Hardtail Help - sub £600, commuting, light trails
BLEURRRRGH
Posts: 4
I'm looking to buy a bicycle for commuting to university and the odd trip down trails. My budget is £600. Even though I live in notoriously hilly Bath, UK, my daily commute is relatively flat across 4.5 miles of road, with climbs and falls of roughly +/- 80m and 3 miles of the commute is on a long stretch of road with few junctions (i.e. few starts and stops).
I also envisage using the bike for country trails in the surrounding areas and I'll likely take it to Lincoln in the East Midlands and Zurich, Switzerland. No climbing of epic mountains in Switzerland; mainly bicycle paths between towns and fields and the odd inclined trail.
With my moderate knowledge of bicycles (I used to ride regularly but recently took about 4 years out), these are my priorities:
Lightweight
Front suspension with a lockout (although 80% of riding won't need it, I want it there when I do)
V-Brakes are fine, disc would be nice (not necessary), but only hydraulic (last two had mechanical and didn't cease to do my nut in!)
Possibly favour 29"/700c over 26"
Here is a list of what I've been looking at so far, so comments or additions would be nice:
Trek 8.4 DS(http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mo ... _4_ds_2012)
Listed at £650, but can be found £100+ cheaper. Has all the bells and whistles I would like. 700c tyres. ~13.4kg
Carrera Fury (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499)
£600 with no obvious discounts available. 120mm front suspension, ~13.1kg. Would have to switch out the tyres, which would add a bit and they're only 26". Not really a hybrid bike, but good looking spec with low weight.
Saracen Urban X2 (http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/urban/urban-cross-2)
£450. Not sure on the weight but it looks like it'd be light. 700c. Only 75mm suspension though.
Saracen Urban Studio 74 (http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/urban/urban-studio-74)
£650, but can snap it up for a little over £500. Rigid fork, which is not ideal, but I'm pretty certain it will be fast. No idea about weight.
I've looked at Specialised and Cannondale but wasn't impressed with their offerings. Truth be told, I'm torn between the offerings of the Trek and the value of the Saracen X2, since they're over £100 apart. Couldn't find many reviews of the X2, though.
Does anyone have ay experience with the above bikes or see anything I've missed out?
I also envisage using the bike for country trails in the surrounding areas and I'll likely take it to Lincoln in the East Midlands and Zurich, Switzerland. No climbing of epic mountains in Switzerland; mainly bicycle paths between towns and fields and the odd inclined trail.
With my moderate knowledge of bicycles (I used to ride regularly but recently took about 4 years out), these are my priorities:
Lightweight
Front suspension with a lockout (although 80% of riding won't need it, I want it there when I do)
V-Brakes are fine, disc would be nice (not necessary), but only hydraulic (last two had mechanical and didn't cease to do my nut in!)
Possibly favour 29"/700c over 26"
Here is a list of what I've been looking at so far, so comments or additions would be nice:
Trek 8.4 DS(http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mo ... _4_ds_2012)
Listed at £650, but can be found £100+ cheaper. Has all the bells and whistles I would like. 700c tyres. ~13.4kg
Carrera Fury (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499)
£600 with no obvious discounts available. 120mm front suspension, ~13.1kg. Would have to switch out the tyres, which would add a bit and they're only 26". Not really a hybrid bike, but good looking spec with low weight.
Saracen Urban X2 (http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/urban/urban-cross-2)
£450. Not sure on the weight but it looks like it'd be light. 700c. Only 75mm suspension though.
Saracen Urban Studio 74 (http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/urban/urban-studio-74)
£650, but can snap it up for a little over £500. Rigid fork, which is not ideal, but I'm pretty certain it will be fast. No idea about weight.
I've looked at Specialised and Cannondale but wasn't impressed with their offerings. Truth be told, I'm torn between the offerings of the Trek and the value of the Saracen X2, since they're over £100 apart. Couldn't find many reviews of the X2, though.
Does anyone have ay experience with the above bikes or see anything I've missed out?
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Comments
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If you are going offroad I'd recommend a suspension fork. The Saracen is blighted by heavy components elsewhere. the Trek has a pretty poor fork too. I am in no doubt the Carrera is the best bike here, probably the lightest too - certainly the best specification and will work well for what you want.0
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Edinburgh cycles have a bit of a sale on, Revolution Triad 1.0 £595 with good spec also the Focus Black Forest is worth a look at.0
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Are you sure its wise travelling to uni on a £600 bike? I hope you have somewhere student proof to put it!0
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70\'sPenguin wrote:Are you sure its wise travelling to uni on a £600 bike? I hope you have somewhere student proof to put it!
Bicycle barking at the university is pretty safe, so long as you apply for bike shelter access before the term starts. Apparently not a single bike, stored in any of the bike shelters, has been stolen since they were introduced 3 years ago. Whether I can trust my flatmates not to 'borrow' it is another matter ...0 -
supersonic wrote:If you are going offroad I'd recommend a suspension fork. The Saracen is blighted by heavy components elsewhere. the Trek has a pretty poor fork too. I am in no doubt the Carrera is the best bike here, probably the lightest too - certainly the best specification and will work well for what you want.
Thout that would be the response. Any suggestion on which tyres to use, or would Halfords be able to sort that out for me?0 -
I'd see how you get on with the stock tyres. If you are fit, 4.5 miles should be no problems on the road, even on knobblies. Just add more pressure than normal.0
