New bike advice please!

[Dover Nige]

Some advice and guidance needed please..!!

I'm looking to buy a new bike very shortly. I don't want to spend any more than £700 and it needs to be brand new. If I spent less it would be a real bonus.

I'll be mainly using the bike on tarmac (smooth and rough), bike gravel paths and across field trails than can be quite bumpy. Bit of to and from work riding and hopefully more recreational riding.

My bike history isn't great, so I'd really appreciate a bit of guidance and advice please! Last bike was a 2007 Giant Terrago disc hardtail which I ended up using very little as it was too small for me (short legs, longer top half and I felt bunched no matter what I changed). Bike before that was an ol Giant GSR200 rigid which I loved.

My local bike shop are Trek specialists and have steered me towards the Trek 8.3DS and 8.4DS. I like the look of them and will test ride one this week. I popped to Evans Lakeside and they didn't have much there. I wanted to see and ride a Kona Dew and a Cannondale Badboy, neither of which they had in.

Can anyone say if the Trek offerings are any good, which one would be the best option for me and are there other things I should be looking at?

Any help would be very much appreciated. Cheers..!!

[anonymous-user]

personally i would avoid a hybrid, especially one that pretends it can do more than one trick. they are fine on roads but really do struggle off road. the geomeotry is not great for off road (and by that i literally mean anything off tarmac) and the cheaper ones are designed and sold, as the cliche goes, as jack of all but honestly they are master of none. the "suspension" on them is a real weak point, fine for pot holes and kerbs but nothing more. there are some very good hybrids out there, they are usualy road bikes with flat bars to aid visibility, the other type are better of referred to as leisure bikes but that wont sell the manufacturers many.

something like this would seem far more usable, with lock out forks and a much better riding position for off road.
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/trek-4500-disc-moun...

[Dover Nige]

Thanks Pablo. That was a question I was asking myself, Do I want a hybrid or simply a good mountain bike..!! Have I opened a can of worms..!?!

[shouldbworking]

Loads of options
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/focus-black-raider-40-slx-...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...


Something more all rounder?
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPOMPALF/on-one-pom...

I'd also be paying a visit to Decathlon to pick out options from there but their site seems to be a bit doolally at the moment

[Dover Nige]

That's me scratching my head and chin even more now..!! So the Trek 8.4DS isn't much good and I'd be better off with a MTB then?

[shouldbworking]

Dover Nige said:

That's me scratching my head and chin even more now..!! So the Trek 8.4DS isn't much good and I'd be better off with a MTB then?

It's not bad per se, but its not the best value out there. The only difference between a hybrid and a mtb is often just the tyre choice - if you found yourself using it only on road you could just change the tyres and be done with it.

29er (700c wheel size) MTBs are in fashion at the moment and as such get a bit of a price premium and you dont get as much for your money. There's no particular reason for your needs to choose one over a 26" wheel size bike.

[anonymous-user]

because hybrids have markedly different riding position to a mountain bike they are designed for maximum "bum on saddle" time, if you have ever been out of the saddle on a hybrid you will now what i mean, they are quite unweildy and the handling is awful as the geometry is more relaxed.

there are some, as i referred to as flat bar road bikes, like the cannondale bad boy and the giant rapid, which are great for commuters who want better visibilty, that dont have suspension forks or anything that hints at an off road capability.

i just think hybrids are mis-sold in the UK. they were invented by the manufacturers for middle aged couples who want to pootle on tow paths for a mile or two not for someone who has an inkling to tackle more off road bias stuff.

you just cant go wrong with a proper mountain bike.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 8th September 08:59

[Mr Will]

Have you considered a Cyclocross bike?

If you aren't looking to fling it around off road, it could be a good option.

[Jobbo]

pablo said:

you just cant go wrong with a proper mountain bike.

...if your use suits it. For riding a large proportion of the time on tarmac, I think a proper mountain bike is a poor choice.

About 2 months ago I bought a Specialized Crosstrail Comp. It's tarred with the hybrid brush but it's suited my use perfectly. I cross fields etc from time to time, generally as shortcuts between roads, and it does the job. The tyres aren't grippy at all on wet grass or in mud, but they're great on road (easy enough to maintain a 19-20mph cruise) and you can always change them to more knobbly ones if you are so inclined.

If I were doing fewer road miles and more bridleways, it wouldn't be suitable of course.

[louiebaby]

Mr Will said:

Have you considered a Cyclocross bike?

If you aren't looking to fling it around off road, it could be a good option.

Reading the description of what the OP gave, this was my thought. £700 should get something nice. I am trying to get my dad to change his 20 year old Rayleigh Hybrid thingy, probably still on the original chain, to something like a Cannondale CX bike.

[Mars]

My fav bike website at the mo - should be able to find something useful:

http://www.whytebikes.com/2012/index.php

[anonymous-user]

Another plus point for cyclocross over mtb is that you can fit proper mudguards. Essential for regular commuting rain or shine!

[Dover Nige]

Thanks for all the great replies..!!

I hadn't even known about cyclocross bikes until now - not sure I'm a fan of the drop handles though, so I'm back to the mtb v. hybrid dilemma.

Though I'm wondering if the middle aged tow path description fits me pretty well actually..!!!

[ArnageWRC]

Cube do flat bar Cyclocross bikes.....


http://www2.cube.eu/tour/cross/sl-cross-race/

[anonymous-user]

Heres an interesting one I've been considering, a tad over budget:-

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPOMPALF/on...

Hub gears & you can choose tyres etc via customise button...

[anonymous-user]

Dover Nige said:

Thanks for all the great replies..!!

I hadn't even known about cyclocross bikes until now - not sure I'm a fan of the drop handles though, so I'm back to the mtb v. hybrid dilemma.

Though I'm wondering if the middle aged tow path description fits me pretty well actually..!!!

cx bikes dont suit many people due to the twitchy handling. if you are coming form flat bars and knobbly tyres the handling takes osme time to get used to. if you have experience of drops they are just another road bike albeit beefier.

i think the fundamental issue with a mountain bike is if you ever get a yearning to go offroad, be it bridleways, trail centres, cross country bimbles, it will cope admirably, a hybrid will almost certainly let you down. whether its tyres, ride position or the quality of the components, 90% of hybrids just dont work off road.

if you can genuinely never see yourself going off road then a hybrid may well suit but you are limiting your potential riding area significantly and a mountain bike on road works far better than an hybrid off road....

[louiebaby]

Dover Nige said:

I hadn't even known about cyclocross bikes until now - not sure I'm a fan of the drop handles though, so I'm back to the mtb v. hybrid dilemma.

Though I'm wondering if the middle aged tow path description fits me pretty well actually!!!

I wasn't sure about drops until I took the plunge and went for a road bike. Now mountain bikes feel weird, and the extra hand positions give a nice range of places when you start getting a bit stiff.

I have an oldish road bike that you're welcome to try out for as long as you want, depending on your size and location, (I'm guessing Dover.)

Don't worry about the middle-aged tow-path description, if you're realistic about what you'll use it for, you'll use it more. It'll save you a lot of cash in the long run. That Cube looks like a great shout for what you've described so far though.

[Dover Nige]

A huge thanks to all who gave me pointers on what to look at. Looked again at full on mtb's, looked at the Cubes, but finally settled on a Trek. The service from my local bike shop was superb and I went for the DS. Currently have the crud catcher set and dmr pedals on order too.

Thanks again for all your help, advice and offers..!! :0)

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/dual...