Giant Roam 4.

[David Garside]

I'm just starting to look at new bikes to replace my old and ageing Raleigh Dakota. I've also only just started riding again after many years so don't want to go mad and spend a fortune and then find I lose interest and it sits in the garage gathering dust.
What is you opinion on the Giant Roam 4 ? . I want to mainly ride tracks (not mountains or very rough areas) and occassionally use it on the road. From previous advice on here I need a Hybrid....does the above suit my needs and is it generally a good solid, reliable machine.
Thanks all.
David.

 

[Craig-SR]

I have a Giant Roam 3 2011, and it should be great for what you need. Not much difference between the 3 and 4 i think.

 

[MrJamie]

Ive got a Giant Roam 2 2010, couldnt have been happier with it, as a newer cyclist it makes me want to go ride it I think its pretty decent offroad if you have the right tyres on it, Ive ridden mine through towpaths, muddy forest trails, sand, rough chalk trails and a few inches of snow on the stock Kenda tyres and IMHO its pretty competitive on the roads too. You can always switch the tyres more road/offroad depending on what you plan to ride on

I could be wrong but i dont think the Roam 3 or 4 have a lockout on the forks, which some people would be bothered by, I almost never use mine.

 

[David Garside]

Thank you for all the excellent info. This is the one that sounds right for me so when i'm sure I need a better bike that'll be the one i'll go for. Sorry if this sounds stupid, I take it that lockout forks means that they can be locked to stop the suspension movement. (I'm new to all this new technology)

 

[MrJamie]

Yeah, I think when you sit on the bike the suspension will compress a bit, when you push down on the pedal you lift the weight off the forks which is a bit less efficient so a lockout helps a little, but you can get a similar effect from turning the preload up - so it takes more for the suspension to move. The only time i find it makes a noticable difference is out of the saddle where my weights over the front going up a hill, but like I said I hardly ever bother to lock the suspension, neither do my friends I ride with. I think the Roam 1/2/3/4 all have the same frame too, which is nice if you want to upgrade anything later

Look around for discounts though if you're buying online on a budget, my friend got a Roam 2 for £300 end of season last year.

 

[David Garside]

Thanks for that...I was just worried that it wouldn't cope with tow-paths or bridleways etc, but it sounds like you've given it a good go and still seem happy with it. In the ad it says "Bring on the Potholes" but it also states it's not for rough terrain....that's where I got a bit confused.....

It still sounds the right one for me...and I like the look of it too....

 

[David Garside]

We have two lbs's in Andover. I popped into one the other day and was advised the Roam 4 would meet my needs which has been backed up by the response received on this excellent forum. I was passing the other (slightly nearer town) lbs and thought I'd just pop in and ask them. I was immediately confused. After expaining what I wanted to do with the bike, I got a " you can do anything on any bike that you want to" and then didn't really get a positive answer. Basically I was told that the wider tyres on a mountain bike would absorb more of the bumps but wouldn't really do anything else.
I think I will stick with the first answers and go for the Roam 4.

 

[MrJamie]

Let us know how you get on with it, I think youll find you had no need to worry I regularly blast around bridleways, sandy horse tracks, towpaths etc and it really is nowhere near its limit, Ive even gone over the handlebars riding a proper forest mountain bike course like a noob and its still going strong at over 3000 miles of putting up with its 6'2 19 stone silly rider

 

[David Garside]

Hello again. Thank you for that, that's good news (not about you going over the bars though). I do quite fancy one of those.
A friend of a friend has a Decathlon Riverside 3 and swears by it and recommends I go for one of those (£100 cheaper too). What are your thought on that ?

 

[David Garside]

I've just popped upto the Reading branch of Decathlon and had a good look. I like the Riverside 3 and after sitting on it I think the medium is the right size. My only query was that the handlebars are further away from me than i'm used to (Raleigh Dakota Mountain bike and old Halfords Commadore). Is it normal on a hybrid or is it something i'll come to regret....or get used to.

 

[MrJamie]

I think there was a thread on here a couple of days ago asking the same thing about road bikes (Giant Defy 4 vs Decathlon's Triban 3) some people would pay the extra, some wouldnt. The decathlon bikes do always seem to be amazing value for money, although their websites terrible so theres not really enough specs to compare, but it looks to be very similar.

Sizing is beyond my knowledge tbh, but its very important it fits you. I think its more about torso length and handlebar reach as saddle height can be more easily adjusted to leg length.

If you have important final questions before purchase it might be worth posting as a new thread if noone else is answering here anymore, to help you get advice of the cleverer people I dont think anyone will mind.

 

[David Garside]

Thank you. I've just had a really good look on the Decathlon website at the Riverside 3. I can see that the stem is adjustable (they only had the Riverside 1 in the shop which isn't adjustable) so that would now not be a problem.
Going back to the Roam 4, my lbs doesn't have one in stock and tells me they don't know when the latest model is being released.....I couldn't sit on one either so I don't know how i'll fit on it. If I decide to buy before the Roam 4 becomes available then it looks like the Riverside 3 for me.

Thanks again for your much appreciated input.

 

[David Garside]

Ok I've done it.....There's no sign of the new Roam 4 as yet (according to our lbs) so I've ordered a new Decathlon Riverside 3. It'll be about 5 to 6 working days before I get it so will have to do the old Dakota for a bit longer. Can't wait though.....

 

[David Garside]

So i've been informed that my new bike is in despatch....hopefully i'll have it on Tuesday or Wednesday. If so i'll try to get it all adjusted and up and running by Thursday which i'm trying to keep free (from work). If I can and it's nice I might try a 10 to 15 miler.
I managed a 12.6 on my Dakota on Saturday afternoon (now a total of 100 miles in the last few weeks) so the extra bit shouldn't (famous last words) be too difficult.
Can't wait for it to come now.

 

[Peteaud]

So i've been informed that my new bike is in despatch....hopefully i'll have it on Tuesday or Wednesday. If so i'll try to get it all adjusted and up and running by Thursday which i'm trying to keep free (from work). If I can and it's nice I might try a 10 to 15 miler.
I managed a 12.6 on my Dakota on Saturday afternoon (now a total of 100 miles in the last few weeks) so the extra bit shouldn't (famous last words) be too difficult.
Can't wait for it to come now.

Cracking bike for the money.

15 miles should not be an issue on that bike. My wife has a similar spec bike and can manage 20 miles without getting to tired.

Enjoy it and build up the miles