Brand new member hoping for some good advise.

[Gareth1976]

Hey all. I really hope someone can shed a little light on my dilemma. Im looking to buy myself a Hybrid bike for commuting and leisure. My last bike was a Carrera mountain bike which i put slicks on and i absolutely loved.....until it got nicked. So now i want something a bit different, with the larger wheels so i can go faster and a little lighter in weight. I've got a budget of £300 - 400. Im not a newcomer to cycling although i have lost touch in recent years. First i'd better say that im not small at around 19 stone (are these lighter bikes gonna be strong enough?) And secondly, what is the score with groupsets????? Last time i was into biking (mountain biking then) it was all about shimano deore LX, DX, & XT. Now there are so many different types i dont know where to start. I dont want anything to fancy (i know, with my budget i aint gonna get it), but i do want a good looker aswell as a performer. I will be mainly road riding as well as now and again on light trails. i've done a fair bit of research myself and have my eye on the Trek 7.2fx, Specialised Sirrus & GT Transeo amongst a few others. Whats your opinions?????????

 

[MontyVeda]

Hello and welcome!

Have you considered a second hand bike? Spending 3-400 on a used bike in good condition will get you much more bike for your money.

Or if you're handy with a spanner and have time on your hands, you could look for a half decent frame & forks or a fix-me-up on Freecycle (or similar), and spend your money on components.


I've always had a soft spot for the GT 'triple triangle' frame.

 

[BigTam]

Hello and .

I started back cycling last January and was a similar weight to yourself, now down to under the 15 stone mark, I bought a Specialised Crosstrail Disc Sport, they are solid and bullet proof and look good too, IMHO, my one has knocked up over 3000 miles and has never let me down.

A new one will set you back £500, but get on to the Bay of Flea's and you will pick up a 2011 one for half of that.

PS, if you do get one and it has the fookin awful stock tyres, Specialised Borough XC, 700 x 45, ditch them and get something decent like Schwalbe Marathon Pluses', thank god the people who make these tyres dont do condoms or the world would be full of little bar stewards and secondly, they are wider than a set of rear tyres on a Porsche Carrera 4s

 

[kishan]

welcome