Pair of hybrids - advice needed

Blue407

Both myself and partner are looking for new bikes, mainly canal towpaths with some basic off-road trail/tracks and maybe a bit of commuting to work:-

1. I'm 6' 2" and 17 1/2 stonne and currently have a 20+ year old GT Timberline 23" bike.
After a bit of reading online I have come up with a spec list-

Chainset with min 44 teeth for road use
29"/700cc wheels
Ability to take mudguards of some sort
Would prefer hyraulic disc brakes
Front suspension with lock-out feature
Budget < £600

I've done some searching online and the GT Transeo 1.0 and 2.0 seem to meet my needs and 2011 models are available reduced still.

http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.p ... ct_id=1707

http://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.p ... ory_id=146


Can anyone comment on these two models or maybe throw a few other into the mix?



2. I am looking for a bike for my girlfriend, she currently has an 18" Raleigh mountainbike thats probable 12+ years old with suspension front and back. (She's just over 5' 6" and her's seems to be an ok fit for leg length)

Needs to have reasonable gearing (More road than off-road)
Disc brakes would be beneficial
Front suspension inc lockout (no rear suspension)
Budget is around £300

Looking around on the internet, I think it would make sense for her to have a womens bike rather than a generic one like she currently has but that does seem to limit the choice somewhat....

Any suggestions/advice/ideas very much appreciated

cjcp

I bought a Spesh Rockhopper in 2002 for £450. Used it for absolutely all sorts - trails, off-road races, 30-mile round trip commutes, pootling with the kids. Been brilliant, so imagine the GT would do the same.

Mrs CJ has £250 Scott, women-specific design. She prefers the geometry to my bike, but she's not so keen on th weight of it, so, if you can go for something a bit lighter for your partner, you might earn yourself some brownie points.

cjcp

Just spotted this over in Commuting General:

viewtopic.php?f=40052&t=12830746

Blue407

Thx Guys

Can anyone comment on the two bikes I mentioned? (GT Transeo 1.0 and 2.0)

walkingbootweather

Good God man, you aren't contemplating a bike breeding programme are you? If so you might contemplate a full-on racer with a mtb, to give you some sort of CX :shock: .

My first proper bike was a GT and I have a soft spot for the manque, even though it has evolved into a very different company. However those Transeo's look like a poor compromise. A hybrid with (not very impressive looking) suspension, doesn't sound like a great idea. Unless you are planning on doing lots of pretty heavy off-roading I'd recommend a rigid front fork (all the major manufacturers will have a model). If you will be doing a bit of proper off-roading they I’d suggest a proper MTB.

The best solution of course, according to the Law of N+1, is a bike for each purpose. Maybe a breeding programme isn’t such a bad idea…..