Decided on Boardman Hybrid! Questions...

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mrmacmusic

Veteran
Location
Tillicoultry
Further my post on Monday, I've now been to see a few bikes and have decided that the Boardman Hybrid Comp is pretty much exactly what I'm looking for, and represents pretty good value for money – the extra £40 off until Thursday plus 10% BC Membership discount take it down to £413.

A couple of questions for existing owners... it looks like there's bags of clearance for mudguards and larger tyres, but what fits? I had 700x25c Marathon Plus tyres on my old Flight with SKS P35 mudguards. Given that the primary function of the Boardman will be "family" cycling – e.g. cycle-paths, tow-paths, light trails round the Loch, Center-Parcs etc.etc. – and the secondary function will be commuting (on days when I don't want to take the Madone), I'd like to fit a tyre that will roll well on tarmac, but have a bit of grip on the 'off road' paths.

Not sure exactly what tyre at this stage, but I'm thinking along the lines of a Marathon Plus Tour 700x35c (seems to have a bit more off-road capability than the standard Plus I've used before), and I'm also considering spiked Marathon Winters (same size) and being adventurous this coming cold season! Would these tyres fit with standard P45 SKS mudguards, or would you recommend another mudguard/tyre combination altogether for the Boardman?

Second question is regarding the drivetrain... I've read one or two bad things about the bottom bracket, but it's difficult to know if this is still an ongoing issue. Is the BB easily replaced with a better quality component if needs be? Equally, if it starts clicking, is it a simple strip, re-grease and put back together operation? In the 14 months I've been commuting, I've never had to touch a bottom bracket.
 

defy-one

Guest
Just a note on tyres .... A 35c is going to be pretty slow compared to a 25/28c when you are commuting.
If your intending for on using just one tyre size for all the rides you mention ..... I would look at which activity will be done the most and pick a tyre size that fits that function better.
I'm also looking at hybrid for the winter commute and general duties. Not bothered about off road,so plan to use a 28c.
Hope that helps :smile:
 

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
Just a note on tyres .... A 35c is going to be pretty slow compared to a 25/28c when you are commuting.

I have a 35c tyre on my hybrid commute machine and have to dispute the 'big is slow' myth. I have also done my commute on my 23c shod road bike several times and the journey times are virtually the same. Effort on the day and traffic conditions have a far bigger effect on the ave speeds achieved and travel times.
The benefit of running the larger tyres is that you don't have to be quite so wary of dodging every little imperfection in the road surface so can pay more attention to the other road users without wobbling/swerving randomly and without such fear of damaging your bike/wheels/fillings.
I'm not saying that a lightweight skinny tyre won't be of any advantage at all but that when not under race conditions the gains are so minimal as to be insignificant. Simply choose the best suited tyre for the job.

I have found the 700x35c Schwalbe Road Cruiser tyres that came as original fit on my bike to be an excellent tyre that rolls well, especially at the rated max pressure of 65psi, and is wearing well. Now covered nearly 4500 miles and certainly look as though they will do another couple of thousand without a problem.
 
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mrmacmusic

mrmacmusic

Veteran
Location
Tillicoultry
Just a note on tyres .... A 35c is going to be pretty slow compared to a 25/28c when you are commuting.
If your intending for on using just one tyre size for all the rides you mention ..... I would look at which activity will be done the most and pick a tyre size that fits that function better.
I'm also looking at hybrid for the winter commute and general duties. Not bothered about off road,so plan to use a 28c.
Hope that helps :smile:
Thanks defy-one :thumbsup: Yeah, I was used to 25c M+ (and am on 23c now) so appreciate 35c – and even 28c – will feel slower, but that'll just be good training :whistle:

I'm just not sure that the Vittoria 28c tyres that the Boardman is shod with will be up to much when I'm not on tarmac. I don't want to go to a full-on cross tyre though, as the amount of off-roading I'll be doing pulling the tag-a-long will just be trails or paths – i.e. more dust than mud (not sure what that particular path dressing is actually called!)
 
