First steps?

[tbourner]

I used to love cycling, still enjoy it but I need a better bike. I want to start commuting the 3 miles to work, cos driving it is just ridiculous. Currently my bike is a British Eagle Trail-something or other, about £100 (and probably weighs about 100lbs! ), dual suspension, Y frame, big heavy knobly tyres etc. etc. Basically it's rubbish for commuting, so I want a hybrid.

My ride is some roads, up and down some kerbs, some hills, and quite a bit of gravelly and/or muddy footpaths.

My question is: Is it worth me just getting a cheap £200 Carrera thingy from Halfords? Or will it be just as much a BSO as my current BSO? Will the step up be worth it or should I be looking at getting a Dawes Discovery 201 or 301? Or even better look at the second hand market and try for something even nicer off eBay or something?
I'm sure a cheap as chips hybrid will make a huge difference over my mountain bike, but will I be wanting to change it again in 6 months?

[oaklec]

Edinburgh bicycle do some in house hybrids under their Revolution brand that appear good value for money. www.edinburghbicycle.com

[random37]

Why don't you ask for something here? If you don't like it you can sell it and get your money back.

[cranky1]

What you've got sounds about ideal for what you are doing.

[oaklec]

A Cannondale Bad Boy might suit your needs better

[meic]

Your ride sounds short and dirty.

I would be focusing on the tyres and a good pair of full mudguards as a more important point than the rest of the bike.

The fastest tyres that could handle the terain, something like 26 x 1.5" Paselas or Marathons? If they cope with the mud they will make the road parts fast and can do kerbs pretty OK.

If the hills are not too severe go for hub gears as it will be a pain cleaning deraileurs all the time for such a small journey where you can afford to expend effort required with fewer gears.

I am a great fan of secondhand. Lots of cheap/free 1980's British Steel around which can beat modern stuff for utillity any day.

[oaklec]

Edinburgh bicycle sell hub geared hybrids...

[mick skinner]

tbourner,

short answer is yes.

it'll be well worth upgrading from what you've got now. from the description of your route, i'd recommend a nice, light weight, hybryd. with that sort of terrain knobbly tyres are more of a liability than an asset.

[tbourner]

When I say gravelly/muddy footpaths, I mean they are solid footpaths that have some loose on top and mud mostly from the forest bits either side, it's definitely not an off road trail!!! I'd say there's no need for knobblys on my route at all.

So what are the Halfords £200 hybrids like? I can probably get one of them second hand for £150. My budget is tight due to the wife!

[meic]

Every time I go to Halfords there is always a selection of bikes at half price or similar. I would only pay £150 for a second hand £200 bike if it was 100% as new.
Ask if your LBS has any secondhand bikes and dont make the mistake of assuming they will be more expensive than Halfords.

[random37]

A £150 secondhand hybrid from here would wipe the floor with anything you could buy from Halfords for £150.

[hubgearfreak]

3 miles to work, cos driving it is just ridiculous.

you're dead right there

My budget is tight due to the wife!

....tell her that the savings in fuel will mean that your budget should be higher. there's nothing more likely to put you off than a cheap and nasty or often breaking bike

[oaklec]

This takes some beating for a budget new bike.

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c002910

[lauriematt]

a friend had a british eagle....heavy steel bike. too heavy

see if you can pick up a cheap aluminium mountain bike.....you really notice the difference in weight and you can pick up a decent one cheap second-hand

[lauriematt]

for example this bike: http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=18935

costs over £400 brand new....but being sold for under half that price