Boardman bikes

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Butcherf1988

Regular
Hi, I bought a Pembleton Brooke Hybrid bike 2 years ago expecting myself to only need it to travel 16 mile round trip to my local town a few times a week. However as time has gone on, ive started using it loads more and love cycling and have joined my local cycling group doing road rides of circa 30-50 miles in the local Bucks/Chiltern countryside at least once a week. So I think it is time to upgrade....... I still need the bike for practical reasons so don't want a pure road bike but at same time i want one that is that bit quicker on roads. Ive seen the following 2 bikes and wondered if anyone has opinions on either of them....? Does a bike need front suspension in order to be a good hybrid bike? Do bumps on country roads make a bike with thinner tyres more prone to punctures? Does weight really make a difference? Any advice would be useful........
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/boardman-hyb-8-6-womens-hybrid-bike
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/boardman-mtx-8-8-womens-hybrid-bike
 

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
Hello and :welcome: Glad to hear you're enjoying cycling. I have no opinion on the bikes you linked to, but quite like Boardmans in general. I have an MTB from them and also my daily commuter, a 2014 CX which is now just coming up to 10,000 miles with no issues of note.

Hybrid bikes don't need front suspension. Unless you are doing lots of bump towpath riding they offer little extra comfort and extra weight. Which leads nicely into weight, which doesn't matter too much, within reason. It's cheaper to take 1kg off the weight of the rider than the bike....
Tyres, correctly inflated, are no more prone to punctures whether thin or fat. Puncture protection offered by different tyre types makes a difference.
 

Elysian_Roads

Senior Member
:welcome:. Like yourself, I have got more into cycling over the last year or so and am equally enjoying it

Would echo everything @cosmicbike has said. I have a mountain bike with switchable suspension. From my limited experience, I have found that the local roads of Berks and Oxon don't need it working and actually having the suspension travelling up and down requires more energy input. Useful though on a rutted surface like the Ridgeway, so worth considering the routes you might take the new bike on, and how often.

You might want to consider a bike like the Boardman CX, drop bars but wider tyres, and capable of taking mudguards and a rack. Something similar will be on my shopping list the next time I look for a bike, particularly for when the weather worsens.

Happy hunting!
 
Location
Birmingham
Would echo elysian here. I bought a cx. Spent most of its life in the shed until my mate suggested putting road tyres (I bought rubino 35s) and doing the London Brighton. Now done a week round Holland too. Its strong, can tackle anything and discs plus wide rubber means comfort grip and low stopping distance. Definitely my go to bike
 
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Butcherf1988

Butcherf1988

Regular
:welcome:. Like yourself, I have got more into cycling over the last year or so and am equally enjoying it

Would echo everything @cosmicbike has said. I have a mountain bike with switchable suspension. From my limited experience, I have found that the local roads of Berks and Oxon don't need it working and actually having the suspension travelling up and down requires more energy input. Useful though on a rutted surface like the Ridgeway, so worth considering the routes you might take the new bike on, and how often.

You might want to consider a bike like the Boardman CX, drop bars but wider tyres, and capable of taking mudguards and a rack. Something similar will be on my shopping list the next time I look for a bike, particularly for when the weather worsens.

Happy hunting!
My current bike does have mudguards and a rack due to the fact that i need it for practical usage as well as for the more lengthy rides around the local Bucks/Chiltern villages. Do both those Boardman bikes ive mentioned above enable me to have a rack and mudguards? The only bumps i really go over on the lengthy rides are along some of the country roads which aren't so flat and smooth and are prone to pot holes. I avoid the really obvious pot holes but occasionally there are a few little bumps here and there hence my question about whether or not a bike needs front suspension. If a bike doesn't have front suspension, does it mean that it is has the potential to get a bit of damage when going over a bit of a bump in the road, or, does it simply mean that the rider feels it more on the saddle? I'm a novice with bike technology! Fliss :smile:
 
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Butcherf1988

Butcherf1988

Regular
:welcome:. Like yourself, I have got more into cycling over the last year or so and am equally enjoying it

Would echo everything @cosmicbike has said. I have a mountain bike with switchable suspension. From my limited experience, I have found that the local roads of Berks and Oxon don't need it working and actually having the suspension travelling up and down requires more energy input. Useful though on a rutted surface like the Ridgeway, so worth considering the routes you might take the new bike on, and how often.

You might want to consider a bike like the Boardman CX, drop bars but wider tyres, and capable of taking mudguards and a rack. Something similar will be on my shopping list the next time I look for a bike, particularly for when the weather worsens.

