Cheap hub gear bike

mroli

I posted this first in the road buying section, but not a lot of response - so I thought I'd test you guys here even though the bike isn't going to be used that much for "commuting", more pottering.

I'm looking for something for my father in law. He is 65ish and not going to be ragging it around, I thought of a hub gear as it will be low maintenance for him and easy to use. Mostly ridden on country lanes, a little town riding. He has been riding an old foldie for years, but I think that a nice hybrid type bike (possibly panniers, defo mudguards) would be a good way of incentivising him to ride more.

What do you think?

I've found the following:

GT Transeo: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GT-TRANSEO-LTD-NE ... 5885ef01e4

Carrera Subway 8: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534

or
Charge Tap:
http://s233299868.e-shop.info/shop/arti ... ml?pse=coa

I have the feeling this may well be a bit too "cool" for him though...

I also think that the Rohloff/Alfine options are probably going to be too much (eg Cannondale Bad Boy/Cotic Road Rat - I've read the Alfine thread on here) - but any other advice would be gratefully received.

as you can see, around the £300 mark would be perfect, if we could get it cheaper that would be amazing. Oh. And anywhere that accepts the cycle2work scheme (as run by your friendly neighbourhood Halfords) would be even better, but not a deal breaker.

Thanks all....

supersonic

Comfort is going to be very important - can he visit these shops and try them out?

That said, I can't see the money in the Charge.

bumpitybump

One of my friends got his father in law a Halfords Carrera subway bike and it went down really well. It wasn't used for a lot of miles and the simplicity of the hub gear really appealed.

I looked closely myself at a hub geared option for a commuter, most of them cost upwards of £500 so you've found some good deals already.

another option from Evans own brand..Mean Streak

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/mean-streak-30-2009-hybrid-bike-ec018134

There was also a more traditional looking bike from Pinnacle in their 2009 range called the Stratus which had the SRAM hub, it was being discounted at Evans last month but now looks sold out - it was the Stratus 3.0. This had a SRAM 9 speed hub which on paper looked superiour to the Shimano Nexus and Alfine hubs as the gear ratios were more evenly spaced. ( Rohloff hubs looked even better but far too much money ! )

Anyway here is the Stratus

]http://www.pinnacle-bikes.co.uk/2009+Bikes/Hybrid-Commuter/Stratus/?contentId=1496

mroli

Thanks guys - I've also found the following:

Nemesis Mean Streak: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/rid ... e-ec001137

Again - a bit too much I think...

Cannondale Street 2: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec000163 Looks a bit clunky but apparently is NOT a step through.

Agree with the comfort part too though - TBH he's not going to be doing massive miles on it. The Charge does look a bit "street warrior" for my father in law!

emdeef

I have a Subway 8, a 20", which I used for commuting for a year. The only change I made was to add a rack. It does fine now for trips into town for shopping or the library. It is reasonably comfortable (suspension seat post) and survives on negligable maintenance.

The Rookie

A chap at work has a Sub as does the daughters ex-BF, neither are hub geared, but the rest of the bike has been super reliable in both cases, also some Sub's have a shock absorbing seatpost which I'm sure a 65yo derrier would appreciate!

Simon

mroli

Great - and its Cycle to Work as well, so it looks like the way forward - thanks for all your help guys.

mroli

Although I have just found this:

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Dawes-Geneva-20 ... _33004.htm

Anyone got any experience of the Dawes Geneva?

markybhoy67

I have the ridgeback nemesis, had it for two years now and I think it is a great bike for the money 8)

shouldbeinbed

mroli wrote:

Cannondale Street 2: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec000163 Looks a bit clunky but apparently is NOT a step through.

I've got the 2009 male version of this one. its a discontinued model now and they're like hens teeth to find but I like mine a lot. (£1300 new so they're really slashing the prices to get rid)

theres a Street Nexus too which is the thick end of £800 new but is a total jeep of a bike and no doubt will fall a lot closer to price range if you can find one from last year. I test rode one at Leisure Lakes last year and it was a nice enough bike, a tad heavy but it's hub gear and dynamo'd & ready for carrying a piano or whizzing along unloaded.

you might do well to have a look on cannondales own site under the recereational tab. theres a few hubbed options but they're not going to be £300.