenance (other than new pads/shoes from time to time).
Ironically, one of the best bikes that offers all that is the Carrera Subway 8, which is generally well regarded and around the £400 mark. Ridgeback, Cannondale, Raleigh, Bianchi and others all offer hybrids around similar hub gear setups too.
I used to work part time at Halfords a few years ago, and the Subways weren't really much of a problem in terms of people bringing them back in, definately not the worst thing sold there.
Keep them well maintained and they should be a fine commuter bike. Although if the crankshaft did buckle, then yeah that's oviously -a bad thing- but hopefully just a duff part.
Keep them well maintained and they should be a fine commuter bike. Although if the crankshaft did buckle, then yeah that's oviously -a bad thing- but hopefully just a duff part.
How much have you maintained it?
You said the gears are ducked? in what way? If they have been serviced regularly then you should have no problems. They are off the shelf parts of a probably higher spec than most bikes at that price.
If your commuting on a bike daily then it will need a bit of love, otherwise you will just ride it into the ground?
Cranks? have u checked they are tight? if they become loose then it begins to round off the axle and that's when things break
And as for the 18" frame, that sounds perfect. I am 5,10" and all my bikes (6 of them) are 17 or 18"
Brakes?, in what way are they ducked? Have you checked the pad alignment, and adjusted the cable since you got it?
I dont mean to sound condescending but i am trying to work out how much the bike has been cared for and what your level of bike servicing/repair skills are.
Edit, if u dont want it, ill have it. i love fixing up bikes
You said the gears are ducked? in what way? If they have been serviced regularly then you should have no problems. They are off the shelf parts of a probably higher spec than most bikes at that price.
If your commuting on a bike daily then it will need a bit of love, otherwise you will just ride it into the ground?
Cranks? have u checked they are tight? if they become loose then it begins to round off the axle and that's when things break
And as for the 18" frame, that sounds perfect. I am 5,10" and all my bikes (6 of them) are 17 or 18"
Brakes?, in what way are they ducked? Have you checked the pad alignment, and adjusted the cable since you got it?
I dont mean to sound condescending but i am trying to work out how much the bike has been cared for and what your level of bike servicing/repair skills are.
Edit, if u dont want it, ill have it. i love fixing up bikes
Edited by Lord Pikey on Wednesday 11th November 20:05
Oh, i forgot my recommended bikes.
I ride a Trek Soho and a Specialized Allez as my road bikes with a old univega geo trekking as my winter bike.
If you have a flat ride to work then the Trek is a great bike as its a single speed so there is less to service and wear is reduced
If you want gears the Specialized Sirius is a lovely bike and they start at about 450 gbp
I ride a Trek Soho and a Specialized Allez as my road bikes with a old univega geo trekking as my winter bike.
If you have a flat ride to work then the Trek is a great bike as its a single speed so there is less to service and wear is reduced
If you want gears the Specialized Sirius is a lovely bike and they start at about 450 gbp
drfrank said:
Fair comments !!
I have done very little with it, bar oil the chain occasionally. The gears are terrible in that the chain falls off when I try to get in the lowest gear.
With regard to the frame size I was told I would need 20'' is that right ?
Still loving cycling to work though !!
Sounds like it could do with a service, by this time id say new cables would be a nice treat for it and under 15gbp for a brake and gear set. I have done very little with it, bar oil the chain occasionally. The gears are terrible in that the chain falls off when I try to get in the lowest gear.
With regard to the frame size I was told I would need 20'' is that right ?
Still loving cycling to work though !!
Also, if you have done a lot of miles on it, over 1000 then maybe its time for a new chain. The problem is a worn chain will wear the cassette and front rings which gets expensive. So its best to replace the chain often to prevent wear to other parts
Personally, i find an 18" frame perfect in terms of arm reach and stand over height for me. Who has told you, you need a 20"?
guide to setup and adjustment here of gears
http://www.mtbonline.co.za/info/mountain-bike-gear...
and here
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=75
Edited by Lord Pikey on Wednesday 11th November 20:28
to defend halfords somewhat (and i have no vested interest to do so) but their shops vary dramatically. i struck gold with one branch and the guys there are competitive cyclists themselves so take real pride i nthe bikes that they sell. it also sounds like you have not kept the bike in good running order and as cables etc will stretch, ranting about the gear alignment is all down to you.
the sirrus range is good as other have suggested, i would look at the ridgeback range of flat bar commuters as they are a bit cheaper but still a good dependable bike.
given dublin (from memory) is pretty flat, you might want ot consider a single speed. i am sure you can find a shop or a friend who are willing to build you up a single speed
bike out of new/second hand parts.
the sirrus range is good as other have suggested, i would look at the ridgeback range of flat bar commuters as they are a bit cheaper but still a good dependable bike.
given dublin (from memory) is pretty flat, you might want ot consider a single speed. i am sure you can find a shop or a friend who are willing to build you up a single speed
bike out of new/second hand parts.
pablo said:
to defend halfords somewhat (and i have no vested interest to do so) but their shops vary dramatically. i struck gold with one branch and the guys there are competitive cyclists themselves so take real pride i nthe bikes that they sell.
Beyond this, it can even depend on which day you go into one. My old store had two guys running the 'bike hut' for a few days a week each. One of them was really into cycling and bikes, and would always make sure people got served well, the other guy was a mouth breathing Halfords career climber. Pick the wrong day and you'd just get the idiot selling you the most expensive thing he thought he could.Sounds like it is in dire need of a service. Lack of it has probably led to the premature expiry of other parts.
