spongebath
Member
I've been traveling across London for two weeks now trying every bike that I can. I'm after a commuting bike, 12 miles road journey & something for the occasional park ride with the kids, even less occasional Sunday ride with the brother in law.
Every shop assistant pushes me towards drop bar endurance bikes, or the new 'adventure bike', but to be honest flat bars feel more natural for me. So I might well want a drop bar after 3 months, but I think a flat bars are right for me now. I have absolutely no recent bike experience & central London rides to get used to. I should add I get the cycle2work scheme - which has an impact on what I can get.
Like the Whyte bikes, tried the Dorset & Portobello - really like the Portobello. However Halfords had a £150 off a hybrid team & combined with the cycle2work discount in makes a £750 well reviewed bikes actual cost about £360.
Couldn't manage to ride one though, experience at Halfords was poor - the bike I looked at was barely screwed together which I suspect made it feel cheap & flimsy. It works out about £90 cheaper than the Whyte though after tax discounts & although tempted am hesitant to buy a bike without trying it out first. I'll try another Halfords for a ride, but I'm not expecting great things.
I still have another shop to try, but that's for a few more drop bar bikes I've been recommended, Norco Search & GT grade. The staff at Evans in Spitalfields were outstanding compared to other shops I've visited, had to give them a mention.
D
Every shop assistant pushes me towards drop bar endurance bikes, or the new 'adventure bike', but to be honest flat bars feel more natural for me. So I might well want a drop bar after 3 months, but I think a flat bars are right for me now. I have absolutely no recent bike experience & central London rides to get used to. I should add I get the cycle2work scheme - which has an impact on what I can get.
Like the Whyte bikes, tried the Dorset & Portobello - really like the Portobello. However Halfords had a £150 off a hybrid team & combined with the cycle2work discount in makes a £750 well reviewed bikes actual cost about £360.
Couldn't manage to ride one though, experience at Halfords was poor - the bike I looked at was barely screwed together which I suspect made it feel cheap & flimsy. It works out about £90 cheaper than the Whyte though after tax discounts & although tempted am hesitant to buy a bike without trying it out first. I'll try another Halfords for a ride, but I'm not expecting great things.
I still have another shop to try, but that's for a few more drop bar bikes I've been recommended, Norco Search & GT grade. The staff at Evans in Spitalfields were outstanding compared to other shops I've visited, had to give them a mention.
D