I want this in the worse way

[ESOG]

Recently I found myself looking into the purchase of a mountain bike. I've had a few in my time and have suddenly been bit by the biking bug again. I usually look for mountain bikes in the $600-$800 range, and with front suspension. My favorites ive owned in the past have been a Trek (forgot the model) and a Raleigh M80. I absolutely loved the Raleigh!

As I was in the store, where they mainly sold Raleigh, Trek/Gary Fisher, and Specialized bikes I found myself torn between a Raleigh and a Specialized. I am brand loyal and therefore wanted to try out another Raleigh, but then again I always had an attraction to Specialized mountain bikes.

That is, until I laid my eyes on this beauty!

http://villagecycle.com/product/11-trek-utopia-gar...

best part is, its a hybrid, mountain and road bike on one, with front suspension! Call me oblivious, but I had no idea hybrid bikes even existed, just goes to show my ignorance in my hobby LOL

Deposit down, 1 more paycheck to go and its mine. It is stunning! Top notch components, so light I could fling through the roof with my finger, even with the front suspension, and a frame and color scheme design to drool for! pictures do this bike no justice. If you get the chance to see one in the flesh, please do, I would love to hear your thoughts.

[kickingkh]

That is an awesome looking peice of kit.
I'm in the market for a new commuter bike and thats ticking all the boxes. Keep us updated when you've had a ride.

[neil_bolton]

Sure these are just '29ers' with slick tyres on? They've been on the market for a while - but not really in the mainstream.

Great ideas - but very much a divisive style of bike to the experienced mountain bikers.

[curlie467]

neil_bolton said:

Sure these are just '29ers' with slick tyres on? They've been on the market for a while - but not really in the mainstream.

Great ideas - but very much a divisive style of bike to the experienced mountain bikers.

They have 700c wheels where as the 29ers have full width mtb rims.


Looks a lovely bike but just do light off roading, do not attempt drop offs etc on those wheels.

[Mars]

It's nice but by no means the only 700c hybrid with front sus out there.

Specialized has the Crosstrail: http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/detail/11...

Whyte the C7 Malvern: http://www.whytebikes.com/2011/bike_page.php?ModNo...


There are loads of others. Not sure how the prices translate but consider hydraulic discs over mechanical ones.

[anonymous-user]

These light 700cc bikes with front shocks at first look a bit niche. Perhaps they're actually just the kind of bike that would suit 90% of the population that simply want a bike for the weekend that might go down a bridle path or canal tow path or perhaps a short commute to work?

I expect many of the people with hardtails use them on surfaces where a 700cc hybrid would work fine. I bet bike shops see loads of new buyers that kind of have an image of cyclist being either a racer with a road bike or the other kind with a mountain bike. It probably comes from many people returning to cycling from a time when there was only 'BMX' or a 'racing' bike or mountain bikes to select from.

[ESOG]

Oh not at all, I would certainly not think about doing any sort of hardcore off road biking or drop offs with that bike especially with those tires. I took it for a test ride, the place I went to has a huge back lot, cement and a flatish piece of land that consists of grass and dirt with a few bumps. Sort of like a mini track similar to when you look at Landrovers or Jeeps and the dealerships have those obstacle courses set up to try them out.

It rode very smoothly! I already know that I am going to be on the road more than off the road, but it is nice to know when or if I want to cut across a field or just play around a but in the woods on some amatuer trails I can do so. I can also tell that this bike is going to move very fast while on the cement. That is sort of what I was looking for, a capable road bike where it will get moving to a nice rythm and sustain the speed. I plan on using it to ride daily after work to get back in shape, good cardio and at the same time damn good fun too! Plus, I love within 2 miles from my job so I am looking forward to doing the one thing I always thought about doing all these years but never did for fear of being looked at as a pansy: RIDE MY BIKE TO WORK! No doubt the boys will be bustin' my balls, but who cares, I always wanted to do it and now I can.

For instance, as I said I live about 2 miles to my job, and the terrain isnt all straight either. I live on a dead end street and the only way out is a HUGE (and I mean HUGE as well as STEEP hill) to get out to the top and enter the main suburban road. So right away I will have one hell of a warm up. then depending on which way I take, I can either coast a ways to the bottom of the suburban road and onto the main road at which time it is a straight shot on the main street (which incidentally is aptly named, you guessed it, MAIN STREET! lol) to my job. Or when I get to the top of the hill after leaving my house I can go left and that will take a bit longer but the rife will be moe challenging as it consists of hills going up and down, leading across Main street and onto the street parallel to it leading me to the back of the shopping center and across aaaallll the way the HUGE parking lot to the front part of the lot where my auto store is located. I think I will take that route as it is more secluded, most likely will be cooler in the morning as well as it is lined with beautiful trees that create a canopy over the road.

I literally cannot wait to wake up at an hour I have not woken up to in god knows how many years LOL, make myself some breakfast and leave myself a good 40 minutes to take a nice leisurely ride to work.

One of the nicer options on the bike allows you to lock out the front suspension so when your not offroading and you are on the cement roads, the bike wont lose its momentum by hopping about at the front.

I'll take nice close up photos of it when I get it home. Oh and here is something of an added bonus too, one of the rules of the shop (or maybe its an international rule via Trek itself, can someone shed some light on this?) is that any bike purchased over the price of $600 comes with lifetime maintenance program, i.e. lifetime tuneups for free and as often as you like.

