Another newbie :) (subway&triban hybrid/road bike)

[nirurin]

Hey guys, Ive read through a lot of different posts in the last few days, as I am looking to get myself a "decent yet budget" bike for (mostly) exercise purposes. Lately I've been riding around on an old cheap (very cheap, think it was about £70 in a supermarket or something) mountain bike, which has been fine for the moment but now that Im finding myself enjoying the riding I am considering getting a halfway decent bike for myself.

I will be mainly riding for exercise, and it will be mostly on roads and pavements. There isn't even much in the way of hills around here, though there is always the option in future of taking the bake somewhere else on the car and so having one that is a good all-rounder would be potentially useful.

This is why I initially looked at hybrids, and after a lot of research the favourite seems to be the Carrera Subway 1's, currently the new 2015 version is £299 at halfords. Having decent disk brakes seems like a plus point too. I did consider the crossfire, which is a chunk cheaper (think its about £249 now), but I read posts about the shock absorber being a hinderence and adding unecessary weight so that currently on the "No list".

However Ive been considering how much (if any) off-road or grass riding I would be doing, and its seeming unlikely I'll do much at al, and so I was looking into pure road bikes. All the research led me to the B'Twin Triban 300, currently £279 at Decathalon. I know its significantly lighter, but I am uncertain about the components, and wether it is the correct choice for what I'll be using it for. I am also looking at the Triban 5, which is £329 and *seems* to have better components. Is also 1kg lighter.

So yeh... My budget would be around £300, so I'm not expecting the best bike in the world, but I'd like something reliable and good for exercise. Short version of my current list:

Carrera Subway - £299 - http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/carrera-subway-1-mens-hybrid-bike-2015

Triban 300 - £279 - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-300-road-bike-white-id_8239800.html

Triban 5 - £329 - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-road-bike-black-id_8239801.html

I guess the main factor would be wether or not I ever plan to ride off-road... which to be honest I think I would stick to roads and bike paths. The roads around here are pretty bumpy and pot-holey though, and I'll be going up and down a lot of kerbs. Comfort and easy are important factors. The subway having disk brakes may be useful in the winter, but is the extra weight that noticable a factor?

Also, I think fitting mud-guards will be a necessity... and I'm not sure the tribans have the space for them?

Hopefully you experts out there can give me some specific advice for my situation

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just a point to consider is that the Triban 5 is an outgoing model and at the time of writing only the smallest size is in stock.

The Triban 300 is a decent bike for the price. Don't know if £350 is too big a stretch but you could consider the Triban 500SE which is a special UK only model. The same frame and carbon fibre fork as the T500 but with a slightly more affordable drivetrain.

I believe the Triban's will just take mudguards but as you say clearance is very tight. There is a dedicated thread for the red Triban 3 (and its successors) which may be helpful here: LINK

The Carrera Subway is quite a different sort of bike. It'll be slower to ride but you may find it more comfortable. It's a very good spec for the price and we have a few happy owners on here.

If looking at this kind of bike you could also consider the NeWork 5 from Decathlon. No disc brakes but a good drivetrain and it comes with mudguards, a rack and lights powered by a hub dynamo. Not quite sure how they do that for the price.

 

[Ganymede]

I've got a similar-range hybrid and it's very useful and reliable but not awfully fast. But it's good for carrying stuff and I need to take a briefcase or shopping or something on most trips. If you get a roadie but want to carry stuff, make sure it has places to attach things, or be prepared to wear a rucksack!

 

[nirurin]

If looking at this kind of bike you could also consider the NeWork 5 from Decathlon. No disc brakes but a good drivetrain and it comes with mudguards, a rack and lights powered by a hub dynamo. Not quite sure how they do that for the price.

Thats an interesting one... saves me having to put on my own mudguards and buy lights, though the dynamo driven light does seem to be a bit weak and would turn off at junctions so I'm not sure how useful that would be in real life...

Still, does seem like a nice bike for the money.

£350 for a triban 500SE is a possibility, if it was definiatly worth the extra. Would it fit mudguards etc though?

I dont think I would be carrying much stuf fon the bike, I dont plan to use it to commute, so I'd only ever carry a phone and a wallet and a drink really. A small backpack would be fine so a pannier is not a necessity.

 

[Ganymede]

so I'd only ever carry a phone and a wallet and a drink really. A small backpack would be fine so a pannier is not a necessity.

...and a spare tube, levers and pump.... little saddlebag would do the trick... other roadie riders (ie not me) will tell you what they use, it can go in a pocket.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

£350 for a triban 500SE is a possibility, if it was definiatly worth the extra. Would it fit mudguards etc though?

It would be worth asking the question over in the Triban 3 thread as there are lots of folk with expert knowledge of these models in there.

 

[nirurin]

oh Well yeh I guess, hadnt really considered that stuff, not something I've ever bothered with before, though if I start going longer distances from home I should probably start.

 

[nirurin]

It would be worth asking the question over in the Triban 3 thread as there are lots of folk with expert knowledge of these models in there.

ah ok I shall put up a post in there too, thanks

 

[nirurin]

ok um, I may be being blind but... which Triban 3 thread? I tried searching for one but all I found was different people's question threads... was assuming you meant a universal "Tribal owners club" thread somewhere maybe?

 

[vickster]

A mere hundred and seventeen pages

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/triban-3-owners-club.121260/

 

[nirurin]

Haha, it even says owners club, wonder how it didnt appear in my search... I suspect I may have mistyped something. Anyway I've put in the question, hopefully I'll get some advice there too

Looking into the NeWork 5 still too, it does seem very cheap though considering all the extras it has. Makes me wonder *why* its so cheap.

 

[nirurin]

I'm looking into the price of the mudguards and a decent set of rechargable lights, and it seems it will add up to maybe an extra £100 for all the extra bits I'll need.

This made me look again at the NeWork 5 from triban, as it already had all these pieces fitted... however with the lights, the dynamo hub, the pannier and the mudguards adding up to about £150 retail (subsidised for the premade bike i know, but still) it makes me wonder what components have been made on the cheap to compensate.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

ok um, I may be being blind but... which Triban 3 thread? I tried searching for one but all I found was different people's question threads... was assuming you meant a universal "Tribal owners club" thread somewhere maybe?

Sorry about that - it was the thread I mentioned and linked to in my earlier post. I see Vickster has pointed you in the right direction.

it makes me wonder what components have been made on the cheap to compensate.

Buying at this price there will always be compromises to keep the price low. What Decathlon primarily do to keept the price down is to get their own brand bikes directly from the manufacturer rather than dealing with a "middle man" importer.

On the Tribans the weak point seems to be that the wheels don't last long term. This tends to not be too big a deal as lighter and better quality wheels and tyres are usually one of the first things owners upgrade to improve their performance.

With the NeWork I'd expect the front wheel to be decent, being built round a Shimano hub. Even if the rear doesn't wear well I wouldn't expect you to have to think about a replacement for at least two or three thousand miles.

 

[nirurin]

Thanks Seems that mudguards should be easily fittable on all of these bikes, so thats not an issue.

The Nework is staying on my list as it does seem to be the cheapest option, when you take into account all the extras that are on it. Though if I end up needing to buy a seperate (brighter) set of lights anyway then that advantage drops.

Im still trying to decide if I will regret buying the hybrid, over a full road bike. I would certainly prefer a hybrid that is nearer the road-bike end of the hybrid spectrum, as I wont be doing any serious offroading.

 

[vickster]

Something like a Sirrus, Escape, Velocity then Flat bar bikes with more ride bike geometry. Or there's always CX but £££