Next hybrid upgrade?

sobeitjedi
sobeitjedi Posts: 36
edited August 2013 in Commuting general
Hi.

At the moment I have a Carrera Crossfire 1 from Halfords, medium frame size, which I mainly use to cycle to work and back, approx 10 miles a day.

My question is, what should my next bike be? Ideally I still want a hybrid with front suspension and hopefully something a little lighter than my current bike. I have a budget of around £750 but obviously, the cheaper the better.

What do you suggest?

Comments

  • revolutionedi
    revolutionedi Posts: 12
    Do you cycle mainly on the roads or is it a dirt track? I think dropping the weighty suspension for a decent carbon fork endowed bike for £750 is achievable.

    If I had the money, I would give a cyclecross bike a test run. This one looks good.

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/caadx-sora-2013-cyclocross-bike-ec042906#features

    Or the BTWIN hybrid.

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/btwin-fit-7-id_8239799.html#anchor_ComponentProductAvis

    Good luck
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Unless you REALLY want the front suspension then either the Boardman Hybrid Team (apparently 10% off this weekend) or the BTwin hybrid. These will be sooooo much lighter than any bike with front sus and are absolutely superb bikes. I have the Boardman and nearly 2 years on am still totally in love with it.

    Seiously, if you are on road all the time then ditch the suspension, but go for carbon forks for some shock absorption.
  • sobeitjedi
    sobeitjedi Posts: 36
    edited August 2013
    Thanks for the replies.

    Not so keen on the cyclecross bike (don't like the drop handlebars) but the BTWIN bike looks a possibility. May have to test it. Only 10 gears though and would prefer disc brakes.

    To give a bit more info, I mainly use it on road/pavement with occasional off road use. I suppose I could give up the suspension, but the bike I had before this didn't have suspension, my Carrera does and it does seem to make a difference.
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    The Boardman Hybrid doesnt have drop handlebars - you must have looked at the Boardman CX (Cyclocross).
  • sobeitjedi
    sobeitjedi Posts: 36
    Sorry to be fussy, but the Boardman Hybrid just looks disgusting. It's the white and yellow, puts me right off. Shame, because the specs look decent.
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Sorry to correct you again - I said the Hybrid Team as it fits your budget and has carbon forks - the white one is the cheaper model with alu forks. The carbon forks will smooth the bumps, a little like suspension but without the weight penalty. the Hybrid Team looks fantastic to me, and certainly better than the BTwin:

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... m-11-44565
  • sobeitjedi
    sobeitjedi Posts: 36
    Happy to be corrected - thank you!
  • PhunkyPhil
    PhunkyPhil Posts: 143
    On the road a carbon forks and the tyres will be enough suspension for a commute.

    What is your area like for the commute? I have a very expensive road bike (s-works) but only spend about £400 on a commute bike as I don't need the extra bells and whistles plus with the winter weather it wrecks the components which I just replace as and when as they are cheap on a cheap bike.

    I would love a commute bike like the Boardman mentioned above but I think I'll wreck it in 18 months and because the bits a better it would cost more to maintain.

    Just my 2 cents worth.
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=116373&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
  • skooter
    skooter Posts: 264
    I have just got myself a Specialized Crosstrail Disc Comp at £850 a £100 more I know but its a great bike which I use as a road bike with some 28cc road tyes fitted.
    I have the lockout in the off position for the roads but if it is bumpy you can switch it over to suspension and it does help..
    They do a cheaper model but not sure on the spec's..
    Good luck in your search..
  • sobeitjedi
    sobeitjedi Posts: 36
    Thanks, but http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... 5#features has no mention of the bike weight.
  • skooter
    skooter Posts: 264
    The Specialized comp is 12.3 kilo's if I recall?
  • skooter
    skooter Posts: 264
    Sobeitjedi wrote:
    Thanks, but http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... 5#features has no mention of the bike weight.

    Thats the one.. its worth a look at in real life.
    It has great gearing of 48/32 front and an 11/36 rear cassette which will get you up any hill, something I didn't think about when I got my first bike.

    Cheers
  • skooter
    skooter Posts: 264
    Here's mine!
    90t9g7.jpg
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    sbiJ may not want to lug around over a kilo of front suspesion he doesn't need though.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • skooter
    skooter Posts: 264
    I might be wrong but the original post said he would like a hybrid with front suss..
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    He says 'idaeally want' there was then a discussion as to whether we wanted it, or thought he wanted it.

    See his second post in the thread!
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • sobeitjedi
    sobeitjedi Posts: 36
    While I would like front suspension, I am willing to sacrifice it, if it means a lighter, better bike.

    Don't like the Specialized one above too much, prefer the Boardman one so far, unless anyone has a better suggestion, Boardman wins.

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