Cheap Hybrid

[Davey S2]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a cheap Hybrid bike?

Default choice would be a Carrera Crossfire 2 at just over £300 but Evans have the Specialised Sirrus 1.0 at £270.

Reviews on the Specialised seem ok but the spec isn't as good as the Crossfire (no disk brakes on the Specialised).

I don't need it for anything too strenuous, mostly out with the kids on cycle paths and tracks. There won't be any serious off road stuff.

Not really looking to spend more than around £350

Thanks.

[Master Bean]

Cheap disc brakes offer the same stopping power as rim brakes.

[loskie]

buy a decent used bike for similar money. There's oodles of little used ones for sale

[andyeds1234]

Master Bean said:

Cheap disc brakes offer the same stopping power as rim brakes.

Maybe you’ve never ridden on cheap cable disc brakes, they can be pretty useless, and just about any rim brake is preferable.

[wpa1975]

Master Bean said:

Cheap disc brakes offer the same stopping power as rim brakes.

Nope, cheap disc brakes are crap, I would pick rim brakes over them any day of the week.

[OutInTheShed]

There are plenty of inexpensive disc brakes that work OK.
Unlike rim brakes, they don't get awkward when the bike is used and the rim is a bit out of true.
Equally there are many excellent rim brakes.
Personally, across 3 bikes, the discs have been least trouble and most reassuring on the steep hills we have here.

I'd prefer discs, but also take other things into consideration like gears, tyres, weight...
At the 'modest' end of the price scale, you compromise.

[wpa1975]

OutInTheShed said:

There are plenty of inexpensive disc brakes that work OK.
Unlike rim brakes, they don't get awkward when the bike is used and the rim is a bit out of true.
Equally there are many excellent rim brakes.
Personally, across 3 bikes, the discs have been least trouble and most reassuring on the steep hills we have here.

I'd prefer discs, but also take other things into consideration like gears, tyres, weight...
At the 'modest' end of the price scale, you compromise.

Most hydraulic disc brakes are ok and need very little looking after, cable systems are poor take lots of effort to set, always end up rubbing as you have to set the pads really close to get any feel, hateful things and given the choice unless it is a good quality hydraulic set up, I would chose rim brakes all day long.

[Barchettaman]

Get the cheapest hybrid you can find with hydraulic disc brakes.

Everything else will be much of a muchness, but HDBs are objectively a massively good thing, even the cheaper ones.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Pinnacle neon used.