Pinnacle Chromium or Trek DS 2? Best leisure bike for a newbie?

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SnoopyCycles

Regular
Hi All. I’m new to cycling and about to purchase and ride my first bike for 30years. Please help me choose a bike. My criteria is : bike must be comfortable and safe; suitable for cycle paths, parks and riding short distances to local shops over speed humps in my housing estate; the bike must be purchased from Evans; I can afford to spend up to £750 all in, so looking for bikes between £450 to £600 max so I will have enough left for essential accessories (including a basket for shopping).
I’m a middle aged female. I had my heart set on a Specialized Aerial Womens (£575) but when I tried it in a shop the crossbar was too high for me and the saddle too hard. I am now thinking between the following 2 bikes and will summarise my thoughts as I see I’m waffling on too long here!
Bike 1: Pinnacle Chromium 1 Womens.
pros- lighter than many others, hydraulic breaks, 8 gears may be easy for me as a newbie, looks lovely and has mudguards fitted already.
Cons- No front suspension; Only 8 gears (?), not kickstand compatible. (This is really irritating me).
Bike 2: Trek Dual Sport 2 Women’s
Pros - seems to have everything Chromium has, plus front suspension.
Against: I’ve read a lot of articles now saying newbies pick suspension bikes when they don’t need them and it just makes them heavy for no gain. I don’t know any cyclists so your input/advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!
 
Hi, and welcome!

Unless you aim to spend serious time on rough ground, forget suspension. Just not worth the weight.
Saddle: this is an utterly personal thing, and if you intend to cover some miles, you may change it several times before you find one that suits. It's rare that a saddle fits anyone right off the bat. And big and soft is, surprisingly, rarely any use for more than a few miles.
The biggest single thing you can do, whatever bike you choose, is get the right size bike and get it adjusted properly. This may mean you cannot sit on the saddle and touch the ground, but that is correct, and coming to a stop off the saddle is better anyhow. Having the saddle too low just makes pedalling less efficient and hard on the knees.
Kick stand: useful, but not essential, and extra weight. As it stands from your description and needs, the Pinnacle ticks the boxes, but if you must have the stand, and the extra weight if the suspension fork doesn't matter, then go with the Trek. Oh, and unless there are hills involved, 8 gears is likely to be plenty!
 
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SnoopyCycles

SnoopyCycles

Regular
Hi, and welcome!

Unless you aim to spend serious time on rough ground, forget suspension. Just not worth the weight.
Saddle: this is an utterly personal thing, and if you intend to cover some miles, you may change it several times before you find one that suits. It's rare that a saddle fits anyone right off the bat. And big and soft is, surprisingly, rarely any use for more than a few miles.
The biggest single thing you can do, whatever bike you choose, is get the right size bike and get it adjusted properly. This may mean you cannot sit on the saddle and touch the ground, but that is correct, and coming to a stop off the saddle is better anyhow. Having the saddle too low just makes pedalling less efficient and hard on the knees.
Kick stand: useful, but not essential, and extra weight. As it stands from your description and needs, the Pinnacle ticks the boxes, but if you must have the stand, and the extra weight if the suspension fork doesn't matter, then go with the Trek. Oh, and unless there are hills involved, 8 gears is likely to be plenty!

Hi Bassman. Thanks very much for that. Really helpful, especially about the gears. I’m going to be able to try the Pinnacle Chromium for size on Friday so hopefully I will know for sure by then!
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Hi, and welcome!

Unless you aim to spend serious time on rough ground, forget suspension. Just not worth the weight.
Saddle: this is an utterly personal thing, and if you intend to cover some miles, you may change it several times before you find one that suits. It's rare that a saddle fits anyone right off the bat. And big and soft is, surprisingly, rarely any use for more than a few miles.
The biggest single thing you can do, whatever bike you choose, is get the right size bike and get it adjusted properly. This may mean you cannot sit on the saddle and touch the ground, but that is correct, and coming to a stop off the saddle is better anyhow. Having the saddle too low just makes pedalling less efficient and hard on the knees.
Kick stand: useful, but not essential, and extra weight. As it stands from your description and needs, the Pinnacle ticks the boxes, but if you must have the stand, and the extra weight if the suspension fork doesn't matter, then go with the Trek. Oh, and unless there are hills involved, 8 gears is likely to be plenty!

