Re: Specialized Sirrus range.

[PunchInTheNutz]

Hiya. After lurking here and taking in all the good advice being banded about for well over a month I've pretty much made the decision to buy a Specialized Sirrus. I've got a budget that will allow the basic version at £290 and maybe, if I can be convinced by a reasonable arguement, I could stretch to the Sirrus Sport at £390.

The glossy black paintwork of the basic model looks a little too flashy/tacky for my taste when compared to the muted black of the Sport. But £100 difference is quite a stretch just for a better paint job. Is there much difference between the two? What benifits would I be getting if I choose the Sport? I see the gear shifters are different but I'm really not knowledgable about bikes to know whats best.

I'll be using it primarily as a fitness/weight loss bike on country roads, mostly. But would anyone here object if I took it on the odd jaunt accross some grassy pathways that have been well trodden buy ramblers and dog walkers? Would that put too much stress on it or would I look like a twit for taking a Sirrus out on grass.

I can't wait to hit the roads and start getting fit so any advice on these issues would be greatly appreciated.

 

[stoofer]

The basic sirrus as far as i know has crappy gripshift gear changers, the next one up has a much better lever system so right there you have all the reason you need to upgrade to the sport.

 

[HLaB]

The basic sirrus as far as i know has crappy gripshift gear changers, the next one up has a much better lever system so right there you have all the reason you need to upgrade to the sport.

+ 1 Having had a bike with grip shift and the sirrus sport with EZ Rapind fire shifters I definitely appreciate the benefit of them. You also get better components which will be lighter and more robust. If you can afford it go for the Sport.
I've took my Sirrus off road and it has coped well (the last time being the central Scotland CC Forum ride) I just would choose to do it often. The advantage of the better components IME is they clean better.

 

[PunchInTheNutz]

I see thats two votes on the Sport. Thanks very much for your input. £390 really is a stretch for me, though. Would it be too complicated for a novice like me to upgrade the gear changers if I find they are not to my liking?

I'll definatly be taking it easy if I'm going off road. I live in Gloucestershire with some nice hilly areas with lots of rambling trails so I'll just be trundling about, enjoying the views on those occasions.

 

[longers]

But would anyone here object if I took it on the odd jaunt accross some grassy pathways that have been well trodden buy ramblers and dog walkers? Would that put too much stress on it or would I look like a twit for taking a Sirrus out on grass.

Nope, I'd encourage it. It'll take it. What tyres you have on will have the biggest difference to what you can do.

It's not built for downhilling and drop offs obviously but mine has coped with a fair bit of bridleways, towpaths, the Transpennine trail and the associated tracks around the Longendale Valley. It's toured, commuted, done centuries and a few 200k rides with ease.

The only original bits are the frame, headset, forks and brake arms. But after 10,000 miles I've had my moneys worth and some of the changes were cosmetic.

Mine was the bog standard one but it didn't have the gripshifts and I'd recommend avoiding gripshifts and getting the next one up.

 

[ACS]

Make that a 3rd vote for the sport. Use it during the winter and wet weather training. Quality product, built to last and its fairly nippy as well.

 

[barongreenback]

Love my sport. Didn't like the look of the grip shifters and it's great on hills and can get a decent speed going downhill. Mostly ride mine on road.

 

[LazyLoki]

Rather than stretching yourself to buy the 2009 Sirrus Sport, have a look around and see if you can get a 2008 base model Sirrus. It's basically identical to this years Sirrus Sport but with shiny black paint.

This years Sirrus has gripshift (=fiddle) and the cost of upgrading to trigger shifters would probably be almost as much as just buying the sport anyway. The 2009 Sirrus also has a Shimano Altus (or maybe Acera) rear derailleur which are both pretty much bottom of the range. The Sirrus Sport has a Sora rear derailleur which is what you will get on the 2008 Sirrus base model. The Sora is also what Specialized have on the 2009 Allez (road bike) which costs about £550.

Because of the 'Economic Crisis' a lot of manufacturers are sneaking cheaper parts onto 2009 bikes compared to last year. Do you think they changed the 2009 Sirrus to gripshift because they thought that would be better for riders?! Honestly, avoid it, its got riser bars aswell which is going to mean a more upright ride position which is going to lead to more wind resistance and therefore slower speed.

 

[longers]

^ that's excellent advice that is.

