Hello all and a bit of advice needed.

Trips, adventures, bikes, equipment, etc.
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Steve.B
Posts: 2
Joined: 20 Jun 2016, 8:55pm

Hello all and a bit of advice needed.

Post by Steve.B »

Firstly hello all from a cycling newbie ( well not really a newbie, but not ridden for 35 plus years ) I am after a bit of advice on purchasing bikes, I spend my life at two different locations one where the riding is mostly on flat roads with a bit of cycling on tracks and the other place is at a place where most of my cycling is on tow paths rough tracks cycle paths etc ( nothing too demanding ) with a little bit of riding on roads... I have already purchased a Trek 7.2 FX which I have fitted with mud guards and a rack this bike is perfect for my needs where I ride mainly on the roads..( and I have been transporting it to my other home for riding on tracks at the weekend, but it is not really the solution .. I need a bike at each property... So I have been looking at either the Trek 2016 Ds 8.5, hybrid ... and also a 2016 specialised crosstrail elite disc.... I have also looked at a Trek ex-calibre mountain bike ( but as I am getting on in years and won't be trying anything too exciting it may be a bit over gunned for me..anyway it's now all getting a bit confusing. So any advice will be greatly received....

If it's any help my wife has a specialized crosstrail ( basic model) and I seem to get on ok with that for my rough ish riding.... But being a bloke... Would like more gadgets.. More bang for my buck....at least I am honest :)

Thanks for reading, Steve.
hamster
Posts: 4131
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: Hello all and a bit of advice needed.

Post by hamster »

Some questions: do you ever carry luggage and stuff for a day ride? How far do you ride, and what is your aspiration? What kind of pace / speed? What is your trade-off between comfort, speed and efficiency?

Personally, for flat reasonably-surfaced tracks (like towpaths and forestry commission bash roads) I wouldn't bother with front suspension. It's heavy, adds complexity and doesn't really do that much other than take the sting out of small bumps. The bikes you suggest are all sensible choices, and like you I think mudguards are well worthwhile to make riding on wet days more enjoyable.

Personally I ride this kind of stuff with a tourer with 1.6" (40mm) tyres, because it's much faster on road with drop bars, and the riding position is more comfortable for all-day riding. But what works for me is not necessarily what would work for you.

I think the easiest starting point is to think about what you don't like about your existing bike, and whether any new bike will address the issue.
Steve.B
Posts: 2
Joined: 20 Jun 2016, 8:55pm

Re: Hello all and a bit of advice needed.

Post by Steve.B »

Thanks for your reply hamster, some good info there..my road based hybrid is great in the area where I ride mainly on roads and is all fitted out with mudguards and bags etc so I am going to leave that at one of my properties..... The other place that I ride is as I said mainly off road with tracks fields rough ground, I have tried my road based hybrid and it feels like it is going to shake it to bits.. Now my wife's crosstrail with suspension on the front is more comfortable on the rough roads (but rattles and clonks a bit over dirt tracks with lots of pot holes ) which is why I asked about the trek ex-caliber.. As it is a mountain bike and would stand up to rough treatment a bit better ( but what would it be like on short sections of road between the off road sections . Hard work or not ) the off road bike is mainly for a bit of fun... As my more serious cycling will be done on my hybrid... And anything more serious wil be on one of the three motorcycles that I ride... Softail, low rider and vintage rigid framed old school chop.
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