What comes close to a Boardman Performance Hybrid Pro?

[AFCGrimace]

Learn from my experience. Get a bike fit first. The range of models and frame sizes that fit you should come directly out of the data from the fit.

12 months ago I was where you are, same budget, same enthusiasm. 2 months ago I ended up buying a different frame and swapping the components over after a detailed bike fit revealed why I'd spent 10 months being so uncomfortable.

In my view, unless you are really experienced or already know your fit, you shouldn't be choosing a bike from Web browsing.

Sounds like great advice. Where would I go for this? Is there any charge?

 

[Peteaud]

Go and have a ride of them at your LBS if you can.

I like flat bar bikes, to me they are just a comfy as drops and i like the fact i can fit different style bar ends to suit.

 

[AFCGrimace]

Go and have a ride of them at your LBS if you can.

I like flat bar bikes, to me they are just a comfy as drops and i like the fact i can fit different style bar ends to suit.

Looks like bar ends are the future! (Mine at least).

 

[vickster]

The Sterling is a very good bike too, got over 90% in Cycling Active review last year

Found this too http://road.cc/content/video/19995-whyte-bikes-urban-range-stirling

If you buy from an LBS, they should make sure that the bike fits you - you usually have to pay for a full fit, somewhere around the £100 typically for a couple of hours

Are you London based?

 

[400bhp]

Looks like bar ends are the future! (Mine at least).

See Robwitz reply + body positioning makes it much more efficient.

If you are concerned about "..the guys on the road bikes not to fly past me quite so quickly up the hill opposite where I live.." then generally a road bike is much more comfortable and efficient at going up hills quick.

It seems a bit of an odd reason to buy a bike to be honest. Concentrate on yourself, not some people you know little to nothing about other than they can climb a specific hill faster than you. The key to getting up a hill faster than some other bloke may not exist anyway. If you want to get faster get fitter.

 

[David Haworth]

Just checked out the White websit - the Montpellier is gorgeous! Shame it's £1,600.

well, I can recommend a montpellier, as I have a 2012 model, but the sterling is very similar and not much heavier. try that. it also comes in at your budget. I seriously looked at a boardman hybrid pro but ended up with the whyte bike instead.

 

[Robwiz]

Robwiz, are saying it's your body positioning on the road bike that makes it more efficient?

I understand what you mean about having a variaty of hand positions available. I've always had bar ends on my MTB and have thought about this for my new bike.

In a word, yes. The Boardmans have quite a sporty character but some hybrids are closer to 'sit up and beg'. A road bike gives you the option of reducing your frontal area, so less drag and more speed for any given level of effort. For me, anything that makes life easier when riding into a headwind is an advantage and I don't notice headwinds as much on my road bike as I do on my hybrid or mountain bike.

I don't use the drops on my road bikes all that often. Mainly going up steeper hills when it helps me to put in more effort and down hills where I enjoy a bit more speed from being a tad more aerodynamic.

I would say that unless you have some sort of injury/impairment, then a road bike offers more than an equivalent priced hybrid, but of course that's my personal view based on my experience, but I'd encourage you to give one a try.

Planet X bikes are excellent value for money, however, I personally wouldn't use a carbon framed bike for everyday cycling – I would be concerned about the frame being dinged and stressed when out of my sight. Also, there are stories of thieves cutting through the carbon frame to remove locks then taking the bike away to dismantle and sell off components.

 

[AFCGrimace]

In a word, yes. The Boardmans have quite a sporty character but some hybrids are closer to 'sit up and beg'. A road bike gives you the option of reducing your frontal area, so less drag and more speed for any given level of effort. For me, anything that makes life easier when riding into a headwind is an advantage and I don't notice headwinds as much on my road bike as I do on my hybrid or mountain bike.

I don't use the drops on my road bikes all that often. Mainly going up steeper hills when it helps me to put in more effort and down hills where I enjoy a bit more speed from being a tad more aerodynamic.

I would say that unless you have some sort of injury/impairment, then a road bike offers more than an equivalent priced hybrid, but of course that's my personal view based on my experience, but I'd encourage you to give one a try.

Planet X bikes are excellent value for money, however, I personally wouldn't use a carbon framed bike for everyday cycling – I would be concerned about the frame being dinged and stressed when out of my sight. Also, there are stories of thieves cutting through the carbon frame to remove locks then taking the bike away to dismantle and sell off components.

Thanks very much for clarifying this - very useful info!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Hi

I'm looking for some advice. After setting my heart the above, my employer has changed providers for our Cycle to work scheme.

So, overnight, I've gone from choosing from the Halfords range to having practically the whole market to choose from, but not Halfords. This must sound like a good thing to many, but the Boardman Performance Hybrid Pro has had such great reviews and appears to have such high spec that I'm having trouble settling for anything less.

My budget is £1,000 and so far I'm considering?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/ridgeback/flight-03-2013-hybrid-bike-ec043417#features

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/sirrus-pro-2012-hybrid-bike-ec030744#features

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/moda/immer-2013-urban-hybrid-bike-ec044917#features (currently over budget)

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBPXSLPFBFOR/planet_x_pro_carbon_sram_force_hybrid_bike

I'm looking for a road bike with flat bars and quite like the idea of trying disc brakes (though this isn't essential).

Thanks in advance...

UK seems to have a downer on flat bars for some reason. In truth, how often do you see anybody on their drops?

Last time I was in Germany flat bars were all over the place.

Nothing wrong with flat bars and bar ends if they suit you from a fit and use perspective.

 

[400bhp]

It's not about being on the drops. Please read the thread.

 

[AFCGrimace]

UK seems to have a downer on flat bars for some reason. In truth, how often do you see anybody on their drops?

Last time I was in Germany flat bars were all over the place.

Nothing wrong with flat bars and bar ends if they suit you from a fit and use perspective.

I've always said those Germans know what they're doing!

 

[vickster]

I blame Bradley Wiggins

 

[SpokeyDokey]

It's not about being on the drops. Please read the thread.

I would have thought that drops had something to do with the thread tbh.

 

[400bhp]

adjective, not the noun.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

adjective, not the noun.

I see!