 

[wilko]

Sirrus Sport gets my vote too. I'm new to cycling, this is my first "serious" bike and I have to say I am very pleased with it. Haven't taken it off road yet, but for road use it's ace. Good riding position, rapid fire shifters work well and it's pretty comortable, just done a 25 mile ride with no probs at all and slowly building the miles up.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Rather than stretching yourself to buy the 2009 Sirrus Sport, have a look around and see if you can get a 2008 base model Sirrus. It's basically identical to this years Sirrus Sport but with shiny black paint.

This years Sirrus has gripshift (=fiddle) and the cost of upgrading to trigger shifters would probably be almost as much as just buying the sport anyway. The 2009 Sirrus also has a Shimano Altus (or maybe Acera) rear derailleur which are both pretty much bottom of the range. The Sirrus Sport has a Sora rear derailleur which is what you will get on the 2008 Sirrus base model. The Sora is also what Specialized have on the 2009 Allez (road bike) which costs about £550.

Because of the 'Economic Crisis' a lot of manufacturers are sneaking cheaper parts onto 2009 bikes compared to last year. Do you think they changed the 2009 Sirrus to gripshift because they thought that would be better for riders?! Honestly, avoid it, its got riser bars aswell which is going to mean a more upright ride position which is going to lead to more wind resistance and therefore slower speed.

The 2009 Sirrus does have ‘Shimano’s Revo 8-speed twist shifter’, although in fairness some like it some don’t, it does come with straight, not riser bars though, I have even double checked our physical stock to make sure it matches the pic’ below to confirm

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk

 

[Crankarm]

This thread might be of help:

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=34553

Go for the Sport. Avoid twist grips. They are not a good idea and not that precise or reliable compared to conventional shifters. Mine has been excellent apart from spokes in the factory built Alesia rear wheel regularly breaking. Evans rebuilt the whole wheel foc with a full set of new Sapim spokes. Consumables such as chainset, chain, rear hub, cassette and deraillieur wore out after 18 months/ 2 years so I replaced with Shimano Ultegra chainset, SPDs, Ultegra deraillieur and hand built wheels Mavic Open Pros on Campag Record hubs that I had spare.

I now have a pretty decent bike. Have also added racks front and rear. Have fitted bar ends and reversed the handle bar stem to slightly lower the handle bars.

 

[odessouky]

Rather than stretching yourself to buy the 2009 Sirrus Sport, have a look around and see if you can get a 2008 base model Sirrus. It's basically identical to this years Sirrus Sport but with shiny black paint.

This years Sirrus has gripshift (=fiddle) and the cost of upgrading to trigger shifters would probably be almost as much as just buying the sport anyway. The 2009 Sirrus also has a Shimano Altus (or maybe Acera) rear derailleur which are both pretty much bottom of the range. The Sirrus Sport has a Sora rear derailleur which is what you will get on the 2008 Sirrus base model. The Sora is also what Specialized have on the 2009 Allez (road bike) which costs about £550.

Because of the 'Economic Crisis' a lot of manufacturers are sneaking cheaper parts onto 2009 bikes compared to last year. Do you think they changed the 2009 Sirrus to gripshift because they thought that would be better for riders?! Honestly, avoid it, its got riser bars aswell which is going to mean a more upright ride position which is going to lead to more wind resistance and therefore slower speed.

Now that's smart!!

However the Sirrus Basic 2008 is £350:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/sirrus-2008-hybrid-bike-ec001400

while the Sirrus Sport 2009 is £390:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/sirrus-sport-2009-road-bike-ec016919

Are the components on the Basic 2008 Sirrus still BETTER than the Sirrus Sport 2009?

 

[LazyLoki]

No, they're not better, as far as I'm aware they are exactly the same. Regarding the riser bars though, perhaps Specialized equipped some of the shipments differently... I also work in a bike shop and we sell loads of sirrus' and every one of the 2009 ones has had riser bars..

What I am certain of though, is that manufacturers have definitely tried to cut costs this year and I expect some of those cuts won't be as obvious as the shifters and rear mech. If it was me and I had the choice between an 08 or 09 bike of any model, I'd go for the 08.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

....Regarding the riser bars though, perhaps Specialized equipped some of the shipments differently... I also work in a bike shop and we sell loads of sirrus' and every one of the 2009 ones has had riser bars...

That’s possible, you a UK shop as well? Even if you are they may well have changed the spec’ for a short time; although I don’t recall any of ours ever having riser bars.

Paul_Smith
www.corridori.co.uk