Best Bike for £500 please

ricgreen
ricgreen Posts: 103
edited February 2016 in MTB buying advice
Looking for the best all round Hybrid bike for £500 or less
Like the look of the Giant Escape 1 at around £450

Can anyone agree or disagree + add any others ?

Thanks
«1

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Look at Decathlon, Go Outdoors or Halfords. Much better value generally than big brands.
    Specifically no idea - links help.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • Bikes such as...

    Voodoo Marassa
    Boardmans Hybrid Comp
    13 Incline Alpha (heavily skewed towards off-road, but great frame/fork for the money)
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    He wants a hybrid, so probably none of the above.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • kickaxe
    kickaxe Posts: 446
    oxoman wrote:
    Loads of bikes that are around your budget but need to know what kind of riding you intend doing. Trail centres, forest tracks or natural trails, or more downhill type of stuff.

    Read again-Hybrid
    -Cube Acid 29" 2013
    -A new Giant Trance 3 2015!
  • cooldad wrote:
    He wants a hybrid, so probably none of the above.

    So if the Voodoo Marassa and Boardman Hybrid Comp are not hybrids in your eyes, what are? :lol:
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    I was replying to oxoman. Do keep up.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    The Hybrid bike will be used for some road riding and some slightly off road, nothing mad,
    Best bang for £500 would be good

    Thanks
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    cooldad wrote:
    Look at Decathlon, Go Outdoors or Halfords. Much better value generally than big brands.
    Specifically no idea - links help.
    Bikes such as...

    Voodoo Marassa
    Boardmans Hybrid Comp
    13 Incline Alpha (heavily skewed towards off-road, but great frame/fork for the money)
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    I understand that I be paying more for the Giant Escape 1
    But is there really much difference between that than the others mentioned?
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Links help, but if it's the one I looked at it's a bit of a stupid price. V brakes and low end bits.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    The Escape is dire value, you would be paying £250 for the name, get a Voodoo Marasa and change the rather heavy tyres to something to better suite your usage.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • The Rookie wrote:
    The Escape is dire value, you would be paying £250 for the name, get a Voodoo Marasa and change the rather heavy tyres to something to better suite your usage.

    +1

    The spec on the escape is shocking for the price tag, it's comparable to bikes 1/2 it's value, go with the Voodoo it's pretty decent for the price bracket and will give you much better bang for buck
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    Sorry all the bike will he brought through the cycle to work scheme so that rules out Halfords

    Here's the escape

    http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/ ... black.aspx
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    Thanks oxman

    I'm off to decathalon today a bit later on,
    Is there any ones there you or anyone else can recommend,
    I don't want to get there and be fed a load of bull from a worker who's got less idea than me lol

    Thanks
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    Here's a couple of links to decathalon Hybrids
    Let me know your views please.

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-f ... 22798.html

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520-fl
    at-bar-road-bike-sora-id_8322799.html

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500-f ... 22664.html
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    What cycle to work scheme (Halfords have a cycle to work scheme of their own and accept some other cycle to work schemes) so we know which retailers yo have access to?
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&sourc ... fLuctr7yMQ

    This scheme does not include Halfords
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    I know, so what, there are lots of schemes which is why we need to know the right one! Note I said some not all, net contribution of that post=zero.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    The Rookie
    Chill out
    I'm not looking for an argument and wasn't being funny when I mentioned the scheme,
    I've been on the schemes website and the bike shops in coventry that I can use include decathalon go outdoors, Ride, Thornton cycles in Rugby
    None of those stock the voodoo

    I'm looking at decathlon as per links earlier, and will visit this afternoon.
    And will go to the others tomorrow.

    Thanks
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Do we read between the lines and assume that cyclescheme is the cycle to work scheme you have? You haven't actually said.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    The Rookie

    Yes I should have made it a lot clearer,
    But It was not intentional,
    My mistake.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    No worries, confusion on both sides.

    Voodoo is a Halfords only brand.

    Decathlon have do a pair of decent fast road Hybrids
    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520-f ... 22799.html
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    The Rookie
    Thanks for that

    I'm in decathalon looking at the bike you have just put a link to,
    Just ridden it and it's a lovely lightweight bike,
    That's top of my list at the moment
    And I'm going to struggle to beat that all round for spec and price I think

    Thanks again
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    That one is superb value for money for a fast road hybrid, it's only limitation is that it won't take winder tyres if you want to take it off Tarmac.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    The Rookie

    The bike in Decathlon was fitted with 35mm tyres
    And the guy told me the bike would be ok using it on tow paths and through the woods
    Obviously nothing stupid though
    Do you think he may have been giving me a bit of duff advice?
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    The one linked to is on 25mm tyres, which bike did you look at?
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • ricgreen
    ricgreen Posts: 103
    It's definitely the bike you linked
    Perhaps they had 28mm tyres on,
    I've got the photo I took today on my phone today but for some reason I can't paste it on this thread
    I can send you it by email if you want, but would understand if you don't
    Message if it's an option
    Thanks
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    You need to use an external host like photobucket or tinypic and use the image link, but if it's that one the description says it should be on 25mm tyres and upto 32mm will fit, fine for roads.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.