Hi
@Danknott15 ,
I have been looking at the Riverside series for a while now, and mainly the 920. I have store rode the 900 and 920 series and loved them both. Of course the 920 is the more superior bike and the spec is great, especially as they come with the Mavic wheels too.
My only downside on the 920 bike is that they are still using the Tektro hydraulic disc breaks over a better make, especially as the price jumped up from £599 to £649 soon as the lockdown happened and no change in spec....for a bike thats been out a while i would have imagined the bike to have come down in price, not hiked up.
The reason I didn't buy a riverside bike is when I was looking several people told me new models were coming out, and yes this has happened on the 900 models and they do look very nice, and the B-Twin logo down the side has been replaced with Riverside, but i much preferred the B-Twin, riverside....feels a little like a lodge or country cottage name! (sorry!....just my mind thinking)
I have heard the 920 is having an overhaul too....so maybe the £649 price increase is on the newer modelling with the Riverside logo on the side? not sure.
Another reason why I also never bought the 920 sooner is 3 stores I went to to buy one, either had a scratch on the frame....or a dirt all in the tyres as it was lent to a member of staff....and another store used the one in the store as a staff bike to use daily and was full of dirt.
I have not seen 920 on sale at all anywhere in the UK for a while?
Also I know a lot of expert cyclists always recommend no front suspension, but on the cycling I do which is the same as yours - canal paths (rare) bumpy roads, some grass tracks following my sons and road use - suspension for me has been valuable and I would always go for it, but yes as a rule of thumb, they are lighter without and good forks can be good too - its all personal I think.
I would look at Trek DS2/3 or Trek FX2/3 range. Solid bikes and check if your local bike shop have them in stock. Goodluck!
https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes/hybrid-bikes/c/B528/