TMassimo

I know very little to nothing about bikes, and I'd need some help in choosing the right bike. The main purpose for the bike is fitness, so I'd say I'm a casual rider. My last bike was a Carrera Subway 2015 until it got stolen last year. I was going to get another Carrera but I was put off by the personnel at the shop that sell it (Halford), so I stared looking at LBS for alternatives.

Here's the first choise:

• Fuji Absolute 1.9 Disc 2016 (£300)
• Carrera Subway 2 Hybrid 2015 (£329.99)
• Specialized Sirrus Sport 2015 (£349.99)
• GT Transeo 2 2015 (£389.99)

Here's the second choice:

• Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc 2016 (£550.00)
• Specialized Sirrus Sport Disc 2016 (£600.00)
• Fuji Absolute 1.1 Disc 2016 (£639.00)
• GT Transeo 1.0 2016 (£650.00)

I'd say, out of the first list, the Sirrus is probably a good choice. The second list is where it gets more complicated for me. I really don't know which one to choose, or even if it's worth spending almost twice for it. I was hoping to get some advice, and their choice, from someone with more knowledge. Thanks

jimc101

If the Subway previously worked for you, why not just get another, with the number of Halfords branches, there should be a few within easy traveling distance if you don't like your local.

Would get a British Cycling membership as the cost is less than the discount you will get on the bike, also, if paying cash, you can buy vouchers at Morrisons for discounted fuel (only if you drive).

Would look at budgeting for a decent lock, have you analyzed how your last bike was stolen, so it won't happen again?

I

TMassimo

The last Subway was okay. it only had 21-speed so was a bit slow, but otherwise was fun to ride. The 2015 has 27-speed and hydraulic disc brake, and at £329 it seems a lot of bike.

So would you choose the Subway 2 over the Sirrus?


I'm in London. I decided to ride to the train station instead of taking the bus. I locked the bike inside the station on the a bike rail. on the second week it was gone. I will get a better lock, but I will never leave it at train stations or anywhere else for long period of time.

cheers

jimc101

If your leaving a bike locked at a train station, would look for the cheapest bike you can find, as the chance of it getting stolen are high, would be checking out ebay, facebook sales pages, gumtree etc for something old/cheap that you don't mind loosing.

TMassimo

Jimc, I going to use the bike for fitness purpose only.

TMassimo

any other advice appreciated

bisuper

I don't know well the other brands because they are not popular in my country! I think Escape City will work for you, it has rear rack & fender which will help you in London rainy season... hope that you can get the discount at LBS to fit with your budget! Cheers

ColonelSanders

Unless the aluminium fork on the Sirrus Sport gives too harsh a ride, that appears to be the standout choice to me.

The running gear is good enough to not be giving you buyer's remorse, which a bike with Altus derailleurs might do.

TMassimo

Thanks for replies and suggestions.

I have narrowed it down to two... the Sirrus Sport 2015 or this Fuji Absolute 1.5 Disc 2016 Hybrid.

The LBS has it in stock, so I'm going to try it out today. They haven't got the Sirrus 2015 in stock, but have the 2016 which shouldn't be too different than the 2015 model.

I checked Google maps and found a nice bike route (about 15 miles), so (weather permitting) I'll be cycling to work. can't wait.

ColonelSanders

The 2016 Sirrus has a downgrade in front derailleur(compared to the 2015 Sirrus) that would concern me unless it performed well on a test run.

That Fuji looks gorgeous and is quite well equipped.

Clamms

Can't tell you anything about the Fuji, but I bought a sirrus sport disc (2016) about 6 weeks ago and I love it. Using it for commuting (3 miles each way), errands and to supplement my running. The only advice I'd give is to spend the extra $100 and get the disc brakes model - I never had disc brakes before and they're a game changer.

Bottom line is you'll be happy with whichever bike you get, so don't agonize over the decision, just go with your gut and get the one that excites you the most.

AU Tiger

I have the 2014 Fuji Absolute 1.5, and I love it. My only complaint is the location of the rear brakes makes working on them a little more difficult, but since you're looking at the disc version that wouldn't be an issue for you.

TMassimo

Thank you for making my choice clear.

I have ordered the Fuji. It came today, and went to try it. I only went for a short ride, but was quite pleased with. I didn't take it because I felt that 19" was a bit too small and opted for the 21" instead, so I have to wait it for few more days.

I got to try a BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 sport or something (not sure exact model). It retailed for over £1200, but was on sale at £999. WOW what a difference - so light, the way it handled the road, the acceleration... impressive. The Fuji is a good bike, and I'm sure I'd be quite happy with it... but that BMC was a definite step up. Damn, I really liked it.

AU Tiger

Congratulations!
The more I ride my bike, the more I'm convinced that I got a great deal on it. I hope you enjoy yours just as much.

TMassimo

Thanks that's reassuring because I can't get the BMC out my head. I'm probably going to stick with the Fuji, but I'm temped to get the BMC.

ColonelSanders

Heh, if you can afford it, you perhaps should get it, but you could also stick with the Fuji to start with and get the BMC a year or so later, as it is always pretty easy to justify having two bikes.

