New to Commuting - Advice on Hybrids Appreciated!

Scrappaman

Hi All,

I read these forums a lot and I know that there are multiple threads asking for advice on buying a new bike. I apologise for adding to that list but I would appreciate the expertise of the forum users here!

I have managed to get my firm to sign up to the Cycle to Work Scheme. My commute is only 8 miles each way and has only 2 hills, so is pretty easy. I am looking to buy a bike upto the £750(ish) price range and appreciate the increased visibility and stability of hybrid bikes.

I currently ride a Giant Rock mountain bike and it's a pretty heavy piece of kit so I am looking for something light and fast that can handle carrying a rack bar.

My current favourites are:
The Specialized Sirrus Comp (£699)
Frame:
Specialized A1 Premium aluminium, fully manipulated tubing, smooth weld compact design, internal cable routing , integrated headset, fender and rack eyelets
Fork:
Specialized FACT carbon legs, aluminium crown and steerer, fender eyelets
Front Derailleur:
Shimano Alivio, top swing
Rear Derailleur:
Shimano Deore LX
Shifters:
Shimano Alivio
Chainset:
Shimano 443 with chainguard
Chainrings:
48 x 36 x 26T
Cassette:
Shimano Alivio, 9-speed, 11-32
Chain:
HG-73
Pedals:
Black cage, body & toe clips with strap
Front Brake:
Forged 6061 aluminium, 85mm linear pull with cartridge pads
Rear Brake:
Forged 6061 aluminium, 85mm linear pull with cartridge pads
Brake Levers:
Tektro forged alloy
Handlebars:
Specialized 2014 alloy, 5-degree bend
Stem:
Specialized Elite-Set, 3D forged alloy, 4-position adjustable, 4-bolt 31.8mm clamp
Headset:
1 1/8" sealed Cr-Mo bearings integrated with headset, 20mm alloy cone spacer with 20mm of spacers
Grips:
Body Geometry locking Comfort Grips open-end with plug, alloy bar end
Rims:
Alex 5480 double-wall rims
Front Hub:
Forged alloy, sealed bearing, Quick Release, 32 hole
Rear Hub:
Forged alloy, double-sealed, cassette, Quick Release, 32 hole
Spokes:
Stainless 14g
Front Tyre:
Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite, 700x28c, Aramid bead, 120TPI, with lightweight puncture protection
Rear Tyre:
Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite, 700x28c, Aramid bead, 120TPI, with lightweight puncture protection
Tubes:
Standard presta valve
Saddle:
Body Geometry Riva Road, 155mm width
Seatpost:
Specialized Elite, carbon wrapped alloy, two-bolt clamp, 27.2mm
Seat Binder:
Alloy, 31.8mm
Extra Features:
Chain stay protector, chain catcher, clips and straps, derailleur hanger, clear coat
Weight:
Approx. 24lbs (10.89kg) for the Large Size. (PLEASE NOTE: Weight is approximate and is provided by Evans Cycles as a guide only, actual weight may vary due to manufacturing processes and other factors)


