To buy or not to buy... Carrera Subway?

KieranD79

Hi all,

New to the forum and like what I've been reading so far!

So, hope this isn't too long winded but I have a dilemma that I hope somebody can help with.

I've started to commute to work using a combination of bike and train, Didcot to Oxford. The bike part is a 7 miles return trip mostly in Oxford and involving a hill that I STILL can't ride up! I started doing this three or four weeks ago on my 9 yo Claud Butler Cape Wrath which I still love riding and up until now has been a leisure bike. Call me sad but I want to keep the Cape Wrath looking nice and begrudge chucking this on and off trains with varying styles of bike rack, plus it's a bit heavy to hang up on the bike racks whilst fighting with getting the fat MTB tyres in the runners!

I've been lucky enough to have a brand new 22" Subway(Disc Brake version) on loan from my Dad which is much easy to throw about on the trains(not literally or course) and for the money, seems like good value plus I don't want an expensive bike that will annoy me if it get's scratched or scuffed.

My questions are:-
For the money can I get better? (Ridgeback, Decathlon, Dawes, CB etc)
Should I be looking at bikes that have 700c wheels?
Do 700c wheels offer the same comfort as 26" wheels? (I have a dodgy back at times)
Would I notice a big difference in drag changing the stock Kenda tyre to something else? (Subway feels hard going at times)
Is the bike too small? (comments from a local bike shop, although they didn't really like Carrera's and pushed me towards Ridgeback)

The roads around here aren't the best and I'm a big guy, 6' 4", long inside leg and heavy!

Sorry if this seems like question after question but I just can't make my mind up and I'm unsure about the Subway even though I like the way it looks, so any help would be great.

Thanks,
K

rrsodl

I can't say whether you are better of with a 700c - I think you are then only person that can make that call.

The Subway is a very good bike for the money. A few upgrades and you have a bike that will last you well.

KieranD79

Yes, I've got the impression that the Subway is a good bike and most people who grumble about them have more of a problem with retail and service rather than the bike.

I think some of the issues I have with it are probably solvable. Adjustable stem, different tyres maybe another saddle, but I'm just trying to figure out if there is anything I get for £250-£300 mark that is better and still with disc brakes as I prefer them.

It's difficult because the CB is like a comfy old boot, as it were.

LonesomeWanderer

Replaced an old supermarket BSO with a Subway One a few years ago. The Kenda tyres were a pile of *?%£ and I replaced them almost immediately with Swalbe CityJets which made a huge difference to the rolling resistance, plus added some SKS mudguards - that's about all I've done to it and it's still going strong, definitely good for the money. Given the reputation of Halfords I got them to leave it boxed and assembled it myself though.

Having said that, I picked up a Triban 3 from Decathlon about 6 weeks ago and it's awesome - brings a smile to my face everytime I ride it and just scrapes into the budget - no disc brakes though, but better road gearing than the Subway which tends to spin out quickly.

I still use the Subway for short rides to the supermarket, etc.

gbsahne001

KieranD79 wrote:

I've started to commute to work using a combination of bike and train, Didcot to Oxford. The bike part is a 7 miles return trip mostly in Oxford and involving a hill that I STILL can't ride up!

Headington hill by chance?

KieranD79

OK, thanks to all, I have been looking at the Trek 7. FX range and the Decathlons. Thing is I get student discount of 10% at Halfrauds, which brings the Subway down to around the £250 mark.

I have been wondering if switching tyres to Swalbe might make a difference but I'd still like to have grip, this is all new to so limited knowledge. Can adding guards reduce resistance?

As for 700 wheels, do they feel harsh compared to MTB wheels, assuming that's whats on the Subway?

Folding bikes feel a little like I'm riding on kids bike although I have ridden a Brompton a few times but find it hard going.

I'll take a look and see where the nearest Evans is as suggested. Bubget has to be £300 max and it just feels like I'm getting a lot of kit on the Subway for the money.

Oh, and yes gbsahne, I'm talking about Headington Hill!

notnot

KieranD79 wrote:

I have been wondering if switching tyres to Swalbe might make a difference but I'd still like to have grip, this is all new to so limited knowledge.

I've just put the City Jets on my MTB. They grip fine on roads (though knobbly tyres may be better off road in the mud...) Comfort on cobbles isn't the greatest, though seem to manage other not-great road surfaces fine (I've got arm problems at the moment, so may well be feeling vibrations more than usual).

joelsim

Why don't you get a second hand bike from eBay? Better quality for the money.

LonesomeWanderer

I'm running the City Jets at 85psi - they can feel quite skitty on the corners until you get used to them, but you can drop the pressure by at least 20psi with no problems which will give you more grip and comfort, but with slightly more rolling resistance - still a big improvement over the Kendas though...

KieranD79

Right, thinking of nipping to Evans cycles over the long weekend to see what over bikes are in my price range.

