New hybrid advice - Am I being a cycling snob?

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JWPT29

New Member
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.
 

outlash

also available in orange
Welcome to the forum :smile:.

No, you're not being a snob. I'll put money on the giant being a better bike all round including most importantly, a nicer ride. The Ammaco is cheap for a reason.

FWIW, you've done one more sportive than me :smile:.


Tony.
 

SteCenturion

I am your Father
Unfortunately I know absolutely squat about hybrids, I only know road/race bikes & a little about CX or MTB.

The only thing I can offer is that Giant are a Quality brand with a great rep & I have never heard of Ammaco.

If going for the more expensive makes us snobs then so be it but....

Buy cheap, buy twice.

Doesn't apply to everything, but if you want piece of mind & a great warranty, get the Giant or maybe a Specialized.
 

Dirk

If 6 Was 9
Location
Watchet
I would go for the Giant. Well made, well specced for the money and excellent back up from the manufacturer.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Ammaco are a small brand, been going for decades.

Downside is their wares have always barely been above BSO level.

Normally I'd countenance riding them both first before deciding, but you're more likely to find an honest politician than discover the Ammaco is the better machine.
 

Cold Snail

Über Member
Location
Tunbridge Wells
I've got a Giant Escape 3 and it's surviving well with 150kg worth of rider on it.
I've turned it into more of a trekking bike now with butterfly bars, rack, mudguards and 36 spoke wheels (I had a few spokes go in the original rear wheel), but with it's comedy first gear, I know I could get up the hills near me without getting off, it may just take a while.
 

Ganymede

Veteran
Location
Rural Kent
I've got a very old (25 years?) Ammaco hybrid and it's dreadful. However it is old and may have been a more low-level bike than you're describing - the gears are utter rubbish! I would say that was definitely a BSO (bike-shaped object, if you weren't aware!). I keep meaning to give it away as I haven't ridden it for years.

By the way, welcome to the forum!
 

screenman

Legendary Member
One is made of monkey metal, the Giant is not. Could you go a bit more expensive? The quality should go up quite a lot for another couple of hundred or so.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
The Giant is almost certainly the better bike of the two.

But there is no doubt a lot of quality brands have stooped to offering lower quality bikes to compete with the cheaper brands.

So while a £300 Giant is, self-evidently a Giant, it may not be so much better than a cheapo brand £250 bike.

Spend £500 and you are getting a proper Giant.
 
Deffo the Giant;guy at work bought an Ammaco from cycle king and he's not been that happy with it although to be fair it's mostly him trying to turn a mtb in to a sit-up and beg bike(we are talking 'huge' stem risers and an adjustable stem pointing sky-wards:blink::scratch:)His Ammaco is a bit of a lump and the frame seems a bit 'agricultural'.

Have you checked out the Boardmans? means going to Halfords but they are nice bikes.
 
OP
OP
J

JWPT29

New Member
Thanks for all the advice. I was never really in doubt that the Giant was the better bike, it was more a case of whether I was right to be suspicious of the Ammaco. You've certainly cleared that up! I need to have a rethink of my budget too; I had started with around £200-300, but I can push it up for the right machine, and by the sounds of it that would be a good investment. Seeing as I bought my road bike for £250 and I still like it (even if it is low-spec), spending more than that has always felt a bit weird, but it seems wise to do so.

Have you checked out the Boardmans? means going to Halfords but they are nice bikes.

I'm checking them out right now. I'd thought they were out of my price range, but my budget's creeping up and their prices seem to be creeping down. Neat.
 
No probs;regarding the budget I'm trying to convince a guy at work to pay just a bit more to get a half reasonable road bike after he has already wasted £100 on a Muddy fox mob.
 

Cyclist33

Guest
Location
Warrington
the key differences between the giant escape 3 and the escape 2 are that the 2 has better gear components but also it has wheels with stainless steel spokes which the 3 doesnt have, and a lighter alloy fork, and its back wheel has a modern freehub whereas the 3 has an older style freewheel.

£100 in it.
 

Dirk

If 6 Was 9
Location
Watchet
I've been using a Giant Escape City 2 as my general 'do anything' bike for the past 3 years.
It's done 2 Devon coast to coasts, been used daily for commuting until I retired 4 months ago, gets used for regular 16 mile shopping trips and it's my weapon of choice if I don't want to get my road bike dirty. Even set a couple of Strava KoMs on it!. I have done 13000 miles on it from new. I've had to replace a free hub, 3 spokes, brake blocks, chains and tyres in that time. I changed the saddle, put an adjustable stem and bar ends on it.
Verdict? If I wanted to change it I would buy another new one, however there's nothing wrong with this one - so I intend to keep it. Very good value at £450 I'd say.:okay:
 
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