Spec me a hybrid bike?

Jase · 25 Jun 2023 at 22:20

For some reason I have the urge to get a bike, I've not had one for a VERY long time so a little out of touch.

The path (tarmac) I walk everyday always have a lot of cyclists and that's probably what got me thinking, but also in my area there are fair a few off-road places.

On that basis I think a Hybrid would be a good choice but no idea really?

I read a bike magazine today for ideas and all of the bikes were really expensive, £10,000+ so I was a little bit taken back by that.
However looking online it looks like you can still get them for under £1k

The last bike I had was either a Specialised or Cube brand (can't remember the order) which was OK if I remember correctly.

Can anyone recommend a decent bike for say £750 (but I would pay up to £1000 if is much better/worth it) ?
I will say I quite often get influenced by the look of the bike which is why I liked Cube back in the day as they had a nice design and colours

Saytan · 26 Jun 2023 at 11:38

£750-1000 is a pretty competitive part of the market thanks to cycle to work schemes, it's hard to go wrong with any of the known brands

go to a bike shop and pick one you like the look of, quick test ride, and boom.

UTmaniac · 26 Jun 2023 at 16:11

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/p/vitus-mach-1-three-nexus isn't bad value for £350 in their sale, 3-speed hub gear and hydraulic brakes.

But ~£750 could get you something with more gears, a decent suspension fork and perhaps a bit lighter than the above that weighs ~12Kg.

Jase · 26 Jun 2023 at 22:22

Thanks all,

My local store seem to do Specialized or Trek, they were closed today but looking at the website I see :

Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 2023
Specialized Sirrus 3.0
TREK FX 3 Disc

Any thought on above?

Saytan · 27 Jun 2023 at 07:59

Sirrus X is better if you want to ride on loose surfaces (gravel paths and whatnot) quite often, Sirrus if pure tarmac. Trek is also more tarmac oriented

equipment wise they are all pretty close.

Saytan · 27 Jun 2023 at 08:08

also there is this thread a little further down

Contemplating a new Hybrid Bike for commuting to work ~£750-1000 - Recommendations?

As per the title I'm considering buying a new hybrid bike for my daily commute to work and back (~12 miles ). My commute is mainly through the city on fairly rough/bumpy city streets in rush hours traffic so I'd prefer flat bar over drops. Whatever I buy needs to take full length mudguards and a...

forums.overclockers.co.uk

SexyGreyFox · 28 Jun 2023 at 16:00

I have both a Trek MTB and Trek Hybrid and I'd never go 'off road' on my Hybrid.
There are parts of the canal towpath that are similar to Coronation Street cobbles and I just get off at those points or else I'd break the Hybrid.

arknor · 28 Jun 2023 at 22:59

if its just for riding to work you might as well get something fairly cheap but make sure it has holes to bolt on mudguards if you are planning to ride in the wet

also don't go so cheap that the bikes use rimbrakes, disc brakes all the way

any suspension on a bike below £1000 probably isn't doing much but adding weight and soaking up watts when you pedal.

Jase · 8 Jul 2023 at 18:12

Further to my question, I’ve been away this week and when I was at the Delamere forest I took the opportunity to hire a bike. They gave me a mountain bike which was I used on their trails, mainly gravel/dirt trails but some narrow trails through the forest over tree roots etc.

Great fun, although it took me a little while to get used to it… nearly missed the first sharp turn as it appeared I’d forgotten how to ride a bike

So that got me thinking. Maybe I want a mountain bike.

Finally got to my local shop today and they said for what I did a hybrid would be fine and recommended not getting a mountain bike.

They have recommended a Trek Dual Sport 3 gen 5. They don’t have any there to look at or try so it’s a case of ordering and hoping it’s ok.

Any thoughts on this bike??

Didn’t think buying a bike would be so hard lol.

Saytan · 8 Jul 2023 at 18:49

It's at the burly end of hybrids so if you fancy trying some light off-road it's not going to disintegrate. Spec is fairly typical for the money.

