Hybrid/weekend bike
Discussion
I've been looking at getting a new bike that I can use for multiple purposes. So, a hybrid to commute 10 miles each way on which is Tarmac and canal towpath, but also that I can put the child seat on and will be stable for riding with the wee one. So criteria was set at 500 or so, I'd go up to 700 for the right bike, good road performance but needs to handle some light rough stuff at weekends with the child seat - I'm talking fire trails rather than downhill though!
Usual suspects were considered, sirrus is too lightweight for this, and had settled on a trek 7.3 or a 2010 7.5 that I could get a deal on. But was in lbs yesterday and they had te Whyte hybrids which seem more off road focussed. Details online are sketchy as they are new, but looking at Malvern and Caledonian.
Anyone got any experience of them or anything else I should look at?
Looked at the boardmans but trek beats it for me as it looked a bit too road orientated.
Usual suspects were considered, sirrus is too lightweight for this, and had settled on a trek 7.3 or a 2010 7.5 that I could get a deal on. But was in lbs yesterday and they had te Whyte hybrids which seem more off road focussed. Details online are sketchy as they are new, but looking at Malvern and Caledonian.
Anyone got any experience of them or anything else I should look at?
Looked at the boardmans but trek beats it for me as it looked a bit too road orientated.
i ride my road bike on fire trails, bridleways and similar routes. its a blast and stands up to the abuse really well. you have to be good at spotting the bigger rocks and things that mean shifting your weight. as cheaper road bikes tend to have heavier wheels with more spokes, they dont buckle. just run cyclocross tyres and you shouldnt have a problem on fire roads. You also get funny looks from mountain bikers but they respect you. hybrids are basically flat bar road bikes which are popular with commuters as a result of the body position providing better visibility. they are not all that different in terms of frame/fork material and they are probably no better or worse than a road bike for what you intend to do. the flat bars provide greater stability but i wouldnt take a hybrid on anything i wouldnt take a road bike.
the standard answer is a specialized hardrock. i dont think there is a better bike for the money and its a good all rounder. just get some smooth tyres for the road work.
the standard answer is a specialized hardrock. i dont think there is a better bike for the money and its a good all rounder. just get some smooth tyres for the road work.
Appreciate not all of them, just the ones I'd looked at. I guess the issue I have with it is mainly cost, it's a fair bit more than the trek I was looking at for something that looks great and certainly looks well designed (separate mount points for mudguards and panniers, space for zip ties on cable clips etc), but the whole point of getting this bike was that I wouldn't be so worried about it getting nicked, and the Whyte just looks much more expensive.
The guy in the bike shop was also steering strongly towards the Caledonian. Now, it's 200 more for a start, but I struggle to see that I need that.
They do look great bits of kit though.
The guy in the bike shop was also steering strongly towards the Caledonian. Now, it's 200 more for a start, but I struggle to see that I need that.
They do look great bits of kit though.
http://www.whytebikes.com/2011/index.php
I probably wouldn't have thought the C7 range could be called a hybrid until you mentioned it but actually I suppose it is as they have 700c wheels.
Have a look at the R7 range for more road orientation. Having said that they are more expensive than the Treks. I came very close to buying the Trek. It's a great machine.
I probably wouldn't have thought the C7 range could be called a hybrid until you mentioned it but actually I suppose it is as they have 700c wheels.
Have a look at the R7 range for more road orientation. Having said that they are more expensive than the Treks. I came very close to buying the Trek. It's a great machine.
Cheers for that. Ended up ordering a 2010 Trek 7.5 for nearly £200 less than a 2011 bike (and it's pretty much the same bike other than the colour and the new grips). Pick it up on Friday so pretty chuffed. I really liked the Whytes but not enough to spend £360 more than the bike I've bought.
There is always next time though ;-)
There is always next time though ;-)
Mars said:
Did you go for the 7.5 disk or the conventional brakes?
Conventional - the 2010 7.5 didn't come with a disk option as far as I can tell.When I rode it (on a wet test ride) I found the standard brakes to be pretty good. I might change the pads at some point and have swapped the tyres for some that are more like the ones fitted to the Whyte but still give fast road performance.
Mars...is that a Portobello?
If so what do you think?
Ive just sold my Full suss Trek and have a Giant hybrid ,which ive been riding since last summer.
Im thinking of upgrading now ive only one bike.
Looking to spend no more than £1000 but not sure even if i need spend that much to get a good bike.
The Giant is ok actually but thought id upgrade a bit.
If so what do you think?
Ive just sold my Full suss Trek and have a Giant hybrid ,which ive been riding since last summer.
Im thinking of upgrading now ive only one bike.
Looking to spend no more than £1000 but not sure even if i need spend that much to get a good bike.
The Giant is ok actually but thought id upgrade a bit.
milu said:
Mars...is that a Portobello?
It is indeed.milu said:
If so what do you think?
I love it. It's not as light as some of the bikes my fellow cycle club members have but they will have spent upwards of £1500 and have a lot of esoteric components (inc CF frames on some). However, it's lighter than anything I've owned before. The frame feels nice and rigid but thanks to the type of tyres they've used, it rides quite nicely over rough roads.My previous experience was with a mid-1990s Specialized hybrid, with twist grip gears and a steel frame. By comparison this is a revelation. The gears are indexed and I've not yet lost the chain (whereas it seemed to be a regular thing on the Spec). The disk brakes are incredible but because they're hydraulic ones, the feel is lovely and the effort required is delecate/light.
The only negative is me really. I am still finding I get numb hands and would prefer a slightly more upright position. The Spec was more upright but I set out to get fitter and listened to people who said as I did get fitter and stronger I would find myself not putting as much weight on my hands. That said, i've put a short angled stem on it now, and although my initial thoughts were that it made little/no difference, I'm giving a bit longer. Put it like this... I'm keeping the bike so I'll tweek it to suit as I go along.
The funny thing is, despite some of the quite expensive machines the other guys ride, mine is the one they all talk about. I think they like the styling of it.
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