Carrera Subway 8 Hybrid Bike - anyone seen/ridden one?

[thistler]

just wondering if it would make a decent touring bike....

http://www.halfords....tegoryId_165534



never mind...I see it's only got 8 gears...

 

[RedBike]

I briefly has one, boy was that thing heavy. The nexus hub also always felt rather rough in the lower ratios which made hill climbing a nightmare. It was a reliable bike and it could potentially be used for touring.

 

[Moodyman]

It's a good commuter, but not a touring bike.

The Nexus hub doesn't have the range of gears for touring nor it is designed for the strain of laiden touring.

By all means, if you're travelling light and not hitting the mountains, you could get way with it, but you'll need to make sacrifices.

 

[Saundie]

I've been riding one daily since June to get to work and back (only 7.5 miles), with 20-30 miles rides on most weekends. Personally I wouldn't want to do any touring on it with the stock tyres on it, and as RedBike and Moodyman point out, the gearing isn't exactly ideal for hill climbing. I don't find the weight to be too much of an issue, but I was over 200lb when I purchased it (and I'm still over 170lb even now) so the bike itself makes up only a small percentage of the overall weight being moved.

Edit: Just seen that they've dropped it from the £350 I paid for it to £279, so I see why you're tempted by it. I'd still recommend against it for touring though...

 

[Howard]

Edit: Just seen that they've dropped it from the £350 I paid for it to £279, so I see why you're tempted by it. I'd still recommend against it for touring though...

That's a bargain if there ever was one. Come on, you can tour on anything at the end of the day and I think Nexus is under-rated as a workhorse. If you don't like the gearing change it with a larger cog - they are about £20.

Edit: apparently it's the premium red stripe Nexus. I'm tempted to buy it and strip it for parts.

 

[Saundie]

That's a bargain if there ever was one. Come on, you can tour on anything at the end of the day and I think Nexus is under-rated as a workhorse. If you don't like the gearing change it with a larger cog - they are about £20.

Edit: apparently it's the premium red stripe Nexus. I'm tempted to buy it and strip it for parts.

I've done only 650 miles on mine so I cannot really speak to the reliability, but I've not found the gears to be an issue where I ride. For the money it seems fine. The only problem I've had with it was caused by Halford's infamously poor building, so as long as they put it together properly it should be okay. The furthest I've ridden it is 30 miles and my only issue was the lack of hand positions - to be expected on a bike of this type.

 

[thistler]

meh. I was momentarily tempted by the price, but I really want a good quality dedicated steel framed touring bike. Just going to keep looking.

Thanks for the replies though!

 

[RedBike]

Check out Edinburgh cycles.

I don't think their bike is steel but it always used to be a lot of bike for the money.

 

[jimboalee]

I bought one. It was nicked.

Before I bought it, I made sure the sprocket pattern was compatible with Sturmey Archer, which it was. I immediately re-geared it for lower gear lengths as the top end was a tad high for that weight bike.

I was drawn to it by the roller brakes. Brakes you stuff with grease to make them work better.

The Nexus hub worked well. It would change moving or stationary. Later, after it had gone, I got reports the hub was not up to enormous torque loadings and some crunched.

Fixing a rear tyre puncture was more akin to a motor cycle. Cables, Reaction arm and loads of nuts and bolts.
I wrote an instruction sheet on the prodedure. I swapped hex heads for butterfly nuts.

The Bottom bracket was a bit close to the ground, causing pedals to scrape a few times.

It was the hub gear that was heavy. The frame was quite light.

I have a disc brake MTB now. Much better for roadside puncture repairs.

 

[Saundie]

Fixing a rear tyre puncture was more akin to a motor cycle. Cables, Reaction arm and loads of nuts and bolts.
I wrote an instruction sheet on the prodedure. I swapped hex heads for butterfly nuts.

Not had that pleasure yet. Removing the front wheel was a bit of a pain, not looking forward to having to do the back. Do you still have the instructions? They may well come in handy for me...

 

[Howard]

meh. I was momentarily tempted by the price, but I really want a good quality dedicated steel framed touring bike. Just going to keep looking.

Thanks for the replies though!

I'm building one from a Ridgeback Solo World '09 - another bargain if there ever was one.

 

[Jezston]

I'm building one from a Ridgeback Solo World '09 - another bargain if there ever was one.

Any ideas what Reynolds 520 is like compared to good ol 531?

 

[RedBike]

Any ideas what Reynolds 520 is like compared to good ol 531?

They're the same.

520 is what Reynolds call the material when it's made under liscence by another manufacure, in this case Genesis/Ridgeback.


I loved my Solo, having to sell it because I can't cope with fixed gear/SS anymore broke my heart. My only complaint (also possibly the bikes best feature) was that the frame was more like a 'touring bike' than a 'racer'.

It's a heavy stiff steel frame, nothing like for example the feather-weight close clearance Langster.

 

[Howard]

I loved my Solo, having to sell it because I can't cope with fixed gear/SS anymore broke my heart. My only complaint (also possibly the bikes best feature) was that the frame was more like a 'touring bike' than a 'racer'.

Yes - luggies for a rack and everything. It's a beaut. Apparently it's the same frame as used on the '09 Day 1. It's also 130mm width, meaning it will take pretty much any transmission you could throw at it.

It's a heavy stiff steel frame, nothing like for example the feather-weight close clearance Langster.

Heavy? The 52cm we have weighs about 10kg with mudguards, the stock carbon fork and basic flat pedals. I'd say that's pretty light. According to Evans, it's actually lighter than the langsteel. It's not going to be lighter than the langalu - but then apples and oranges and all that.