Raleigh or Carrera?

[markstev27]

Hi I'm looking for a new bike either a hybrid or mountain bike

What's everyone's view of Carrera bikes or should I go for Raleigh ones?

 

[Cycleops]

Which particular models are you interested in? Please provide links.

Where and how will you be using the bike?

 

[markstev27]

I'm looking at either the Carerra Hellcat https://www.halfords.com/bikes/moun...e-2020----black---s-m-l-xl-frames-346662.html
Or the Raleigh Talus 2 https://www.halfords.com/bikes/moun...ountain-bike-29in---m-l-xl-frames-436766.html

I ride mainly on roads but also dirt tracks and cycle routes. I also luce near a lot of hills. I use my bike for fitness and usually go 20 miles or so. My current bike is a full suspension mountain bike ut it's 20 years old and heavy

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I like Carrera bikes, there's nothing wrong with them at all. I've not owned one myself but my daughter has and I've fixed a few (and tested them) for friends, I find that they're decent quality, fairly well equipped, perfectly legit bikes. Good value too. I've not had a look at a modern Raleigh so couldn't compare.

Of those two, the Carrera looks a bit better though, hydraulic discs for starters, it just looks better value.

 

[Cycleops]

The Hellcat has hydraulic brakes over the Raleigh's cable operated so that's a immediate and worthwhile advantage, orthrwise they're evenly matched.
Weight wise they'll be lighter than your current bike but not hugely so.
We get a lot of people on here who buy a mountain bike and use it mainly on the road and find they're rather slow and heavy and then end up trying to make them faster by changing tyres, gears etc. I'd say from your description of your sort of riding you might be better off on a hybrid, even one without a suspension fork. It's really up to you. If you can beg or borrow a hybrid to see if it suits.

 

[markstev27]

The Hellcat has hydraulic brakes over the Raleigh's cable operated so that's a immediate advantage, orthrwise they're evenly matched.
Weight wise they'll be lighter than your current bike but not hugely so.
We get a lot of people on here who buy a mountain bike and use it mainly on the road and find they're rather slow and heavy and then end up trying to make them faster by changing tyres, gears etc. I'd say from your description of your sort of riding you might be better off on a hybrid, even one without a suspension fork. It's really up to you. If you can beg or borrow a hybrid to see if it suits.

Thanks

Any recommendations for a hybrid bike?

 

[Cycleops]

Hybrid bikes are split into two types, those which are nearer to mountain bikes with fatter tyres and suspension fork and those which are more like road bikes with narrower faster tyres and rigid fork. You could consider the Voodoo Marissa
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybr...s-hybrid-bike----18in-20in-frames-445471.html
which has chunkier tyres.

This would be one with faster tyres and road geometry:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/rc-120-flat-bar-disc-road-bike-blue-microshift/_/R-p-311239

The former should suit you well.

 

[markstev27]

This one is at Halfords too. Any views on it?

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybr...-bike-2020---black---s-m-l-frames-345886.html

 

[vickster]

Don’t get an entry level bike with suspension. Heavy, lower quality, energy sapping, unnecessary except for proper off roading.
Carrera Subway a better alternative or the Voodoo

 

[markstev27]

Don’t get an entry level bike with suspension. Heavy, lower quality, energy sapping, unnecessary except for proper off roading.
Carrera Subway a better alternative or the Voodoo

Thanks. Just need to find one in stock now !!!

 

[vickster]

What size do you need? How tall are you? Budget?

 

[markstev27]

I am 5ft 10
Budget is max 450

 

[Cycleops]

The Voodoo Marasa should be perfect then

Only problem might be they only seem to have the 20”, you might be okay but you need to try.

 

[markstev27]

Thank you. I'll check it out and see if it's in stock

 

[vickster]

An alternative, looking at the size guide, a medium would work
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybr...n-mens-hybrid-bike---s-m-l-frames-229822.html