Which bike?

Stryda

HELLO all, sorry another which bike thread! I'm looking to spend between £500-£800 on a new bike. It will be used for commuting to and from work, approx 8 miles each way. I'm used to riding mountain bikes and don't like racing bikes so this is my first hybrid purchase. I wAnt something that is light and fast, preferably disc brakes (assuming disc brakes are better). Any suggestions please?

tomawest

It all depends on exactly what you want from the bike. Disc brakes are heavier than V brakes and arent as easy to maintain as V brakes in my opinion and are only really beneficial if your going to do a lot of off road riding. I have v brakes and they are fine for regular use on a hybrid. I assume that you do not want front suspension so I would reccomend something like a Specialized Sirrus - http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec042537. If you do want suspension then I would reccomend either the Specialized crosstrail or the Trek DS. The main thing when commuting is that you get a bike that can support full size mudguards as well as a pannier rack.

DrLex

Disk brakes show their benefit this time of the year - you're not grinding your rims down and the braking can be more efficient. I'd recommend that you look at the Boardman range in Halfords - your budget covers a few hybrid models such as this one.

Just don't let your username tempt you to buy a strida!

cookeeemonster

yeah experience tells me that for wet weather riding I'd much prefer discs!!!

and mounts for full mudguards are also a must - clip on mudguards aint as good and you really, really need mudguards in the wet (for you, the bike and the person behind!)

Pretty sure you'll have a bit of choice in your price range

MichaelW

Cable disc brakes are reliable and easy to maintain. ~They offer about as much stopping power as good V brakes but continue to brake in wet, muddy and slushy conditions with no lag.
Pick a frame with the rear brake on the chainstay so it is compatible with standard rack and mudguards. Try and get one with a cable route that doesn't fill with water.
Non-suspension hybrids such as Sirrus and the Boardman are ideal. You will probably run 28 or 32mm tyres most of the year. A little extra clearance doesn't hurt. Knobbly or studded tyres are useful in the 2 weeks of winter Big Freeze.

The Rookie

The Voodoo Marasa from Halfords is excellent value, £350 for Shimano Hydraulic discs and the same formula wheels as fitted to £600 Boardmans, can be fitted with narrower/faster rolling tyres but is a little heavy.

For a Sportier ride the Carrera Gryphon works well and is good value with cable discs.

Otherwise the Boardman Hybrids are also very very good

All take guards all from Halfords (has to be one downside!)

andrewc3142

To keep within your budget, rather than looking for a specific model I'd look around on the web and in the shops for what's on sale, around now esp prior year models - they give big discounts on these. Buy what seems good value and also that you bond with, at least a bit.

I've never ridden a disc brake bike, and take into account the comments above. However, I would say I've never found a problem stopping with normal brakes (after upgrading to Koolstops or SwissStops) and I suspect you'd be paying a premium on what could be better spent on the frame and the groupset.

Bear in mind that some bits are expensive to upgrade (eg shifters, chainset, wheels), some medium (eg brakes) and some cheaper (eg pedals, chains). So look at the quality of the various bits.

Also, before you ride it try to do a deal to upgrade the tyres. The ones that come with mid-range (or even more expensive) bikes are usually utter rubbish and are best got rid of before you buy.