Recommend me a hybrid?

[Amanda P]

I have a friend who's looking to do some cycling to get a bit fitter and slimmer. He's not ridden a bike for mumblety-something years, so it needs to be something accessible, and which won't put him off the idea instantly. I'm thinking an aluminium hybrid with reasonably fast tyres, and as he lives in Ireland, it had better have mudguards and be available to buy there. He's not the most mechanically sympathetic person either, so I'm thinking hub gears.

I think it should also have (or could have the dealer fit it with) a rack, as otherwise the bike is only a toy and probably won't get used much. If I can get him to use it to get to work, go shopping etc, I foresee a better outcome. Hub dynamo would be ideal too.

(We've been down the Carrera Subway route, but the local Halfords doesn't seem to keep them and isn't interested in getting one for him!)

As I haven't bought a brand new bike in something like thirty years, I'm a bit clueless here. Suggestions please?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Reading your specification, these from Royal Dutch Gazelle are probably the best bet. I don't know what availablility is like in Ireland though.

You haven't mentioned a budget. Bikes with hub gears/dynamo won't be cheap. For a similar style but more wallet friendly you could look at something like this from Bobbin Bikes. It's a steel frame and doesn't have the hub dynamo though.

If derailleur gears were an option, would something from Dawes Trekking range or Raleigh's Pioneer range do the trick?

 

[Brandane]

No hub gears, but Shimano derailleurs don't need an awful lot of maintenance, so.....

Specialized Sirrus.

A good second hand buy too, if you can find one at the right price.

 

[RiflemanSmith]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_777763_langId_-1_categoryId_165534

 

[Supersuperleeds]

No hub gears, but Shimano derailleurs don't need an awful lot of maintenance, so.....

Specialized Sirrus.

A good second hand buy too, if you can find one at the right price.

This is my current choice for my next commuter bike, just about convinced the missus I need a third bike!

 

[MarkF]

No hub gears, but Shimano derailleurs don't need an awful lot of maintenance, so.....

Specialized Sirrus.

A good second hand buy too, if you can find one at the right price.

Good bike, I've ridden one 1000's of miles. But, a better, sturdier machine is the Dawes Discovery. As high up the range as possible.