What bike would you get?

Not having ridden one of the hybrids I can't say for certain, but the Boardman road bikes seem pretty decent for the money.

Some people are funny about the Ritchey WCS wheels, but some people are funny about everything. I've never heard anything actually bad about them, and I think the spoke pattern looks cool. If you buy it, it might be worth taking into an LBS to check it over after Halfords have put it together*.

It might also be worth looking at some other bikes as well. Marin, for example, make a nice range of sporty commuters (the Lucas Valley appears comparable to the Boardman and is less money (but I admit I haven't compared the spec item by item).

Basically, find a few bikes you like the look of and have some test rides. That's the only way to find out if the bike is right for you. If you have to trog about a bit to find them, remember it is worth it rather than spending the best part of a grand on a bike you then discover you don't actually like.

Good luck!

*(Disclaimer: I know there are many skilled and passionate cyclists who work for Halfords, but there are also more than a few monkeys with spoke wrenches and you have no guarantee who'll you'll get. Natural selection suggests that LBSs with crap bike mechanics will soon be out of business, but Halfords will keep on going on the proceeds of turtlewax and roof-rack sales if nothing else...)

And more fun.

ride_whenever wrote:

ever seen a roubaix?

(I'm a MTBr could a roadie please correct me if theses aren't the ones i mean)

anyway, lots of cobbles...

The Paris-Roubaix 260km one day classic. Famous for its rough terrain and cobbles (The horror! The horror!) it acquired the nickname L'enfer du Nord (The Hell of the North) although admittedly, this was because it ran through the wrecked landscape of the former battlefields of WWI. In recent years road improvements have sealed a lot of the cobbles, but there's still enough for it to be a proper beeyotch.

It is worth bearing in mind that the riders of the P-R have support crews with spares lining the route. They also tend to ride on wider wheels than normal and some even use bikes more closely akin to cyclo-crossers. But the P-R is an exceptionally and deliberately rough route, riding in a group you don't always have the opportunity to avoid horrible potholes, broken road surfaces, mud, etc. That said, a decentish road bike can and will take a lot of punishment - they are designed to be good all-round work horses over long distances. You have to look after them, but that is the same for any bike you might actually want to ride.

In any case, quite a lot of sport hybrids are basically road bikes with flat bars anyway, having very similar (exactly the same in some cases) frame geometries, lightweight frame materials and road wheels. The differences tend to come in the gearing and the presence of brazons for pannier racks and space for mudguards, which road bikes tend not to. With drop-handlebars you get the option of an even more aggressive riding position, but that isn't for everyone.

I am a huge fan of road bikes and commute on one every day, but I can't presume to tell you which bike is right for you, no-one here can. We can tell you if we like how they look and (sometimes) whether we think the components are any good for the money. The best advice we can give is to find a few bikes that you like the look of and try them out.

PS: Biondino, we don't play a dumb internet game. we play a dumb game on the road and then make inane postings about it on the internet when we get home.

hi

what did you get in the end? Im toying between these: -

boardman hybrid pro - rode great, but service (or lack of) from halfrods has put me off, ive heard rumours of some parts not being available as spares, and LBS take the effort to find the right size bike for you. size being important as aches can develop over time if it isnt right.

marin - lucas valley

specialized - sirus expert

trek 7.6 fx

I have looked at the specs but not knowing much about the differences between them its no use. any help guys?

For your budget you could get a CX bike like the Specialized Tricross Sport? I believe it has two sets of break levers, one set positioned as on a normal drop bar bike, and an extra pair as they would appear on a flat bar bike, so you can ride the bike as you would a hybrid.

It can also take mudguards and a pannier rack.

Greg66 wrote:

Damn!

Where did VL go? He was a smart guy.

Not like you lot. No sirree. The things I have to put up with around here. :P

+1 (about the where did go bit obviously :P ). Wasn't he in Germany or somewhere?