Buying a hybird bike

[paul ayris]

Hi, I've joined this group to ask for peoples advice when it comes to buying a Men's hybrid bike i need one with a minimum frame size of inches, as I'm looking to do the London - Brighton bike ride next year. I don't have a massive budget i think i could push to around the £250 mark,but that really is top of my budget.

I've tried a couple of Road race style bikes and in all honesty cant get on with that range of bikes, so I'm leaning more towards the hybrid with a completely rigid frame I.e no suspension at all.

Any helpful links and advice will be greatfully appreciated.

Many Thanks

 

[vickster]

Carrera Subway from Halfords, job done. Or perhaps look at the entry level Ridgebacks / Dawes models

When you say minimum frame size of inches, what do you mean? How tall are you? You can get ladies bikes that come up smaller and aren't pastel pink

 

[paul ayris]

Ok thanks I'll look into those. I went in to a local bike shop a couple of days ago and i tried a couple of bikes in there, i have an inside leg of 29inches and they told me that i will need a bike frame of no less than 20 inches to be comfortable.

If i'm completely honest i always thought a bike was a bike, obviously i new the difference between road, mountain and full suspension bikes but that was as far as knowledge goes.

 

[paul ayris]

Ok thanks I'll look into those. I went in to a local bike shop a couple of days ago and i tried a couple of bikes in there, i have an inside leg of 29inches and they told me that i will need a bike frame of no less than 20 inches to be comfortable.
If i'm completely honest i always thought a bike was a bike, obviously i new the difference between road, mountain and full suspension bikes but that was as far as knowledge goes.

 

[vickster]

No less than 20 inches or no more...29" inside leg is quite short...how tall is the rest of you?

 

[paul ayris]

The guy I spoke with said that a 20in frame would b the most comfortable size for me to ride or I could possible go upto a 22in frame. I always thought that to find the right size of bike was to stand by it and if saddle was level with your hip then that was the size you needed. Again though I really have a lack of knowledge about all this.

I'm not tho tallest of ppl I'm roughly 5'8ish.

 

[Pale Rider]

Sizing is not an exact science not least because there are so many variables, but 20" sounds to me to be a bit big for you.

I am 29" inside leg and just under 6ft.

Generally, 19" is plenty for me, and one of the better fitting bikes I've ever sat on was an 18" Subway from Halfords.

 

[moo]

I'm 5' 9" with a 32" inside leg. My hybrid is a 20" frame and fits so well I could spend all day on it. I had a 22" hybrid some time ago but it was far too big.

 

[paul ayris]

The guy I spoke with said that if I sat on the saddle the only part of my feet that should touch the floor should be my tiptoes?as it stands I don't no if that's right have any of you heard of this being true?

And that was me sat on a 20in frame.

 

[vickster]

If the saddle is the right height, yes that will be so

Put your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke and your knee should only be slightly bent

What was the clearance like between your crotch and the crossbar and how did the reach feel from saddle to handlebars?

What was the bike by the way?
'

 

[paul ayris]

When I had my foot on the peddle my right leg had a slight bend in the knee, but stood over the bike and it felt as though I was practically sitting on the frame. The reach from the saddle to the handle bars felt comfortable I didn't feel as though I was over stretching.

The bike was one of the new viking range with front suspension but I didn't take note of the model.

 

[paul ayris]

The bike I looked at was very similar to this one

 

[vickster]

Sounds too big. You can put the saddle up on a smaller bike

 

[HeadBrake]

Sizing is not an exact science not least because there are so many variables, but 20" sounds to me to be a bit big for you.

I am 29" inside leg and just under 6ft.

Generally, 19" is plenty for me, and one of the better fitting bikes I've ever sat on was an 18" Subway from Halfords.

im 5,8 and 19 inch frame is perfect whith me

The Subway is a nice hybrid iv been trying to find a cheap one in need of some TLC or a frame i can work on