Second bike - Road or MTB?

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Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
I currently have a Trek 7.3FX, which I love. It is just the job for me as I mostly ride on roads, but like the odd bike path.
But I am toying with the idea of having a second bike that is dedicated to either end of the scale.
I am not sure how much more a road bike will get me over and above my current bike for road use as the Trek is a lot more nearer a road bike than a MTB.
A full suspension MTB opens up a lot more avenues to me than a road bike will. Plus I kinda fancy a bike of off roading.
I will be looking for a second hand bike and wanting to spend no more than £300.
What bikes should I be looking at?
Any recomendations?
 

battered

Guru
I wouldn't buy a £300 full sus bike. £300 gets you a good second hand hardtail MTB, or an OK new hardtail MTB.

Full sus bikes need to be £1000 up (new) to give a significant advantage over a good hardtail. IMO. You aren't getting one of those, even SH, for £300.
 

aberal

Veteran
Location
Midlothian
Gixxerman said:
I am not sure how much more a road bike will get me over and above my current bike for road use as the Trek is a lot more nearer a road bike than a MTB.

A lightweight and good quality road bike will give you a lot more than your current bike. It's the proverbial chalk and cheese on the road compared to a hybrid like your Trek. Unless you have instant access to some full blown proper hills with rocky muddy routes you won't need a full suspension mtb. Put some knobblies on your Trek for the off-road tracks and buy a road bike... :wacko:
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Having recently gone over almost 100% to road riding after 22 years of MTBing, I can tell you that the road bike will get you fitter and take you further, faster.

And as somebody mentioned a FS mountain bike at £300 will be stolen or a dog and you'll be shocked at how heavy and slow it is.

Why not flog the hybrid and buy a nice little hardtail with air forks and a road bike?
 

navrat_biker

New Member
Location
UK
as you know the 2 are very different to ride. mtb are not only smoother riding due to suspension and tyre tread but also you will be able to go on and off road. handy if you need to jump a curb or go down off road alleys. no the road will restrict you to which surfaces your able to cycle on, comfort as harder ride and you need to be more focused and tuned in when riding due to our lovely british road pot holes, glass, stone chippings and more. if you can try a road bike out for a bit first brill as then you will see if that would be right for you or not.
 

festival

Über Member
Originally posted by Gixxerman
'I mostly ride on roads, but like the odd bike path.
But I am toying with the idea of having a second bike that is dedicated to either end of the scale.
A full suspension MTB opens up a lot more avenues to me than a road bike will. Plus I kinda fancy a bike of off roading.
I will be looking for a second hand bike and wanting to spend no more than £300.'

Sounds to me that you use a bike mainly on the road (so u need a road bike?) but you have been seduced by the look of the full sus models.
Even if your going to change you riding dramatically, a hardtail really is the answer as others have posted . I come across this kind of thinking again & again in my job & while its great to see the enthusiasm its likely to put people off if they choose the wrong bike. You really cant get anything worthwhile for that price.
The carrera road bikes are decent and available but as i have said elsewhere ignore all the previous price points in there promo. e.g. if it says 'Now £299.99 was £349.99' generally its only worth £299.99 .
Get a road bike now & consider new h/tail in the future.
can u utilise bike to work scheme as u can get up to 2 bikes.
 
OP
OP
Gixxerman

Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
festival said:
Sounds to me that you use a bike mainly on the road (so u need a road bike?) but you have been seduced by the look of the full sus models.
I do mainly ride on the road yes.
But I wasn't seduced as such by the look of the full sus bikes.
It was just that riding on the road was becoming a bit "samey".
I thought if I get a MTB, then I can do a few rough trails etc. just for a bit of variey.
If I get a road bike, then it won't do anything more that my current hybrid. The only difference is that it will do it a bit quicker, that's all.
And lets be honest, the Trek ain't exactly slow, as I have already pointed out, it is a lot nearer to a road bike that a mountain bike.
The only other idea would be to sell the Trek and replace it with a road bike and a mountain bike. Then I have the best bike for on/off road. But cost is the limiting factor for that option.
 

JtB

Prepare a way for the Lord
Location
North Hampshire
For anyone getting into cycling who doesn't know if they prefer off road or on road, there must be a temptation to buy a hybrid just to put off having to make the decision. But after buying the hybrid and eventually finding out what they want, they end up buying a second bike anyway. So wouldn't it be better to cut out the hybrid in the first place and make the decision up-front? That way when they buy their second bike they end up with two good bikes (fit for their intended purposes) rather than one good bike plus a compromise.
 

festival

Über Member
Shaun said:
For anyone getting into cycling who doesn't know if they prefer off road or on road, there must be a temptation to buy a hybrid just to put off having to make the decision. But after buying the hybrid and eventually finding out what they want, they end up buying a second bike anyway. So wouldn't it be better to cut out the hybrid in the first place and make the decision up-front? That way when they buy their second bike they end up with two good bikes (fit for their intended purposes) rather than one good bike plus a compromise.

Totally agree. The hybrid or town & trail style is marketed to be the bike that does (almost) everything when in fact there is such a difference across the range e.g. Those built around a road frame,then those using an atb frame etc.
Of course a lot of people only ever want one bike,for all sorts of reasons and then find themselves limited.
I always say "you can have a decent pair of tennis shoes, but they would be no good for running,football etc so likewise you need a bike for each purpose".
OK, i know there is some crossover in somecases.
 

lukesdad

Guest
Once you go off road you ll soon realise that you will want a dedicated bike capable of doing what you want to do out there. Forget adapting the hybrid. Get yourself a second hand hardtail . If you see something you like ask in the mtb and you ll get plenty of advice:smile:
 

battered

Guru
LukesDad is about right. Gixerman, I take it you are a fan of other 2 wheelers. Now a GSXR is a lovely bike but useless off road. Fit knobblies, still useless. Now you *could* chop it in for a (say) Transalp and get something that still goes on road and has a notional off road capability, but it's still going to be rubbish on a muddy trail compared to that well known off road exotic the DT125. In turn you aren't going to take a DT on track days so the solution is to buy 2 bikes for 2 different briefs.
 
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