# Hybrid Bikes



## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

After some advice, I want to get a decent hybrid bike but after seeing the bewildering choice on the tinternet has anyone here had experience of them

Is there a Rolex vs RLT scenario where i can get a good quality one without the brand image?


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Hi PG, I have just sold a Dawes Galaxy and my mountain bike and replaced both with a Dawes Discovery 301.







If you want expert advice then use this forum. http://www.whatmtb.com/forum/default.asp

My advice is to avoid the sports shops JJB's etc and don't buy via the net without having sat on the bike beforehand, the frame size is critical if you go for long rides. Don't buy anything new for less than Â£200/250 either. It took me ages to find the Discovery on Ebay but it has adequately replaced both my other bikes, I do mainly road and canal path riding, the bike is comfy enough for me to go into the dales and back, 50 miles+









I went for Dawes because similar models in the Trek and Giant ranges were more fashionable = expensive.









IO think the 201 is available for a little over Â£220 online and IMO that is a bargain, it's does not have any whizz-bang features but is a sturdy well proven machine.









Here are some Dawes bargains PG, IMO the Discovery takes a lot more abuse than the town/hybrids like the Horizon. The 201 is actually Â£180.99 and that is a bargain, I don't think the 301 is worth the extra Â£55 and if I had known about this site before I would have had a brand new 201









http://www.factorydirectbikes.com/products...?plid=m1b0s18p0


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

thanks mark I'll certainly have a look at the links, I popped into Halfords yesterday (I know, but I was busy and they were on route) what a pile of crap their bike dept has turned in to! They only had one Hybrid and when I asked the snotty youth who was assembling a bmx he looked at me as if I was 140 years old


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## DavidH (Feb 24, 2003)

> the snotty youth who was assembling a bmx he looked at me as if I was 140 years old


..he was probably the manager


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

My mate has/had (not sure which) a Dawes hybrid & he loves/loved it. He cycles to work most mornings - not sure he does any 50 mile trips on it though









I use a 24 speed mountain bike to occasionally (not as often as I'd like to) cycle into work - a round trip of about 13 miles. I've fitted road tyres but it's still a bit compromised for road use as it's not really got the right gearing (it's low geared for off road use). I think that ideally I could do with changing the chainring for a bigger one with more teeth - however the larger chainring I have fouls the frame (I know I've tried) unless I fit a longer crank as well. So what starts out as a cheap, simple upgrade becomes more complicated & expensive









One thing I would say is that I wouldn't go back to solid front forks - I had to ride my racer to work a couple of times last year & I just about shook myself to bits! I've got Marzocchi Z5's fitted to my mtb (old hat & no longer available now) which are air forks & fantastic, I think, for both on road & off road use. I wouldn't use a full suspension bike on road though as there's too much bob (even with lockouts) when you stand up in the pedals to really get a move on - they're good off road though









Cycling's fun - go for it & enjoy yourself


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

When I was a kid (early teens) we used to bike to the coast a round trip of 120 + miles









We'd leave really early and get home late about half a dozen of us, the eldest would be 15, no way would I let my kids do it these days.

I also remember doing a 100 mile sponsered ride on my Chopper!!!

Funny you should mention front forks Paul. None of the hybrids seem to have them, they look like a MTB thing, funny as that is one thing I'm after and a suspended seat. The MTB I have now ( a cheap one from Tesco's) is very heavy (comparitivle with todays lightweights) and every bump is a pain.

This quote from the what mountain bike forum made me smile



> I contend that a mountain bike with slicks is stronger, more versatile and every bit as fast as an equivalent 'hybrid'.
> 
> Hybrids were, are and will forever be obsolete but the bicycle industry doesnt care about the science, they just sell what people ask for.


Does that mean I'd be better off with a front sus MTB with slick tyres? And then you look at the dawes site you read this



> If you are looking at buying a bike to ride around the town on donâ€™t fall into the MTB trap! Most mountain bikes are designed with frames & gears specifically for riding over difficult terrain- youâ€™ll end up going nowhere while twiddling away at the pedals & if its raining youâ€™ll have a wet stripe up your back. Our city & trekking bikes are designed to give you a full complement of gears suitable for tarmac & with a host of great comfort features for round town use.


