Espada III

I am looking for a new hybrid bicycle after one was stolen last week. Whilst I really liked the bike and had equipped as I wanted it, I was not too sure about the spec and size. I felt it was a tad too big for me. I am only 5'7" with inside leg of 29.5".

It is to be used for leisure cycling so a mix of on road and canal towpath type riding.

Any advice on size and specification of components would be welcome.

My old bike cost £400 four years ago although it had disc brakes which I probably don't need and would save about £100 I think.

SpringHeeledJack

The price of good bicycles has seemingly come down a lot in the last decade, before it was crap cost little, good cost much more. To be honest depending on where you live I'd get down to either Ev*ns Cycles (many branches) or shock horror Dec*thlon who have lots of inhouse offerings all with a very reasonable spec. If you're not riding up mountains have you considered hub gears ? Up to 8 gears and all that clutter of rear cogs and derailleur no longer there. With the bikes make sure that the groupset is Shiman* or similar and you're good to go.

I find that he more honest you are with the type of usage you'll be using the bike for, the better suited the steed, as there are too many people riding around on mountain bikes or racing bikes in the city (and tow paths), when a hybrid or similar would be much better and more enjoyable. As to size ? 52cm frame or thereabouts, but let the experts measure you up as upper body and lower body lengths are always different and can skew 'sizes'.



SHJ

OLD METL

The world is full of unwanted bikes. Get a really nice USED high-end bike with the right frame size and equip it just right with upgraded tires, seat, and the exact set of handlebar/stem combo that you need. This will cost tons if you go all-new right from the shop.

I really enjoy the search as well. Older bikes put metal where it should be and they don't have those horrid plastic auto-shift devices.

My commuter hack is a $400 hybrid I got for $120. It looks bad, rides perfect.
I am very happy with it.

stuckgear

difficult to discuss without knowing personal politics:

Conservative - Bicycle - you bear your own responsibility for input and direction
Labour - Tandem - you need to carry someone at all times; one provides direction and the other does the work with no directional control.
Lib Dem - Tricycle - a third wheel
Green Party - Unicycle

Groundbased

I found a cyclo cross bike was really good for mixed use in town.

essentially a road type frame with dropped bars, it had chunky tyres about half the width of those on a mountain bike so you weren't trading speed for the sound of rubber on the road. Also if I wanted to ride the road at the weekend I could put a set of road wheels on in two minutes and be off.

Trek X1 was the one I had. I bought it secondhand for 500 quid and two years later I got 400 quid for it on ebay.

critter592

I have a Diamond Back MTB, like this one; the frame was built to order, as off-the-peg frame sizes were too small for me.
It is not a hybrid, although I modified it as such; fitted it with "slick" tyres which are more suited for road use than the "knobblies" it came with.
It was new in '95 and is still going strong, £450 notes well-spent.

I agree with SHJ; Evans Cycles are good, as are Decathlon. I can't vouch for the quality of their in-house brand (b-Twin, IIRC).
Avoid Halfords. No offence Halfords, just my experience.
If you have a good independent cycle shop in your area, use them.
A really good one will take the time to measure you up for your machine.

As to spec - Shimano chainset/ brakes. Go for Cantilever brakes, or the V-Brake system. Disc brakes are, IMO, only for going down 80-degree slopes.
Wheels/hubs - Look for Weinmann rims/ hubs. Alloy of course.
For a seat, you can't go far wrong with Selle. (Mine is a Selle Royal Gel saddle, and is very comfortable.)
Suspension is a matter of choice. I prefer none. I seriously doubt you will feel the benefits of a machine so equipped for the use you describe.

Decathlon have a good selection of cycle wear, if that's your thing, including the spray-on Lycra. A helmet is essential if you are riding along canal towpaths; hitting low-hanging branches hurts! (I know.)

Hope this helps.

Enjoy your new machine.

Don

Espada III

Thanks

Its all so confusing! I saw a Claude Butler in a local shop, but I just didn't get the right vibe. For about the same price (if not cheaper) Decathlon have a good spec bike that seems to tick all the boxes. And then.....

I have seen a bike that is almost identical to mine second hand, not quite as good and older, but they want £250 and think that is too much considering I paid £400 for mine four years ago and that did have disc brakes as well. Maybe £150....

I have all the other non-bike stuff to hand (helmet, Lycra, padded shorts etc), just want my old bike back!

Espada III

OK - after a confusing Sunday with some hard sell salesman, I realised all I wanted was a simple but well made hybrid with no suspension, a good frame and drivetrain components for under £400.

Managed it with a £370 Specialised Cirrus to which I have added mudguards, bottle holder and bottle and metal pedals, who which I will add some toe straps in due course. Certainly better value that paying £250 for a second hand version of my old bike from a shop I have never really trusted with anything complicated.

During the day I have been offered £600 bikes with hydraulic disc brakes and front suspension (Whyte) or Pinnacle bikes at Evans, which I read have weak bottom bearings and the lowest grade of dérailleurs.

Collect on Tuesday.

critter592

Not being overly familiar with the Specialized brand, I Googled the Cirrus, looks to be a very nice machine, with a good spec.!

Like I said - Enjoy.

Don

RJM

Hop on eBay and buy yourself a nice old Raleigh.

aviate1138

Seeing as bikers take up a fair amount of road would any cycling PPRuners like to contribute to our Road Tax? Here in the Surrey Hills we are drenched in far too many mobile traffic hazards.