New bike or not? Advice welcome

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Ozzrahog

Well-Known Member
Location
Tyne & Wear
Hi

I currently ride a Btwin Triban 5 that I converted to flat bars, put an 11/30 cassette on and shimano R501 wheels (it has the original sora mechs). Like the bike but find it restricts me to roads and good quailty tracks due to teh wheel size.

Thinking of get a Boardman Team Hybrid http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/boardman-hybrid-team-bike

It looks like a slight step up in terms of overall kit, would welcome any thoughts or alternative suggestions

Cheers
 

Onyer

Senior Member
The Boardman looks lovely. What size wheels does it have? I have found though that one bike does not fit all requirements. As you have found with your Btwin Triban it has it's limitations. And you will probably find the same with the Boardman. Why not look for a bike that will fit the needs that you are missing, which sounds like rough tracks and possibly a bit of off roading?
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
It comes with 28c tyres so not exactly great for any rough or bumpy off-road stuff, you would have to find out how wide a tyre it could take and swap them out really.
What made you buy a road bike then convert it to a flat bar?
 

MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Nice bike, what size tyres can it take? My hybrids all have 32's or 35's, I wouldn't want less than 32's for trails.
 
if you want to go for light trails or slightly off road, I'd say go for something like a Specialized crosstrail, on 32 Schwalbe M+'s. The Boardman equivalent is the MX Comp, again, if you run it with 32 M+ tyres, you'll have a much nicer time on light trails / paths. Both bikes are hardtail, front sussers with lockout on the forks, which is useful when doing on road riding. The wheel size is 700c on both bikes.
 

Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
It will take 32s easily. It's a hybrid. It's not a road bike so the frame and forks will have clearance for wider tyres. Like on a CX bike.
 
OP
OP
Ozzrahog

Ozzrahog

Well-Known Member
Location
Tyne & Wear
It comes with 28c tyres so not exactly great for any rough or bumpy off-road stuff, you would have to find out how wide a tyre it could take and swap them out really.
What made you buy a road bike then convert it to a flat bar?

Converted to flat bars as no matter what I did I could not get comfortable with the drops
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Cheers guys, any thoughts on the sram apex gears
I like them, Rival better though and worth paying extra for if you can. I have Apex on a roadbike and a flatbar (Whyte Cambridge) and Rival on another roadbike

You can get the Cambridge reduced if you look around for older models, carbon fork, hydraulic discs

e.g. http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=12322&Item='Whyte Cambridge 2012 Hybrid/Commuter Bike'

The Boardman looks a good spec, 15% off until Wednesday and another 10% for British Cycling members
 
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SpokeyDokey

67, & my GP says I will officially be old at 70!
Moderator
Ok got it down to a choice of 2

the cube sl road race at £899 http://www.cube.eu/uk/bikes/tour/sl-road/cube-sl-road-race-black-white-red-2015/

or

the cube sl road pro at £599 http://www.cube.eu/uk/bikes/tour/sl-road/cube-sl-road-pro-anthrazit-black-green-2015/

question is, is the step up in spec gears, wheels and carbon forks good vfm?

Cheers

Yes - higher spec' + carbon fork for me too.

Depends whether or not £300 is significant for you as well.

Both are very good value imo - i rather fancy the red/white/black myself.

Cube make smashing bikes but they have a supply chain that is rooted back in the dim and distant past where you ordered something and then accepted the fact that it will turn up at some stage in the future and were patient enough to accept this.

I tried to order a CX and MTB about 3 years ago and just gave up in the end.
 

SpokeyDokey

67, & my GP says I will officially be old at 70!
Moderator
Looks like they haven't even been launched yet, Tredz for example specify as pre order

A difficult company to source a bike from.

As I said, I had to give up in the end. Wheelbase at Staveley in Cumbria tried very hard to get what i wanted but basically it came down to buy something we have in stock or forget it.

I also emailed Cube direct several times but got absolutely no response.
 
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