What bike!?

HedgerRooney

Hi All

I currently have a 21 speed mountain bike and thinking of upgrading. There is nothing particularly wrong with it and it seems to suit most of my needs. It has road tyres and bar ends and I mainly do road riding. Where I live it is quite hilly and the roads aren’t always perfect! The main reason I’m thinking of upgrading is too go faster but I still need to be able to get up hills and go off-road if I get the urge! I would like to have one good all round bike and not sure whether to go Hybrid or Mountain? I like the look of the Boardman range?

Question is what should I go for!? Any suggestions welcome!

Also are hydraulic brakes the best?

Thanks J

supersonic

What budget?!

Have a look at the coincidentally named 'what bike' thread in this section for a few ideas.

What bike do you currently have?

MattW87

Good advice from Supersonic....with regards to hydro disc brakes they require almost no maintenance and work even if they are covered in water or mud etc and cable stretch is non-existent!

If your budget is around £4-500+ then hydro discs will be the norm in most cases, especially hardtails

HedgerRooney

Thanks Guy s

Prob around £4-500

I have a Shogun XC

Someone has mentioned to me to get a cross bike? I'm new to all this and have only come across hybrid, mountain and road!?

supersonic

Cross bikes are light and fast, but an acquired taste off road - you need to be a very skilled rider to get the most out of them over rough terrain, and harder stuff is nigh on impossible. They are basically road bikes with knobbly tyres. It really depends how far off road you plan to go, and how often. A hybrid may be what you need, has more of a mountain bike flavour than a crossbike, albeit usually heavier - but comfier, a different geometry. A full on mountain bike will not be as good on the road as either, but putting slicks on will speed it up on road (don't use slicks off oad!)

Have you thought about 2 bikes? Spend the money on a specific bike for what ypou ride most often, then make a couple of changes to the Shogun for what you don't ride as much?

HedgerRooney

Just read your thread - very good!

Ideally I'd like one good all rounder bike and a cross bike seems a bit hardcore for me

I was swaying towards a hybrid but put off as no front shocks!?! The off roading I would occasssionaly do would be by no means extreme and I have never change my tyres back since changing to road tyres. Saying that you would prob have the shocks locked out if mainly on road?

I need to go and have a look but it's prob between Boardman team hybrid or comp mountain. Seem like good bikes? http://www.boardmanbikes.com/

supersonic

Some hybrids have shocks. Take a look at this beauty:

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp? ... gn=froogle

MTB style, but long low and fast riding position on the Zaskar frameset.

Boardman bikes are very good value, will be worth trying a couple out. Sounds like if you are just going to do easy off road tracks and forest paths, an MTB may be overkill, especially when on the road.

HedgerRooney

That looks very nice!

In terms of gearing I assume 18 speed will give me the extra speed I'm after but will it be ok for BIG hills?
[/u][/quote]

supersonic

They can lack the lower gears found on MTBs. If in doubt, get a triple crankset.

HedgerRooney

Looks like boardman and the gt link you sent both have double cranksets

How about this for a good all rounder?

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=86697

HedgerRooney

Would you say front shocs are essential and what would be better: a mountain bike with road tyres or a hybrid?

Sorry for all the novice questions!

marika

how did i know you'd be over here trying to hock gt's supersonic,have you met targets this month

MattW87

HedgerRooney wrote:

Would you say front shocs are essential and what would be better: a mountain bike with road tyres or a hybrid?

Sorry for all the novice questions!

Front suspension forks would make the bike a lot more comfortable, even if its a small travel item so are probably work forking out for (excuse the pun!)

a mountain bike with 'hybrid' tyres (a smooth centre section with knobbly outers) would probably be a decent compromise because then you have scope for using the bike off road if you wish, whilst keeping rolling resistance down also

grantway

Go for a Mountain bike but with a lock-out fork for the road
I had a Giant XTC 3 that worked great for light Mountain biking and
changed the tyres for the road.

At the time this bike was around £ 600.00p so must be around £ 700.00p
approx by now.

The Giant had a great frame and very weave in and out of traffic.

Hybrids just have a carbon fork and not really to be taken in the
rough stuff so go for a mountain bike about the same weight
and have twice the fun

HedgerRooney

Very interesting - thanks guys! Will it state if the shocks are carbon or not? Still a bit torn between hybrid and mountain but like the look of the GT and Boardman range with the criteria being: -

Good reliable all rounder
Fast road but still be able to pedal up BIG hills and go down the odd track
Front Shocks
Hydraulic Disc
Light ish
Good looks

Any advice would be great

Thanks