Fast road/hybrind for £1000?

rukh
rukh Posts: 16
edited April 2008 in Road beginners
Guys,

I'm sure you get these questions a lot, but I've done some trolling and can't find an answer... I want to buy a really fast hybrid (or a road boike with straight handlebars) for approx 800 pounds (leaving me a bit of money for locks, lights, pedals and boots) and I have to decide by next week (I'm getting it pre-tax through work)

I am 29, 5'9", 75kg. I'm used to mountain bikes, but adapt easily. I want to go fast! But will mostly be riding around London, with the occasional day trip in Europe.

I've found the following, but have no clue which is better. Some are more expensive, but they all seem to have similar specs. Can you help me narrow it down to 2 or 3 and I'll go test ride them? Thanks!!!

Specialized Sirrus Pro - £850
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=33593

Giant FCR Alliance - £999
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/...ad/1400/28828/

Pinnacle eXpede Street 1.0 - £899
http://www.pinnacle-bikes.co.uk/Bike...contentId=1273

Ridgeback r25 - £899
http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/index.php...show_bike=TRUE

Genesis Day 03 2008 - £999
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/index....show_bike=TRUE

Genesis Day 02 2008 - £799
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/index....show_bike=TRUE

Trek 7.6 FX - £699
http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes...road/fx/76fxz/

Kona Ph D - £899
http://www.konabikes.co.uk/2008/phd/phd.php

Comments

  • Barrie_G
    Barrie_G Posts: 479
    What about a cross bike, I've just gotten a felt F1X from Wiggle Click Here after moving from a MTB myself (merlin malt 4) and find it very comfortable, with the added bonus of secondary brake levers on bars so that you don't have to be bent over all the time, but having the drops also means that you can get your head down and go for it if the urge takes you.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Why bother with flat bars, they're rubbish compared to drops.

    Dave Z even uses drops on his MTB:

    img0017ww0.jpg
    I like bikes...

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  • rukh
    rukh Posts: 16
    Barrie - how do you find riding through the city/traffic? Can you see enough?

    I don't know much about cyclecross - are they more upright than road bikes?

    Red dragon - I'll try out some drop bar options :)

    Cheers,
    Waz
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    rukh wrote:
    I don't know much about cyclecross - are they more upright than road bikes?

    They're about the same as road bikes, but with clearences and cantilever brakes for wider tyres and knobblies.

    and they have drops - you can't beat drops!
    I like bikes...

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  • MrKawamura
    MrKawamura Posts: 192
    rukh wrote:
    Guys,

    I want to buy a really fast hybrid (or a road boike with straight handlebars) for approx 800 pounds...

    I can see fine on my road bike with drops, no need for flats.

    Note that the Pinnacle eXpede is a cyclocross bike. These are designed for off-road as well as on road use, so might not match your stated need.
  • Barrie_G
    Barrie_G Posts: 479
    with the crosser I can brake from the straight bit of the bar where it comes out of the stem, so you can be very upright, I'd say that from this position I'm more upright than I ever was on the mountain bike, and it's a lot more maneuverable with a much better turn of speed, I wouldn't swap it for riding in traffic :wink:
  • rukh
    rukh Posts: 16
    Okay okay, I'll check out the cross bikes with drop bars :P <sigh> too much choice!

    Barrie, that Wiggle site looks good and it looks like they do the cycle-to-work thing as well :) Evans has a 2007 model, but not sure if a 57cm frame is too big for me...

    http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=70373
  • PostieJohn
    PostieJohn Posts: 1,105
    And that is why, you don't ask such a question, on here.

    To buck the trend I shall actually answer the question, sort of, as I only know of a couple of those bikes.

    Personally I'd go for the Trek, coming from a Bianchi man, that's quite something to say.
    My LBS stocks them and I always stop for a little look, and I always think 'I bet this goes like s**t off a shiney shovel'.
    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... t=12792776
  • Barrie_G
    Barrie_G Posts: 479
    rukh wrote:

    Evans has a 2007 model, but not sure if a 57cm frame is too big for me...

    I'm 5'9" with a 30" inside leg, and the 54 is on the large side of just right though I think that the smaller size would have been too small in the top tube, as I'm not stretched at all when riding it, I'd just need to be a little careful if I ever have to stop in a hurry :shock:
  • rukh
    rukh Posts: 16
    So I was down at the LBS store, again (they've got to be getting sick of me now) and tried a cyclecross bike... it was a single speed (guy wanted me to get a feel of the size and drop bar without worrying about gears) and I loved it!

    So now I'm sold on drop bars (with froglegs) and thinking about the SS option :P

    I like the spec of the Felt F1X, but haven't been able to find one to test ride. I've also been told some of the road bikes have a similar upright position to the cyclecross - anyone recommend one of those for approx £800?

    Thanks for the help ppl!

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