First time poster to the forums, bear with me!
I'm in the market for a hybrid bike and would appreciate some advice. I bought my first road bike last year and although it's very much an entry level machine, I love riding it and want to keep it for long rides and so on, rather than subjecting it to commuting. I did my first sportive on it last September and it served me very well over 50 miles worth of County Durham hills, so the idea of splattering it with mud, rain and the abuse of motorists in traffic isn't too appealing! I'd like a hybrid for commuting purposes and for the occasional short hop 10/15 miles out of town and back.
I went searching for a bike last weekend in the local shops (I'm in Cambridge, there are a lot of them...) and have narrowed down my search to a few choices. The two main contenders are the Ammaco Cosmopolitan from Cycle King: http://www.cycleking.co.uk/AMMACO-COSMO ... t-105.html
...and the Giant Escape 3, either from the Giant store in Cambridge or from elsewhere: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 980/66558/
Normally I'd go for the cheaper one, particularly as it already has mudguards (the rack I can take or leave). However, I don't entirely trust the Ammaco, partly because the supposedly huge discount looks suspicious and partly because of attitudes online towards these cheaper brands (a bit like the Apollos you get at Halfords). Although the Giant is more, I think the brand is more trustworthy and I'd hope to get a more durable, enjoyable bike for my money.
If you have any suggestions for other bikes that would be great, but my main question is this: am I turning into the worst kind of cycling snob - a very amateurish one who's done one sportive and thinks he knows everything - by sneering at the Ammaco in favour of the Giant, even when it is cheaper and seemingly equally equipped? Should I just buy the Ammaco and be done with it? I'd appreciate any advice.
I'm in the market for a hybrid bike and would appreciate some advice. I bought my first road bike last year and although it's very much an entry level machine, I love riding it and want to keep it for long rides and so on, rather than subjecting it to commuting. I did my first sportive on it last September and it served me very well over 50 miles worth of County Durham hills, so the idea of splattering it with mud, rain and the abuse of motorists in traffic isn't too appealing! I'd like a hybrid for commuting purposes and for the occasional short hop 10/15 miles out of town and back.
I went searching for a bike last weekend in the local shops (I'm in Cambridge, there are a lot of them...) and have narrowed down my search to a few choices. The two main contenders are the Ammaco Cosmopolitan from Cycle King: http://www.cycleking.co.uk/AMMACO-COSMO ... t-105.html
...and the Giant Escape 3, either from the Giant store in Cambridge or from elsewhere: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 980/66558/
Normally I'd go for the cheaper one, particularly as it already has mudguards (the rack I can take or leave). However, I don't entirely trust the Ammaco, partly because the supposedly huge discount looks suspicious and partly because of attitudes online towards these cheaper brands (a bit like the Apollos you get at Halfords). Although the Giant is more, I think the brand is more trustworthy and I'd hope to get a more durable, enjoyable bike for my money.
If you have any suggestions for other bikes that would be great, but my main question is this: am I turning into the worst kind of cycling snob - a very amateurish one who's done one sportive and thinks he knows everything - by sneering at the Ammaco in favour of the Giant, even when it is cheaper and seemingly equally equipped? Should I just buy the Ammaco and be done with it? I'd appreciate any advice.