Hybrid or mountain bike?

lilmisslea

Hi all,

Just wanted some advice on what would be the best bike to go for. I have not ridden a bike since I was a girl and now at 36 want to get fit and toned using a bike along side classes I already do at the gym.

I would be using the bike for paths, trails maybe take it over a wooded area when I get more confident as we live by a forest. I am so confused though which bike to go for as didn't realise there was so much involved. The 3 bikes I am looking at are as follows :-

Boardman MX Sport Fi Bike 2014 can get for approx £450
saracen tufftrax comp disc can get for £330
Lapierre raid 200 can get for £400

Advice would be of grate help on the best spec of bike to go for which would be suitable for me.

Many thanks
Leanne

sabretalon

I was looking for similar things but trying to get the family out and about.

I looked at the Boardman (male version) but I did not like the feel of it when I sat on it in the shop. I then realised I needed to try as many as possible to make my choice.

Being short legged I had to make sure I tried all the bikes that interested me. Once I had done that, I could then shop around on price via the internet.

Suitable for you is a difficult call for us as we probably do not know you.

Find a decent nearby bike shop and try some on for size and fit. I was put off the hybrid's as the wheels on the Boardman looked too much like it was set up more for the road than trails, even though they say they work fine. I just did not like the feel of the bike.

There are 3 main wheel sizes to be aware of, 26", 29" and then the 650 which is 27.5". The main idea being, the bigger the wheel, the better the chance of it soaking up some of the bumps. However, the other side of that is, the bigger the wheel, the responsiveness in certain situations where you need to steer etc... is slower. Some consider the 650 as the best of both.

Really though, you need to try them all out for size and try different frames as the geometry of them will vary with different manufacturers.

I bought a Cube and got one as well for my daughter (one of the WLS series)

Yes it is a minefield when choosing. Halfords are OK for certain bikes and you can always order in different frame sizes to try on etc...

Define your maximum budget and what you really want to do. More on the road than off road, is it trails which are a set of paths on a route or are you likely to be going cross country.

Main thing, is the bike light enough, does it feel right when you sit on it, spec of the equipment used. Ask questions, lots of them.

Hope that helps, I am by no means an expert, just passing over a few of the things I went through.

baudman

Yes... get out and ride. It's gotta 'feel' right.

But, on that front, don't discount rigid forks. It's not often people actually need front suspension - and it does add quite a bit of weight and at the lower end, can just suck your power - especially up hills - although forks with lockout can help on that front.

But mainly... test ride. You've gotta love your bike.

joelsim

If you are mainly riding on tracks, gravel, woodland then go for something with fat tyres. My hybrid has 700x28 and is not comfortable on anything but the road.

Maybe also look a Cyclocross bikes.

mrfpb

Hybrids with rigid forks and fat (38mm) tyres are fine for trails. As this is the family section, I assume you are riding with children. Flat bars are better than drop bars for visibility, less of an effort to look around at what the little 'uns are doing and facing forward upright means your voice carries further when you want to shout instructions.

tangled_metal

Depends what you're used to/comfortable with. I found when I bought my first flat bar bike since a young kid I struggled with balance and steering. They felt too wide and out of control. Used to drop bars but have got used to my flat bar now.
I've got a good hybrid with front shocks. 700c x 38 wheels with decent tyres on them work well on road and easier trails. Tyres have slightly nobbly edges and less so in the centre. They roll well on road and off road. I got a new bike late summer when the new models were coming out. A large retailer like Evans often sell last year's models off cheaply. Although I got the 2013 model in 2013 but they called it last year's model, come September you'll be seeing 2015 models and the 2014 models will drop from £750 down to £450 in some cases. You get better bikes that way. Spring is not the best time of year to buy a bike.
I rate Specialized bikes. Got a crosstrail sports with hydraulic disk brakes.