Mountain Bike or Hybrid

[Corpulent Tosser]

Mrs Tosser and I have recently bought a motorhome, primary purpose is to pull my race car trailer (unfortunately having bought the motorhome the race car was written off at Doune, but will be replaced for next year, but I digress) we will also be using the MH for holidays and short breaks and want to take bikes with us.
We will not be doing anything 'radical' or 'extreme' we will be on paved paths or unmade paths at worst.

Now my son-in-law who is a mountain biker thinks a hybrid wouold be best for us, but my son who is a road biker thinks a mountain bike would be best.

I am inclined to go hybrid, what do the biking PHer think ?

Also recommendations wouldn't go amiss, budget around £300-£350 each.

Ta
CT

[Cloud 9]

For the type of riding you describe I would opt for a hybrid with 700c wheels and lock out front suspension . I tend to us mine for longer treks and is much easier to ride on roads and towpaths than my rockhopper.

[Corpulent Tosser]

Excuse my ignorance but what is lock out suspension ?

Ta

OK, google is my friend, I know what lock out suspension is - Would I not be as well buying a bike with no suspension ?

Edited by Corpulent Tosser on Tuesday 8th September 21:27

[anonymous-user]

dont bother with front suspension, at that price it will have cheap materials, be heavy and ineffective. likewise disc brakes, stick to v-brakes as discs at that price will be cheap materials, be heavy.... oh you get the idea.... they are gimmicks on bikes that price to fool the buyer into thinking that they are getting something identical to the top of the range bikes... peopel fall for it all the time. why do you need discs, which are only really useful on long descents and in the wet weather, on a bike that is not designed to go down long descents and is unlikely, from the sound of it, to be ridden in the rain!!!

go for a nice rigid hybrid, have a look at the scott sportster, the spesh centrum or whatever the ridgeback is called. www.evanscycles.co.uk will be your best bet for now. as you are unlikely to be going fast suspension isnt really necessary and you should be able to avoud any big bumps in time. some comfy grips and gloves (i wholeheartedly recommend a pair of endura fs260) will keep you hands free from aches and strains. run the tyres at around 65-80psi and you should enjoy it no end.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 8th September 21:34

[RobDickinson]

The caveat with a hybrid is if you get the offroad bug.

Else it'll be great for what you've said.

[Lastinclass]

Murray, one of our fellow friendly competitors has a bike shop in Inverurie! Pop in to see him, he'll keep you right.

[71notout]

I bought a Ridgeback Velocity in April this year from Edinburgh Bicycle - got it on a 15% off weekend

I have been really happy with it, use it for commuting and for exercise/fun cycles and it fits the bill (and your remit) perfectly!

[Chris71]

Get a hybrid.

They really are perfect for rough tarmac. Mine is a Kona Dew Deluxe - one of the more MTB biased ones, but still a rigid hybird as opposed to a road bike and it works brilliantly. A road bike would (at least feel) to delecate for uneven paving at speed and hopping off curbs, and a full mountain bike would be cumbersome on the hills. It really is the ideal compromise. I've also taken on some well-packed gravel briddleways in the dry (following my OH who was riding my mountain bike) and it's fine for that in the dry. Obviously if that was its main purpose I'd get a mountain bike, but for road but tarmaced roads and the occasional tow path I reckon a rigid hybrid is ideal.

[Vespula]

I bought a hybrid and it sucks! Huge skinny wheels, uncomfortable handlebars. Complete bks. get a proper Moutain Bike with big fat tyres. Those bloody towpaths are like WW1 trenches in places. Do not spend less than £250.

[gbbird]

I would suggest a mountain bike, then you have the best of both worlds. Just pop some slick tyres on it and you have your hybrid; leave the big tyres on for MTB stuff. As you explore this our green and pleasant land (and indeed others) more often than not you will come across rough paths rather than super smooth, so a MTB would be my choice.

And for the price you are looking to pay, you could get an entry level Specialized, Trek or Cannondale.

g

Edited by gbbird on Thursday 10th September 08:23

[Corpulent Tosser]

OK, so you guys disagree on what is best for me as well, apart from a rigid would seem to be the best bet for me.

Ah well, as Lastinclass has recommended a fellow competitor I guess a trip to Inverurie to try a few for size is in order, BTW is there more than one cycle shop in Inverurie ?

[Lastinclass]

Inverurie has 2 bike shops!!!
You're looking for Pedal Power - owned by Lindsay Ross (bike engined mini pick up)

I'm trying to source a steering column link for Dad's stryker, it's the bit with 2 universal joints linking the upper column to the rack! Any ideas? Looks Transit to me?

[anonymous-user]

Corpulent Tosser said:

OK, so you guys disagree on what is best for me as well, apart from a rigid would seem to be the best bet for me.

Ah well, as Lastinclass has recommended a fellow competitor I guess a trip to Inverurie to try a few for size is in order, BTW is there more than one cycle shop in Inverurie ?

given you say "We will not be doing anything 'radical' or 'extreme' we will be on paved paths or unmade paths at worst" i still think a rigid hybrid is best.

all these people saying "get a mtb and put slicks on" implying that its a hybrid have obviously never ridden a bulit for purpose hybrid and a cheap mtb back to back on flat paved roads or they would know they are talking rubbish.

the components, geometry and design of a hybrid is completely different and far more comfortbale and relaxed in comparison to a mtb.

rigid hybrids work well on unmade paths and the stable handling can be quite fun if it gets a bit bumpy.

short travel suspension forks on cheap mtbs are elastomers and they offer little adjustment and unpredictable compression and rebound. they are unpleasant and do not offer anything like the plush ride that you might expect.

[Vespula]

Pablo, good points but I ride easy, off road routes and i wish I had got a mountain bike rather than a hybrid, I just hope the OP doesn't make the same (400 quid) mistake. Try before you buy is a good idea.

[Corpulent Tosser]

I am fairly sure a hybrid is what I will be buying, as and old fat chap I have no intention of doing any mountain biking or serious offroad stuff, well not intentionally, I have been know to offroad in the hillclimb car.

Mark

I am fairly sure the steering on the Striker is all Escort, is this what you are looking for http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/steering-universal-join...

Carbuildersolutions are not the cheapest but do have lots of good stuff.

Murray

[jshell]

Corpulent Tosser said:

.... as and old fat chap I have no intention of doing any mountain biking or serious offroad stuff,

Murray

You may get the bug. I'm old and fat (but reducing ) and I love throwing myself down technical trails and off hills!

[anonymous-user]

if you do get the offroad bug, you can hire some nice stuff at trail centres around the UK before buying...

[JQ]

CT - Not sure if you're an employee, but don't forget that if you are, you can get the bikes Tax free through the Government's Cycle to Work Scheme. Your employer does not have to be a member, you can sort it all out and get your firm's Accounts Dept to send off all the forms. So if you're a top rate taxpayer you can get the bikes half price, plus all the accessories you may need.

[option click]

How about a 'cross bike? It's essentially a beefed-up road bike that will handle rough(ish) offroad stuff far better than a hybrid. Specialized Tricross is a popular one.

[Corpulent Tosser]

JQ said:

CT - Not sure if you're an employee, but don't forget that if you are, you can get the bikes Tax free through the Government's Cycle to Work Scheme. Your employer does not have to be a member, you can sort it all out and get your firm's Accounts Dept to send off all the forms. So if you're a top rate taxpayer you can get the bikes half price, plus all the accessories you may need.

My son-in-law is in the process of doing that now, but I work overseas so not suitable for me - unfortunately.

Thanks for advice though.