New bike advice needed: Carrera or Btwin?

arun.allen.93

Hi,

I have a £200-300 budget, and am looking for a Hybrid or MTB. I would prefer a Hybrid as it allows for a more upright seating position which won't hurt my back during long trail routes. Alternatively, an MTB that allows for a more upright position is fine.

The most important thing I want is a good gear system. My current bike keeps jumping gears despite having it serviced a few days ago - the frame is too large as well so I won't be keeping it. Reliability of moving parts is key.

With this in mind, would you recommend Btwin bikes from Decathlon or Carrera bikes from Halfords?

From looking at the images, the Btwin bikes generally look more comfortable to ride on with respect to the frame structure. Does anyone have experience of them?

Current choices: From Halfords, I am looking at the Carrera Valour (£250) and Vengeance (£300), from Decathlon the Btwin Rockrider ST 100 (£180), Rockrider ST 520 (£280) and Riverside 500 (£280). The only Hybrid here is the Riverside 500. The bike must come from a shop with stores in Birmingham.

I also want to ask: is there a noticeable difference between Hybrid and MTBs in terms of comfort when riding? With my current MTB, although it's a size too big and that factors in, I tend to get back pain as I'm curved over due to the difference between seat and handlebar height. Can this be rectified by using handlebar spacers, or will this always be an issue with MTBs? I don't mind getting a Hybrid, but the options are more limited, and I just want to make sure that I can ride comfortably, say for a 30km ride on semi-flat terrain, using an MTB.

No need to answer all the Qs here, any and all advice appreciated.

mgmay1959

Hi, similar to you I had a £300 budget. I did own a Dawes hybrid which I started to use on light trails. The downside was the general comfort. It had no telescopic front forks so every bumb shook my fillings. Sold that & bought a Carrera Vulcan from Halfords. So far only used on roads so have yet to take it on some trails, but I know it will serve my purposes well.Riding position is good, can lock-out front forks if needed. Hydraulic brakes, and double walled tyres (I think they're called) for knocks. Just a bit of advice...whichever bike you choose, maybe more MTB...swap the saddle for a nice squishy one...cheap enough from ebay with free postage.

The Rookie

arun.allen.93 said:

I also want to ask: is there a noticeable difference between Hybrid and MTBs in terms of comfort when riding? With my current MTB, although it's a size too big and that factors in, I tend to get back pain as I'm curved over due to the difference between seat and handlebar height. Can this be rectified by using handlebar spacers, or will this always be an issue with MTBs? I don't mind getting a Hybrid, but the options are more limited, and I just want to make sure that I can ride comfortably, say for a 30km ride on semi-flat terrain, using an MTB.
.

Comfort depends on a number of factors, but basically comes down to the relative position of the three contact points (grips, pedals and saddle), bike type has little to do with it as an MTB could be set up quite racey or relaxed, as could a Hybrid.

Your larger sized bike would have higher bars (they have a longer headtube to create this) so it wouldn't bend you over more but less due to the height of the bars (the saddle being a fixed distance for pedalling efficiency above the cranks which will be at the same height regardless of frame size), what is more likely is you are more bent over as the bike is longer (so the bars further away) and possibly fitted with a longer stem as well.

You can adjust the following to find a better position
1. Saddle height (should be set for pedalling efficiency only)
2. Saddle position (fore and aft) you have up to about 40mm total movement here, you can also change the seatpost between inline and setback to possibly gain another inch, if you have a setback post in extremis you can rotate some through 180 degrees to make it 'set forward' to see if the shorter effective bike length (from saddle to bars) helps you but only as a trial.
3. Grip height which can be done by
a. Moving spacers from one side of the stem to the other
b. By using a stem with a steeper rise
c. By changing handlebar rise between flat, low rise and high rise.
4. Stem length to change reach

For example I commute on a Hybrid, I swapped from a 'proper' hybrid frame (it was by then 11 years old) to a frame designed for use with dropped bars. Dropped bars move your hands further forwards from the fork steerer so the frame itself is shorter to suite. So to get the right reach for a Hybrid I went up one frame size (medium to large) and fitted a setback seatpost (frame designed for inline) the end result being that saddle to steerer distance on my new fame is the same as it was on my old frame.

As for MTB or Hybrid, if you're riding mostly on road or good quality paths then get the hybrid (all else being equal it will roll faster and be lighter) though by all means get one with slightly fatter tyres for ride comfort) if going off road on rough tracks get an MTB.

Also have a look at the Carrera Subway, rigid forked hybrid using Halford's MTB frame
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/carrera-subway-1-mens-hybrid-bike---s-m-l-frames-641465.html

mgmay1959's double wall refers to the rim not tyre and is what any vaguely decent wheel rim should have, it allows it to be lighter for adequate strength