@SnoopyCycles ...Evans do test rides, get them to get the correct sized bikes in for you and go for a good 20+ minute ride on each around the local area over a variety of surfaces
Do this on a quiet dry workday not a manic weekend :okay:

It doesn't sound like you need suspension, just get a bike with decent width tyres

If you like a lower crossbar, something like this?
https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-fx-3-stagger-2019-womens-hybrid-bike-EV311946

You really don't need a kickstand, just rest against something, more secure
 
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SnoopyCycles

SnoopyCycles

Regular
Hi Vickster. I am booked in to try the Chromium on Friday (which has wide tires). Evans set up is a bit off putting though. All the emails from them are as if I am ‘collecting’ my bike on Friday and I told them I just wanted to try it out just now. The trek fx3 looks lovely but they only have it in medium and large and I am only 5’1 tall so really need a bike with small frame. Thanks for your advice. It’s really helpful to me.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Hi Vickster. I am booked in to try the Chromium on Friday (which has wide tires). Evans set up is a bit off putting though. All the emails from them are as if I am ‘collecting’ my bike on Friday and I told them I just wanted to try it out just now. The trek fx3 looks lovely but they only have it in medium and large and I am only 5’1 tall so really need a bike with small frame. Thanks for your advice. It’s really helpful to me.
You may well need an XS.
Are you using cycle to work hence the only Evans rule?
 

You called? :hello:

You're not that much taller than me @SnoopyCycles (I'm 4ft 11), and yes, it's a pain trying to find a bike that fits.

As has been said upthread, you need to be able to straddle the top tube when stood upright i.e. not riding the bike. If you can't, the bike's too big and you will end up smacking yourself where you really don't want to be smacked every time you come to a stop. I've been there, done that... :blush:

When the saddle is at the right height to pedal comfortably, your feet shouldn't be touching the ground.

Anyways, that aside, I suggest you look at junior bike offerings - you're likely to find something that's a better fit. The added bonus is that a junior bike is much more likely to fall into your budget.

For the sort of riding you plan on doing, I agree that you don't need suspension - wide tyres should be more than enough. And to be fair, a kickstand is just extra weight that needs to be lugged around. I don't have much experience with Evans (the one in Cambridge is less than useless), but maybe something like this if you don't mind a single chainring up front: (whereabouts in the UK are you, btw?)

https://www.evanscycles.com/hoy-bonaly-26-inch-wheel-disc-2019-kids-bike-EV306435

The gearing on that (32 up front and 11-34 nine speed on the back) should more than cope with urban riding unless it's appreciably hilly. It's not clear whether it will take a rack, though.

FWIW, I ride Wiggins bikes, so if Halfords could be an option, they might be worth checking out. The Chartres 26 hybrid is a lovely bike - it's my go-to for commuting / utility and is better specced and lighter than the Hoy. I have mine set up with mudguards, rack and panniers.

Hope this helps. :smile:
 
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SnoopyCycles

SnoopyCycles

Regular
Hi Reynard. Thanks for posting. I know what you mean about straddling the bike comfortably. I nearly fell off the Specialized Ariel as I tried dismounting it - it was mortifying as I was in a fancy bike shop with a young male assistant...lol.
I hadn’t thought about a kids’ bike but will have a look when in the shop on Friday. I had assumed I would be too heavy for a kids bike. Your one looks lovely! I definitely think I will ditch getting one with a suspension fork. All responders have advised it’s not necessary.
I live in South Lanarkshire in Scotland BTW. Thanks again for your taking the time to advise me. You cyclists are a friendly bunch already
 
You're welcome, hun xxx :hugs:

I'm eight and a half stone, so not exactly skinny, but not had any issues. The really important bit is that you get a bike that fits and that does what you need it to do. Certainly, an ill-fitting bike can lead to all sorts of problems.

You're out Glasgow way, I see. If you're interested in group / social cycling, there's Belles on Bikes, some of whom are members on here. :okay:
 
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SnoopyCycles

SnoopyCycles

Regular
Hi Vickster. Sorry I didn’t see your earlier post on my phone screen. Yes, it’s got to be Evans because that’s who the cycle scheme is with. The pinnacle bike ‘small’ is for 5’ to 5’3’’ tall so should fit me. Trek seem to do small and extra small in several bikes but annoyingly not the FX3 recommended. Other brands that looked good, such as Cube are too big for me as they start with a 16inch frame.
 
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SnoopyCycles

SnoopyCycles

Regular
@Reynard. Yours is the weight I’m working towards? (and where I was pre40! ). I’m almost a stone off since Easter and a stone to go. I’m hoping the bike will help me on my mission. I will look out for Belles on Bikes once I get my confidence levels up...
 
@Reynard. Yours is the weight I’m working towards? (and where I was pre40! ). I’m almost a stone off since Easter and a stone to go. I’m hoping the bike will help me on my mission. I will look out for Belles on Bikes once I get my confidence levels up...

Good on you! :thumbsup:

FWIW, I was a stone heavier when I bought my road bike two and a half years ago (Wiggins Rouen 650), so you should be fine whatever bike you end up getting. :smile:
 

vickster

Legendary Member
If it’s for cycling to work, I’d make sure it takes full mudguards and a rack. The former may not be possible if you go for a suspension fork
 
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