Bike advice

enepi

Hello all
I have a budget of £300 to buy a bike, mainly for commuting and easy rides, nothing too extreme or crazy, and mostly in London and surrounding areas than in the countryside.

I would really appreciate some help to decide what to go for. See below what I have checked so far that I like.

Many thanks

Pinnacle Stratus 1.0 E 2010 Hybrid Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec021927

Pinnacle Mean Streak 1.0 2010 Hybrid Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... 8#features

GT Transeo 4.0 2009 Hybrid Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gt/ ... 96#reviews

Kona Smoke 2.9 Deore 2009 Hybrid Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kon ... e-ec017266

Gary Fisher Wingra 2010 Hybrid Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gar ... 96#reviews

Carrera Subway Ltd Men's Hybrid 18"
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534

supersonic

There is not too much in them, just minor variations in gearing and spec.

The Stratus has a lot of extras thrown in with the racks which may be a bonus.

The GT seems the best value on spec, especially the 8 speed drivetrain, and the sus fork adds comfort - but weight.


I would visit the stores and see what feels best to sit on.

lardboy

Kona Smoke, only £200 delivered from Rutland Cycles

Great steel frame, mudguards as standard, and rack fittings if you need them. Bung on some slick tyres, and you'll be bombing around like a teenager in no time! I've had the old 26" wheel version as my shopping and wet weather bike for a couple of years, and it's a great ride. The 700c wheels will be nicer on the road, and sort out the slight under gearing I've always felt on the 26". At that price, you could pick up the bike, new tyres, gloves and a helmet for under £300.

wgwarburton

supersonic wrote:

There is not too much in them, just minor variations in gearing and spec.

The Stratus has a lot of extras thrown in with the racks which may be a bonus.

The GT seems the best value on spec, especially the 8 speed drivetrain, and the sus fork adds comfort - but weight.


I would visit the stores and see what feels best to sit on.

Usual advice is to avoid suspension at this price-point- there are better ways for the manufacturer to allocate such a tight budget.

The Carrera Subway is often recommended as good value, or if you can get to an Edinburgh Bicycle Coop then their Revolution range are generally very sensibly specified.

Cheers,
W.

g00se

If you like the Kona - another one to consider is:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kona/dew-2010-hybrid-bike-ec021770?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

it'll be a bit light - though aluminium rather than steel.

wgwarburton

lardboy wrote:

Kona Smoke, only £200 delivered from Rutland Cycles

Great steel frame, mudguards as standard, and rack fittings if you need them. Bung on some slick tyres, and you'll be bombing around like a teenager in no time! I've had the old 26" wheel version as my shopping and wet weather bike for a couple of years, and it's a great ride. The 700c wheels will be nicer on the road, and sort out the slight under gearing I've always felt on the 26". At that price, you could pick up the bike, new tyres, gloves and a helmet for under £300.

Good point- accessories.

You don't say what experience/equipment you already have but it's easy to spend money on unnecessary extras, so be careful.
A waterproof is of limited use- it doesn't actually rain that often and when it does you'll get sweaty anyway. Better to find clothes that are comfortable when wet. Windproof synthetics, thermals etc. Aldi & Lidl do some very cheap & cheerful gear.
You'll need lights come autumn, maybe not just yet?
Lots of people will tell you a helmet is a must- but cycling's basically pretty safe, so plenty of sensible people choose not to wear one.
Gloves, on the other hand, can be a big help (if you do fall off you'll probably use your hands to protect your head!!). Again, they don't need to be fancy... I use leather rigger gloves to keep the wind off when it's chilly- they are tough but not sweaty!!
I like to have mudguards, others think them a waste.
Spare tubes, basic tools are useful. Most maintenance can be DIY for people with quite basic skills. Service at a bike shop can add up quite quickly as the labour costs are significant.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
W.

enepi

First, many thanks to all for the quick and useful advice.

I am aiming just for the bike to replace the one I already have as it got a bit too old and worn out.
I have all the basic accesories: helmet, lights, lock, gloves, clothes... as I have been riding for over 5 years in London.

Cheers

dhope

enepi wrote:

First, many thanks to all for the quick and useful advice.

I am aiming just for the bike to replace the one I already have as it got a bit too old and worn out.
I have all the basic accesories: helmet, lights, lock, gloves, clothes... as I have been riding for over 5 years in London.

Cheers

Do you need gears for London? Would you consider single speed?

enepi

London is fairly flat but I'd still prefer gears in case I go to the countryside or if I moe in the future

cheers