Bought Wrong Bike - Sirrus/Trek next?

Paulq

A while ago I bought a Scott Sub 30 which is great with the intended use of using this for training/more speed activity. I then, in a rush having started a new job, bought a Giant Escape 3 for commuting the 11 miles each way a couple of times a week. The Scott is great although I realise with hindsight that it's not the flat bar speed machine I thought it was but actually more of a hybrid. The Giant I'm disappointed with as it's very uncomfortable for me - see below.

Having had them both I now basically think that they are 2 very similar in purpose and I wish I hadn't bought the Giant really - aside from this observation I've not found it all that comfortable for reasons explained below - the Scott is fine.

I did actually long for a Specialized Sirrus Elite when I made the original purchases but it was out of my range then. Since then I have actually introduced the Cycle To Work Scheme at work (nice of me) so if I take the plunge for one, or something like a a Trek 7.3, then it won't actually cost too much more.

I guess I'm just curious as to how good the Sirrus is, whether it's a hybrid that can be used on stuff like canal paths etc or whether it is actually a flat bar road bike? What do owners typically think?

So - my dilemna is whether to:

(a) Persevere with both Giant and Scott as is.
(b) Flog the Giant and either use the Scott as my commuter with some 28c Marathon Plus tyres on and buy a Sirrus for my road bike escque yearnings.
(c ) Flog the Giant and buy something like a Trek 7.3 for my commuter bike which is supposed to be a cracking bike and very comfortable for commuting. Keep the Scott for the other.
I
I have a crushed disc at the top of my spine which causes real discomfort if the bike ain't comfortable; hence my dissatisfaction with the Giant - I need to be pretty upright so don't want drops really, much as I would like.

Thanks in advance.

wizzlebanger

Hi!

I'm not sure that either of your options are that far away from what you already have.

I have a Trek 7.5 fx and I can confirm that it is brilliant for commuting. It's very comfortable and reasonably quick over the ground. However, when I take it out for long rides at the weekend I realise that it's no drop barred road bike. Although that doesn't detract from my enjoyment!!!! But if all out road bike speed is what you yearn for I'm not sure any of your options will get you there.

I looked at the Sirrus range when I bought my Trek and they were pretty similar. I'd say my trek is closer to a flat barred road bike than a 'hybrid' also.

Of course if comfort is your primary concern then I can recommend the Trek as I feel I could ride it all day everyday if I needed to. Hope this helps.

Maybe something designed for long Sportives / touring would be more appropriate?? I'm sure someone can recommend something.............

Paulq

wizzlebanger wrote:

I'm not sure that either of your options are that far away from what you already have.

I looked at the Sirrus range when I bought my Trek and they were pretty similar. I'd say my trek is closer to a flat barred road bike than a 'hybrid' also.

Of course if comfort is your primary concern then I can recommend the Trek as I feel I could ride it all day everyday if I needed to. Hope this helps.

I think you may be right actually. The Giant clearly is not a good fot for me as I have tried everything to make it comfy and it just isn't. That will have to go.

Part of the reason for considering the Sirrus was it's 'sportier' look and feel plus the fact it has a 4 position adjustable stem which may be good for me.

I was a bit surprised (but take your word for it) that the Trek is a bit sportier. Of the 2 I'd have probably guessed that it was the more traditional hybrid with slightly fatter tyres etc.

Thanks for your help.

The Rookie

If you want as close as you can get to a drop barred roady with flat bars, then there are plenty of hybrids sold that match that description, the Boardman hybrids for example.

However until you understand why the Escape isn't comfortable and teh Scott is, you'll never know if another bike will be good or bad, what differences in riding poition do you think make the Scott good and the Giant bad for you?

Simon

wizzlebanger

I was a bit surprised (but take your word for it) that the Trek is a bit sportier. Of the 2 I'd have probably guessed that it was the more traditional hybrid with slightly fatter tyres etc.

I wouldn't say it was any sportier but they did feel quite similar to ride from a position and geometry point of view. The tires were only 28 v 32 so not much in them really.

