Which Hybrid Bike?

[RichTeaBiscuit]

Apologies in advance, as senior members of this forum will have seen threads like this a thousand times.

I've recently moved to Loughborough and the company I now work for is enlisted on the Ride2work scheme through Evans Cycles.

I've been browsing the Evans website (don't want to shop anywhere else, mainly due to the financial benefits of the R2W scheme), and I'm overwhelmed by the choice on offer.

Basically, I'd really appreciate some help.

I want a hybrid bike due to the mixture of towpaths and roads I'll be cycling on, and have a budget up to ~£600.

Like most newbies I get lost in the technicalities of the bikes on the market, so I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a very reliable brand / bike which has good specs for the money I'm willing to part with.

The bike that has caught my eye so far is this one....

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/sportster-40-2014-hybrid-bike-ec056046

...mainly due to the fact I've not read one negative review on a Scott bike. However, if anyone can point me in the direction of either a similar spec bike that costs less, or a better bike at the same price, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Cyclist33]

Scott make good bikes so if you like the look of it and it fits your budget and usage plans, and feels right to sit on... what's stopping you!

Other brands with an equally large market presence and good reputation include: Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Kona... to name four.

 

[annedonnelly]

Hi RichTeaBiscuit and welcome to the forum.

Can you get along to Evans and try some out? Better to have one that feels right for you than a slightly cheaper one that doesn't fit right

And don't forget you might need some extras at the same time - lights, clothes, gloves, etc. - you'll need to budget for them too.

 

[RebornBumbler]

It might be worth reconsidering whether you need telescopic forks / front suspension as roads and towpaths don't generally warrant them.

If you can do without, you'll save a lot of weight and complexity and the same money would then get you more gears, better components or a lighter frame

This :
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/lithium-four-2014-hybrid-bike-ec054696
for example is about 2kg lighter than the Scott - still with disc brakes.

 

[KneesUp]

Trying them out is key, really.

At the same price as the Scott, I'd look at the lovely Kona Dew Plus http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kona/dew-plus-2014-hybrid-bike-ec055915 - lifetime warranty on Kona frames too.

Or at £400 you can get the base model Dew, which would leave you plenty spare to get some mudguards (you need them on a commuter) and a pannier rack and bag (much better than a rucksack)

 

[vickster]

Evans have an excellent test ride facility so go test

 

[RichTeaBiscuit]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys.

I plan to go and test some, but I'd rather have narrowed my choice down to 2 or 3 before I make the 15/20 mile trip to the nearest Evans shop.

Regarding gears / shifters, are they all much of a muchness? I see "Shimano" followed by a load of random numbers and it ends up being impossible to compare one bike to another without googling everything.

My commute to work is only 5 miles a day, but I plan to go on long rides on the weekends which may involve slightly more hilly/stony ground, so anything light and nimble with responsive gears is obviously ideal.

 

[KneesUp]

With groupsets, the more you spend the lighter they will be - and they will 'feel' nicer - but you won't get bad components on a £500 bike; they'll all be fine.

The basic progression with Shimano for road bikes is Claris < Sora < Tiagra < 105 < Ultegra < Dura Ace

For hybrids it's Tourney < Altus < Acera < Alivio

 

[RichTeaBiscuit]

Many thanks for all feedback that you guys have given so far.

Been browsing the Evans site some more today and came across the following:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/sirrus-elite-2014-hybrid-bike-ec053141

Seems like a decent deal with higher spec than some of the other (I'm not that bothered about having disc brakes).

Thoughts?

 

[Pale Rider]

(I'm not that bothered about having disc brakes).

Discs have a lot going for them in terms of maintenance - next to none for hydraulics, and stopping power - plenty.

Your choice, of course, but there are a few hardcore commuters on here who wouldn't have anything other than discs.