Helpwith my Hybrid shortlist please

TRB
TRB Posts: 5
edited September 2013 in Commuting general
Hi guys, new member.

I've been chatting about getting a bike over on a motoring forum (bike section), but thought I'd give those guys a break from my daft questions. Hopefully I'm getting close to what I need (or want).

I want to start cycling to work. The route is poor condition, hilly, country lanes. I had a road bike (many moons ago) and wouldn't fancy the bumps & potholes. I also had a mountain bike (not quite so many, but still lots of moons ago) and think the hills would be hard work with the tyres. No plans to go offroad.

Here is my want list, I might not need everything I mention, but it's taken me a week to get this far....
22" or equivalent frame (21" at a push I'm 6'3")
Hydraulic front discs
Rigid Front Forks (or at least lockout)

My starting budget was £400, but this is creeping up, so let's say £500 (or thereabouts).

Now my shortlist......

Ridgeback x2.2 (lockout)
Ridgeback x2.3 (rigid)
Kona Dew Plus 2013 (or 14 if spec is much better, but prefer 13 colour)
Giant Seek 2 2013

I'm clueless enough that I can't really compare spec of each part against another, so not sure what the variations really mean. Is there a standout bike among those above, or are they much of a muchness? Or perhaps there is something I'm missing elsewhere.

Thanks for your time, I hope some of you can help me out.

Comments

  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Looking at the specs is easy where it's Shimano parts.

    X3xx is lower spec than X4xx is lower spec than X5xx

    Names groupset equipment goes:

    Touney (OEM parts used on supermarket bikes cheap and nasty, wears out quickly if the bike is used alot)
    Altus (Budget, not much better than Tourney, common on fair weather bikes)
    Acera/Alivio (Entry level)
    Deore LX/SLX (Mid Range)
    Deore XT/Zee/Saint/XTR (High End)

    For your budget the more "Alivio" and M400 series components the better.

    Those all look more like they're off-road focused than you need, the Dew Plus is probably the best, maybe look at the Ridgeback Flight and Giant Escape ranges instead.

    Just seen this in a different thread, get it: http://www.realcycles.com/m37b181s284p4 ... S_GB/10926
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • TRB
    TRB Posts: 5
    Thanks for the reply. That Flight looks like a nice bike and it probably opens up a whole new world of deliberations. I've not looked at all at road bikes (probably wrongly), so will have to investigate those options. Want to pull the trigger on one as the kids have new bikes and I can't keep up with them down the lane on foot!

Categories