In the end one man's meat is another man's potatoes so like the other reply said unless you can put your finger on what makes a ride comfortable for you then you may suffer the same if you bought another bike.

One thing that could help you when you move further up the FX range is the carbon fork and the ride longer technology Isozone that introduces some damping technology into the frame which may help you with back problems. Just a thought.

And the new range is on Trek's website now.

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/road/fx/76fx/

waddlie

GiantRapidGiantRapidGiantRapid...

Paulq

Waddlie wrote:

GiantRapidGiantRapidGiantRapid...

I must admit I have looked at those especially the Rapid 2. Are they a road bike with flat bars or a hybrid you can take on canal paths etc? The kit on them doesn't appear to be as good as on the Sirrus?

Am also a bit wary, as above, that I may have the same problem as I have with the Giant hybrid. The Sirrus has an adjustable stem which may help me.

wizzlebanger

The Sirrus has an adjustable stem which may help me

Hi Paul, just had a quick look at the picture of the Sirrus on their website and I'm not sure how 'adjustable' the stem is compared to other bikes.

My Trek came with a stem with 2 spacer rings on the stem so this is also adjustable 3 ways.

Ie you can have the stem at 3 different heights depending on your preference.

Maybe someone with a Sirrus can clear this up?

Paulq

wizzlebanger wrote:

The Sirrus has an adjustable stem which may help me

Hi Paul, just had a quick look at the picture of the Sirrus on their website and I'm not sure how 'adjustable' the stem is compared to other bikes.

My Trek came with a stem with 2 spacer rings on the stem so this is also adjustable 3 ways.

Ie you can have the stem at 3 different heights depending on your preference.

Maybe someone with a Sirrus can clear this up?

Now that would be a massive help if someone would as it's, on paper, a big draw towards that particular bike.

Thanks for your help.

sc999cs

Do you have a good local bike shop where they are willing to fit you to your bike (for a nominal fee - my lbs charges £15)? If you take your Giant in and get it fitted properly, change the stems etc it might be more comfortable.

Alternatively if you buy a replacement bike, take that to the bike shop and get it fitted correctly. With a back problem it'll be a worthwhile investment.

Paulq

sc999cs wrote:

Do you have a good local bike shop where they are willing to fit you to your bike (for a nominal fee - my lbs charges £15)? If you take your Giant in and get it fitted properly, change the stems etc it might be more comfortable.

Alternatively if you buy a replacement bike, take that to the bike shop and get it fitted correctly. With a back problem it'll be a worthwhile investment.

Another really good shout. I have a great LBS and have bought many many bikes from them over the years but the one thing the probably don't do all that well is fitting. It's a case of 'if your feet touch the floor' with little attention paid to crank length/reach etc.

I have pretty much decided to stick with what I am comfortable on for now so I am going to dispose of the Giant (shame as lovely bike - just not right for me) and tonight I have stuck some M+ tyres (28c) on the Scott and am gonna try and live with that for everything for the time being I think. Realistically it should serve me well for commuting as will be fast enough and I can take the rack on and off when I need it with minimum fuss. Whilst those tyres aren't the fastest they are narrower than the Contis that were on it so should roll well enough and I have put 100 psi in the buggers earlier.

I know that I will yearn for another bike but, having already lost half a stone since I started commuting 2 months ago I plan to get a bit fitter then maybe invest in a FB road bike which I can do justice. Although they will probably fall out with me I won't buy from my LBS as I will go somewhere that fits bikes properly - I can't afford another mistake especially one potentially more expensive.

I just have to be patient for a while I think. A Sirrus/Trek is likely to replicate what I already have and the Scott is already a nice bike - think maybe I lost sight of that. If I get another it needs to serve a different purpose.

And it gives me plenty of time to consider what to spend that lovely £1k from the C2W Scheme on

As an aside - if anyone knows of a shop in the St Helens/Merseyside area that does a professional fitting then I'd be interested to know of any experiences people have had and how they found the results.