SexyGreyFox · 8 Jul 2023 at 18:51

Jase said:
They have recommended a Trek Dual Sport 3 gen 5. They don’t have any there to look at or try so it’s a case of ordering and hoping it’s ok.

Any thoughts on this bike??

Personally I have a Trek Hybrid and i wouldn't take it anywhere near Delamere Forest tracks.
Fair enough those tyres will cushion more than the tyres on mine.

Trek%207.5%20FX%20Duo%20Trap%20a-large.jpg

I'll take this one anywhere and wish I'd never bought the hybrid

Jase · 8 Jul 2023 at 19:31

SexyGreyFox said:
Personally I have a Trek Hybrid and i wouldn't take it anywhere near Delamere Forest tracks.
Fair enough those tyres will cushion more than the tyres on mine.

I'll take this one anywhere and wish I'd never bought the hybrid

Thanks for the feedback. The bike on the bottom looks nice, what is it? as I can’t see it on the Trek website.

SexyGreyFox · 8 Jul 2023 at 19:55

Jase said:
Thanks for the feedback. The bike on the bottom looks nice, what is it? as I can’t see it on the Trek website.

It's a Trek 4300, I had it in 2012 and still going

happy_2008 · 9 Jul 2023 at 22:25

I bought a 2nd hand but rarely ridden Specialized Hardrock for £150 with a free helmet and lights etc. Was a good ride home but the seat was rock solid.

SexyGreyFox · 9 Jul 2023 at 23:48

happy_2008 said:
I bought a 2nd hand but rarely ridden Specialized Hardrock for £150 with a free helmet and lights etc. Was a good ride home but the seat was rock solid.

Both my bikes above were £150 with hard seats but I bought a Suntour spring seat post, SP12-NCX -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SR-Suntour-SP12-NCX-Suspension-350MM/dp/B0789PPFS4/ref=asc_df_B0789PPFS4/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310669108494&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12382882361112112247&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046442&hvtargid=pla-556361133303&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

tom_nieto · 10 Jul 2023 at 20:17

You really have to decide what you want the bike for. For the majority of forest and coastal cycle paths a hybrid with 32c wheels and disk brakes would be ok, just don’t expect too much if you need to hop off ledges or tackle a tree stump. If you’re talking proper off road trails then it might not be so good. The issue with a mountain bike comes if you want to go on road. Sure, it’ll be better than a road bike would be on an off road trail (as in possible to ride it), but it’ll be dog slow and it’ll handle terribly. This would be bad if you wanted to go to a rural pub following the road or pop to the shops or even commute.

If you buy a bike without figuring out where you enjoy riding, then you’ll probably see it gathering dust in the shed rather than being ridden.

Begbie · 10 Jul 2023 at 20:30

What about a gravel bike?

Though if you want to do similar to delmare trails etc, and that's your main use a mountain bike will provide the best use. Unfortunately there isnt really a happy medium.

I'd use my gravel on some trail centres, but it'd be more for the challenge than anything.

A decent rigid mountain bike would also be good all round bike, but obviously not as 'fun' or as comfy as a fairly decent mtb.

happy_2008 · 10 Jul 2023 at 22:57

SexyGreyFox said:
Both my bikes above were £150 with hard seats but I bought a Suntour spring seat post, SP12-NCX -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SR-Suntour-SP12-NCX-Suspension-350MM/dp/B0789PPFS4/ref=asc_df_B0789PPFS4/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310669108494&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12382882361112112247&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046442&hvtargid=pla-556361133303&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Isn't it cheaper to replace the seat?

Hagar · 10 Jul 2023 at 23:06

I bought a carrera subway hybrid, rim brakes, solid fork added a rear basket and it's my daily shopper. A carrier bag and four pints of milk.
It also does canal towpaths and other light off road stuff but no jumps or steep hills.

It cost me £75 during lockdown, an absolute bargain.

SexyGreyFox · 10 Jul 2023 at 23:36

happy_2008 said:
Isn't it cheaper to replace the seat?

If you look closely it has got a spring on the top of the unit so your seat goes up and down like a suspension, I have also got a very padded seat that cost about £40.
I need all the comfort I can get.