First 'decent' bike advice please

Matt-Norfolk

Hello all. I haven't got much clue what I'm looking at with bikes. To be honest it's mind blowing trying to work out which bike to get. Trying to compare bikes and specs is really hard.

I would like a bike to ride to work (few miles each way, smooth roads mainly but some rough terrain along the way). Also I would enjoy using it to build fitness up during the weekend. And maybe when we go away in the UK I'd like to take it. I would like the bike to be fast but comfortable not just on road.

From looking in this part of the forum mostly you recommend not having suspension. Does that small amount of extra weight really matter? Before looking on here after loads of looking, I really like these following bikes.

Appriciate any advice anyone could give please. Hopefully I can give a little back once I've learnt a bit more about bikes & will leave a review on my purchase if it would be any good!

Thanks for reading, Matt.

Whyte Malvern £554
http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=17862

Cube nature pro £479
http://cubebikesnortheast.co.uk/sale-cube-bike/2015-cube-bikes-SALE/2015-cube-hybrid-touring-bikes/2015-cube-nature-pro

Specialized crosstrail sport £440
http://m.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/crosstrail-sport-disc-2016-hybrid-bike-ec070598

Giant roam 0 £499
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/285042/products/2015-giant-roam-0-hybrid-bike-silver-blue-

Felt QX80 £483
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Felt-QX80-2015-Hybrid-Sports-Bike_74261.htm?sku=233540&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=AdwordsProductAds&utm_campaign=Adwords&gclid=Cj0KEQiAwNmzBRCaw9uR3dGt950BEiQAnbK963l7umsfEEpSnmEOZfNnuQbYJwiPb2SZw8dqy5dKqAYaAkpF8P8HAQ

The Rookie

Yes weight really does matter, I can feel the difference between the days I carry my laptop and the days I just have an iPad (2.5Kg difference).

Cheap suspension forks will weigh upto 2.5Kg while decent rigid forks will be sub 800g, lower aero drag as well.

At that price point big name brands are dreadful value, have a look at Decathlon, Halfords and Go-Outdoors offerings.

This http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/classic-bikes/voodoo-marasa-hybrid-bike-2013-2014 is a great value bike (if an 18" suites, this years bike is £100 more), the tyres are a bit cheap and heavy and an easy upgrade, with some subtle tweaks you can turn it into a fast road Hybrid using 28or32mm tyres or a rigid mountain bike on some knobblies or a go anywhere bike on something like a Kenda small block 8.

imatfaal

Everything that the Rookie said PLUS Go and ride some test bikes. Some bikes have an indefinable something that makes you love them - and others, no matter how good they look on paper, will never feel right

Matt-Norfolk

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19766267#p19766267]imatfaal[/url] wrote:

Everything that the Rookie said PLUS Go and ride some test bikes. Some bikes have an indefinable something that makes you love them - and others, no matter how good they look on paper, will never feel right

Matt-Norfolk

Finally let me reply! I've been trying to reply since day one but it had to be sent to mods incasee it was spam! I've ditched the idea of suspension and now narrowed it down to an older Whyte Cambridge, a Whyte portobello 2015 or a Boardman Hybrid team on offer at halfords at the min. I'm going to see if I can get a test ride on them and see what deal I can get



Rookie, I'd need a large for most bikes by the looks of things. Also being a complete newbie, I'd appriciate something that wouldn't need too many upgrades.

Thank you both for your replies.

The Rookie

The Boardman hybrid is a well specced and fast option and the comfort is fairly good as well, don't know the other two too well.

quietk3b

Hello there! Haven't ridden a Boardman but a work colleague has a hybrid and always speaks highly of it.

+ 1 for the Whyte brand. Recently picked up a 2015 Stirling which is the model up from the Cambridge and it is a really nice ride. Well specced and very quick to accelerate (probably due to the light weight) but has the comfort of a mountain bike.

I did try a number of different hybrid bikes, including but not limited to a Jamis Coda Elite, Cannondale Bad Boy, Marin Muirwood, Trek Allant 7.4 but the Whyte felt like the best of the bikes I tried.

Time will tell how reliable and durable it is, but for now I am enjoying being back on a bike again after too long a hiatus.

imatfaal

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19770968#p19770968]quietk3b[/url] wrote:

Hello there! Haven't ridden a Boardman but a work colleague has a hybrid and always speaks highly of it.

+ 1 for the Whyte brand. Recently picked up a 2015 Stirling which is the model up from the Cambridge and it is a really nice ride. Well specced and very quick to accelerate (probably due to the light weight) but has the comfort of a mountain bike.

I did try a number of different hybrid bikes, including but not limited to a Jamis Coda Elite, Cannondale Bad Boy, Marin Muirwood, Trek Allant 7.4 but the Whyte felt like the best of the bikes I tried.

Time will tell how reliable and durable it is, but for now I am enjoying being back on a bike again after too long a hiatus.

Another +1 for Whyte - I have had my cambridge since mid 2012 and in 13, 14, and 15 done between 5,000-8000 km each year. Ok lots of bits have been replaced/upgrades but a fair bit hasn't been touched and frameset is still good and fun