Cycling UK Forum

I posted recently about a Rose Activa bike and got mixed opinions, mostly not good, but very useful none the less. So the search goes on for a new tourer in the £1000 bracket.

Anyone got any thoughts on this bike? I like Cube and have had a go on their mountain bikes a few times.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=72916


thanks in advance

I was in Decathlon last week and was able to have a good butchers at their Btwin Riverside 7(which was mention in another thread) :- http://www.decathlon.co.uk/riverside-7-id_8070411.html that is one heck of a bike for £600.The Cube is better specced with a sexier name but not £500 worth of better spec and sexyness in fact I'd go as far to say not £250 worth of betterness.
If I were looking for that kind of tourer it'd be the Btwin IMHO.

good call reohn2.

That defintely looks a better value bike with a bit of up-speccing perhaps. As you say it wouldn't need much money spending on it to rival the Cube.

Hefty - 16,67 kg in size M

You are certainly on the right track. Get a chain store good value bike and add a few top spec parts. Who needs a designer label? I have a Decathlon Fitness 3. Its an excellent machine (but not suitable as a tourer), almost half the price of well known labels.
Don't overlook Halfords, my upspecced Subway tourer cost less than £700.

Al

I can never understand why they specify suspension forks on a tourer. Plus the extra weight and problems fitting a front rack.

Bigjim,

I totally agree, absolutely no need whatsoever in my opinion and only causes problems

karlt wrote:Hefty - 16,67 kg in size M

Most good hybrids weigh the same once rack, lights, pump, bell etc. are fitted. My new tourer is 13Kg unclothed, 19Kg fully bedecked with the all accoutrements.

Hewitt Cheviot is a great bike.

Spa of Harrogate have/had the Dawes Super Galaxy 2011 at £910 plus £10 carriage.

"Spa of Harrogate have/had the Dawes Super Galaxy 2011 at £910 plus £10 carriage"

yeah but not in my size unfortunately (56cm)

does anyone know what the chainring / cassette arrangement is on the Btwin 7?

also what would recommended upgrades be? I'm thinking

Shifters to XT?
Crankset to XT?
Wheels perhaps? Not a fan of Galvanised spokes, I prefer stainless. I've not had a stainless one break on me.
Saddle
Pedals

They are decent pedals, the sames as om my Fitness 3. Can't see how XT stuff will give any noticeable advantage. As for wheels, I replaced mine with handbuilt 36 spoke handbuilt Spa jobs because I wanted a hub dynamo and for peace of mind. Reckon on £200 for that. As for the gearing, ring them I have found Decathlon unbelievably helpful. But, I wouldnt want to buy such a machine without seeing it. Also get a free Decathlon card for hassle free return and refund.

Al

What are you going to use the bike for? If you are not off for a world tour I am wondering why you are buying a new bike then taking bits off it to buy more expensive bits to put on it?
Edward Enfield bought a new standard Raleigh Pioneer and toddled off to cycle the length of France. Which IMO is what cycling should be about. Sometimes I think the amount of money spent so called "upgrading" would be better spent on train fares and B&B or campsite fees.

beatts wrote:does anyone know what the chainring / cassette arrangement is on the Btwin 7?

also what would recommended upgrades be? I'm thinking

Shifters to XT?
Crankset to XT?
Wheels perhaps? Not a fan of Galvanised spokes, I prefer stainless. I've not had a stainless one break on me.
Saddle
Pedals

I wouldn't both upgrading the ckankset or shifters the standard ones fitted will last loooonnnnnng time.
The spokes? I had a good look,they're black and looked very stainless steel to me but I could be wrong,if it worries you,you could even have the wheels rebuilt with S/Steel spokes as the rims are good spec,the result would be handbuilt wheels on good hubs .

The BTwin is 2kgs heavier than the Cube but TBH I can't see how the Cube can be that much lighter,its a very similar bike,there can't be that much difference in the two
BTW the BTwin is fitted with 700x35mm M+ tyres so I s'pose you could loose a kilo if you swapped them for something lighter

Edit:- Just checked and M+ 700x35mm weigh 940grms each for a comparison Panaracer RibMo's in the same size weigh 540grms and the folding version weighs 490grms far more civilised with Pasela TG's 50grms lighter still
Ordinary Marathons,before they went green or blue,were only 580grms for a 700x35mm tyre