Newbie looking for Hybrid (probably!)

CR

So where to start?

I enjoy cycling, but I'm not exactly a cycling nut! I've been riding on crappy old bikes all my life, and it's time to get something better!

I commute on my brompton (which I take on public transport), but sometimes I cycle the fully 30 mile round trip- usually on falling apart mountain bikes despite it being on the road.....

I have a 13 year old teenagers Rayleigh Mountain bike (weighs about 50 tonnes and is too small for me) and sometimes borrow my partners 3rd hand Rayleigh road bike......

So I'm hoping to have up to a maximum of £400 to spend on a reasonable bike- preferrably a hybrid as I'm not sure all the off-road routes I use are suitable for a proper road bike.

I have been recommended a Ridgeback Genesis (which look lovely)- but I'm not sure really where to start or where I can find shops with a large range of hybrid bikes to try? I've been in a few small, local shops and I don't want to risk a shoddily put together Halfords effort!

So I guess my questions are:
-What would you recommed?
-Where can I try one?
-Anything else I need to consider?

Cheers all!

salsarider79

You say off-road routes, but how off-road are these routes? Are we talking a gravel path, or woods, or...? What about the cycle to work scheme too? Worth looking into.
What about something like: http://www.bikeradar.com/commuting/gear/category/bikes/urban/product/centrum-sport-08-28151 The 3 speed version of this will be about the £400 mark.
You really need to look through the urban bike reviews on bikeradar.com which is linked here: http://www.bikeradar.com/commuting/gear/category/bikes/urban/?brand=&results=96&orderby=highestrated&pricerange=&_brc=0

gareth2134

the best option i can give you for what your after is the gary fisher tassajara 2007 version is lovely and their so robust and reasonably light for a mountain bike. designed for time in the saddle and have great components on them you could probably get a secong hand one for around £400.

redddraggon

CR wrote:

preferrably a hybrid as I'm not sure all the off-road routes I use are suitable for a proper road bike.

Get a cyclocross bike........a truer hybrid.

gareth2134

Yeah my mistake i read your message wrong i see your trying to avoid going off road to work as i thought you was saying you wanted to do both. if your sticking to road only then i am not the best to point you into the direction you need.

reddragon seems to know his stuff so take a look at what hes said.

just looked at them myself and they dont look to bad either.

fairweatherbiker

Hi CR

I'm (probably) looking for a hybrid too, and I've been looking for a few days now, so far despite much searching on this site and reading reviews, I've not really found any concrete advice on a make and model, but I am learning that its all a trade-off - road tyres go fast, but are cr4p on mud, disc brakes are good, but expensive and you may need hydraulics etc, etc, all these little bits of information add up so when you look at something you can make a better judgement if its what you want.

The question I really want answered - What is wrong with a bog-standard cheap bike from a high-street shop for less than £200.

I'm currently looking at a couple on eBay - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=160288860033
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TREX-7100-Mens-20-Hybrid-Mountain-bike_W0QQitemZ290265600126QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290265600126&_trkparms=72%3A1298|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
I can;t reccommend them - but they seem to be generating some interest on eBay - I would be interested in anyone's opinion from this forum.

gareth2134

Its not theirs anything wrong with bikes at £200 or below i think its what people are asking for in their posts or aspiring to get to usualy dont involve a bike around that cost.

I'm sure theirs a million different things people on here can point out about whats wrong with a £200 bike from a £1000 bike, but what I do know is that if your wanting to get competitive then unfortunatly that involves weight, tyres, seats, frame and lots of other components and then all that comes with a price tag usualy over that price range.

so to be basic if you dont care and just want to ride then £200 is fine. but if you want to get competitive then its worth paying the extra money.

Barry Roubaix

A work colleague has just ordered this

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/114155.html

He's going to start commuting to work and doing a few rides at the weekend. Seems a good choice.

il_principe

No one "needs" a hybrid, they're a pointless compromise. I actually started off on a Ridgeback hybrid many years ago. It getting nicked was the best thing that ever happened to it - I replaced it with a roadbike and have never looked back. My boss and a colleague both ride Gary Fisher Wingra hybrids - they are heavy, dull and equipped with triples for no apparent reason. Nasty nasty things.

As to why spend more than £200 - well the components on a £200 bike will prob be pretty poorly made and unlikely to last long, especially if you commute through winter. God knows what the frame quality will be like.

£400 - £600 will buy you a very decent bike these days though, it's worth spending the extra.