What bike

[CAH706]

Hi

Any advice appreciated

I think I need a hybrid bike but is there anything else more suited. I will be using it for some road use but mainly canal useage etc riding with my 8 year old.

I have up to £1170 to spend via the cycle to work scheme. Any recommendations? I was looking at the Boardman stuff but know very little about bikes!

For my useage, am I wise spending the max amount or would I be better spending less?

Basically just wanting to make use of the scheme and buy a new toy!

Thanks

[warp9]

Hi. That's a very healthy budget to spend on tow path riding with your son! I commute 15 miles a day on the towpaths and have a Pinnacle hybrid which I picked up second hand for £200 and has been great at the job. It's a bit heavy and not as fast as a road bike, but put some puncture resistance slick tyres on and you can tick along. I previously had a road bike, which can handle tow paths, but it's was a bit bone shaky.

Saying that, I get the man math desire to buy something nice and shiny, particularly when it's on tax free instalments!

Have you considered how else you will use the bike? If you are going to hack around town with a bit of road and canal use, then a hybrid is probably the way to go. But if you are keen to do more road or trail riding then a more focused bike will be better and just compromise when you're out with your son.

[CAH706]

Thanks for the reply. I realise I'm being slightly frivolous but I can always sell the bike after a year of I'm not using it and will probably get most of my cash back.

I may use the bike for fitness and go a little more off road but not sure if a hybrid will be sufficient. Is there such a thing as a cross between a hybrid and a mountain bike?

[warp9]

Sounds like you're leaning more towards a XC hardtail - coincidentally I've just started a thread for recommendations on them. If you get one where you can lock out the front forks it will help when you are around town or on tow paths, plus get less knobbly tyres will also help rolling resistance.

[J886ATV]

CAH706 said:

but I can always sell the bike after a year of I'm not using it and will probably get most of my cash back.

Technically not - bike unlikely to be 'yours' at that point otherwise the tax break doesn't work.

[CAH706]

99% sure we buy the bike after12 months, hand back or donate to charity. The agreement is 12 payments then pay the tax on the fair market value.

Can then get another bike.

[warp9]

CAH706 said:

99% sure we buy the bike after12 months, hand back or donate to charity. The agreement is 12 payments then pay the tax on the fair market value.

Can then get another bike.

Think you are right on this, however the fair market value after 12 months is such that it barely makes using the scheme beneficial, and buying a second hand bike increasingly attractive. Or look for a 12 month interest free offer.

[CAH706]

I did consider second hand etc but I think that new is still worth it.

Tax on the FMV means I'd pay £100 to own the bike at the end but...

I get 15% off the cost up front so a £1170 bike would cost me £1000.

I get taxed at higher rate so save over 40%

I think I'd pay under £600 for the bike

I am not expert so stand to be corrected but did look at this in some detail over the last few days.

PS there is a 'catch' with the 15% discount. If I use independent bike shops they generally want full price for all bikes regardless of whether they are in the sale. If I get a bike from Halfords they will honour the sale price as well.

[anonymous-user]

Where can the voucher be used?

[CAH706]

Halfords or a load of independent bike shops.

[numtumfutunch]

In the true style of PH Im going to recommend my own bike which is a Specialized Diverge.

Its a 'gravel' bike which are currently fashionable, most manufacturers have one in their range.

It has drop bars and looks like a road bike.
The reasons I rate it/them are the triad of hydraulic disc brakes, clearance for big (32mm) tyres and fittings for proper mudguards.

I run it as my commuter and foul weather road bike on club runs.
Even on slicks - 32mm though - its pretty handy on towpaths and less technical bridleways.

It sounds like a gravel bike or cyclocross bike is what you need but do you have any mates into cycling?
If so buy a bike for whatever it is they ride - road, MTB, etc

Good luck

[NatAsp]

Depends on the quality of the towpath. The ones near me are really bumpy and front suspension makes a huge difference to the ride quality when using them. I can ride them on both my road bike and my hybrid bike without issue, but it's not a particularly pleasant experience.

You obviously don't need a full blown MTB but something like a Boardman MX would be perfect based on the riding you describe. As I recall the forks have a locking feature which you could use to stiffen the bike up for when you take it on the road. You really don't need to spend all that money. If it's burning a hole in your pocket, you can get a really good bike for half of that and donate the difference to charity via payroll giving!

[Tri_Doc]

Trek 7.2 or 7.3 (FX range) would be perfect for this. I've had one since 2009 and its been superb for general riding, commuting and more recently trips out with my daughter on the back.
Would come in well under budget as well.