Ridgeback Flight vs Scott Sub 10 Classic - your thoughts?

timrude

Hello there,

I am new to this forum but it seems to have some knowledgeable members so hopefully you can help me.

I am looking to upgrade my current bike (3yr old Ridgeback Cyclone) through my employers Cycle 2 Work scheme.

Commute is 3.5 miles there, 8back (extra exercise on way home).

I want a sports hybrid with disk brakes (theres a steep hill which ends at a blind bend with petrol station/McDonalds) and its not fun when cars pull out on you!

I am caught in 2 minds between Scott Sub 10 Classic and Ridgeback Flight 3 (5 is too expensive, 4 only has single chainset).

Does anyone have any experience of either of these bikes, or can you off any other suggestions? (Budget is up to £800)

Cycle to work is via Halfords - does anyone know if they are ok at sourcing bikes other than their own?

biondino

Why do you want a hybrid rather than a road bike?

il_principe

biondino wrote:

Why do you want a hybrid rather than a road bike?

Ditto. I know it's not constructive, but £800 will get you a good roadbike. I started on a Ridgeback hybrid some years back, when it got stolen I replaced it with a roadbike and have never looked back.

R25 Flyer

Welcome timrude,

No direct experience of either but I like my Ridgeback which has disc brakes. Both of the bikes you're considering have hydraulic discs which I would recommend over cable ones.

The main difference between the two bikes you're considering is in the gearing. The Ridgeback uses a compact chainring with a 25 as the largest sprocket. As such it should be fine for all but the steepest hills. The Scott has similar gearing to your current Cyclone so should be appropriate to get up that steep hill you ride. The Ridgeback will be a bit faster but if you want to go off road at weekends, the Scott will be more comfortable.

Halfords should be able to get you any bike.

The number of bikes meeting your criteria has grown quite a bit over the last year or so (not so many when I was looking) so some good internet bashing should throw up some alternatives.

The main thing to try to narrow down options is to decide if you want speed from a flat bar road bike running a compact chainring and sprockets up to 25 or something more urbany running a triple chainring with sprockets upto 32 or so for more comfort.

Good luck on the search!

timrude

Thanks all,

The main reason for Hybrid rather than a road bike is so I can have the disk brakes, and also because (i think?) they'll be slightly more "sturdy" on the roads we've got up here in t'Yorkshire.

I can ride to work and back on the big ring at the moment so I am ssuming that if I get a 25 max sprocket, I'd be able to drop onto a smaller chainring to compensate on the steepest hills.

I also like the riding position on my present bike - I broke my arm at the elbow a couple of years ago so if keep my arm in one position too long it starts to ache.

il_principe

timrude wrote:

Thanks all,

The main reason for Hybrid rather than a road bike is so I can have the disk brakes, and also because (i think?) they'll be slightly more "sturdy" on the roads we've got up here in t'Yorkshire.

The brakes on road bikes are designed to cope with high speed alpine descents and are absolutely fine for the UK. As for sturdy, I understand that people think road bikes are frail, they aren't, and will be fine in Yorkshire.

timrude wrote:

I can ride to work and back on the big ring at the moment so I am ssuming that if I get a 25 max sprocket, I'd be able to drop onto a smaller chainring to compensate on the steepest hills.

Not sure about hybrids, but road bikes rear cassettes are easily changes so you can have anything from a 21 to a 29 at the back.

timrude wrote:

I also like the riding position on my present bike - I broke my arm at the elbow a couple of years ago so if keep my arm in one position too long it starts to ache.

Drop bars on road bikes actually offer 3 hand positions - far more options than flat bars.

Apologies if I'm being pushy here, but having owned a hybrid originally, I'm so glad it was stolen. Roadbikes are just miles better. Of course if you want to go off road then they are no good, but a cross bike is another option.

Cheers.

biondino

It's fair to say that if you know your regular rides, commutes or otherwise, will involve a lot of bad road, then you might not want a 23mm, 120psi tyre choice as you'll end up filling-less and with numbness in all your extremities. But you don't need to run a road bike on such slimline wheels - just look for models with greater clearance. And if you're still uncertain, try a cyclocross bike - there are some excellent ones in your price bracket, they can go off road, and they're certainly as study as a hybrid but a lot quicker.

biondino

For example, the Focus Cross Disc - £720!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus ... 360031290/

Though if you're not either very tall or very small, how about the 2009 Focus Mares for £799?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus ... 360037602/

timrude

For example, the Focus Cross Disc - £720!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Focus ... 360031290/

I must admit I didn't realise such bikes existed. Looks good though.

Guess I'll have to start my search all over - D'OH

timrude

The Focus cross disk 2008 is discontinued in my size and next years model is £899

Found this though
http://www.airevalleycycles.com/product ... 1s200p4513

2tired2ride

Have you looked at the Boardman's? Cos they are very nice! The new 09 models will be coming out late this month to early next month some time and the new Urban Team now comes with a carbon fork as well as sealed hubs, discs, compact chainset, flat bars etc....



It's worth a thought.

R25 Flyer

I'd echo 2tired in saying have a look at the Boardman bikes if you want the flat bars. They are nice and I believe they are filing out the range a bit to giev more choice.

Mind you that Marin Toscana is a good looking bike and looks to be good vfm.

Happy searching - quite envious...

itboffin

Ah ha! so now we know why jash hates hybrids so much, do you still cry at night jash? do you...? :twisted:

I started on a Ridgeback hybrid some years back, when it got stolen.

Jen J

itboffin wrote:

Ah ha! so now we know why jash hates hybrids so much, do you still cry at night jash? do you...? :twisted:

Are you stalking him too now? No wonder the poor boy's in tears... :twisted:

itboffin

Jen J wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Ah ha! so now we know why jash hates hybrids so much, do you still cry at night jash? do you...? :twisted:

Are you stalking him too now? No wonder the poor boy's in tears... :twisted:

Now now, we leave the stalking to Biondino and Don_Don

biondino

Me? Hang on, who have I stalked!!

itboffin

biondino wrote:

Me? Hang on, who have I stalked!!

Just kidding old chap I thought you'd been a little quiet lately.

timrude

Have you looked at the Boardman's? Cos they are very nice! The new 09 models will be coming out late this month to early next month some time and the new Urban Team now comes with a carbon fork as well as sealed hubs, discs, compact chainset, flat bars etc..

I did look at the Boardman's but I read a couple of reviews somewhere (here?) that weren't too good and I'm not particularly keen on the bar-ends they come with - although admittedly I could change them.

Where did you get the image of the new one? I looked on the Boardman bikes site last week and they still had 08 models, Halfords has the 09 models but I thought the 09 hybrids have front suspension which I don't want.

2tired2ride

timrude wrote:

Where did you get the image of the new one? I looked on the Boardman bikes site last week and they still had 08 models, Halfords has the 09 models but I thought the 09 hybrids have front suspension which I don't want.

The boardman's are great I'm got the team and I really like mine!

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/halfords-launches-new-boardman-bike-range-19027

The hybrids don't have front sus but their is a Sport MTB?

There's nothing wrong with the bar ends, you can take them off if you don't like them but really their fine.