New bike recommendations please

[ngoldsa]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a new bike and have been baffled by the huge range of options.

I used to cycle many years ago but haven't for a long, long time. I think I'm looking for a hybrid bike as it will be mostly road use but would also like the ability to cycle along canal paths, gravel tracks and perhaps some very light off-roading like dirt tracks and pathways but certainly nothing demanding.

I'm looking for something that has gearing for speed on the roads but also has the gearing for steep hill climbs. I'm also a little baffled by tyre size and width. I prefer something that is comfortable and stable rather than super thin wheels and tyres that make every notch in the road feel like a bolder :-)

I'm getting confused with gearing options, fork types (aluminium v carbon), brake types, riding positions / comfort. I would say that I'm aiming to ride on average 1 to 2 hours, 3 or 4 times a week but maybe more in the future.

My budget is around the £500 to £750 mark give or take.

Any advice, tips or recommendations would be appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[vickster]

New bikes are in short supply so although there appears to be hundreds of options, many won't be available in your size

A rigid fork hybrid would meet your needs, a triple chainset will give you a good range of gearing

 

[ngoldsa]

I'm probably looking to buy around April / May time so have some time to decide and save. Hopefully there will be better availability by then. I currently have an old mountain bike that I'm using, it was a good one in its day (about 30 years ago), all alloy, now has road tyres on but think it's time to update and upgrade?

I'm looking for specific recommendations on brands, models etc so that I can research and short list. Thanks for the info anyway, appreciated :-)

If it helps, I'm 5 foot 9" :-)

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Evans Pinnacle Lithium Hybrid fits your bill - take a look. I've said it before, but something like that's what 95% of cyclists need (not always want, mind )

 

[Dan77]

Very happy with my Trek FX2 disc. You can go further up the range a little with your budget, subject to availability. Trek make good bikes.

Lots of other options though.

 

[ngoldsa]

Evans Pinnacle Lithium Hybrid fits your bill - take a look. I've said it before, but something like that's what 95% of cyclists need (not always want, mind )

Excellent, thank you, I'll take a look at the range :-)

 

[ngoldsa]

Very happy with my Trek FX2 disc. You can go further up the range a little with your budget, subject to availability. Trek make good bikes.

Lots of other options though.

Excellent, thank you, I'll take a look at the range :-)

 

[HobbesOnTour]

. I currently have an old mountain bike that I'm using, it was a good one in its day (about 30 years ago), all alloy, now has road tyres on but think it's time to update and upgrade?

Since you used a ? how about throwing up some details about your current bike?
Assuming it's comfortable, a good going over could have it as good as new.
Lots of advantages to an older bike - less likely to be stolen for one, and easier to do a bit of work on rather than that shiny new one.
I ride a 20 year + MTB and it's brought me some interesting places.

A bike that old may use a rarer freewheel/cassette but that can normally be solved.

I can forsee a flood of decent second hand bikes coming on the market once Covid fecks off. It may be worth waiting around for a while.

Sorry!😊 Probably not what you were loiking for!

 

[cougie uk]

I'd be looking at road bikes. With disc brakes you can get chunkier tyres on there. I've ridden 23mm on canal paths etc so it's not like you need huge tyres for a small amount of off road.

 

[vickster]

Are you open to drop handlebars or only flat bars?

 

[ngoldsa]

Since you used a ? how about throwing up some details about your current bike?
Assuming it's comfortable, a good going over could have it as good as new.
Lots of advantages to an older bike - less likely to be stolen for one, and easier to do a bit of work on rather than that shiny new one.
I ride a 20 year + MTB and it's brought me some interesting places.

A bike that old may use a rarer freewheel/cassette but that can normally be solved.

I can forsee a flood of decent second hand bikes coming on the market once Covid fecks off. It may be worth waiting around for a while.

Sorry!😊 Probably not what you were loiking for!

All good advice and valid points :-)

The bike I have currently is a Raleigh 300 Max Ogre with Alesa wheels and Shimano gears. I have no idea what the tech spec is but for a bike that's 30 years+ it still goes well (with new road tyres) but breaks and gears are starting to show their age with a few squeaks and rattles. Pedals are now rusting but other than that it seems to be sound.

Like you mentioned, the market could be awash with second hand bikes in the next 4 to 6 months with all those people who bought them but never used them. This might even put pressure on the price of new bikes if the market is flooded with high quality, low usage second hand bikes. Maybe, maybe not, I don't know :-)

I had thought about having my old bike stripped back to the frame and forks and re-build with modern tech but if that's going to cost £200, £300 or more then I thought it just best to go for new but it's a good point and may still work out a cheaper option. Any ideas on the cost for a project like this, being undertaken by a bike shop / expert? With some higher end kit?

 

[ngoldsa]

Are you open to drop handlebars or only flat bars?

Probably just flat bars I think for the cross purpose use rather than strictly road.

 

[vickster]

Probably just flat bars I think for the cross purpose use rather than strictly road.

Gravel/adventure and CX bikes are designed for rougher stuff and have drops but they do tend to be more costly

 

[Kingfisher101]

I'd just get one of Halfords offerings, one of the Boardman's or a Carrera Subway or something like that.
I personally dont think the market will be awash with bikes anytime soon. I think this will be here to stay for a while yet. Theres a supply problem and its worldwide.

 

[All uphill]

All good advice and valid points :-)

The bike I have currently is a Raleigh 300 Max Ogre with Alesa wheels and Shimano gears. I have no idea what the tech spec is but for a bike that's 30 years+ it still goes well (with new road tyres) but breaks and gears are starting to show their age with a few squeaks and rattles. Pedals are now rusting but other than that it seems to be sound.

Like you mentioned, the market could be awash with second hand bikes in the next 4 to 6 months with all those people who bought them but never used them. This might even put pressure on the price of new bikes if the market is flooded with high quality, low usage second hand bikes. Maybe, maybe not, I don't know :-)

I'd suggest getting a bike shop to give your current bike a good service and then get out and cycle. Then by May you are likely to have more options and may even decide you don't need a new bike.