Cycling UK Forum

Sorry, this is another "tell me what bike to get!" thread. However I would appreciate educated criticism comparing the 3 bikes below (with specs c&p'd from the manufacturers' sites), in terms of how good the components are (e.g. which has the better quality brakes, derailleurs etc).

I'll be using it for commuting and shopping with the odd weekend ride (all on road), and be fitting mudguards and a rack.

I'm pretty sure any of these bikes suits my needs reasonably, however I would appreciate clever people to tell me knowledgable stuff like "that cassette is notoriously pants, but those brakes are miles better", along those lines. Please patronise me and use simple words.


Trek Valencia 2009 (£450)
Fork: Cro-Moly steel w/lowrider mounts, straight blades, Clix dropouts
Wheels: Shimano RM65 Disc hubs; Bontrager Satellite Nebula rims
Tires: Bontrager Race Lite, puncture resistant, 700x32c; 60 tpi
Shifters Shimano: EF50, 8 speed
Front Derailleur: Shimano C102
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore
Crank: Shimano M361 48/38/28 w/chainguard
Cassette: SRAM PG830 11-28, 8 speed
Pedals: Soho, alloy body w/alloy cage
Saddle: Bontrager Nebula
Seat Post: Bontrager Nebula
Handlebars: Trek Urban, alloy
Stem: Bontrager SSR, 10 degree
Headset: Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset: Shimano M416, mechanical disc w/Shimano EF50 levers




Specialized Globe Vienna Disc 3 (£450)
FRAME Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum trekking design, fully manipulated tubing w/ fender and rack braze-ons, integrated kickstand mount, forged dropouts, disc only
FORK Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum steerer and blades, disc only
HEADSET Specialized semi integrated, Campy style
STEM Globe 3D forged, 10 degree rise, 25.4mm clamp
HANDLEBARS Globe alloy riser bar, 25.4mm, 25mm rise, 620/640mm wide, 8 degree back sweep, 8 degree up
GRIPS Men's Body Geometry Comfort w/ integrated bell, closed end, 132mm
FRONT BRAKE Avid BB5, mechanical disc, 160mm G2 Clean Sweep rotor
REAR BRAKE Avid BB5, mechanical disc, 160mm G2 Clean Sweep rotor
BRAKE LEVERS Avid FR-5, two-finger, linear pull
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano Altus, 31.8mm clamp, top swing, dual pull
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Alivio
SHIFT LEVERS Shimano Rapid Fire, 3-speed
CASSETTE SRAM PG-830, 8-speed, 11-32t
CHAIN KMC X8 w/ reuseable Missing Link
CRANKSET Shimano FC-M36108 w/ chainguard
CHAINRINGS 48A x 38S x 28S
BOTTOM BRACKET FSA BB-7420, cartrdge bearings, 68mm x 122.5mm for 47.5mm chain line
PEDALS Globe, Body Geometry, anti-slip composite, 9/16"
RIMS Specialized Globe, 700c, 32h, pinned, double wall disc, 32h
FRONT HUB Specialized Hi Lo, disc, forged alloy, double sealed, ground race, 32h
REAR HUB Shimano FH-M475, disc, alloy, 32h, QR
SPOKES 1.8mm (15g) stainless
FRONT TIRE Specialized Nimbus, 700x35c, 60TPI, Flak Jacket
REAR TIRE Specialized Nimbus, 700x35C, 60TPI, Flak Jacket
INNER TUBES Specialized schraeder valve
SADDLE Specialized Sonoma, Body Geometry, 155mm width, front and rear bumpers
SEATPOST Specialized alloy two bolt, micro adjust, 27.2mm
SEAT BINDER Specialized forged alloy