Cheers.

fastbatard

I wouldn't be too put off by drop bars. After owning a couple of hybrids I got a road bike with drop bars and never actually use the drops but find that the variety of hand positions makes for excellent comfort.
Switching between the hoods and the flat part of the bar where you can have your hands closer together or further apart they offer far more flexibility than a flat bar with only one position (2 with bar ends fitted obviously).
Also I sold a Giant Escape 0 a few months back and got a very good price for it too.
I would be tempted to sell the Giant and buy a proper road bike for road use and keep the Scott for knocking about on.

Paulq

fastbatard wrote:

I wouldn't be too put off by drop bars. After owning a couple of hybrids I got a road bike with drop bars and never actually use the drops but find that the variety of hand positions makes for excellent comfort.
Switching between the hoods and the flat part of the bar where you can have your hands closer together or further apart they offer far more flexibility than a flat bar with only one position (2 with bar ends fitted obviously).
Also I sold a Giant Escape 0 a few months back and got a very good price for it too.
I would be tempted to sell the Giant and buy a proper road bike for road use and keep the Scott for knocking about on.

I reckon that's exactly what I will do but I would need to be convinced about drops before buying. Just out of interest what did you buy as a road bike after your hybrids?

cheaperholidays

I have the sirrus just the 399 base model

However getting the seat height correct and bit of fine tuning does take time, this is a road bike with flat bars.

So my advice would be to get your self sorted first before you go and buy another bike, when with a bit of fine tuning your existing bike will be fine, also get clipless pedals fitted.

So to get the approximate correct seat height, sit on the bike lean or hold onto someone or something and put your heal on the pedals, your leg should be straight at the bottom of the stroke.

Notice i said approximately, you need to fine tune this as you go along, get someone to check your hips are not rocking when your are riding.

I did see someone the other day riding with a seat so high that his hips were wildly rocking surprised he never tore his hip joints apart...

wizzlebanger

As an aside - if anyone knows of a shop in the St Helens/Merseyside area that does a professional fitting then I'd be interested to know of any experiences people have had and how they found the results.

I've never actually been in but Formby Cycles always looks impressive when I drive past on the way to the beach with the dog!!!

http://www.formbycycles.co.uk/

dilemna

To the OP - How can your LBS be excellent if they are unable to put you on a bike, set up a bike or establish whether a bike correctly fits you ?????!!!!

There is no point buying another bike if it doesn't fit you what ever the name or the spec.

As others have suggested above maybe you can make adjustments to your Giant so it DOES fit you properly.

These may be saddle adjustment fore or aft, up or down and tilt.
Change of stem length or angle.
Lowering or raising handle bars.
Width of handle bars and style.
Rotating handlebars if they are slighly curved to alter hand position.
Positioning of brake and or gear levers
More expensive to remedy - crank length.

I would find some who can provide you with a decent fitting service. Any GOOD LBS should be able to do this for you.

Paulq

dilemna wrote:

To the OP - How can your LBS be excellent if they are unable to put you on a bike, set up a bike or establish whether a bike correctly fits you ?????!!!!/quote]

I did qualify the statement with the caveat 'in all things except fitting' though your point is valid.

As a slight digression I received a very very random PM last night from a poster on here pulling me up about the grammar I used in an earlier post. Reason I mention it is that it related to my spelling of the word 'dilemma' which, like you, I had spelt 'dilemna'. He/she saw fit to point out my error. WTF?

Never heard of the poster before - looks like there is a poster with a grammar OCD on the loose

dilemna

Paulq wrote:

dilemna wrote:

To the OP - How can your LBS be excellent if they are unable to put you on a bike, set up a bike or establish whether a bike correctly fits you ?????!!!!/quote]

I did qualify the statement with the caveat 'in all things except fitting' though your point is valid.

As a slight digression I received a very very random PM last night from a poster on here pulling me up about the grammar I used in an earlier post. Reason I mention it is that it related to my spelling of the word 'dilemma' which, like you, I had spelt 'dilemna'. He/she saw fit to point out my error. WTF?