The Specialized Sirrus Elite (£549.99)
Frame:
Specialized A1 Premium aluminium, fully manipulated tubing, smooth weld compact design, internal cable routing , integrated headset, fender and rack eyelets
Fork:
Specialized FACT carbon legs, aluminium crown and steerer, fender eyelets
Front Derailleur:
Shimano Altus
Rear Derailleur:
Shimano Deore
Shifters:
Shimano EF-51, EZ Fire
Chainset:
Shimano FCM171
Chainrings:
48 x 38 x 28T with chainguard
Bottom Bracket:
Sealed cartridge, square taper, 68mm
Cassette:
Shimano HG-40, 8-speed, 11-32
Chain:
KMC Z-51
Pedals:
Composite flat pedal
Front Brake:
Forged 6061 aluminium, 85mm linear pull with cartridge pads
Rear Brake:
Forged 6061 aluminium, 85mm linear pull with cartridge pads
Brake Levers:
Shimano EF-51 integrated with shifter
Handlebars:
Specialized 2014 alloy, 5-degree bend
Stem:
Specialized Elite-Set, 3D forged alloy, 4-position adjustable, 4-bolt 31.8mm clamp
Headset:
1 1/8" sealed Cr-Mo bearings integrated with headset, 20mm alloy cone spacer with 20mm of spacers
Grips:
Body Geometry locking Comfort Grips open-end with plug, alloy bar end
Rims:
Alex AS-14, double wall
Front Hub:
Forged alloy, sealed bearing, Quick Release, 32 hole
Rear Hub:
Forged alloy, double-sealed, cassette, Quick Release, 32 hole
Spokes:
Stainless 14g
Front Tyre:
Specialized All Condition Sport, 700x28c, wire bead, 60TPI with Flak Jacket protection
Rear Tyre:
Specialized All Condition Sport, 700x28c, wire bead, 60TPI with Flak Jacket protection
Tubes:
Standard presta valve
Saddle:
Body Geometry Riva Road, 155mm width
Seatpost:
Specialized Sport, alloy, two-bolt clamp, 27.2mm
Seat Binder:
Alloy, 31.8mm
Extra Features:
Chain stay protector, chain catcher, clips and straps, derailleur hanger, clear coat
Weight:
Approx. 23.44lbs (10.63kg) for the XLarge Size. (PLEASE NOTE: Weight is approximate and is provided by Evans Cycles as a guide only, actual weight may vary due to manufacturing processes and other factors)

The Giant Rapid 3 (£620)
Fork Advanced-Grade, Alloy OverDrive Steerer
Shock N / A
Components
Handlebar Giant Sport flat bar
Stem Giant Sport
Seatpost Giant Sport
Saddle Giant Defy
Pedals Wellgo Caged w/ Clips
Drivetrain
Shifters Shimano SL-R225/R221 24 speed
Front Derailleur Shimano R453
Rear Derailleur Shimano Sora
Brakes Tektro TK R358
Brake Levers Shimano
Cassette SRAM PG850 12-26
Chain KMC Z7
Crankset FSA Tempo 30/42/52
Bottom Bracket RPM Cartridge
Wheels
Rims Giant S-R 2 DW aluminium
Hubs Shimano 2200 rear/Formula front
Spokes Stainless Steel
Tires Giant P-R3 Flatguard 700x25mm front/rear specific compound


Trek 7.5 FX (£689)
Frame:
FX Alpha Black Aluminium
Fork:
Bontrager Nebula alloy disc with Clix dropouts
Front Derailleur:
Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur:
Shimano Deore LX
Number of Gears:
27
Shifters:
Shimano Deore trigger
Chainset:
Shimano M443 Octalink
Chainrings:
48/36/26 tooth
Cassette:
SRAM PG-950 9 speed 11-26 tooth
Pedals:
Alloy body with alloy cage
Front Brake:
Shimano M445 hydraulic disc
Rear Brake:
Shimano M445 hydraulic disc
Brake Levers:
Shimano
Handlebars:
Bontrager Satellite Plus Iso Zone Oversized, 25mm rise
Stem:
Bontrager SSR 10 degree
Headset:
Slimstak, semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Rims:
Bontrager SSR
Front Hub:
Bontrager SSR
Rear Hub:
Bontrager SSR
Front Tyre:
Bontrager Race All Weather Hard-Case 700x32c
Rear Tyre:
Bontrager Race All Weather Hard-Case 700x32c
Saddle:
Bontrager H2 Flex Form
Seatpost:
Bontrager Nebula

I appreciate that it takes some effort to go through all these stats, and I appreciate the time that people might take to look at them. I'll post links when I figure out how...

Which one would you guys pick out of this bunch, and why?