Sorry for the long post, if you made it to the end, thank you, I am just very excited!!!

Until I get mine posted on here, I would love to see some of your bikes!! Can you post a few pics?

[ESOG]

Mars said:

It's nice but by no means the only 700c hybrid with front sus out there.

Specialized has the Crosstrail: http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/detail/11...

Whyte the C7 Malvern: http://www.whytebikes.com/2011/bike_page.php?ModNo...


There are loads of others. Not sure how the prices translate but consider hydraulic discs over mechanical ones.

They had that Specialized bike there too, I wanted to like it but it didnt do it for me when standing next to the Utopia. But WOW on the second bike you posted, the Malvern. Stunning! I have never heard of that brand before. It looks like the frame of a Specialized bike.

Ever hear of Ellsworth Bikes? My friend has one, paid close to $3,500 for it!! But man what a bike!! Full suspension of course, but what amazes me is that being full suspension, it still feels as light as a feather, all joking aside.

Edited by ESOG on Saturday 18th June 06:35

[Pints]

There's a "show us your bike" sticky thread. That should be enough to keep you occupied with the aloe and lanolin for quite a while.

[ESOG]

Pints said:

There's a "show us your bike" sticky thread. That should be enough to keep you occupied with the aloe and lanolin for quite a while.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just gonna grab a box of tissues real quick... LOL

[Mars]

ESOG said:

Mars said:

It's nice but by no means the only 700c hybrid with front sus out there.

Specialized has the Crosstrail: http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/detail/11...

Whyte the C7 Malvern: http://www.whytebikes.com/2011/bike_page.php?ModNo...


There are loads of others. Not sure how the prices translate but consider hydraulic discs over mechanical ones.

They had that Specialized bike there too, I wanted to like it but it didnt do it for me when standing next to the Utopia. But WOW on the second bike you posted, the Malvern. Stunning! I have never heard of that brand before. It looks like the frame of a Specialized bike.

Ever hear of Ellsworth Bikes? My friend has one, paid close to $3,500 for it!! But man what a bike!! Full suspension of course, but what amazes me is that being full suspension, it still feels as light as a feather, all joking aside.

Of course THE most important thing is how the bike fits to you but people often underestimate how pride of ownership can be affected by the aesthetics too. I like how my bike looks, many don't.

Mine's a Whyte, but not one with front suspension. I keep thinking about trying a front susser out but mine moves so fast. I use it 99% on paved surfaces and although a front sus would iron-out the poorly surfaced paths in this country, I can't say I'm actually unhappy with it as it stands.

Whyte is a British brand - designed here but manufactured abroad (as are most bikes these days). I'm not sure what international markets they have found themselves in.

Best thing about your bike is that it's energised/enthused you into cycling. Can't beat that..!!

[HundredthIdiot]

ESOG said:

I already know that I am going to be on the road more than off the road, but it is nice to know when or if I want to cut across a field or just play around a but in the woods on some amatuer trails I can do so. I can also tell that this bike is going to move very fast while on the cement. That is sort of what I was looking for, a capable road bike where it will get moving to a nice rythm and sustain the speed.

I think many people overestimate the equipment needed for fun, light off-road. By fun, I mean non-competitive, and by light I mean without big rocks and drops.

I had an epiphany a couple of years ago during a cyclocross training session on a wet, muddy grassy course. There was I fretting about tyre pressures, canti brake setup and whether my tyre knobbles were of the right proportions, when a regular turned up on his Cervelo S3 with tubular Zipps and slick race tyres and rode round the course about 50% faster than me.

Since then I've started light MTBing with the kids using my cyclocross commuter bike with 23mm slicks partly because I can't be bothered to buy a mountain bike or change my tyres, but mostly because it's really great fun. For fire roads and forest trails you really don't need fat knobbly tyres or suspension.

Point is, I understand the appeal of hybrids with suspension for people who have an aversion to road bikes for whatever reason, but my current dream bike for generaly messing around looks a lot like this:



http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-01/d...

[ESOG]

HundredthIdiot said:

I think many people overestimate the equipment needed for fun, light off-road. By fun, I mean non-competitive, and by light I mean without big rocks and drops.

I had an epiphany a couple of years ago during a cyclocross training session on a wet, muddy grassy course. There was I fretting about tyre pressures, canti brake setup and whether my tyre knobbles were of the right proportions, when a regular turned up on his Cervelo S3 with tubular Zipps and slick race tyres and rode round the course about 50% faster than me.

Since then I've started light MTBing with the kids using my cyclocross commuter bike with 23mm slicks partly because I can't be bothered to buy a mountain bike or change my tyres, but mostly because it's really great fun. For fire roads and forest trails you really don't need fat knobbly tyres or suspension.

Point is, I understand the appeal of hybrids with suspension for people who have an aversion to road bikes for whatever reason, but my current dream bike for generaly messing around looks a lot like this:



http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-01/d...

I understand what you mean! As for the pic of the bike you posted, I love it! what is stopping you from obtaining it?

[Mars]

It's a nice a bike, no doubt. Put some sensible flat handlebars on it and it'd perfect.

[HundredthIdiot]

ESOG said:

I understand what you mean! As for the pic of the bike you posted, I love it! what is stopping you from obtaining it?

Apparently Alfine 11 works better, but although 11sp Versa shifters have been out a couple of months Genesis are not yet offering them in a build. I haven't summoned the will to build my own yet.

I have a completely irrational aversion to flat bars. :-)