AndyStephens
New Member
I'm looking for some advice on buying a bike. I haven't ridden a bike for 15 years (apart from briefly borrowing a MTB for half an hour recently). I seem to remember that I was never keen on the hunched over riding position of MTBs, which resulted in it feeling like I was putting too much weight on the handlebars. I also found it a bit uncomfortable keeping my head up to see where I was going.
I like the thought of a hybrid/comfort bike, and have my eye on the Specialized Expedition Sport - it's at the top end of my budget (around £300) and comes in XL (suitable for my 6'6" height). However I'm not sure how much you can do with them "off road". I expect to be using a new bike mostly on cycle paths, dirt tracks/farm tracks, and paths that run around the edge of farm fields (of which there are plenty nearby) - a bit bumpy and rutted, and maybe muddy at times, but nothing too severe. While I won't be going down steep mountain sides over boulders and fallen trees, I was hoping that I might be able to use such a bike on "gentler" bike trails (I'm not far from the Coed Llandegla mountain bike trail centre - I've never been but I've heard it's great).
The alternative would be a MTB again - something like the Specialized Hardrock (again around £300 and available in XXL), but I'm concerned that I won't like the riding position as before. I really like the idea of the upright, comfortable riding position of the hybrid, but don't want to be sorry in a few months time when I find that it's only really meant for commuting and cycle paths.
Look forward to any advice/suggestions.
Andy
I like the thought of a hybrid/comfort bike, and have my eye on the Specialized Expedition Sport - it's at the top end of my budget (around £300) and comes in XL (suitable for my 6'6" height). However I'm not sure how much you can do with them "off road". I expect to be using a new bike mostly on cycle paths, dirt tracks/farm tracks, and paths that run around the edge of farm fields (of which there are plenty nearby) - a bit bumpy and rutted, and maybe muddy at times, but nothing too severe. While I won't be going down steep mountain sides over boulders and fallen trees, I was hoping that I might be able to use such a bike on "gentler" bike trails (I'm not far from the Coed Llandegla mountain bike trail centre - I've never been but I've heard it's great).
The alternative would be a MTB again - something like the Specialized Hardrock (again around £300 and available in XXL), but I'm concerned that I won't like the riding position as before. I really like the idea of the upright, comfortable riding position of the hybrid, but don't want to be sorry in a few months time when I find that it's only really meant for commuting and cycle paths.
Look forward to any advice/suggestions.
Andy