New bike for family use - circa £600-£700

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BowlofPetunias

New Member
Location
Henley-on-Thames
Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for a bike to use with my family at weekends, a mixture of road, tow path, woodland and a bit of mud but nothing excessive. I'd rather get something decent than buying cheap and buying twice when it falls to bits. Looking online and after a recent trip to Evans I reckon I'm budgeting between £600 and £700 max for a bike, although of course happy to spend less!

I've seen a few models such as these:
Sirrus Sport 2017
https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-sirrus-sport-2017-hybrid-bike-EV279732

Crosstrail Sport 2018
https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-crosstrail-sport-2018-hybrid-bike-EV279745

Cannondale Quick 4 2018
https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-quick-4-2018-hybrid-bike-EV280381#read-reviews-header

Crosstrail Disc 2018
https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-crosstrail-hydro-disc-2018-hybrid-bike-EV306284

I've read lots of negative reviews online of the suspension forks on the cheaper Crosstrails such as the ones above, my concern is that a Sirrus or the Cannondale like the ones linked above with a fixed fork wouldn't be right for the type of terrain I indent to ride on - what are people's opinions? I'd prefer to buy from Evans as they're local and the service on my visit was good so please if you have any recommendations link there if possible.

I'm just looking for something decent that will last and is good value for money, no preference on brand, I'm 6ft 3 so it would need to be in XL frame from the ones I tried in Evans the other day.

Thanks in advance for all your help!
 
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BowlofPetunias

New Member
Location
Henley-on-Thames
I'd get the Carrera Subway 2 from Halfords or this https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-lithium-4-2018-hybrid-bike-EV275574.
I think your better off with a fixed fork, I ride a mountain bike off road and I have it on locked unless its really rough.
Both these will be fine for off road like towpaths or bridelways etc.
That Cannondale quick/Sirrus are more flat barred road bikes in my opinion. Not for doing lots off road.

Thanks Liz, I'll take a look :-)
 

alicat

Legendary Member
Location
Staffs
Definitely fixed fork. Decathlon are good value if you are just starting out. They have branches in Uxbridge and Reading if you can get to one of them.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
So, you're after a Ferrari that has the abilities of a Range Rover, with some amphibious capacity thrown in?

May I also direct Sir to the Carrera Subway range?
 

Soltydog

Legendary Member
Location
near Hornsea
Similar to the Cannondale you listed above, but 1 x 11 & better groupset https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cannondale-Quick-2-2017-Hybrid-Sports-Bike_96401.htm
No XL at Evans, but I just got one on C2W through Tredz & happy with it. Despite only 1 chainring there's a wide range of gears, my only gripe would be larger than ideal jumps between some gears. Shame you're so far away, you could have a blast on mine
Got a few unexpected bits too from Tredz, pedal spanner, small multi tool & a small backpack :okay: Mail order bikes normally come with no tools for the minor assembly needed, in my experience.
 

Sixmile

Veteran
Location
N Ireland
I have a 2014 Crosstrail disc and I'm not sure what they've done to the model to have it up around the £700 mark. I think mine was £475 RRP from Tredz.

It's heavy enough, the original wheels were crap and the brakes are cheap rubbish (edit: I see they have uprated the brakes). I'm on my 3rd set of wheels, new Mavics are great, and have changed the rotors and the pads as maintenance just. I would agree though with the above, don't bother with the front suspension. It may look better to the untrained eye but the forks are really stiff with little travel and of course add to the overall weight.
 
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