Never heard of the poster before - looks like there is a poster with a grammar OCD on the loose

Jeese that's out of order. She must have been from the Grammar Inquisition. Did she give you her collar number or provide her name? Report her!

Did you suggest she takes you out to dinner so she can give you words of advice and you can help her with her OCD ?

Paulq

dilemna wrote:

Jeese that's out of order. She must have been from the Grammar Inquisition. Did she give you her collar number or provide her name? Report her!

Did you suggest she takes you out to dinner so she can give you words of advice and you can help her with her OCD ?

Thought about it but, on the basis 'she' was probably a 'he' I'll give that a miss ta......

The Rookie

At the OP....

There are only 3 contact points on a bike (counting bars as one), pedals (so effectively the BB), saddle and bars, unlss a frame is too big or a LOT to small its possible to just about infinately adjust them to suite, if the Scott works and the Giant not, why not put the 2 next to each other matching the BB location and move the bits on the Giant to match where they are on the Scott, it will hopefully help you understand what it wrong on the Giant that's OK on the Scott, may restore your faith in it (or at east prove why you can't get it to work for you), but also will help you avoid the same mistake again!

Simon

Paulq

I made the fatal mistake of going into a decent bike shop on my way home this evening, one who does a full fitting and ajustment.

I now MUST HAVE a road bike. No I mean MUST HAVE so don't try and dissuade me because my ears are blocked.

OMG they had some stunning bikes - Specialized Secteur, Specialized Allez, Specialized Roubaix, Trek god knows how many AND they will shortly be stocking Cannondales.

My decision is now which bike will be best for me up to the limit of £1k.

PS: The Sirrus Elite was as nice as I expected.

sc999cs

Giant do some very nice road bikes...

You now have to choose between racer, fast tourer, tourer etc

Paulq

sc999cs wrote:

Giant do some very nice road bikes...

You now have to choose between racer, fast tourer, tourer etc

Life used to be so simple.

Paulq

Really like the look of the Secteur and the Cannondale CAAD 8 105 - both roughly the same price and spec and both look lovely bikes. Will have to wait til end Sept before I can try the 'dale though - unless am sneaky and try it somewhere else that is........

El Diego

Get a road bike, you won't regret it. I started communting on a hybrid and ended up on opting for a road bike. It's a common progression and not many people go back the other way. Just be prepared for the inevitable spending on accessories, clothing etc.

You can't go far wrong with a Cannondale. I've got a Caad9 and I love it.

Paulq

El Diego wrote:

You can't go far wrong with a Cannondale. I've got a Caad9 and I love it.

Not tried any of them yet but that and another one I spotted, the Scott Speedster S20, are probably favourites at the moment. May all change of course once I have had a sit, poke about in them.

drawblood

I started commuting on a hybrid but changed to a road bike back in January. I have a Secteur and a Boardman. Boardman is great but a bit too head down, bum up full-on and gets a bit tough after the long miles - the Secteur is more upright and you can go for miles and miles. I wasn't too sure about going to Road bikes as I am pretty chunky but It was best thing I ever did - like moving to a rocket ship going up hills!!!
Don't wait another moment...go for it!!

fastbatard

Paulq wrote:

fastbatard wrote:

I wouldn't be too put off by drop bars. After owning a couple of hybrids I got a road bike with drop bars and never actually use the drops but find that the variety of hand positions makes for excellent comfort.
Switching between the hoods and the flat part of the bar where you can have your hands closer together or further apart they offer far more flexibility than a flat bar with only one position (2 with bar ends fitted obviously).
Also I sold a Giant Escape 0 a few months back and got a very good price for it too.
I would be tempted to sell the Giant and buy a proper road bike for road use and keep the Scott for knocking about on.

I reckon that's exactly what I will do but I would need to be convinced about drops before buying. Just out of interest what did you buy as a road bike after your hybrids?

I bought a B'Twin Sport 1 from Decathlon which was great for the money but then my employer started a C2W scheme so I got a Specialized Allez Elite which I love.