Thoughts on this bike?

[united4ever]

Am planning on starting to commute down a local canal side cycle path 15 mile round trip.

Using the cycle to work scheme. The guy at Evans recommended this one with my budget in mind.

Seems like a good all rounder but I haven't had a bike for years. Are there any better ones out there for similar price and doing the cycle to work scheme?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/cobalt-four-2014-hybrid-bike-ec054772

Thanks

 

[ufkacbln]

Also account for the extras

Mudguards will be an essential for a towpath, and a rack and panniers would also be of benefit for carrying essentials

 

[ianrauk]

OH look, the guy at Evans recommends their own brand bike.

 

[united4ever]

sure have accounted for mud guards, pannier, helmet, lights.

Sure, I guess they are always going to push a naïve beginner towards one of their own, but being a naïve, novice what would you recommend which beats this and can be used in the cycle scheme?

Cheers

 

[Maxants33]

My mate has one of these - nice bike - very good all-rounder. But the lack of accessories does matter - Cunobelin is right, get mudguards and a pannier + rack, it'll make things much easier. But the added utility may make you want to use your bike for every trip!

 

[ianrauk]

I would like to add that my commute bike is a Pinnacle and it's a very well made bike.

But... look at similar bikes from other brands before you purchase.

 

[Learnincurve]

I really like that one, it's a fantastic weight for the type and has non-entry level gears and brakes.

The tyres will be awful and mudguards and rear rack are a must. But this is no different to any other new bike you will be buying.

 

[united4ever]

Thanks all, having a look at this one for comparison:

Ridgeback supernova

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/pro...-14?bct=browse/bicycles/commuter-hybrid-bikes

 

[Learnincurve]

I'm yah ridgeback gal, have two of them myself. They are without doubt the most value for money hybrids out there, the reason for this is that their parent company is a little known outfit known as "Shimano" and not because they are made on the cheap.

 

[400bhp]

Suspension = no.

 

[400bhp]

I'm yah ridgeback gal, have two of them myself. They are without doubt the most value for money hybrids out there, the reason for this is that their parent company is a little known outfit known as "Shimano" and not because they are made on the cheap.

Nah, Carrera beat them.

 

[Drago]

I commute on a Pinnacle. It's ok, not the best, not the worst. Wiggle are going 2014 bikes a lot cheaper than Evans at the moment.

Ridgeback at the brand name used by component importer Maddison for their own bikes a bit like Evans and their Pinnacle brand. Indeed, going back to the 80s Ridgeback, Evans and Saracen all shared the same frame manufacturer at one point.

 

[Learnincurve]

Suspension = no.

I disagree, the commute is 15 miles along a tow path and not the road. The first bike linked was light enough even with suspension and has disc brakes, I'm not fond of disc brakes unless you will be riding somewhere where your rims will repeatedly get wet, like a tow path - it's essentially a 29er but lighter.

 

[400bhp]

I disagree, the commute is 15 miles along a tow path and not the road. The first bike linked was light enough even with suspension and has disc brakes, I'm not fond of disc brakes unless you will be riding somewhere where your rims will repeatedly get wet, like a tow path - it's essentially a 29er but lighter.

It's a tow path, not a load of dirt jumps.

 

[Learnincurve]

It's a tow path, not a load of dirt jumps.

Where did dirt jumping come from? That's not a dirt jumping bike, google dirt jumping bike . It's full suspension you wouldn't need for a tow path because they are heavy and all your power is going into the suspension and not the back wheel, fine for going up hills in the woods, bad for flat gravel. We don't like cheap heavy sub £400 front suspension bikes to commute on, light expensive ones are fine.

From where I am to where I wish to be there is usually a canal tow path and believe you me, there is a reason front suspension bikes exist, yes yes you can be all alpha and suck is up but why? why would you? It's 12.7kg for the one with front suspension and 11.8kg for the one without and for that 1kg difference you don't get your shoulders shaken to bits for 15 miles every single day. As I said the disc brakes are a good idea as well, canal paths drain well, it's under the bridges and near locks that end up with standing water on the paths, even in the summer.

Ridgeback speed is fine on there if it's dry, I take the specialized hardrock sport with front suspension and fatter gravel tyres if it's been raining. Ridgeback isn't unridable, the hardrock just feels better in the wet.