Newbie qu. (sry in advance), which bike should I buy ?

colonel

There are so many makes I am so confused

I want a bike for excercise and fun riding.
I have decided on a hybrid.

I prefer the hybrids that are road bikes with straight handlebars, as they are lighter then the MTB frames with road wheels and components.

I want to spend around £300-£500 but have also been looking in the £500-£700 range to see what the advantages are.

Basically my priorities are:

1. Comfort
2. Lightness (to enable maximum distance)

Am not worried about:

3. Durability (as I won't be commuting much or going off-road)
4. Slick changeing gears (I can live with the low end stuff)

I have been considering the following:

a. Carrera Gryphon (Halfords brand but made by Merida) 7005 alu non-butted frame. £322 road bike with flat handle bars. Nice but not that light

b. Genesis Day 0 - £350, Day 1 - £450, Day 2 (carbon forks) - £599. Basically they have 6061, 6061 butted, 6066 alu frames respectively.

- Day 2 is super light but not terribly comfortable (seat is a bit small for me. suppose I could put a new seat on)

c. Specialized Sirrus - £399. Very comfortable. Carbon forks (amazing for price). Not that light (but lighter then Gryphon).

d. Bianchi Camaleonte II Sora - £499. Don't know much about this one, but is recommended for being very quick.

There are so many makes its confusing.

I really like the Day 2 (with comfort seat) but its too expensive for me.

The Sirrus is comfortable, but I don't feel I am making such a big advance in terms of weight from my old alu MTB.

What do you think ?

All suggestions gratefully investigated ?

redddraggon

I've heard many people recommending a road bike with drop handlebars than the hybrids with flat bars. Drop bars give you more hand positions, making it more comfortable. I get pins and needles sometimes, and it helps alot that I can change my grip.

I opted for a road bike 6 weeks ago, and haven't regretted it. Have a look at the Carrera road bikes from Halfords, they aren't too bad.

colonel

redddraggon wrote:

I've heard many people recommending a road bike with drop handlebars than the hybrids with flat bars. Drop bars give you more hand positions, making it more comfortable. I get pins and needles sometimes, and it helps alot that I can change my grip.

I opted for a road bike 6 weeks ago, and haven't regretted it. Have a look at the Carrera road bikes from Halfords, they aren't too bad.

thx
do you find its a strain having to reach fwd for the brakes all the time. I image on drop handle bars that you would have to constantly change position if riding upright ?

beckenham

I'd agree wiith Red Dragon. I did the L2B on a MTB and the straight handle bars got very uncomfortable. I've since fitted bar ends which improve things slightly.

The Specialized Tricross has drop handle bars with brake levers at the tops of the bars as well.

Since the L2B i've brought an out and out road bike and the riding positions are far more varied and comfortable over long distances.

allaction

I made the same mistake as many people new to leisure and more serious cycling. Last year to get fit I bought a hybrid Carrera (good bike by the way, no probs with Halfords) as I thought a road bike would strain my back and be generally uncomfortable. After a month or two I was getting fitter and wanted to go faster, hence me buying a Giant SCR3 which I hear are now down to £350 at certain retailers. Much faster, no less comfortable and can ride for hours at a decent pace. Maybe see if a friend or a decent bike shop will lend you a road bike to have a go on to see if it's really not for you, you may be surprised!

Rich Hcp

I thought about a straight handlebar bike like the Genesis, very nice bikes.

I went for a road bike in the end, Allez Sport.

Reaching for the brakes is not a problem, you can brake with the hands on the hoods.

As has been said, more hand positions is better.

You need to try some to see which you prefer.

bladerider

Colonel, you don't need to be on the drops to use the brakes. You can brake just as well with your hands on the hoods.

colonel

I always thought that hybrids were a smaller section in the shop, but if you guys are any judge they don't seem to be that popular

Lightness is very important for me, which is why I wanted a road frame. Perhaps if there are extenders for the brakes ......

MrKawamura

Hee hee, you come to the road bike forum, asking about five different hybrids and (suprise!) all the replies are basically, get a road bike! I started a reply to your post earlier, but didn't have time to finish it, so hear's what I was going to say:

You say that you will not be using the bike to commute or to go offroad, so what could be your reasons for choosing anything other than a full road bike? As has been said, drop bars offer the most riding positions, so suit well if you are looking for comfort. The kind of "fast hybrids" you are looking at are very similar to a full road bike, except for the flat handlebars, which would actually be less comfortable!

However, a hybrid would come with fatter tyers which would flatten out some bumps on the road. I think Sirrus comes with 28c width tyers - there are lots of road bikes that come with 25c, and if they don't you can put them on later, so there's not a great deal of difference there, though maybe the Sirrus could take even wider tyers, but at the expense of speed. The carbon fork on the Sirrus might also make for a smoother ride, and not many road bikes, if any, at that price point will have a carbon fork. Again, you could put one on later.

A cyclocross type bike is another option (eg. Specialized Tricross, Kona Jake), but these start at £650/£700 and are designed for off-road as well as on, which you said you wouldnt be doing.

To sum up, I was in your position a few months ago. Started out looking for a hybrid, went on the internet to research, spent about six weeks trying to decide, ended up buying a road bike and am very pleased that I did. Hybrids are, in my view, good for riding around town to the shops, or for short commutes, but not much else. There are no general problems associated with road bikes (like reaching the brakes) - if there were people would not ride them for hundreds of miles through towns, up hills and accross the open country.

redddraggon

I very rarely used the drops to be honest, tend to keep to the hoods most of the time. When I use the hoods I feel as tho I'm in the most comfortable body position, I don't like being too vertical as I might with flat bars.

When I first got the road bike, I came from no cycling at all so I felt a bit wobbly on it, but as I've done the miles my confidence has increased.

colonel

thanks for the advice.
I really need to find a hybrid forum as its either MTB or Road.

I took the allez sport road bike for a test on sunday. Its incredibly light and very fast.
However I have decided I don't like the drop bars, fiddly gear change, 'death by bumps' and riding position of road bikes.
I think I will get straight handlebars.

Basically the are short frame road bikes with straight handlebars (like the genesis), but still short frame and uncomfortable position.
Long frame 'comfort riders' like the marin, but quite heavy and not so manouverable.
I think I am going to get something between the above two, the Specialized Sirrus frames are compact and lightweight but longer then road bikes for comfort.
Also with slick and thin tires but carbon setpost and forks for comfort.

So I'll get a Sirrus Elite. Its £500 but the 2008 model has just come out so maybe someone will sell me a 2007 model at a discount.

rgds

fidbod

Hi,

please buy a road bike - bought a hybrid two months ago for the commute. I am now enjoying cycling so much I am knocking off 40+ miles in the weekend and am desparately saving for a road bike.

You will save money long term if you just buy a road bike straight away

pw1brown

Colonel, I think you've done exactly the right thing in trying out the bikes for yourself. If you didn't like the road bike don't buy one. There really are pros and cons with road bikes, hybrids and, for that matter, any other kind of bike. Get one that you feel good on. A fast hybrid like the Sirrus or Genesis will let you do an awful lot of cycling before you tire of it.

colonel

pw1brown wrote:

Colonel, I think you've done exactly the right thing in trying out the bikes for yourself. If you didn't like the road bike don't buy one. There really are pros and cons with road bikes, hybrids and, for that matter, any other kind of bike. Get one that you feel good on. A fast hybrid like the Sirrus or Genesis will let you do an awful lot of cycling before you tire of it.

right!
I can always get something different in a few years

cheers m8