Kona Dew Drop 2009 (£600)
Frame tubing: Kona 7005 Aluminum Butted
Fork Kona: P2 700c Disc
Headset: Ritchey LB-Plus
Crankarms: FSA Vero
Chainrings: 52/42/30
B/B: RPM 7420
Pedals: None
Chain: KMC Z-72
Freewheel: Shimano C Series (11-34, 8spd)
F/D: Shimano 2203
R/D: Shimano Deore
Shifters: Shimano 2203
Handlebar: Kona Sweeper
Stem: Kona RD
Grips: Velo Wrap w/Gel
Brakes: Avid BB-7 Road Disc
Brake Levers: Shimano 2203
Front hub: Formula Disc
Rear hub: Shimano M475 Disc
Spokes: Sandvik Stainless 15g fr/14g rr
Tires: Continental CountryRide 700x37C
Rims: Rigida ZAC19SL
Saddle: Kona Comfort
Seatpost: Kona RD
Seat clamp: Kona QR

The paper spec of any bike is meaningless if the bike itself is an uncomfortable ride.

Altus and Alivio are a lower spec than Deore. Having said that the Alivio rear derailleur on my touring bike has performed without fault for the past two years and 6-7,000 miles.

Very few folk will have had direct experience of all of the components listed and can only offer regurgitated received wisdom about the suitability of each of the bikes.

Can you get test rides on any of them?

At the moment I'd go for the black one else I'd choose the red one

They're all four spokes short of a rear wheel. If you want something durable.

Cyclenut wrote:They're all four spokes short of a rear wheel. If you want something durable.

I've got 32 hole hubs on my MTB which although it has spent most of it's life on the road regularly takes 0.5m drops onto concrete and I'm 84kg (about 13 and a half stone in old money), 1.9m tall, and heavy on my brakes and acceleration. This set of wheels hasn't nudged a bit even after two reasonably big spills. Surely this depends more on the quality of the spokes and rim?

I've had poor quality plane guage spokes that where broke really quick, but I can't fault the 1.8mm (DT?) double butted spokes.

...or is this down to the 700c wheels being a bit more fragile than the 26"?

I've ridden several thousand miles on 32H MTB wheels with full touring loads. As other post said, a lot is in th equality of the spokes and wheel build.

I wouldn't feel so happy on 700c 32H though.

The Kona has 36 spokes!

fatboy wrote:The Kona has 36 spokes!

Sorry, I imagined I read a 32 somewhere in that list.

Looks like the Kona then, given that they'll all have mass-produced wheels of unknowable build quality.

Edit: Just looked at the geometry though, and the front centres are short enough that fitting mudguards to any but the largest frame size is a likely way of destroying the front one - by kicking it to bits. I haven't checked the other bikes, but they're also American and come without, so they'll probably have the same fault. And I like the way they all dodge the problem of how to fit a carrier around a mechanical disc brake. Here's the threaded hole - now it's over to you sucker! I know there are after-market workarounds, but none are both neat and reliable.

Lesson is: if you want a bike with guards and a carrier, buy a bike that comes with guards and a carrier: where the manufacturer takes responsibility for ensuring that those things fit safely and function properly.

Same goes for those so-called audax bikes that leave you to squeeze a mudgaurd under a short-reach brake.

CJ wrote:Sorry, I imagined I read a 32 somewhere in that list.

Looks like the Kona then, given that they'll all have mass-produced wheels of unknowable build quality.

All the rest are 32 so you're forgiven for your lapse

On a serious note is it worth getting mass-produced wheels re-tensioned by LBSs routinely after a few months of use?

CJ wrote:Looks like the Kona then, given that they'll all have mass-produced wheels of unknowable build quality

But they've all got more than enough spokes for the OP's cited use. In fact for pretty much any use IMO.

More to the point, though - as you say - the key is the build. If it's loose, those four extra spokes will make zero difference; if if it's good, they'll be surplus to requirements.

I wouldn't let spoke count influence the decision at all. Whatever you buy, keep an eye on the spokes for the first couple of hundred miles or so - if any start to loosen and/or you notice rims rubbing on the brakes, it's retensioning time: either £20 at a bike shop or - if you don't have them already - £5 on a Spokey and an evening invested in sussing it out.

But once the build's sorted - whether before you get it or after - 32 spokes are plenty.

To quote the old boy who used to run Spa cycles; 'people really shouldn't be selling hybrids with only 32 spokes'.