Hybrid Bicycles - Cannondale Quick - any alternatives before I buy one?

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Monkey Face
03-24-10, 12:22 PM
I'm after a 'do-it-all' flat bar fitness bike for my wife... mostly for rough country lanes and gravel paths.

Her mountain bike is a nice one, but I've convinced her it's too heavy and inefficient on road and tracks - and that she'll have more fun with a 700c wheeled hybrid.

At first glance I can't see much past a Cannondale Quick CX, but I'd appreciate any other suggestions - possibly a flat-bar road/cyclocross bike, as long as it has room for bigger tyres for the paths.

Budget up to £650.00 / $1000.00.

Thanks!

rumrunn6
03-24-10, 12:30 PM
great name brand known for a long history of quality and performance

REI has it under your budget:
http://www.rei.com/product/796407
Monkey Face
03-24-10, 12:38 PM
That's called the CX Ultra over here and it's £1100.00!!! It would almost be cheaper to get on a cheap flight and pick one up from your side of the pond.

I should add that I'm a big Cannondale fan anyway... I'm after a CX9... but I'm still open to suggestions for Mrs Monkey Face.

khutch
03-24-10, 06:36 PM
At first glance I can't see much past a Cannondale Quick CX, but I'd appreciate any other suggestions - possibly a flat-bar road/cyclocross bike, as long as it has room for bigger tyres for the paths.



There are tons of alternatives, that one was on my short list until I found out that the local REI did not carry Cannondale. It looked like a good bike to me and if you already have one that you like a lot there are enough alternatives to drive you mad once you start looking at them so it is almost better to just go with your gut! I ended up with a Fuji Absolute 1.0 that after only a couple weeks of ownership, and much of that spoiled by poor spring weather, has already proved that it is perfect for the paths and roads I intend to take it over. I intentionally took it over a path more rugged than any I mean to ride it on ever again and it handled that flawlessly too. And this was on 28 mm tires so you might not need bigger tires if your local "paths" are better than dirt tracks through the woods which is what I was on Monday. All the local experts told me they were wide enough, I just could not believe it until I had tried it myself. Now I do....

Ken