neonplanet40

Hey guys,

What can i say, im new to the forums and new to biking. I used to cycle everywhere when i was younger on a mountain bike but then it got wrecked and i never got another one.

Now im looking for a hybrid bike.

I really only now realise how much bikes have evolved! Some of them cost more than a car!!!!!!!!

Ill be using it for normal commuting as well as for my uni which is very grassy with the odd hill and dodgy frost sometimes snow lol.

My budget is £300- £400. I'll be buying it after xmas and i'll be buying it in the UK. Prob mid January so would like to get an idea of what im looking for and i know there are guys here who know alot about bikes!

So if you guys could give me maybe 3 or 4 to look at. The best i can get for my money i guess.

I should also say, im 6ft 5 so the bike would need to be biggish

Any info you guys could provide would be really appreciated.

Im gonna flick through these forums some more and read up. its all over my head. But i have the money now and want to get the best i can get for the money i have now.

Thanks again

Mark Devlin

MichaelW

First, check out if your employer runs a tax-free bike purchase scheme. These usually run through Halfords (or Evans) but Halfords can supply almost any brand of bike. Their assembly can be of variable quality depending on who works at the store. Local bike shops are generally more helpful.
For everyday UK commuting you need a bike which can take medium sized tyres, proper bolt-on luggage rack and mudguards front and rear. As a big guy you will need to pay attention to frame size in reach (top tube length) as well as height (seat-tube length) . You really should pick the brand based on who makes the largest size.

In the £3-400 range you are looking at a pretty standard hybrid and in truth threr is not a lot of difference in quality between brands. The Boardman range at halfords is excellent value for money and well thought out. I would use the Boardman Hybrid as a benchmark so if you pay more, do you get more?
Try and avoid suspension.
Disc brakes are one modern convenience that is useful, they keep working in the wet. The Boardman hybrid bike has simple cable discs that are good enough. Their only drawback is the difficulty of fixing the lugage rack to the threaded eyelets. Scott solve this issue in a neat manner by repositioning the brakes.


Most bikes come fairly bare so you need to budget for accessories and kit.
Lights, luggage rack and bags, lock, mudguards, pump, repair kit, helmet. Some shops offer a tyre upgrade to kevlar protected such as Schwalbe Marathon or the bomproof Marathon Plus. This is worthwhile, ensuring you reach work on time.
You can probably manage with any outdoor kit you currently have but it helps to have some comfortable winter kit.

neonplanet40

Thank you for the information Michael. Unfortunately my part-time job doesnt do anything like that

https://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec016512

I had liked the look of that bike. Could i get a better one for that price or is it good? It also does a big frame which is good cause of my height!

I am keeping money over for other bits and peices. I wont be putting a luggage rack on my bike so thats one thing i dont have to worry about.

Thanks again for the help

Bollocks

https://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec000107

MichaelW

You can still get decent bike lower down the range. I think £250 is about the lowest for a bike you ride hard every day.
First step: Check out the brands at a few big stores (Evans, Wheelies, Halfords etc) , go to the websites and check out the geometry charts of their hybrids and pick brands that do big, long bikes.
Rackability is important for any everyday bike. You dont have to fit a rack but when time comes to haul a load or go on a bike tour it is so much easier to bolt on a stnd rack than faff around with seatpost clamp-on units or p-clamp hack-arounds.

Panthers007

For a commuter, I'd avoid any suspension-forks. They are something else waiting to break or go wrong. For the same money, if you like Trek bikes, get an FX series. But whatever you decide on, try it. See that it fits and feels good.

amckimmey

Charge if you once road MTB, But they have some nice 700c street bikes, TAP and Mixer, they have internal gear hubs.