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mrmacmusic

mrmacmusic

Veteran
Location
Tillicoultry
I have a 35c tyre on my hybrid commute machine and have to dispute the 'big is slow' myth. I have also done my commute on my 23c shod road bike several times and the journey times are virtually the same. Effort on the day and traffic conditions have a far bigger effect on the ave speeds achieved and travel times.
The benefit of running the larger tyres is that you don't have to be quite so wary of dodging every little imperfection in the road surface so can pay more attention to the other road users without wobbling/swerving randomly and without such fear of damaging your bike/wheels/fillings.
I'm not saying that a lightweight skinny tyre won't be of any advantage at all but that when not under race conditions the gains are so minimal as to be insignificant. Simply choose the best suited tyre for the job.

I have found the 700x35c Schwalbe Road Cruiser tyres that came as original fit on my bike to be an excellent tyre that rolls well, especially at the rated max pressure of 65psi, and is wearing well. Now covered nearly 4500 miles and certainly look as though they will do another couple of thousand without a problem.
Thanks ILS :thumbsup: How do you find the p******e resistance of those Road Cruisers? It looks like a very similar tyre to the M+ 'Tour' except it doesn't have SmartGuard blue rubbery stuff, and doesn't do 'high pressure' which, I guess, might make it a more comfortable proposition. Much cheaper too.
 

Zakalwe

Well-Known Member
There's the danger you'll get soft and prefer the ride on the fat bouncer tyres and before you know it that trek is relegated to the back of the shed while you take the cruiser out.

That's why I refuse to ride more than 23mm. Or mudguards.
 

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
To start with I did have a fair few punctures but a change in riding habits have reduced these to a minimum. I realised I was getting a couple of glass shard intrusions at about the same spot on the commute and deduced that these were coming from a short cut I was using through a park where the local kids must have been having bottle smashing compettions of an evening. I also got a few metal chunks stuck in the tyres (nails/bolts/short steel rods/etc) again often around the same spot of the commute and I realised I was riding across the gravelly, undriven part of the road a lot while filtering and most of this was done near a large industrial estate that is also home to one of the biggest civic/commercial tips in the area. I was asking for trouble due to the large amount of foreign objects falling from vehicles going to/from the tip. Since I realised this and stopped riding in these two areas my puncture rate has fallen dramatically but to be honest it was never a problem as I am prepared and well practised in the art! IMO the full-on puncture resistant tyres (my Road Cruisers do say puncture protection on the sidewall in small letters?) may help with the glass but I can't see them preventing a sharp nail or metal rod being pushed through a tyre against my 14st weight?
 
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mrmacmusic

mrmacmusic

Veteran
Location
Tillicoultry
To start with I did have a fair few punctures but a change in riding habits have reduced these to a minimum. I realised I was getting a couple of glass shard intrusions at about the same spot on the commute and deduced that these were coming from a short cut I was using through a park.......
I guess luck comes into it too... I had one deflation within a week (<150 miles) of fitting the Marathon Plus tyres due to a large thorn in the sidewall, but a further 3,500+ deflation-free miles have persuaded me that the SmartGuard layer really is effective. I have removed debris, glass, flints etc. from them regularly, and there are loads of cuts and nicks – several where the blue rubber SmartGuard layer is clearly visible – so I don't dare to think how many punctures I would have had on other tyres!
 

Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
I have a 35c tyre on my hybrid commute machine and have to dispute the 'big is slow' myth. I have also done my commute on my 23c shod road bike several times and the journey times are virtually the same. Effort on the day and traffic conditions have a far bigger effect on the ave speeds achieved and travel times.
The benefit of running the larger tyres is that you don't have to be quite so wary of dodging every little imperfection in the road surface so can pay more attention to the other road users without wobbling/swerving randomly and without such fear of damaging your bike/wheels/fillings.
I'm not saying that a lightweight skinny tyre won't be of any advantage at all but that when not under race conditions the gains are so minimal as to be insignificant. Simply choose the best suited tyre for the job.

I have found the 700x35c Schwalbe Road Cruiser tyres that came as original fit on my bike to be an excellent tyre that rolls well, especially at the rated max pressure of 65psi, and is wearing well. Now covered nearly 4500 miles and certainly look as though they will do another couple of thousand without a problem.

