Recommendations for an Agressive/Fun hybrid for commuting + help with my current shortlist

[Panda841]

First post & thanks in advance for your kind help from a bike noob who will ride for the first time since the age of 10.

My commute will be fairly short, only 3 miles with a bit of uphill but not too daunting. I want a bike I can ride feel confident in and ride agressively if I want to. My wonderful city (Cardiff), frustratingly has pretty rubbish road conditions so i'm wary of this when choosing what to buy.

My budget is £400-650

My current shortlist:

- Sirrus x 2.0 (I think the wider tyres may suit my cities crap roads better?)

- Sirrus 2.0 specialised

- Boardman 8.6, I'm not sure which variation but open to all at the moment.

- One of the Trek FX bikes in my price range

- Carrera Subway 2 (v. low pricepoint with disc brakes is attractive, if there aren't very good reasons to get the more expensive options it's likely I will get this)

- Triban RC120 flat bars version

(I actually have a bunch of questions I'd love to fire at someone knowledgeable so if I could pm someone that would be great)

 

[vickster]

Have a look for a new / used Whyte R7 model too, preferably one with a carbon fork to make it lighter (could well be over budget new)
The Subway is very heavy with chunky tyres and heavy wheels, it wouldn't be my choice of looking for speed especially on hills (although you can put slicker tyres on, the frame will always be heavy).

If you have questions, post them in the open forum for all to answer

 

[All uphill]

A different approach would be to visit Cardiff Cycle Workshop, a charity that services used bikes and then sells them for around £150 to £200.

That would save you money, get you a good bike and let you get used to cycling again, as well as saving the planet!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

The Trek FX are very lively, fun bikes to ride. I have a 7.3 FX from years back and that was my commute bike in London, couldn't fault it and it still gets an outing now, even 12 years on. I've ridden the new ones and they're even better.

If I may, I suggest you also look at the Giant Escape, I've got one of those too and they're loads of fun and very capable on potholed roads and dirt tracks alike.

I agree with Vickster that Whyte are also worth a look if the budget fits.

 

[bonzobanana]

Carrera Subway despite being sold as a hybrid by Halfords is really a rigid fork mountain bike. It comes with a mountain bike style frame with strong 27.5" mountain bike style wheels not 700c. It's a fantastic versatile bike that you can take off-road beyond bikes like gravel bikes but as previously stated it will be a little heavier than other hybrids but not all because the smaller 27.5" wheels can be a little lighter than some 36 spoke 700c wheels with double wall rims and fairly thick tyres and the lack of front suspension helps with weight too. I think I've read somewhere around 13-14kg and some 700c wheel hybrids are also in that weight area. The Subway I believe is lighter than the Carrera Crossfire because that has the larger 700c wheels and heavy front suspension.

Be careful with the Trek and Specialized models if buying new as within your budget they can have some pretty awful components. I think both have models with low end freewheel based drivetrains around your budget which are best avoided.

There may also be other brands at Halfords worth considering like the Voodoo hybrids and maybe the Pinnacle models at Evans or Sports Direct.

I would avoid cheap suspension on a hybrid even when it works it doesn't do much and will require a lot more maintenance especially if you ride in the rain. I really don't think it achieves anything on a hybrid better to use thicker tyres, nicer spring saddle or even a suspension seat post.

 

[MichaelW2]

For commuting you also need to budget for mudguards, pref full length, chromoplastic, bolt on, a decent rear luggage rack, lights, lock, repair kit, gloves and if the fancy takes you, a helmet.
For 3 miles you dont need special clothing, footwear, pedals but the plastic pedals often supplied are really placeholders. Fit some good metal pedals such as MKS.

 

[Panda841]

Hi guys - thank you all for your responses, each one was v. helpful. I found a 2021 Trek FX 2 in stock in my size. (the right sizes in stock has been a bit of an issue) - I've read lots of good things about this one so excited to ride it. (Haven't ridden a bike in nearly two decades!)

I did look for the Whyte R7 and it looks sweet but I'm happy with getting a lot of value for money for my needs with the FX 2 I found for £440 on Balfes.

A different approach would be to visit Cardiff Cycle Workshop, a charity that services used bikes and then sells them for around £150 to £200.

That would save you money, get you a good bike and let you get used to cycling again, as well as saving the planet!

This is really cool to know about thank you. I saw their current selection and nothing seemed suitable for me but it's still v. good to know about this place.

EDIT: Off topic but can I just say how nice it is to see a classic forum. I grew up using forums that looked like this and thought it was mostly a thing of the past with facebook/other social media becoming popular but not being able to provide the community feel and helpfulness that forums/boards like this can.