Happy hunting!
Hi again,
Would this be the sort of women's equivalent to the bike you were referring to above? Are the handlebars uncomfortable? Ive never used a bike with handlebars like that before.......... Fliss
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...each.pagebeans.SearchResultsPageBean@363a363a
 
Location
Birmingham
Having dropped bars offers more hand position/ back options.
I've taken my cx proper off road so wouldn't worry about terrain at all. Most models except top of range competition models usually will take mudguard/ racks . Hope u looking at disc brakes. I'm impressed with Vittoria rubino tyres in 35mm size. Speedy and sooo comfortable @60psi
 

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
The hybrid you linked to looks to have mounting points for mudguards front and rear, you can 'double-up' on the rear mudguard mounting points for the rack. In keeping with suspension forks, the MTB has rear mounts only, nothing on the forks that I can see.

Suspension forks will not prevent damage, they are there to smooth your ride, the bike will still get the same damage if you hit a big enough pothole, and this is likely to be a damaged wheel more than anything else.

The adventure bike looks nice. Mounts on the back, the carbon fork doesn't have any but there are plenty of ways around this as I found on mine.

Best bet is to go look at all of them, test ride/sit on if you can, and then buy what's right for you. Do you have to use Halfords, or are other options available?
 
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Butcherf1988

Butcherf1988

Regular
Having dropped bars offers more hand position/ back options.
I've taken my cx proper off road so wouldn't worry about terrain at all. Most models except top of range competition models usually will take mudguard/ racks . Hope u looking at disc brakes. I'm impressed with Vittoria rubino tyres in 35mm size. Speedy and sooo comfortable @60psi
Yes, ive found that since doing more lengthy rides and more often, the brake pads have now worn out twice and ive had to get them replaced..... Are disc brakes prone to damage at all? Fliss
 
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Butcherf1988

Butcherf1988

Regular
The hybrid you linked to looks to have mounting points for mudguards front and rear, you can 'double-up' on the rear mudguard mounting points for the rack. In keeping with suspension forks, the MTB has rear mounts only, nothing on the forks that I can see.

Suspension forks will not prevent damage, they are there to smooth your ride, the bike will still get the same damage if you hit a big enough pothole, and this is likely to be a damaged wheel more than anything else.

The adventure bike looks nice. Mounts on the back, the carbon fork doesn't have any but there are plenty of ways around this as I found on mine.

Best bet is to go look at all of them, test ride/sit on if you can, and then buy what's right for you. Do you have to use Halfords, or are other options available?
I don't drive and so Halfords is easiest for me to get to. I live near Aylesbury. I have heard some bad reviews about Halfords but i never understand if the reviews are about the bikes they sell, or the service and quality of service they provide? What other sorts of options are available? Fliss
 
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Butcherf1988

Butcherf1988

Regular
I do quite a lot of hill climbing when i go out on my more lengthy rides around Aylesbury Vale; it's quite pretty undulating countryside round here. My current bike has 21 gears but i don't always use them all when going up some of the hilly areas. So, is it really necessary to have more gears on a bike, or if the bike is lighter, does that compensate for fewer gears? That is something else i don't understand about bikes..... Fliss
 
Location
Birmingham
Discs - really ace in the wet. They stop
My cx has only a compact gear set. Still gets me everywhere. 21 gears grent 21 unique ratios due to overlaps byw
 

Elysian_Roads

Senior Member
Hi again,
Would this be the sort of women's equivalent to the bike you were referring to above? Are the handlebars uncomfortable? Ive never used a bike with handlebars like that before.......... Fliss
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/cyclocross-bikes/boardman-adv-8-8-womens-adventure-bike?brIndicator=true&brPageBean=com.halfords.search.bloomreach.pagebeans.SearchResultsPageBean@363a363a
Hi Fliss, I would be looking in the "adventure", "gravel" "CX" catagories for a drop bar but be warned all the manufacturers have their own take on what these represent. In the main though, they tend to have a more relaxed seating position. As @tribanjules says, the drop bars give a range of hand positions and you can get versions with a second set of brake levers to give flexibility. But as @cosmicbike says, nothing can replace trying one out for size. Not entirely sure but think that Cycle Republic (a cycling focused offshoot of Halfords) may do test rides, so may be worth a visit if you like the Boardman range. Evans is an option too, and I have used them and am happy with the local stores to me but some forum members haven't had the same experience. Hope this helps.
 
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Butcherf1988

Butcherf1988

Regular
Discs - really ace in the wet. They stop
My cx has only a compact gear set. Still gets me everywhere. 21 gears grent 21 unique ratios due to overlaps byw
That's useful to know because I'm quite often been out in the rain, out of necessity rather than choice; i don't drive and live in a small village with few transport links. Fliss
 
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