I have ridden the Specialized Sirrus Elite today and enjoyed it, though I would happily pay extra for the comp model if the equipment I got justified the extra money. If anyone could shed some light on whether or it's worth the extra money, that would be great.

Thanks for reading this!

geordiefella

theres only two bikes there. Specialized or Trek. I'd concentrate more on the bike and its frame, how comfy you feel etc than on the spec. you'd be mad not to think about the Cannondale CAADcx Tiagra. Looks like a good road/commute bike balance.

CarlosDSanchez

I started out with a sirrus elite and found it okay. Now use a road bike as well which is way quicker and lighter. Sirrus has been relegated to bad weather and load carrying status....

Try them all see which one feels best, if more than one feels good, buy the one that you like the look of most.


and try a roadbike, they feel unstable, weird riding position at first, but do 10 miles on one and then get back on the hybrid, you will wish you had the road bike in the first place.

Scrappaman

Thanks for your reply guys, I appreciate the feedback. I have been told that a road bike is much better suited to doing journeys of 10 miles or more, and my leisure rides are never less than 15 or 20 miles. Can anyone tell me what it is that makes a road bike preferable to a hybrid over longer distances?

The cyclocross bikes look like a lovely compromise, but friends have told me that they are designed for fast trail/rough use, whilst I will be using roads 90% of the time. Is a cyclocross likely to be as fast over the tarmac as a hybrid?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my obvious questions!

leedsmjh

You go faster on a road bike and can flick it around easier so it's more fun on road.
The different hand positions with drop bars make a difference to hand/wrist comfort on a longer ride and also mean you can stretch out or sit up to move your back around. You can do all this to a much lesser extent on a flatbar hydrid if you have bar ends.
Cyclocross vs hybrid speed is likely to be down to tyre choice as much as anything else. CX bikes are a hoot off-road BTW, though I've never been game to do anything too rough and l'm not so fond of cantilever brakes.

Try a few different types of bikes out.

Scrappaman

Thanks for the reply! I visited my LBS again today to look at a nice compromise between comfort and speed and looked at a Specialized Secteur which looks to be a more comfortable ride whilst allowing me to stretch out and use different hand positions.

Does anyone have any experience with the Secteur? It would be the Sport version that I would be going for as it is in the price range. If anyone has any experience or thoughts on this bike then that would be great.

Thanks again for your replies.

symo

Yeah Secteur is good bike, see quite a few round here in Fleet.

Had a hybrid but pretty quickly wanted drops. The dew deluxe is now the GF's bike.

topperuk

If you do decide to go down the road bike route as opposed to the hybrid and you're happy to spend around £700 then you can get a much better bike than the secteur if you shop around (and maybe see if there are any last season bargains to be snapped up).

I had my heart set on a Secteur but once I tried a different bike with a tiagra chainset it changed my mind totally (the brakes are a bit light on the Secteur too). If I had bought the Secteur I think I'd be slightly disappointed now.

Try and ride as many as you can before you part with your cash - you're going to spend a lot of time together!

IanLD

Have an Orbea Aspin road bike and an Orbea Carpe H10 hybrid (as well as my old Wester Ross road bike from racing days and Diamondback mountain bike).

I've recently ridden 56 miles from my house to Loch Lomond and back on the hybrid and really enjoyed it. Did over 100 miles another weekend. Great for the cycle route with bumps, broken glass etc and takes mudguards (SKS P45 with some cutting). I've changed the saddle to a road bike one and fitted Outland Solo bar ends and grips. Also fitted Shimano M540 pedals.

It offers great ride and versatility and despite the heavy wheels can move at a decent pace.

The Aspin road bike is lighter, much more responsive and offers a much wider choice of positions to ride. I use it for road use or cycle lanes where I reckon there won't be too much glass (such as the A77 or Lochwinnoch route).

If I could only get one bike and wanted something that would cope with anything I threw at it, I'd get a decent hybrid that can take mudguards. Hydraulic discs (I've got Formula RX) add decent stopping power.