As for sizing it all depends on what you want to ride. I'm 5'8" and ride 15.5-inch / 17.5-inch mountain bikes and 21-inch road bikes. Sizing is a personal thing and you should try before you buy. FWIW I'd say that for you height you should try a 17/18-inch frame first.
As for sizing it all depends on what you want to ride. I'm 5'8" and ride 15.5-inch / 17.5-inch mountain bikes and 21-inch road bikes. Sizing is a personal thing and you should try before you buy. FWIW I'd say that for you height you should try a 17/18-inch frame first.
I don't agree that the sub is a crap bike. I had 3 from 2007 to 2011. I had 3 not because they broke or were of poor build quality but for other reasons. The first, a Subway 1, I had for 6 months before being written off after I got hit by a courier car in Bournemouth. I was doing circa 15 miles a day in all weathers and the Sub 1 was great up to that incident. I then got a Sub 2, paid for by the company responsible for wrecking the last one. With the addition of discs and suspension this bike was fantastic. It lasted me another 6 months before being stolen by some 
in Bournemouth. My boss at the time bought me another as it was nicked off his premises. Very nice of him too!
As I was really enjoying the freedom of the bike I started to take it more seriously and had a 'good idea'. Why not cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats I thought. I upped my daily distances until I was cycling 50 to 75 miles a day and 100+ rides on weekends. Halfords agreed to support me and serviced the bike once a month whilst also supplying me with a Garmin Edge GPS. The training rides topped over 4000 miles from april to my october start date. The target was 6 days unsupported which meant a 150 mile a day average. But then work threw me a fast ball that meant I had to be back on the 6th day so we switched to a 5 day plan.
At about 6am on october 19th 2008 I left Lands End car park fully loaded with all my main rations, camping gas, bivvy, sleeping bag, repair kit, etc. The route was planned and was being tracked by my wife via GPS beacon. Long story short, the trip took me 4 1/2 days and only had one puncture thanks to the standard fit kevlar tyres (coming out of Edinburgh toward Perth) and had no mechanical failures at all. On days 1 to 4 I averaged 200 miles a day stopping in Bristol, Keighley, Edinburgh and Inverness. I slept in a fire station, under a bridge, a police cell and a youth hostel. on the last day I had only 110 miles or so to do and got into Jon O Groats in the early afternoon following some serious hills along the coastal road.
The bike was fantastic' but after all that punishment it was fairly knackered. I got a lift south to glasgow from 'the slow way down' crew who were riding a moped from JOG to southern Spain.
given all that my bike had been through I really don't think the Sub could be called crap. For the money it really is an amazing entry inyo cycling.
I'm just off out now to buy two more fir me and the missus to use this summer.
in Bournemouth. My boss at the time bought me another as it was nicked off his premises. Very nice of him too!As I was really enjoying the freedom of the bike I started to take it more seriously and had a 'good idea'. Why not cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats I thought. I upped my daily distances until I was cycling 50 to 75 miles a day and 100+ rides on weekends. Halfords agreed to support me and serviced the bike once a month whilst also supplying me with a Garmin Edge GPS. The training rides topped over 4000 miles from april to my october start date. The target was 6 days unsupported which meant a 150 mile a day average. But then work threw me a fast ball that meant I had to be back on the 6th day so we switched to a 5 day plan.
At about 6am on october 19th 2008 I left Lands End car park fully loaded with all my main rations, camping gas, bivvy, sleeping bag, repair kit, etc. The route was planned and was being tracked by my wife via GPS beacon. Long story short, the trip took me 4 1/2 days and only had one puncture thanks to the standard fit kevlar tyres (coming out of Edinburgh toward Perth) and had no mechanical failures at all. On days 1 to 4 I averaged 200 miles a day stopping in Bristol, Keighley, Edinburgh and Inverness. I slept in a fire station, under a bridge, a police cell and a youth hostel. on the last day I had only 110 miles or so to do and got into Jon O Groats in the early afternoon following some serious hills along the coastal road.
The bike was fantastic' but after all that punishment it was fairly knackered. I got a lift south to glasgow from 'the slow way down' crew who were riding a moped from JOG to southern Spain.
given all that my bike had been through I really don't think the Sub could be called crap. For the money it really is an amazing entry inyo cycling.
I'm just off out now to buy two more fir me and the missus to use this summer.
Edited by ecain63 on Saturday 27th April 10:31
drfrank said:
Fair comments !!
I have done very little with it, bar oil the chain occasionally. The gears are terrible in that the chain falls off when I try to get in the lowest gear.
With regard to the frame size I was told I would need 20'' is that right ?
Still loving cycling to work though !!
In all honesty, the Subway is a perfectly good bike for the money. But if you damage it, or fail to service it properly, it will feel like a piece of junk. The same would be true for a £2,000 bike as a £200 bike.I have done very little with it, bar oil the chain occasionally. The gears are terrible in that the chain falls off when I try to get in the lowest gear.
With regard to the frame size I was told I would need 20'' is that right ?
Still loving cycling to work though !!
Halfords bikes can be OK, but they have a bad rep for servicing. Take it to a proper bike shop and they will happily make the subway feel good as new (maybe even better than new by the sounds of it!) for about £50-£60.
Or if you really want to get rid and buy something better, these Whyte bikes are pretty good: http://www.actionbikes.co.uk/bikes/hybrid-and-comm...
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