Advice getting a new bike

VanishedHippo

Hi all,

I wonder if any of you would be able to give me some advice. My wife wants a new bike but isn't really interested in spending hours speccing on up or trawling Google. There are a few requirements but apart from that tge field is wide open. So looking for a nice lightweight bike around 12kg or lighter, Mid range gearing say 48/36/24 front and 36-12 rear, front suspension, and straight bars. Budget is around the 1k ish mark. In terms of use it will be mixture of light trail (public trails around forests) and on road.

So I've been looking at various bikes and I wondered if any of you have any thoughts on them?

There's the Canyon "Grand Canyon Al 6.9" ( https://www.canyon.com/en/mountainbikes ... ml?b=3640l

The cannondale "quick cx1" ( http://www.cannondale.com/uk_gb/2015/bi ... quick-cx-1)

The specialised "Crosstrail comp disc" ( http://m.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/mu ... -comp-disc)
Or Ariel comp disc ( http://m.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/wo ... -comp-disc)

I'll be tracking down various reviews but just wonder if any of you has a view or other suggestions.

Thanks

tinyking12345

I think you posted this in the wrong place...
This is road bike buying advice...

VanishedHippo

Can you suggest where I should post then? There are 2 main groups on this forum, mountain and road. What I'm looking for is something that sits between.

Sorry for not replying sooner but for some reason I wasn't notified and the reply I did put in place wasn't actually posted.

keef66

Trouble is you're asking about a kind of hybrid bike, so the roadies are bound to offer you no help at all. The MTB lot might be friendlier, or you could try in Commuting; there's a wider selection of riders and machinery in there.

Fortunately the manufacturers do cater for those looking for a crossover type machine, and it looks like you've identified several suitable candidates. Doubt you can go far wrong with any of those...

One question; are you sure she wants to be lugging around a suspension fork for the kind of 'light trail' riding you describe? I'd suggest a rigid fork and some faster rolling cyclocross type tyres would be adequate, and make the road riding experience a lot more enjoyable.

dj58

When you post in the commuting sub forum you will invariably be told to get a bike with a rigid fork and clearance for larger tyres e.g. something like this gets recommended http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/h ... 13-2014-18

VanishedHippo

Thanks for the info. Need to have front suspension because my wife has wrists that don't bend so it's unable to take the impact of a rigid frame, no matter how compliant the forks or tyres.

I'll try posting in the commuting forum and see what happens, thanks for the advice you've all given, really appreciated.

I also need to rid i can get some of these in my local shop to have a proper look, then i can start planning my road bike purchase

Elfed

VanishedHippo wrote:

Thanks for the info. Need to have front suspension because my wife has wrists that don't bend so it's unable to take the impact of a rigid frame, no matter how compliant the forks or tyres.

I'll try posting in the commuting forum and see what happens, thanks for the advice you've all given, really appreciated.

I also need to rid i can get some of these in my local shop to have a proper look, then i can start planning my road bike purchase

A rigid frame can be quite comfortable and a front suspension bike can be horribly bouncy, just think, there wasn't suspension years ago and most people rode bikes then?

Maybe a rigid front fork bike would be a nice compromise?

VanishedHippo

When all the joints work, yes rigid frames can be very comfortable. When they don't all the impacts are felt. If the suspension is to bouncy then that won't work either! But the right suspension is essential.