Time to begin a new journey

Jarvo27

Been reading through the posts for the last day or so and have decided to go for a new bike. I had my old MTB stolen the other day from the university campus after only cycling in for a week. It was my own fault in a way as the bike was 7 years old but it was a full suspension bike and I just put a cheap £6 lock on it from Wilkinsons thinking that would be a deterrent for the thief's but it seemed it wasn't. When I reported it they did say it was the first stolen cycle since July of last year so it isn't a crime hot spot. Anyway I have been looking at getting a new bike and by the sounds of it if I buy a hybrid I will regret it after a few months and then buy a road bike anyway. But I don't want a MTB but I don't want a full on road bike as I would feel that I would be out of my depth and a hybrid would be a stepping stone as I have never really done continued distance commuting. At the moment my commute is 2 miles each way to the uni and then 5.5 miles to where I work which I think are both achievable.

The bike that I have been looking at is the Giant Escape M2 2009 for £289. http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Escape-M2 ... _20158.htm

My main concern with it is the wheels in that they are not the 700 wheels like on some hybrids, would this be a issue? If anyone knows of a better bike on that website for around the same budget or even up to £320 area then any help would be greatly appreciated. Unfortunately the bike has to be bought of this website as it offers finance which I need.

UndercoverElephant

We roadie types do like to wind-up the hybrids, but I'm sure some of them are quite happy on their steeds.

The Escape M2 is basically a no-sus mountain bike with slightly thinner wheels, they call it a hybrid, but in reality, that's all it is. I've heard tell that hybrids get targeted by thieves much more than MTBs, which in turn get targeted more than road bikes. Your commute is relatively short, so whatever bike you get will probably be OK.

Personally, I'd go for an older racer second hand and save myself some money.

Jay dubbleU

I had an M2 for about 12 months - brilliant beginners bike - lighter and faster than an MTB but tougher than a road bike - having said that I have now succumbed to the dark side

laughingboy

I appreciate a joke or two about hybrids, but really I think that the categorisation of bikes is a tribalism that helps almost no-one. All hybrids are not the same, all road bikes are not the same, all mountain bikes - you get the idea.

If you look at say the Boardman range of bikes, you'll see what I mean. They are well-regarded road bikes. The Hybrids are cheaper. So what is the difference between the Comp road bike at £649 and the Team hybrid, also at £649? Basically, you are buying the same frame, and similar forks. I'm not sure that there is a big real world disparity between the components, except perhaps the wheels - where on a commuting bike, unlike serious race-types, you might favour strength over lightness, anyway.

So, (perhaps to oversimplify) the difference between a hybrid and a road bike in this instance boils down to: one has drop handlbars and caliper brakes, and the other has disc brakes and straight handlebars: discs v drops. The hybrid weighs a bit more than the road bike. Big deal.

So, my advice would be to buy the bike that you think will suit you. Forget the labels.

P.S. - If you know your onions, I'd second Undercover Elephant's tip about buying second hand. I ride a second hand touring bike on my commute - and I overtake some expensive bicycles.

cyberknight

I did 10 miles each way for over a year on a carrera subway 1 , basically the same bike but normal v brakes rather than disks and it was fine,the upshot is 700c wheels are bigger and have less rolling resistance vs lighter but more resistance.

Over the distance you will be doing tbh the difference will be seconds i would have thought.

Some people prefer drops and some flats , i ride both and the flats give more control at low speeds whereas the drops mean you can get a more aero position to save those few seconds.It all depends on your journey and what suits you. Get down to a local bike shop and try a few for size to see what feels more comfortable to you.

For commuting i always look for points where i can add mudgaurds + rack, i know they can be retro fitted but i prefer to have dedicated holes ... <insert jokes about beardy touring bloke`s >.

If you like drops check out the carrera virtuosso for £329, very good value for money .

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710

or if you prefer flats

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65534#dtab


I always recommend the virtuosso as it got best sub £400 bike in cycling plus last year, i myself am trying to convince Mrs CK to let me have the next one up next time work run the cycle to work scheme

cyberknight

Edit !

Yes you can get a good deal second hand if you can spot the duffers from the good bikes.

I use a second hand roady for my main commuter and for the £80 odd quid it cost it is great .