Cycling UK Forum

Firstly, let me apologise if this sort of question is a forum faux pas, but I'd like some advice and opinions over a couple of bike choices. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm looking to get back in to cycling, for commuting (10 miles round trip 4 days a week) and fitness. I'll be mainly on tarmac, but would also like the option to go on light trails, as I live by the lovely Formby Pine Woods.

I've never been a fan of drop bars and was therefore looking for a hybrid bike, with straight bars.

After an initial bit of research and a trip to my local Evans, I've chosen two models that I liked and fitted well.

These are:

Scott Sub Speed 30
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/sub-speed-30-2014-hybrid-bike-ec056055


and

Pinnacle (Evans own brand) Neon Three
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/neon-three-2014-hybrid-bike-ec054679


So far I've worked out some advantages and disadvantages:

Scott Advantages:
- Respected Brand Name (cool factor *ego*)
- MTB drivetrain (diversity over wider terrain)
- Hydraulic Disc Brakes
- Wider Tyres (35 vs 28, better for trail)
- Looks nicer (in my opinion)

Scott Disadvantages:
- Weight (12.2kg vs 9.75kg)
- Slightly lower spec (if it was comparable? Altus/Acera vs Sora)
- Alloy fork

Pinnacle Advantages:
- Weight (9.75kg vs 12.2kg)
- Slightly cheaper (£550 vs £599)
- Carbon Fork
- Higher spec (Sora vs Altus/Acera)

Pinnacle Disadvantages:
- Not well known brand (ego)
- Road Drivetrain (will it handle light trails?)
- Narrow Tyres (will they handle light trails?)
- Mini V-Brakes (vs Hydraulic Discs)
- Less choice for upgrade

Which bike would you choose for my purpose, and why? Or do you have any other suggestions (around the £600 price range)? I'd even consider a 29er if it had lockout! Just can't seem to find one I like for that price!

Thanks in advance, and I hope to update this forum at a later date with full review of whichever bike I do eventually get!

The Pinnacle Neon is really a flat bar road bike rather than a hybrid. I have a Lithium, which might suit you better. You may want to consider fitting mudguards at some point, which is certainly easier with the Lithium.

I wouldn't worry too much about tyres; these can be changed relatively easily.

mike_dowler wrote:The Pinnacle Neon is really a flat bar road bike rather than a hybrid. I have a Lithium, which might suit you better. You may want to consider fitting mudguards at some point, which is certainly easier with the Lithium.

I wouldn't worry too much about tyres; these can be changed relatively easily.

Thank you for the quick reply! I did take a look at the lithium bikes, but couldn't stand the khaki colour of the Lithium Four! Which is the one with the specs I'm looking for!

Well that is important, but tbh, from the colour of that Scott bike you posted, I'd assumed you were colour-blind.

mike_dowler wrote:Well that is important, but tbh, from the colour of that Scott bike you posted, I'd assumed you were colour-blind.

Out of the two I'd have the Pinnacle. Brands mean nothing to me and I prefer the spec of the Pinnacle (alloy forks give me the willies) as for trails, well 34x30 is a reasonably low gear and with a tyre swap I can't see why it wouldn't cope with both road and trail.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so if you like the Scott's colour scheme and it fits you it's the bike.
It's the better bike of the two,disc brakes,a better wheelset,triple chainset,better drivetrain,and an Alu fork beats a carbon one IMV.

For similar reasons to reohn2 I think I would probably go for the Scott, but not that colour. Each to his/her own. I've no experience of alu or carbon forks so I can't comment on those, but I've just fitted a mini V brake on the front of a bike and it's certainly very powerful with minimum of effort so you shouldn't have concerns about stopping power of the Pinnacle. The height of the handlebars of the Scott doesn't seem to be adjustable looking at the picture. I think also you will find Altus/Acera will be fine as I have these on a bike.

If you are planning commuting you might want to think about mudguards or at least an option for them. It may not be cool, but do you really want to arrive home or at work covered in muck?

I would also look at the boardman range as they are pretty good vfm. Halfords sell them

mike_dowler wrote:Well that is important, but tbh, from the colour of that Scott bike you posted, I'd assumed you were colour-blind.

Haha, perhaps! Just thought it stands out and isn't something you see every day. Each to his own!

Trigger wrote:Out of the two I'd have the Pinnacle. Brands mean nothing to me and I prefer the spec of the Pinnacle (alloy forks give me the willies) as for trails, well 34x30 is a reasonably low gear and with a tyre swap I can't see why it wouldn't cope with both road and trail.

Thanks for your input

reohn2 wrote:Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so if you like the Scott's colour scheme and it fits you it's the bike.
It's the better bike of the two,disc brakes,a better wheelset,triple chainset,better drivetrain,and an Alu fork beats a carbon one IMV.

Thanks for your input appreciated

MikeF wrote:For similar reasons to reohn2 I think I would probably go for the Scott, but not that colour. Each to his/her own. I've no experience of alu or carbon forks so I can't comment on those, but I've just fitted a mini V brake on the front of a bike and it's certainly very powerful with minimum of effort so you shouldn't have concerns about stopping power of the Pinnacle. The height of the handlebars of the Scott doesn't seem to be adjustable looking at the picture. I think also you will find Altus/Acera will be fine as I have these on a bike.

If you are planning commuting you might want to think about mudguards or at least an option for them. It may not be cool, but do you really want to arrive home or at work covered in muck?

Thanks for your input, I would be looking for mudguards at some point. Scott sell their own urban kit which has mudguards that match the bike colour, just can't seem to find them anywhere in the UK.

samsbike wrote:I would also look at the boardman range as they are pretty good vfm. Halfords sell them

Popped in to my local halfords and saw a few of the Boardman range, but they didn't seem to have anywhere close to the full range. No rigid hybrids at all unfortunately.

How about:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... brid-bikes

29er with lockout fork, hydraulic brakes and only £459.

s1965c wrote:How about:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... brid-bikes

29er with lockout fork, hydraulic brakes and only £459.

Cheers for the reply, and thanks for the suggestion. Will give it a look