Road bike with decent clearances for larger tyres and mudguards would offer a lot too, but with some of the weight advantage and response traded off.

atyl1972

Hi guys, also in need of some advice on a hybrid. I've been looking at the Orbea Carpe H30, here's the link...http://www.orbea.com/au-us/bicis/modelo ... esentacion

Can anyone shed any light on the brand of Orbea, or this bike in particular, mainly I want a hybrid for fitness and some cycle path riding also, any advice or info is readily appreciated...

jp1970

Scrappaman

I started off with a Sirrus Elite just to pootle around.... at the time the bike was the best thing since sliced bread.Having previously moved from a Carerra MTB.

Started to clock up the mileage on the Sirrus (circa 100 miles per week), then i started to notice that i was being passed by road bikes, also at the cafe stops i noticed that most of the riders were on road bikes. Got talking to a few of the guys and managed to blag a short ride on a ride bike, i was blown away with the speed and acceleration of a road book. Spent the next few weeks convincing myself that two bikes is more than enough !!!. Then one day popped into LBS to purchase some tube and ended up 'walking out' with a Sectuer Elite. The bike is sooooo comfortable and smooth it brings a smile to myface each time i go for a spin.

During the weekend i picked up a 2nd hand carbon Look 585, It's being built up on Friday morning... I can't wait to take it for a spin.

In hindsight i'm glad i have progressed through the 'bike chain', as i constantly take each one of the bikes for a spin, be it the commute to work on the Sirrus, a fast spin on the sectuer and getting down and dirty with the MTB.
Current bike count is 3 + 1 Frame... my six year old son is also on his 4th bike !!!!. Like father like son !!!!

noisepolluter

Scrappaman wrote:

Thanks for your reply guys, I appreciate the feedback. I have been told that a road bike is much better suited to doing journeys of 10 miles or more, and my leisure rides are never less than 15 or 20 miles. Can anyone tell me what it is that makes a road bike preferable to a hybrid over longer distances?

The cyclocross bikes look like a lovely compromise, but friends have told me that they are designed for fast trail/rough use, whilst I will be using roads 90% of the time. Is a cyclocross likely to be as fast over the tarmac as a hybrid?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my obvious questions!

I have to say at this point that I've been commuting (7 miles each way) on a flat-bar, alu-frame hybrid for about 9 months and tried a drop bar CX (steel frame) for the first time yesterday. The extra comfort and smoothness were quite noticeable (making the hybrid ride seem somewhat brutal) and I'm giving serious thought to switching over to CX (currently considering Surly Cross Check amongst others). The lower riding position actually felt more stable and in control - maybe due to lower centre of gravity?

So would definitely try some CX's, could be a real eye-opener.

apreading

You can get steel frame hybrids too. The brutal ride is likely down the the alu frame rather than the flat bars. I am thinking about steel next time around for a smoother ride...

Still not wanting drops though - had them before but prefer flats with bar ends.

godders1

I have steel and alu framed bikes. Both are set up well for me and both are very comfortable and with the same width tyres (and they both have the same saddle too) neither seems harsher than the other over rougher surfaces.

Sheldon Brown says it's a myth that alu frames are "harsh" (or that frame material alone has that much of an effect on comfort at all), based on my own experiences I tend to think he's right.

http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html

chorlton chimp

I ride a Secteur Sport and love it to bits. My one piece of advice on Specialized bikes is 'Don't pay full price'.

They make a cracking bike and the frames have a life time warranty but are underspecced at RRP. They have very comfy contact points in saddle and tape but the stock tyres are (IMHO) rubbish. Don't roll very well and puncture far too easily, but £45 or so remedies that.

If you go down the hybrid route an extra few quidgets you a 2011 Sirrus Expert down from £950. Robbery at £900 but very good vfm at £699. Decent gearing, carbon front and rear and aforementioned finishing kit.