Bike recommendations please

Trips, adventures, bikes, equipment, etc.
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Roogy
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Joined: 27 Mar 2021, 6:32am

Bike recommendations please

Post by Roogy »

Looking to purchase my first adventure bike for track and road use. Thinking of a dropped handle bar one. Budget 500-700. Any recommendations welcome
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chris_suffolk
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Joined: 18 Oct 2012, 10:01pm

Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by chris_suffolk »

Hi, welcome.

You might get more responses for a road type bike other than in the MTB section
mattsccm
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by mattsccm »

The so called adventure/gravel range is huge and has so many variations. A road bias as you suggest should direct you. At that price you are mostly looking at the bike own brand store Eg Decathlon, Boardman, maybe Planet X .etc. Start here. Thats what I would do. I assume that used isn't an option. If it is then start trawling the web.
It is hard to suggest a specific bike as only you can decide excactly what features you need, any particular preferences to spec etc. You also have to chuck in the urgency of your search as stocks are dire at the moment.
Sorry to be unhelpful but it's a very general question.
tbuckland4
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Joined: 11 Aug 2020, 4:09pm

Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by tbuckland4 »

Have you looked at the Trek FX hybrid range? Should be within your budget and still come with alright spec, although not drop bar I’m afraid. I have the 2019 FX3 (18 speed with discs) - smooth on the road and can easily handle gravel trails, although anything rougher than gravel gets a bit uncomfortable. The flat bars suit me but if drops are a deal breaker I believe Marin do some gravel bikes which may be within or just over budget, although I haven’t tested any.
AndyK
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by AndyK »

The Pinnacle Arkose gravel bike from Evans Cycles is worth considering. It blows your budget at £800 but you'll struggle to find a new drop-bar gravel/adventure bike below that.

Mattsccm mentioned Planet.X: they've gone upmarket lately and the only thing they do at this price level now is the London Road, again at £800, but it's more of a road/training/fast-commuting bike with the ability to take on easy trails rather than an out-and-out adventure bike. Better-equipped than the Pinnacle though.

Both the above are listed as in stock, but how true that is I don't know. There is a big shortage of bikes and bike parts at present so it may be a question of grabbing whatever's available. I hear a lot of stories from people who've ordered new bikes (not necessarily from the two places named above) and then been given lead times of months because of the component shortage.
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Cowsham
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by Cowsham »

This is what you need. All the mounts, hydraulic discs, plus room for good tyres and a bit lighter than a front suspension bike.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod200882
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AndyK
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by AndyK »

Cowsham wrote: 9 Jun 2021, 7:23am This is what you need. All the mounts, hydraulic discs, plus room for good tyres and a bit lighter than a front suspension bike.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod200882
... though somewhat lacking in the drop handlebar department.

Anyway, I just realised this is a resuscitated post from March so the OP is probably long gone by now.
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Cowsham
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by Cowsham »

AndyK wrote: 9 Jun 2021, 10:46am
Cowsham wrote: 9 Jun 2021, 7:23am This is what you need. All the mounts, hydraulic discs, plus room for good tyres and a bit lighter than a front suspension bike.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... prod200882
... though somewhat lacking in the drop handlebar department.

Anyway, I just realised this is a resuscitated post from March so the OP is probably long gone by now.
You are right

But -- I think drop bar bikes are very unsuitable for gravel tracks and multi surface riding. Someone put Gravel bikes in the bike designs that should be binned thread and I agree.

The main reason is cos you need better control on these types of trails.
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hamster
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by hamster »

Tell that to the cyclo-cross community.
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Regurgatron
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by Regurgatron »

Cowsham wrote: 9 Jun 2021, 11:08am
But -- I think drop bar bikes are very unsuitable for gravel tracks and multi surface riding.
This is a reflection of your skill not gravel bikes' capabilities.
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Audax67
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by Audax67 »

Regurgatron wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 8:45am
Cowsham wrote: 9 Jun 2021, 11:08am
But -- I think drop bar bikes are very unsuitable for gravel tracks and multi surface riding.
This is a reflection of your skill not gravel bikes' capabilities.
Tend to agree. I'm mightily temped by Decathlon's Triban 520 but I know damn well that my off-road nous isn't up to using it as intended.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
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Cowsham
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Re: Bike recommendations please

Post by Cowsham »

Regurgatron wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 8:45am
Cowsham wrote: 9 Jun 2021, 11:08am
But -- I think drop bar bikes are very unsuitable for gravel tracks and multi surface riding.
This is a reflection of your skill not gravel bikes' capabilities.
Maybe
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