Carrera Subway 2 or Pinnacle Cobolt 2

dominicot123 · August 2014

Hi,

I am hoping someone might be able to recommend which bike would be best. My budget is about £350 and at the moment I am trying to decide between the Carrera Subway 2 or Pinnacle Cobolt 2 as both are £350.

I will be commuting around 5 miles each way to work-along the river Thames towpath from Teddington-Brentford. I have heard that the Pinnacles tyres may not be suitable for the towpath but it does have the lockable suspension.

Does anyone have any recommendations or advice on which one I should go for?

I have copied the specs for both below (I know nothing about specs or anything!). Thanks!!

Pinnacle Cobalt 2:

Frame:
Pinnacle 6061-T6 double butted aluminium alloy
Fork:
SR Suntour NCX-D Lock-Out, 63mm travel
Front Derailleur:
Shimano Altus FD-M310
Rear Derailleur:
Shimano Acera RD-M360
Number of Gears:
24
Shifters:
Shimano SL-M310
Chainset:
Shimano FC-M171
Chainrings:
48/38/28T
Bottom Bracket:
FSA Square Taper
Cassette:
Shimano CS-HG31 11-32T
Chain:
KMC nickel finish
Pedals:
Flat w/rubber grippers
Brakeset:
Shimano BR-M375 Cable Disc
Brake Levers:
Tektro RS-360A 2-finger
Handlebars:
Pinnacle Aluminium low-rise bar, 15mm rise, 660mm width, 9/5 degree sweep
Stem:
Pinnacle Ahead stem, 90mm
Headset:
VP semi-integrated for 44mm ID
Grips:
Ergomomic Kraton rubber w/lock screws
Rims:
Alex Ace-18 32H
Front Hub:
Joytech 6-bolt disc
Rear Hub:
Joytech 6-bolt disc
Spokes:
Stainless PG
Front Tyre:
Kenda EuroTrek K197 38c
Rear Tyre:
Kenda EuroTrek K197 38c
Tubes:
Butyl
Saddle:
FWE Sport men’s, black
Seatpost:
Pinnacle Aluminium
Seat Binder:
Single-bolt clamp
Weight:
13kg

Carrera Subway 2
Forks: CHROMOLY BLADES WITH 1.1/8 HI-TEN STEEL STEERER
Frame Material: Alloy
Front Brake: CLARKES EXO HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKE 180mm Rotor
Number of Gears: 27
Rear Brake: CLARKES EXO HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKE 160mm Rotor
Suspension: Rigid
Wheel Size: 27.5"
DETAILED SPECS

Chainset: SUNTOUR XCM SQ, 48/36/26T - 170mm--14"/16", 175mm-18"/20"/20"/22"
Front Mech: SHIMANO ALTUS FD-M370
Gear Shifters: SHIMANO ALTUS SL-M370 TRIGGER SHIFTERS
Gender: Unisex
Headset: 1.1/8" Semi Integrated
Hubs: Alloy QR Hubs - 32 Hole
Pedals: Wellgo Alloy Platform - 9/16"
Rear Mech: SHIMANO ALTUS RD-M370
Rims: Carrera Alloy Double Wall Disc Brake Specific Rim - 32 Hole
Saddle: Carrera Performance Saddle
Tyre Size: 27.5x1.95
Tyres: VEE RUBBER CITY SLICK

kirkee · October 2014

This posts probably too late if you've already made up your mind and bought, here's my two pence worth- I own a 2012 disc brake version Subway and I purchased it for a bargain last year for about £260. I am amazed at how good the bike is for such a low price. I ride it when I can to and from my jobs and also use it a a wet weather x road training alternative to going out on my road bike, I look at it like cycle weight training. I give it a bit of a thrashing over trails and coast paths and it hasn't faulted yet. I say get the Subway you cant buy better for anywhere near their price level. I would recommend a cable upgrade (decent shimano etc) after 500km or so would keep it running as it should, keep an eye on the chain I swapped the original after it snapped for a KMC x 8 93 they're less than 7 quid from crc.

MichaelW · October 2014

Zombie thread but any potential Subway purchasers beware, the 2015 version does NOT use 26" MTB wheels. It uses 650B (27.5").
No 650B (27.5") commuter tyres are available in any high street shop.

kirkee · November 2014

carrera subway riding is slow, slow as a zombie walks

The Rookie · November 2014

The Subway isn't slow, it's not fast on road, but it's not designed to be, it's meant to be a work, not race, horse, but it's probably only a minute or two on a commute.

Most bike shops have road tyres in 650B......besides it comes with road tyres.

MichaelW · November 2014

The Rookie wrote:

The Subway isn't slow, it's not fast on road, but it's not designed to be, it's meant to be a work, not race, horse, but it's probably only a minute or two on a commute.

Most bike shops have road tyres in 650B......besides it comes with road tyres.

I comes with knobbly muli-surface tyres, not slicks.
halfords don't keep any 650B road tyres in stock, they are special order.
Evans Chainreaction, and Wiggle don't list any.

Touring specialist SJScycles have 650 slicks. I use them for many hard-to-find parts.

The Rookie · November 2014

CRC
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mich ... -prod20463
650Bx35.
Wiggle
http://www.wiggle.com/continental-grand ... road-tire/
650Bx23
I'm sure I could find more, 650B was a road size and you think you can't get road tyres, really?

MichaelW · November 2014

Continental Grand Prix 4000S II Sizes: 650c x 23, 700c x 20, 23, 25, 28

Michelin World Tour 650bx35 is one at CRC, but their own search filers exclude it from 650b results. I have used World Tour and they are 1970s Technology.

The Rookie · November 2014

Yup, but they are both useable 650B road tyres, just admit you didn't look properly and we can all move on!

And more
http://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/07/0 ... -mm-tires/ a simple search gives dozens of options.

MichaelW · November 2014

Continental Grand Prix 4000S II Sizes: 650c x 23
is not 650b

The Hutchinson "Brotherhood of 650" is available from your specialist boutique bike shop on the USA, Compass Cycles. You can also order it from a French online bike store

Quality 650B road tyres unavailable in normal bike shops include:
Grand Bois Hetre
Soma B-line
Panaracer Nifty Swifty and Col de Vie

As I said, you cannot just buy a 650b road tyre in a shop, they are special order/mail order.

The Rookie · November 2014

Argh so we've gone from not having any, to you have to mail order, strikes me you are changing the rules to suite, I can get lots of hits for UK 650B road tyres so I'm happy you original statement was bollocks and can't be bothered with this meaningless argument now.

Carrera Subway 2 or Pinnacle Cobolt 2

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