Which bike hybrid?

brummiebiker

Hi all,

I'm new to the bike scene, like everyone I had a mountain bike as a kid, but that was 15 years ago! I'm joining the ride 2 scheme at work, this is going through Evans Cycles. The trip will be about 6 miles and mainly on roads. My question really is which bike to get (upto a budget of £450) and if you don't have a suggestion, what features should be my priority. I've been told I can't go wrong with a Specialized, I noticed there is a Sirrus 2012 one going for £370, would that be a good buy?

Thanks for any help.

DrLex

Welcome!
Are you sure you want a hybrid? Read EKE's post here first. I can only offer my experience- having had an "urban" bike in the nineties and then an MTB in the last decade, I too had thought of a Sirrus. Tried one against a couple of road bikes and ended up with a Roubaix. Best get to your local bike shop and try a few.

brummiebiker

Thanks, that makes interesting reading, I think it's definitely something I'll have to give a lot more thought to. I will more than likely visit my local shop over the weekend to try a few different bikes out.

MrChuck

A hybrid like a Sirrus is a great choice if those 6 miles are urban. If they're the open road then a road bike might be a good choice.

Tilting towards road bikes makes sense if a bit further down the road you start going out at the weekends, notching up the distance, speed and fitness- when this happens you'll start to wish you'd got a road bike. But for getting around town fast hybrids are great, and the road bike stuff is mostly snobbery.

brummiebiker

Thanks MrChuck - good to get another point of view

essjaydee

I bought a Hybrid for a 24 mile/day commute, then weeks later bought a roadbike

Road bike is so much more fun to ride, a lot lighter and a lot easier to go quicker on, as well as being able to move your hand positions around a lot more too

Hybrid for town or light trails only IMO

KR MAN

I was in the same dilema, I went for a flat bar road bike (Giant Rapid 1) and haven't regretted it at all. It's light and fast but has the upright riding position that I prefer for commuting.

It also allows me to get out on a weekend as well for longer rides and keep up with my 'roadie' mates.

SaintMark

I've got a Specialized Sirrus Elite which is perfect for urban commuting, tough enough for tow paths etc but light enough for road riding at weekends too. I would get the best model you can afford as the components are better the higher up the range you go.

But there's a pattern forming... in common with other people here I enjoyed riding mine on the road so much I've now gone out and bought a road bike with drop bars, so have a good think about whether you want to get more into that sort of riding before you buy. If not - the Spesh will suit you fine and you'll love it, just budget at least £50-60 for a decent lock too. Enjoy your riding.

godders1

Hybrids are fine for some people but I'm another in the (pretty massive) group that rode MTBs as a kid, started with a hybrid as an adult and then moved on to a road bike and never looked back.

And it's not quite as simple as road, hybrid or MTB, there are lots of in-betweeny type bikes available. For example cyclocross bikes seem to be popular lately for commuting. And my winter bike looks like a road bike at glance (road fame and drop handlebars) but has hub gears, disc brakes and 28mm tyres.

MichaelW

At your budget level, you get the best value from hybrids. Other useful styles of road bike (with adequate tyre clearance, rack and mudguard eyelets) tend to be priced a bit higher. The Boardman CX bike is a really good example of a modern do-it-all bike.
Specialized Sirrus style of bike is a good choice but don't get too fixated on the brand, all of these bikes come from the same frame factories in Taiwan with the same Shimano components.
I'm a fan of disc brakes for commuting in all weather, they retain their performance in the wet.
You have to budget for rack, mudguards, lighting, luggage, lock, repair kit, helmet, insurance etc.