Cheap and cheerful replacement hybrid

HavanaBlaugrana
HavanaBlaugrana Posts: 19
edited December 2010 in Commuting general
My 3 year old hybrid seems to be giving up the ghost - disk brakes forever breaking etc. Does anyone have any ideas for a cheap and cheerful (under £400) London commuting hybrid, I really dont want disk brakes (as I cant fix them easily) and given the beating the bike takes the cheaper the better.

Specialised Sirrus sport seems ok - maybe a Scott sub?

Any help before I dive into the shop and buy would be gratefully received.

Cheers

Comments

  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Spend the money on your current hybrid.

    Hydro-disc brakes, decent wheels and new drivetrain will make it far better than a £400 hybrid.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Carrera Gryphon, Disc is £300 right now V will be cheaper, good review on here. cable discs are easier to fix than V's!

    Or as has been said, spend some money on yours to replace (not fix) and have a better bike for it!

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    Have a look for 2010 or 2009 Kona Dews - or Kona Smokes if you want steel.
  • laughingontheinside
    laughingontheinside Posts: 65
    I've been looking for something similar and was shown a Kona Dew City in my LBS yesterday. It's a 700c fully rigid hybrid with full length mudguards and rear rack retailing at £350. My LBS will do it for £310. Can't find anything on the Kona website about it or any other site but LBS assure me when ordered they will have it in a week. That's what any Christmas money will be spent on :D .
  • Berk Bonebonce
    Berk Bonebonce Posts: 1,245
    700c sucks.

    You have a lower centre of gravity with 26" and this makes for more assured handling, which can be important for a commuter bike. I bought a Dawes Saratoga and while back, fitted a new saddle, full length SKS mudguards and 2.0" Schwalbe Big Apple.
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    The Beginner wrote:
    Carrera Gryphon, Disc is £300 right now V will be cheaper, good review on here. cable discs are easier to fix than V's!

    Or as has been said, spend some money on yours to replace (not fix) and have a better bike for it!

    Simon

    I ran a subway 1 for a couple of years and it was a great bike for the price, i only got rid of it because i preferred a turn of speed that a roady gives me, mind you a wimped out last week on slicks when a guy who had the subway carried on regardless :shock:
    FCN 3/5/9
  • AndyOgy
    AndyOgy Posts: 579
    g00se wrote:
    Have a look for 2010 or 2009 Kona Dews - or Kona Smokes if you want steel.

    +1 for the Kona Smoke.

    I got one from Rutland Cycles for £200. Really strong frame and a nice ride. The forks alone are worth about £70. I changed the wheels for some narrower rimmed ones and I'll change the gripshifts when I get around to it.

    I really don't think that there's a better hybrid available for the money. I certainly won't need to replace it anytime soon.

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