Don't want to spend much but......

[vickster]

Thanks annirak, but I feel a road bike is a bit too much down the serious route for me, a hybrid will withstand a bit more aggression I imagine.

There's no difference except maybe slightly slimmer tyres

If you do hilly rides and are on the unfit / heavy side (I don;t know that you are), a triple chainset may be of benefit

Have a look at Ridgeback bikes, good value for money (especially compared to Specialized/Giant/Trek)

Or although it's black , this looks a good deal. Join British Cycling, and get another 10% off at Halfords (£34 for Ride membership, get other indispensible benefits like legal and third party indemnity cover). Under £350 with the extra 15% off on Boardman bikes until 13 May (and then maybe another £35 off)

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/boardman-hybrid-sport-bike

Or this won't be too far beyond £400 with disc brakes and a nicer paint job

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/boardman-hybrid-comp-bike

 

[Cyclist33]

Thanks Vickster, I'm still getting used to a few things and thus showing my ignorance, for some reason I was thinking that 700c was smaller than 29 inch.

I've looked again at the links yourself and Cyclist33 posted and am still deciding.

Weird thing is I see the same make and model tyre available in both 29 and 700 sizes, which makes me think the 29 has a wider bead spacing to suit wider rims as you get on mountain bikes, and the 700 is narrower beaded for hybrids and cyclocross. So they're not interchangeable.

 

[Cyclist33]

What's the difference to a non suspension hybrid?!

skinnier frame usually, less clearance for wider tyres but in the same weight class as a road bike.

 

[vickster]

They are however the same diameter. I didn't think you could get 29er tyres on a rigid fork hybrid? Halfords use 27.5 on the Subway I think

 

[Cyclist33]

I very nearly went for the Giant Escape 2 (2016?) model last night, but had some trouble making the purchase, It's exactly the same price as the 2015 model for some reason - just seems that they are no longer the aluminium alloy, anyway I have some time to think more on it.

I did notice today that one of my housemates has what looks like the Giant Escape 1, so I have a better idea of it looks now.

I'm heading into Brum city centre soon, so will pop into Evans and take a look at the Jamis hybrids you posted Cyclist33, trouble is they don't have a massive selection and it's a hassle asking them to get them delivered just for a test ride. That said it was nice to see some brighter colours other than the simple black and grey's of the Giant's.

I'll let you know how I get on.

If you aren't prepared to put a bit of effort in to find the right bike...!

I wouldn't describe Evans's process as a "hassle" - you just pay them a fully refundable £50 deposit and they order in and build up the bike for you to test. If you like it you can then have it and they keep the 50 quid.

 

[vickster]

skinnier frame usually, less clearance for wider tyres but in the same weight class as a road bike.

Pretty much all of the rigid fork hybrids I see have 28-32" tyres, including the so called flat bar road bikes .like the Sirrus

It's all semantics really from the marketing sharks trying to create another market to sell into

 

[Cyclist33]

They are however the same diameter. I didn't think you could get 29er tyres on a rigid fork hybrid? Halfords use 27.5 on the Subway I think

You can certainly get 700 x 40 Schwalbe Smart Sams on a Cannondale Quick, coz I used to. If they're the same diameter as a 29er Smart Sam then I imagine those would have fitted.

However, I would not have shoed the Fulcrum road wheels I had on the hybrid, with mountain bike tyres, because the internal rim width was 15mm.

 

[Cyclist33]

Pretty much all of the rigid fork hybrids I see have 28-32" tyres, including the so called flat bar road bikes .like the Sirrus

It's all semantics really from the marketing sharks trying to create another market to sell into

Yes a lot of it is semantics, but a Sirrus isn't a flat bar road bike. It's a hybrid.

 

[vickster]

You can certainly get 700 x 40 Schwalbe Smart Sams on a Cannondale Quick, coz I used to. If they're the same diameter as a 29er Smart Sam then I imagine those would have fitted.

However, I would not have shoed the Fulcrum road wheels I had on the hybrid, with mountain bike tyres, because the internal rim width was 15mm.

That's the wheel not the frame of the bike though

 

[vickster]

Yes a lot of it is semantics, but a Sirrus isn't a flat bar road bike. It's a hybrid.

That's not how Specialized market it, or some of the retailers. It and the Giant rapid are the closest I can think of to a flat bar roadbike...without taking a road bike and adding flat bars. The Sirrus used to at least have the same frame as the Secteur

 

[Cyclist33]

Yes a lot of it is semantics, but a Sirrus isn't a flat bar road bike. It's a hybrid.

Or "multi-use" as I see Spesh are now describing it!

 

[Cyclist33]

That's the wheel not the frame of the bike though

It amounts to the same thing if that wheel is used on that bike.

 

[vickster]

It amounts to the same thing if that wheel is used on that bike.

Was it the standard wheelset?

 

[Cyclist33]

That's not how Specialized market it, or some of the retailers. It and the Giant rapid are the closest I can think of to a flat bar roadbike...without taking a road bike and adding flat bars. The Sirrus used to at least have the same frame as the Secteur

I don't agree!

Spesh market the Sirrus as a hybrid or multi use or whatever but I cannot remember them ever marketing it as a road bike in the sense we understand.

The Rapid's frame is skinnier in the mode of a drop bar road bike. I imagine you could probably squeeze 28s or even 32s into a Rapid but then you can do the same with my Defy. By contrast the higher-end Escapes Giant do have a lot more clearance because they are hybrids and not flat bar road bikes.

When the Sirrus looked similar to the Secteur it wasn't exactly the same frame. I nearly bought one. Both the rear end and the fork had clearance for wider tyres.

 

[Cyclist33]

They are however the same diameter. I didn't think you could get 29er tyres on a rigid fork hybrid? Halfords use 27.5 on the Subway I think

Yes that sounds right.