Need help! new bike after 15 years....

crazygravedigger

After nearly 15 years i really want to buy a bike... but i dont know witch one :oops: im looking at hybrid bikes because i dont like drop bars (road bikes). I need some advice on whether this is suitable for my needs. primarily needed for commuting to work - (60% good road, about 5 miles each way with hills), I want to do more country side trips/tours, and am just getting into cycling . Im 35yo, 186cm, 107kg. I have 500 to spend and im looking at few bikes at the moment but i dont know wchich one have better spec
Can anyone recommend me better one??
Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc 2013 Hybrid Bike 500£
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec041315
Road Bikes Fit 7 Road Bike, Black B'TWIN
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fit-7-road-b ... #avantages
Boardman Performance Hybrid Comp Bike 2012/2013 - Medium 19" 460£
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534
CANNONDALE QUICK CX 3 2012 485£
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m9b0s18p42 ... -CX-3-2012
Pinnacle Lithium 4 2013 Hybrid Bike 500£
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... 8#features
Kona Dew Deluxe 2012 Hybrid Bike 500£
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kon ... e-ec034478
SAB Sidney Hybrid Bike 399£
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBS ... ybrid_bike

Initialised

I was in your position 5 years ago, 30s, 107kg. I ended up with a rigid barred Giant. But after a couple of years once I committed to sticking at it through the winter and got rid of the second car and cycling became a hobby rather than just a means of getting to work. I started hankering for drop bars and higher speeds and spending 90%+ of my commute on roads rather than hitting the bike tracks. I finally made the switch to a road bike earlier this year and it's so much better and where my speed and weight had settled (around 90kg) the upgrade has done the trick and I no longer feel constrained, and speeds are up and weight is down further (83-85kg).

I think I saw you ideal bike while I was windows shopping for ideas of what to get. It was a £500 Ridgeback Flight 01 with a drop bar conversion, give it a year or two and I'll be upgrading the drive train to 54/39 (from 50/34). I think it was a one off as typically a CX bike (drop bars with discs) start around £750. Closest I can find to your budget is this Norco http://m.evanscycles.com/products/norco ... -ec041260#

Even if you don't want to go as far as drop bars just yet avoid suspension unless you plan to spend a lot of time at your local MTB trail centre.

Cupras

I was in your position 4-5 weeks ago and purchased he Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc 2013 Hybrid Bike. I am very happy with my purchase however I have never had the forks unlocked. A few people on here recommended the Boardman bike to me but when I rode it I found it didn't feel as nice as the crosstail.
Why not go and see a few of the bikes and see how they feel?