Of course if you are going to spend what the BMC costs, it also opens up another world of possibilities with other brands in that price range that you might like even more than the BMC.

The agony of decision.

TMassimo

rode it yesterday for the first time for about 2 hours. it's so much better than my previous bike. the only negative I can think of is that it's uncomfortable. not so much at the start, but after 2 hours of cycling no-stop, I started to feel really uncomfortable. maybe I'm not used to it. it seems to me that this bike is more for someone who likes to push hard and eat the road, rather than for leisure cycling. suits me.

TMassimo

Hello guys, thanks again for the suggestions.

I have to choose a bike again. I spotted a couple of bikes on sale, so today I went back to the shop to ask if I would be able to exchange the Fuji for something else. After a close inspection, they agreed. YAY!

The bikes I'd to exchange it with are:

• Specialized Sirrus Comp Disc 2016 Hybrid (£750)
• BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 Sora 2016 Hybrid (£799)
• BMC Alpenchallenge AC02 Alfine 8 2016 Hybrid (ex-display) (£785)

I haven't tried the Sirrus, but I tried the BMC AC01. You know when you try something and you like it, but you're still not quite sure... and then you try something and it's like, "yes, I want this!"; the BMC was one of this moments.

However, I like the Sirrus too. By the specs, it seems a good choice. I read that the Tiagra is a step above the Sora, but that's about as far my knowlegde of these things goes. And there's the Alfine 8, which I've no idea.

I'm leaning toward the Sirrus, but I'm struggling with the choices.

Please help me...

bikersl

Love my new Schwinn Men's Siro 700c Hybrid Bicycle. I've found good reviews at trusted review sites such as Bicycle Advisor | Complete Bike Buying Guides and Reviews, Bicycling. Works great on pavement and I've taken it on a few easy mountain bike trails. Kinda a pain to calibrate brakes and deraillers but I had no experience since I rode as a kid so YMMV. 250+ miles so far and still works great. I especially like the downshift trigger that let's you drop down several gears at once when you hit a hill. For the price this is a great all around bike that performs well and looks great. My next purchase will be a mountain. Bike as I've fell in love with with some of the trails. Great bike but I wouldn't recommend for some of the more rough mountain bike trails as the frame needs to be shorter with larger tires. This is a hybrid and it does the job well when you hit up multiple surfaces on one trip.

TMassimo

I've ordered the Sirrus Comp. I'm so stoked to get this bike. I cannot wait! I liked the Fuji 1.5 a lot. In fact, I wasn't sure whether to exchange it or not, because I was looking forward to the ride to work on it (weather permitting). I think if I liked the Fuji, I'm gonna looove the Sirrus.

ColonelSanders

It is hard to imagine you won't love your Sirrus, did you test ride it before buying?

alathIN

If the reason for the exchange was a comfort problem, you just need to ride them all and see which one is most comfortable for you.

ALL the bikes you listed are quality bikes and would give great service to the person for whom they are a good fit.

One thing I noticed right off the bat about the pic you posted is that the bars are relatively low for a hybrid bike - a more aggressive position that requires more core strength. Might want to find one with an adjustable stem, or slightly higher bars.

If your LBS is any good at all, you should be able to tell them exactly what was uncomfortable - perhaps put the bike on a trainer stand and let them look at your position on it - and they should be able to steer you to a better fit.

TMassimo

The LBS doesn't store any Specialized bikes for some reason. Now that you mentioned it, I'm going to test ride both the Sirrus and the BMC (again) and pick one.

I think you're spot on about that. The bike felt sort of aggressive and rigid (is that how road bikes feel?), whereas the BMC felt easier and better in handling the road. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the Fuji.

TMassimo

So I went to test ride the bikes today. It was a short ride, maybe two miles.

BMC AC01. Very comfortable. The ride position was just perfect. It was a more upright position compared to the fuji 1.5.

Sirrus Comp. The same upright position, maybe even more than the BMC, but was just not as comfortable. Something is amiss with the position, don't know what it is, but I just feel it. Maybe I need to move the seat forward a little, to get my legs more in line with the pedals... we'll see.

Difficult choice, but I went with the Sirrus. It just felt like the better bike. It had a certain quality to it. Afterward, I went for about a 20 miles ride. Wow, this bike is about 10x better than the Fuji 1.5. Very pleased.

I just wanna say that these short, 2-mile rides are nowhere near enough to make the right choice. Next time I'm going to test ride a bike, I'll ride it for about 20 miles or more.

And then when I thought I've made the right choice, this pops up.


quick pic

Midmod

And then when I thought I've made the right choice, this pops up.


quick pic[/QUOTE]

Yes, I agree that there are a lot of great choices out there. I, too, was rather focused on a Sirrus before I found the Cannondale Quick Disc 1. I picked the Quick, and now I have about 2 1/2 weeks left to wait until I take delivery. I thought that the Quick was the best bike for me as I was least likely to have buyer's remorse with it.

Because it is relatively new, there weren't very many reviews available. However, the way it felt and the Shimano 105 components were enough to convince me that it was the right choice.

Best of luck to you on your journey.