I am looking for simply an entry level bike £350 -£400 is maximum i would like to spend and so not really looking to spend £500.......unless there is a massive difference. I am really using this initially for a 65k charity bike ride and then a short 5mile a day ride to and from work.
So it doesnt need to be the absolute nuts?
another thing that I have noticed is the handle bars on the carrera TDF and triban 3. This would be a completely new riding position and so i'm kind of looking for standard handle bars?
so maybe the subway would be best although I am open to other opinions?
thanks
Bowsa
Hi Bowsa
£350 to £400 will buy a very good straight handle barred bike form a good bike shop and there's a lot of choice.
That said, The Carrera Subway1 is an excellent entry level bike and a very capable all-rounder.
Best to consider the use of the bike and what you need it to do really.
The Carrera Subway has MTB sized wheels and thinnish slick tyres that'll roll well over a multitude of surfaces from roads to rough tracks/towpaths/trails etc. Cope well with urban potholes etc. It has wide range of gearing suitable for anything up to and including mountain passes. There are no known reliability issues (apart from the usual Halfrauds caveats about checking how well it's been put together).
It'll take full mudguards and a rack and is a perfect short-distance (5 miles is short) commuter and general transport machine. It'll also comfortably cover 80 milers as another friend will testify. A reallygood lock is required because it is fairly desirable.
Spending more money just buys slightly lighter and better equipped machines. The Boardman Hybrids are on special offer at £400 in Halfr*uds and are pretty zippy hybrids.
You'll also get bikes with 700c or road-bike sized wheels and skinnier tyres, these bikes will be lighter and very slightly faster than say the Carerra, but is that really what you need? You'll still need to spend good money on a lock as part of your budget anyway.
Brands such as Specialized, Giant, Trek would be the ones to look for.
Avoid anything with suspension, you just do not need it, nor want it.