First Hybrid Cycle Advice

[reens80]

Hi all,

My partner and I are looking to purchase our first two hybrid bikes. We are looking to spend around £250-280 per bike.

I can get 50% off at Evans Cycles - therefore can look at bikes up to around £520.

We are both complete novices (but can cycle) and the bikes will mainly be used for off road (country lanes, parks, slightly rugged terrain), but also like the bikes to be good for on road too, should we take part in some event.

So far I have seen the following and would be keen to get your advice on what the "best bike is" that would suit us for the future should we take this up more seriously too.

Halfords: Carerra Crossfire 2 - https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/ ... -21-frames
Halfords: Caerrra Subway 1 - https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/ ... -22-frames

Evans (obviously I have looked at the ones around £500-£520 mark due to discount)
Pinnacle Lithium 4 - https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-li ... e-EV275579
Any of the Canondale Quicks?
Any of the Specialized?
others around the £500 mark that would be better than the Halford ones for our needs?

Thank you so much for your help. I know it's quite an open ended request

[rotavator]

My usual advice to this sort of question is to make a short list of suitable bikes, which you have already started on, then go to the shops and try them out. Check out the areas around the shops first for appropriate terrain for the test ride; it sounds as if you need some rough paths, e.g. towpaths along canals, for your intended use. If the shop does not offer test rides I would walk away.

For what it's worth, I took out a Pinnacle Lithium 4 for a test ride from the Evans shop in Preston. I went along tarmac roads and around the variable paths in the nearby park and I judged the ride to be too rough, especially considering that it had wide tyres at 40 psi, so I didn't buy it despite it otherwise having more or less the right spec. On returning it to the shop, I told the shop assisstant that I rated it as a boneshaker which did not go down well especially as they had a big banner advert saying something lke "Swap your boneshaker for one of our bikes!"

[ratherbeintobago]

Suspension forks at that price range are going to be heavy and not actually work all that well, in addition to being something else to maintain so my one piece of advice would be to avoid these.

The boss has a Specialized Vita Sport which was about that price and seems good?

[Vorpal]

I think that the Trek FX hybrids are decent bikes, and bought my daughter one for her school commute.

I also recommend going and riding some bikes. This will both help you decide what bike, but should also help you refine what you want on your bikes.

As for the suspension, I agree that it will be heavy, however, there are some benfits to it, especially for the occasional cyclist in that it can reduce fatigue in shoulders and arms. I would recommend avoiding it at the price range for someone looking to buy a commuter because it's likely to be more trouble than it's worth.

And I definitely would avoid it at the £250 price range. It's likely to be good enough for low mileage usage at the £500 price range, where, IMO it's more a matter of personal preference.

Definitely try some bike with and without.

I'm of the opinion that the more bikes you try, the better. And try to take them on a proper ride, as well. Not just twice round the car park.

[Bonefishblues]

Buy the Pinnacle. Seriously, do this, especially at £250

It'll do everything you want and be happy doing so.

[reens80]

Thanks so much for your responses. Keep them coming pls.

So far one positive for the Pinnacle and one negative.

Any thoughts on the Carerra, Canondale, Specialized at these price points (i.e. approx £250 for the Carerra, or approx £500 for those available at Evans)

Thanks so much!

[Xilter]

How can I get 50% off at Evans ? I’d consider giving them another shot at selling me something

[ratherbeintobago]

Thanks so much for your responses. Keep them coming pls.

So far one positive for the Pinnacle and one negative.

Any thoughts on the Carerra, Canondale, Specialized at these price points (i.e. approx £250 for the Carerra, or approx £500 for those available at Evans)

Thanks so much!

Without being funny about it, you’ll do better with Evans if you can get 50% off, so I really wouldn’t bother looking at anything they don’t sell.

I can’t see how you’ll go wrong with one of the big brands (Trek, Specialized or Giant) or that Pinnacle. We ended up with a Spesh because it’s what the local bike shop had.

[531colin]

……….. I took out a Pinnacle Lithium 4 for a test ride from the Evans shop in Preston. I went along tarmac roads and around the variable paths in the nearby park and I judged the ride to be too rough, especially considering that it had wide tyres at 40 psi, so I didn't buy it ....

