Which bike to get?

[Poppy18]

Hi

I’m new to the forum and a bit of a dolt when it comes to cycling so I have a question that I hope you can help with.

I’m looking to buy a new bike for fitness purposes. Drop handlebars scare me so I’m looking for a flat bar (I currently have an Orbea MX40 but it is hard work on the road). I’ll also get the bike on the Cycle2Work scheme so that limits me pretty much to Halfords or Tredz. My budget is £1000

Looking it seems the new Boardman Hybrids are due this month so I was looking at the men’s Boardman HYB 8.9. On Tredz they also have the Liv Thrive 1 in stock. Both have carbon forks. Both have hydraulic brakes (which I love on my Orbea). I live in a hilly area. I should say I had a Boardman Hybrid about 7 years ago which was a great bike but I fell off it and injured my knee (then unfortunately got cancer) so it’s taken me a while to be confident and fit enough to get back on a bike. .

I’m not fussed if it is a men’s or woman’s bike. I’m 5ft 6 but relatively heavy at the moment (90kg). I have registered to do the Women V Cancer ride the night event in May.

Which would you say would be the better bike? Any help gratefully received as I’m a novice!

Thank you so much!

[greyingbeard]

Depends what fits you, relative leg and body lengths etc. Youll have to sit on some bikes.

[Jdsk]

Welcome.

I currently have an Orbea MX40 but it is hard work on the road

How about more suitable tyres ± wheels? What tyres do you have on it at the moment?

Jonathan

[Poppy18]

Depends what fits you, relative leg and body lengths etc. Youll have to sit on some bikes.

Not really much of an option at the moment. V little stock available and most places won’t let you sit on bikes because of COVID restrictions.

[Poppy18]

Welcome.

I currently have an Orbea MX40 but it is hard work on the road

How about more suitable tyres ± wheels? What tyres do you have on it at the moment?

Jonathan

Thanks. I don’t really want to swap out tyres and wheels. I also want to be able to ride in this overnight event - currently down for 50km but may opt for the 100km if it goes well. That’s a real ask on a MTB!!!!

[greyingbeard]

covid - can sit on a bike - just got to be wiped down with alcohol afterwards. no big deal. Sainsburys have someone spraying and wiping the handles on the trolleys. If a bike shop wants your custom, and at £1000 they should, they can deal with this.

[Altissima]

Hi Poppy

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting back on your bike.

My wife (We are both women) has recently bought a Specialised Sirrus bike from our local bike shop. This was just after lockdown ended. The bike shop were really helpful and they allowed her to ride the bike around the car park. In an ideal world it would have been a longer ride, but it was enough to see that the frame was the right size for her, which is the most important consideration as just about everything else on a bike is down to preference but the frame has to be the right size to start.

We both cycle and both have more than one bike and as we live in North Devon, we also have a lot of hills. I wouldn't recommend that anyone buy any bike without at least riding it around the car park. If you are looking to cycle 100km then honestly, that's perfectly achievable (better if you can lock the forks so they don't compress as this wastes energy) on your current bike which (I am assuming) fits you and is comfortable. I would just swap the tyres for a more slick tyre - something like a Schwalbe Big Apple or similar. You could save the £1,000 until you can buy a bike that you can test ride first

[Dizzie]

Have you asked at your local bike shop about the Cycle to Work scheme, I wasn’t aware that it was shop specific. I bought a Liv Thrive (Hybrid) early this year, for being able to do distance and multi road surface, from Madgetts in Diss and I put that through the cycle to work scheme. The other one possibly worth a look is the Green Commute Initiative which doesn’t have the £1000 limit.

[Tigerbiten]

Tyres make a big difference in how easy a bike is to pedal any distance.
So if you do have heavy off-road type tires then it will be hard work.
Lighter more flexible tyres may well be a couple of mph faster.
So that's I would try until you can get somewhere to try a new bike out.

The downside is they may puncture more easily.

Luck ...........

[pjclinch]

Tyres make a big difference in how easy a bike is to pedal any distance.
So if you do have heavy off-road type tires then it will be hard work.
Lighter more flexible tyres may well be a couple of mph faster.
So that's I would try until you can get somewhere to try a new bike out.

The downside is they may puncture more easily.

But you can get a pretty robust touring/urban tyre that will do high pressures and roll much better than off-road knobblies. Not as fast as a racing tyre but pretty bomproof. I use Schwalbe Marathons and get one, maybe two punctures a year on average. There is the "plus" version that's incredicly puncture resistant, but quite a bit heavier and doesn't roll so well (but still better than knobblies on tarmac).

Pete.