New Hybrid it is then ! but which one ?

[Midsrider]

Hi again all,

I did a post last week and myself changing my mountain bike as I felt so close to the handlebars and hunched up and just not comfortable. I did consider several other bikes (mains ones posted in the original post) but after riding my wife BTwin Hybrid Original 500 (large size) which just felt so comfortable on our family ride of the 4 of us, I have now settled on a hybrid.

I have looked at a few and I don't want to make a mistake by choosing a poor one as i want a bike which is going to last me good few years now.

My cycling has started again and loving it. As a family we have a holiday home in Brean and around the midlands which we will be cycling. We want to stick to parks, safe pathways on parks, lakes etc and canal footpaths. We won't be going on roads (I might do a bit, but not as a family)

• I require Hydraulic breaks
• Must be aluminium
• Must be a hybrid bike
• Fork to be a Lockout fork, so when I am off-road I can turn the forks on
• MUST have the handle bars higher up than the saddle, i want it to more of a comfort/leisure ride
• Budget around £500-550

Bikes I have been looking at are:

• TREK dual sport 2 2020 hybrid LINK (My favourite at the moment...in Black)
• Boardman MTX 8.6 Hybrid LINK (not a huge fan of the colour)
• BTwin Riverside 500 - Im a HUGE Bwtin fan and bikes have been great. This only has mechanical breaks, and not sure if forks lock out, but looks good at the price LINK and love the grey and red!
• BTwin Riverside 900 - which they seem to have limited stock all the time, and only 1 colour - which im not a huge fan of...hmmmm But bike spec is spot on for me and good price. LINK

So these are my favourites above so far....Trek is winning, but the Riverside 900 is a possibility. Wish they could do the 900 in the grey and red!

Any advice on any others anyone has seen.

ps, The decathlon store I will use is in Wednesbury (Birmingham) Evans Cycle Shop, Birmingham, Halfords, Redditch.

Thanks for anyone taking the time to read / reply.

Ade

 

[Cycleops]

Can't tell you what to buy but agree Decathlon bikes are great value.
The only thing I would say is ditch the suspension forks, at this price they're going to cr@p and will give you as much damping as a pogo stick and just add unnecessary weight. Go for fatter tyres which will give you just as much comfort if run at lower pressure.

BTW welcome to the forum.

 

[Spiderweb]

Completely agree with @Cycleops , unless you are doing some serious off-roading then you don’t need the added weight of a crap suspension fork.
You’ll have larger volume tyres probably inflated to around 50-55psi so soft enough to smooth out the type of terrain you plan to ride.
https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/249/products/merida-crossway-urban-100-hybrid-bike-2016-black.aspx

https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-neon-4-2020-hybrid-bike-EV339958

 

[sleuthey]

I have recently researched new hybrids. However I wanted a 1X without suspension. I found the Forme REPTON 1 good value and the Boardman did not offer much for the money.

 

[Blue Hills]

Out of interest OP

why does this bike have to use hydraulics?
And why aluminium?

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Just apropos of having the bars high, you can get stem extenders which will allow the bars to be lifted, even if the steerer has been cut for the modern 'sporty' look.

And also agree, no need for suspension, it'll add weight and reduce spec to very little purpose.

 

[Midsrider]

HI all,

Thanks for the replies.

I have answered below some of my answers - but if you can advise against it, I will 100% look at those options too as you guys are the experts.

I will look at some without the fork too - but I will be taking the bike off road too - and do prefer the feeling of suspension when going over slightly rough areas....feels a lot smother. I have had bikes without and currently with - and prefer to lock of off when on road, and off when not, so having the flexibility does appeal to me.

Hydraulic brakes - I have those now and before i had mechanical brakes - which were good, but much much prefer Hydraulic brakes and the less servicing on them too. They just work - and work well.

Aluminium - weight, rust etc...prefer a lighter bike. Had steel - never again.

Cheers all.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

...parks, safe pathways on parks, lakes etc and canal footpaths...

Aren't really off-road tbh, and a decent volume tyre will give you the comfort you desire IMHO.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Aluminium - weight, rust etc...prefer a lighter bike. Had steel - never again.

There's some strange rationale in your wish list. You say you want a lighter bike, but then decide you want suspension forks which add quite a lot of weight, even though all you are going to ride on are some very tame unsurfaced routes. Also it's a myth that aluminium bikes must be lighter than steel ones. There are aluminium bikes around at the lower end of the market that can be heavier than a good steel bike. Quality steel frames are not that heavy at all, and only about 25% of the weight of a complete bike is in the frame anyway. The rest is down to the mechanical parts, tyres, and any accessories. Disc brakes also have an adverse effect on bike weight compared with cable rim brakes.

 

[EltonFrog]

If I was in the market for a hybrid, I would be looking at one of these Whyte bikes. No suspension on these (you don’t need it) but they have others in the range that have it if you insist.

 

[vickster]

Anything in the Whyte range? With or without suspension? Must be a retailer somewhere around Birmingham eg Cyclesurgery

https://www.cyclesurgery.com/c/bikes/urban-bikes.html?from=bikes&page=0&size=48&filter=%26filter%3Dbrand%3A%284137_uk%29&sort=price%2Casc

https://www.cyclesurgery.com/stores/birmingham.html

Marin and Merida also have good hybrid ranges eg if you must have suspension, good reductions here
https://www.discountcyclesdirect.co...-brand=Go&mf_id[]=118&mf_id[]=114&mf_id[]=231

Go testride, don't buy purely based on the spec. Evans, Cyclesurgery, Cycle Republic (rather than Halfords), allow testrides as do lots of smaller shops

 

[vickster]

Out of interest OP

why does this bike have to use hydraulics?

I'm more concerned as to why he wants breaks rather than brakes

 

[lane]

I haven't got a specific bike in mind but Ridgeback do some that might be worth a look.

And for goodness sake take the advice on the suspension forks you really don't want them for what you are looking at doing.

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/riverside-920-hybrid-bike-id_8405267.html
A very worthy award winner, with a lifetime warranty on the frame. Seriously good VFM, and bang / buck.

 

[Spiderweb]

If you are sure you want a suspension fork then the Riverside 920 recommended by @Racing roadkill above is by far the best choice, air suspension, good hydraulics and decent kit bolted on to the frame.