After riding the Subway for a week now I'm wondering if it's a little too small for me, even though it's a 22". I feel like I'm sat up in the air and bars are down on the floor. We're going to try an adjustable stem this weekend and next week to see how it feels, for the sake of £20 it's worth doing.

The other bike that has caught my eye is the Ridgeback Velocity SE, £50 over my £300 budget and doesn't have discs but I like the White and Black colour scheme and they do a 23". If I switch to the standard Velocity you can get a 25".

I've been told adjustable stems can make bikes feel twitchy, is this right?

The Rookie

Have a look at the Voodoo Marassa at Halfords, hydraulic disc brakes 29er/700c wheels and as tough as the Subway, I know two people with them and they both really like them, one is running 32mm road slicks which shed about 1Kg and made it faster on road.

KieranD79

Yes I did see those, but only available in 20" which is smaller than the Subway. Would the 700c wheels make it any taller though?

The Rookie

Wheel size is irrelevant to frame size, you need a frame that fits you, a 20" frame will suite someone usually upto about 6'2", maybe a bit taller if you are long in the leg (hence short in the body) you have to try it as it's a nominal size and the dimension that matters most - the effective top tube length - can be different for different manufacturers for the same nominal size.

KieranD79

Hmm, interesting as my Cape Wrath is a 20" and seems fine.

I really should check my measurements, I know I buy 34" jeans as 32" is slightly too short.

KieranD79

What are peoples views on the VooDoo Marasa anyway?

KieranD79

Just a little update.

I've replaced the tyres on the CB for Schawlbe Land Cruisers. It's a lot quieter on the road now but I'm still not convinced that it's any easier to ride. Having said that, I've just had a week off work and didn't ride it at all until yesterday!

Any other suggestions that I can try in a few weeks time when I'm back in the swing?

danf84

Also trying to decide whether to buy the Carrera Subway, having one serious alternative: Ridgeback Velocity 2013 Hybrid. The Subway Carrera I am considering is last year's model, 2011/2012 which is stuck at £279.99, but can get it with 10% off at the moment.

Here're the specs of the 2 bikes:
Ridgeback Velocity 2013 Hybrid
Cost: £282.65
Manufacturer link: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/velocit ... es#details
Frame: 6061 Heat treated Aluminium
Fork: Cro Moly
Rear Mech: Shimano Acera
Front Mech: Shimano TX51
Shifters: Shimano EZFire
Chainset: Shimano Altus 48/38/28
Bottom Bracket: Cartridge
Chain: HG50
Cassette: Shimano Cassette 11-32 8sp
Headset: Sealed
Stem: Alloy multi position
Handle Bars: 6061 Aluminium Lo-rise
Front Brake: Tektro 836AL
Rear Brake: Tektro 836AL
Brake Levers: Shimano
Rims: Rigida X-Pace 36h
Rear Hub: Shimano RM30 rear
Spokes: Stainless steel black
Tyres: Continental Contact 700 x 37c
Saddle: City Comfort 2
Seat Post: Aluminium 27.2mm
Pedals: Nylon Street
Grips: Triple Density Comfort

Carrera Subway Hybrid Bike 2011/2012
Cost: £252
Manufacturer link: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._ ... yId_165534
Chainset: Suntour CW-XCT V2
Exact Frame Size: 20"
Forks: Straight blade steel fork
Frame: Lightweight 6061 aluminium
Frame Colour: Deep Satin Black
Frame Material: Alloy
Front Brake: Tektro IO Mechanical disc brake
Front Mech: Shimano FD-M191
Gear Shifters: Shimano ST-EF51-7 EZ Fire trigger shifters
Gender: Mens
Handle Bars: Alloy oversize flat bars (31.8mm)
Headset: Semi integrated
Hubs: Alloy with QR
Number of Gears: 24
Pedals: Wellgo Alloy pedals
Rear Brake: Tektro IO Mechanical disc brake
Rear Mech: Shimano RD-M310
Rims: Double wall alloy rims
Saddle: Carrera
Stem: Alloy
Suspension: Rigid
Tyre size: 1.95"
Tyres: Kenda tyres
Approximate Weight (KG): 13.4
Geometry: City
Cassette: 11-32T
Quick Release Front Wheel: Yes
Quick Release Rear Wheel: Yes
Seatpost: Carrera 350mm x 27.2mm black alloy
Wheel size: 26"

I need the bike for general cycling around town (I am from Cambridge). Don't anything too pricey as this is my first bike and I want to keep it low on the first purchase (under £300). I will be cycling to work, to the gym and generally everywhere. I am quite an aggressive biker, I'd say, so I wonder if the thicker 26" inchers on the Subway would suit me more, or is my logic not quite right on the matter?

Kind regards

Dan

Kieran_Burns

Too many damn Kierans on this forum....

The Rookie

The Ridgeback is slightly better specced, not much in it, but the Subway is cheaper and has more expensive disc brakes, I prefer discs for commuting for the more instant stopping in the wet.