Like. I have spent the summer shaving off weight and seconds/minutes on my hybrid, with slimmer tubes, slimmer tyres, foldables, lighter wheels... got my average speed up to a "whopping" 15mph this way!

Last week, put my 32mm semi-slicks back on. Unbeatable for autumnal comfort and confidence, and screw the extra weight.
 

Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
Further my post on Monday, I've now been to see a few bikes and have decided that the Boardman Hybrid Comp is pretty much exactly what I'm looking for, and represents pretty good value for money – the extra £40 off until Thursday plus 10% BC Membership discount take it down to £413.

A couple of questions for existing owners... it looks like there's bags of clearance for mudguards and larger tyres, but what fits? I had 700x25c Marathon Plus tyres on my old Flight with SKS P35 mudguards. Given that the primary function of the Boardman will be "family" cycling – e.g. cycle-paths, tow-paths, light trails round the Loch, Center-Parcs etc.etc. – and the secondary function will be commuting (on days when I don't want to take the Madone), I'd like to fit a tyre that will roll well on tarmac, but have a bit of grip on the 'off road' paths.

Not sure exactly what tyre at this stage, but I'm thinking along the lines of a Marathon Plus Tour 700x35c (seems to have a bit more off-road capability than the standard Plus I've used before), and I'm also considering spiked Marathon Winters (same size) and being adventurous this coming cold season! Would these tyres fit with standard P45 SKS mudguards, or would you recommend another mudguard/tyre combination altogether for the Boardman?

Second question is regarding the drivetrain... I've read one or two bad things about the bottom bracket, but it's difficult to know if this is still an ongoing issue. Is the BB easily replaced with a better quality component if needs be? Equally, if it starts clicking, is it a simple strip, re-grease and put back together operation? In the 14 months I've been commuting, I've never had to touch a bottom bracket.

Er hang on, haven't you just shelled out mega bucks on a carbon road bike??
 
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mrmacmusic

mrmacmusic

Veteran
Location
Tillicoultry
Er hang on, haven't you just shelled out mega bucks on a carbon road bike??
Er, yes and no (it wasn't my money :whistle:)....

Having been lucky enough to get the Madone, I wanted a second bike that was in-between my old Ridgeback Flight (which was my commuter), and my Cube Attention MTB – a bike that can be used as a back-up commuter, but primarily perfect for "family" cycling, towing the tag-a-long, Center Parcs, that sort of stuff... I reckon the Boardman fits the bill nicely :thumbsup:
 

Jenkins

Legendary Member
Location
Felixstowe
I have the previous version of the Hybrid Comp which I fitted SKS mudguards to with plenty of clearance on the original 28mm tyres, but I'm not sure if there would have been room for 35mm Marathons. What about the standard Marathon Plus or the Vittoria Randonneurs which are available in 28mm and 32mm which would probably fit?
 
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mrmacmusic

mrmacmusic

Veteran
Location
Tillicoultry
Lucky you! I would have thought the Flight was just about the same..?
Lucky me indeed... doesn't happen too often though!

My Flight 01 was a 2010 model, so had a basic aluminium frame, V-brakes and Sora gearing with triple chainset. I think the Boardman has (correct me if I'm wrong) a superior aluminium frame – triple butted, smooth welds, shaped stays, custom profiling etc.etc. It certainly looks prettier, if that really matters, but psychologically, I also think it looks more rugged... like it could take a bit of thrashing off-road if I really wanted to. The Boardman's got disc brakes too, which I reckon will come in handy in the, er, Summer. Like the Flight, it's got road focused gearing, and I particularly like the fact that it's not your typical 'hybrid' setup, and will have similar gearing to my Trek, i.e. compact 50/34 chainset and 11-28 rear cassette.

So yes, I guess it's similar to the Flight in as much as it's at the road end of the wide spectrum of bikes falling under the 'hybrid' umbrella, but – in my humble opinion – it's quite different really, or at least it is to my old Flight 01 (2010). It's true that the current Flight is much more similar – compact chainset, BB5 brakes etc. – but it's also more expensive.

At the end of the day, I was happy to walk out a certain store tonight with the Boardman having set me back just £413... that's excellent value I reckon :thumbsup:
 
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