 

[bonzobanana]

Hi guys - thank you all for your responses, each one was v. helpful. I found a 2021 Trek FX 2 in stock in my size. (the right sizes in stock has been a bit of an issue) - I've read lots of good things about this one so excited to ride it. (Haven't ridden a bike in nearly two decades!)

I did look for the Whyte R7 and it looks sweet but I'm happy with getting a lot of value for money for my needs with the FX 2 I found for £440 on Balfes.



This is really cool to know about thank you. I saw their current selection and nothing seemed suitable for me but it's still v. good to know about this place.

EDIT: Off topic but can I just say how nice it is to see a classic forum. I grew up using forums that looked like this and thought it was mostly a thing of the past with facebook/other social media becoming popular but not being able to provide the community feel and helpfulness that forums/boards like this can.

Looking at that Trek spec it looks good although the front fork appears to be aluminium and with straight blades so it may be quite harsh riding at the front however they are fairly thick tyres and as long as you don't pump the tyres up to excessive pressures it should be fine. Typically you would have the front tyre at slightly lower pressure at the front compared to the rear as more of the riders weight is at the rear. I wouldn't go below the FX 2, the FX 1 model is the model with basic V brakes and freewheel based drivetrain and personally I would avoid it (just in case they have stock issues and suggest the FX 1 model).

 

[vickster]

If need a medium, want red and happy to go towards your top budget, Sigma have the better specced FX3 for £620
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Trek/FX-3-Disc-Hybrid-Bike-2021/Q8JZ
White available in M/L/XL
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Trek/FX-3-Disc-Hybrid-Bike-2021/Q8JZ
£25 off possibly if you sign up to their newsletter

 

[Chief Broom]

Im wondering what an aggressive bike is? Boudicca style rotating knives on the wheels...flame thrower mounted on the bars....

 

[Panda841]

If need a medium, want red and happy to go towards your top budget, Sigma have the better specced FX3 for £620
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Trek/FX-3-Disc-Hybrid-Bike-2021/Q8JZ
White available in M/L/XL
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Trek/FX-3-Disc-Hybrid-Bike-2021/Q8JZ
£25 off possibly if you sign up to their newsletter

Vickster!! You've made me impulse upgrade haha.

Thanks for your recommendation. I said f*** it, cancelled the FX 2 and upgraded to the 3!

Just curious how come you guys don't recommend the sirrus x 2.0?

My impressions were it's a lot of money for the spec but those fat tyres seemed up my alley for comfort and it seemed to be marketed as a cool, fast and fun city bike.

 

[vickster]

Vickster!! You've made me impulse upgrade haha.

Thanks for your recommendation. I said f*** it, cancelled the FX 2 and upgraded to the 3!

Just curious how come you guys don't recommend the sirrus x 2.0?

My impressions were it's a lot of money for the spec but those fat tyres seemed up my alley for comfort and it seemed to be marketed as a cool, fast and fun city bike.

Specialized bikes are overpriced and super dull looking especially in black / grey

£650 with a cheap steel fork, jeez, I rest my case! Not to mention promax brakes and micro shift groupset
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Specialized/Sirrus-X-20-Disc-Hybrid-Bike/PDY8

while the trek has a carbon fork, Shimano brakes and groupset and quality Bontrager finishing kit

You can almost certainly add fatter tyres to the Trek but 32mm are good given you want speed

 

[bonzobanana]

Specialized bikes are overpriced and super dull looking especially in black / grey

£650 with a cheap steel fork, jeez, I rest my case! Not to mention promax brakes and micro shift groupset
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Specialized/Sirrus-X-20-Disc-Hybrid-Bike/PDY8

while the trek has a carbon fork, Shimano brakes and groupset and quality Bontrager finishing kit

You can almost certainly add fatter tyres to the Trek but 32mm are good given you want speed

I'm not going to disagree about the poor value of the Specialized bike but a steel fork can be a comfortable fork and they are least likely to fail even after 20 years of use. I see a steel fork as a much more positive component that an aluminium fork which are harsh riding and will fatigue and possibly fail given enough time. Also there are no Bontrager factories that is just the house component brand for Trek and products branded Bontrager could come from any factory even promax assuming Promax is an actual factory brand. Many brands create a fake component brand they can slap on components to give a perceived improvement of quality, other brands might just keep the fairly generic products unbranded or even use the factory's own brand. There are no Trek or Bontrager factories they are reliant on Asian factories like most other US and European brands.

 

[vickster]

i gave my personal reasons for not suggesting the Sirrus as the Op asked, and why I suggested the Trek which he has ordered.
All my bikes have carbon forks, wouldn’t choose anything else. Steel forks ate heavy, never really like Alu forks or frames for that matter.
YMMV (you do seem very keen on talking about manufacturing, I just know what I like and don’t really consider much else, due to lack of interest and knowledge).