On any rigid bike running 700 x 40-odd tyres at sensible pressures, the tyres are the major determinant of ride cushioning.

[Bonefishblues]

My usual advice to this sort of question is to make a short list of suitable bikes, which you have already started on, then go to the shops and try them out. Check out the areas around the shops first for appropriate terrain for the test ride; it sounds as if you need some rough paths, e.g. towpaths along canals, for your intended use. If the shop does not offer test rides I would walk away.

For what it's worth, I took out a Pinnacle Lithium 4 for a test ride from the Evans shop in Preston. I went along tarmac roads and around the variable paths in the nearby park and I judged the ride to be too rough, especially considering that it had wide tyres at 40 psi, so I didn't buy it despite it otherwise having more or less the right spec. On returning it to the shop, I told the shop assisstant that I rated it as a boneshaker which did not go down well especially as they had a big banner advert saying something lke "Swap your boneshaker for one of our bikes!"

Which bike do you ride on mild offroad tracks that gives you the desired comfort? Of rigid bikes you're left with MTBs I guess?

[rotavator]

Which bike do you ride on mild offroad tracks that gives you the desired comfort? Of rigid bikes you're left with MTBs I guess?

That is what I was looking for when I tried out the Pinnacle Lithium. I found my Brompton more comfy than my Btwin 520 on the rough sections of the Leeds-Liverpool canal towpath when I was working in Leeds last year. I guess that gravel/adventure/wider tyred touring bikes should be ideal on rough paths and forest roads but I haven't tried one yet but I am a bit suspicious of the advertising hype. FWIW I am currently musing over the suitability of the Genesis Longitude and Surly Disc Trucker for rough stuff touring but they are quite a bit more expensive than Lithiums especially if the OP can get a 50% discount!

I accept 531colin's point that better tyres should/could improve the ride quality of the Lithium but if so, why doesn't Evans fit them? ...To meet a price point I assume.

[Bonefishblues]

The contis fitted are good tyres in themselves, hence my question. If you need more cushioning than they provide at 40 psi I think you're in the realms of MTB tyres tbh.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... ntact-2016

[Grarea]

Without being funny about it, you’ll do better with Evans if you can get 50% off, so I really wouldn’t bother looking at anything they don’t sell.

I can’t see how you’ll go wrong with one of the big brands (Trek, Specialized or Giant) or that Pinnacle. We ended up with a Spesh because it’s what the local bike shop had.

Yes, and also, if you change your mind or decide to move on, you could probably sell it for a profit.

[The utility cyclist]

Is it worth spending a bit more on this?
Ex Demo Pinnacle LTD if size is right https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-li ... y-EV347143 it's also available in a medium. Has a dynamo hub + SON light (worth north of £100 on its own), upgraded disc brakes, better spec cassette and it looks like the forks on the LTD are Cro-mo and not just bog standard gas pipe steel jobs as per the '4'
Can you get a trade in as well as the discount?

[531colin]

……….I accept 531colin's point that better tyres should/could improve the ride quality of the Lithium but if so, why doesn't Evans fit them? ...To meet a price point I assume.

What I was really trying to say is that tyres as big as 40mm, have such a cushioning effect that other aspects of bike design will be masked. (assuming a sensible pressure) For example, I don't think I could feel the difference between a disc brake fork and a rim brake fork once 40mm tyres went on......or a "stiff" frame compared to a less stiff frame. Its pretty difficult to get short chainstays with a tyre that big, I suppose a designer could go for short front centre and toe overlap, but only if they were looking for a clown bike award.
But my real point is, at that sort of tyre size, the ride quality is down to tyre size, pressure, and in third place, tyre type. Differences in frame/wheel design, construction etc won't be felt.
If I remember correctly, the Genesis Longitude takes a bigger tyre than the LHT.
I don't know about you, but I find when touring I have to do a lot of tarmac to link together tracks which I want to do. My compromise is to ride the sort of tyres many people consider to be road touring tyres. (I miss the old Kevlar Marathons....the new Greenguard are too heavy) When I'm on a track, its somewhere I want to be, and I don't mind walking if its too rough to ride in comfort. (High Cup Nick in the Pennines, High Street in the Lakes) But I don't want to push monster tyres on boring tarmac roads.