I think what I would like is something like this with front suspension


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Just done some more "research" Claude Butler 2006 models have front suspension, quite reasonably priced too. My brother has a CB road racer, might have to find one locally and have a test ride.

http://www.bikesandprams.co.uk/section.php...d1aa9f19e8a3f02


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

pg tips said:


> When I was a kid (early teens) we used to bike to the coast a round trip of 120 + miles
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree its mad when you think about it, from about the age of 12 onwards I used to cycle from Stafford to Cheltenham A449/A41, on my own







most Fridays after school to stay with my Aunt and cousins and would cycle back home on Sunday afternoon.

I ride a MTB these days but mainly tracks and roads (nipper on the back) as opposed to mountains and am very happy with it. I would appreciate a couple of higher gears though, currently Ive a top speed of about 38/40 KPH before my legs are wizzing round uncomfortably fast and I am sure Ive another 5-10KPH in me.

Foz


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

I thought the whole point of hybrids is that they were pretty much road bikes (that could do a bit of light off roading if required) without the compromises that pure racers or pure mtb's have? They have larger wheels & better gearing than mtb's but aren't as specialised (or dare I say it as uncomfortable) as the lightweight road racers. I suppose it depends what you want the bike for - obviously you can use an mtb on the road (like me!) but it maybe isn't the ideal bike for the road. Personally I like my mtb & will probably keep it as it is - it's a jack of all trades good enough for the rough stuff & good enough for the road, though I probably wouldn't want to ride 100's of miles on it. I would say that a hybrid would make an ideal tourer/commuting bike - comfortable riding position, strongly built yet not overweight & with sensible gearing.

Personally I like the flexibility of my mtb: it's perfectly adequate for me as a commuter, it's fast enough for me once I get into the higher gears, I find it comfortable to ride because of the suspension forks & should I ever get the urge for a spot of off road riding again - which I haven't done in ages - then it'll take that in its stride too (as long as I change the road tyres!!).

I'd test ride a few different types of bike - hybrid, mtb & racer - before you make a choice.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

pauluspaolo said:


> I'd test ride a few different types of bike - hybrid, mtb & racer - before you make a choice.


I agree Paul I'll go round the good (not halford have you seen their advert Britains No 1 bike specialist







) bike shops possibly saturday and see what is around, last time I was in a bike shop was last year when we got caitlin a bike and I seem to remember there being very few hybrids on display.

This looks perfect to me


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

pauluspaolo said:


> My mate has/had (not sure which) a Dawes hybrid & he loves/loved it. He cycles to work most mornings - not sure he does any 50 mile trips on it though


It's not that far on the canal Paul, the worst bit are the 5 rise locks at Bingley







last week I got a run up and passed an old guy and his dog walking at the bottom, about two thirds of the way up, he passed me







But I did not give in, my thighs were hurting for days! Once you hit the top of the locks there is a signpost saying (I think) 13 miles to Skipton, easy peasy







There is a superb new bike shop in Saltaire mill, http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/ but when I was cycling to the cycle shop through the car park last week I was told to "stop it" by a spotty guard, reason "Health & safety"!
















PG, a mountain bike is no good for generally cycling, their name gives you a clue, like Paul, I put fat slicks on mine but the gear problem was still there. Basically you are always running out of gears going downhill. Hybrids with the road/trail orientated gearing and bigger 700c wheels are the way to go. Experienced mtb'ers look down on them, just like racers look down on tourers, there is no good reason other than that they are fashion led . 

I avoided suspension for two reasons, one I don't need it, it's overkill for the roads and tow paths and two, a cheap (sub Â£250) bike with suspension will have poor quality suspension and will have compromised on components elswewhere to include that "must have" feature.


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

It depends what you want to achieve of course.. I ride this..










I do around 110miles a week on it as a means a keeping fit more than anything else. I'd say it depends on how many miles you think you're gonna want to do on it, where you gonna ride it and what the overall aim of getting it is.

I personally ride for a bit of exercise. Therefore the fact that my Rockhopper is a bit heavy on road and has smallish wheels isn't really an issue - I have to work hard to get some speed out of it, but thats the whole point for me. I've got slicks for it if I'm going to be on road alot and swapping them back to knobblies is only a matter of a few minutes and then its set for off road use. If you're never going to go off road and the point of the exercise is to get places quickly with the most efficient use of energy then a hybrid is certainly a good way to go. If you're wanting something tough and capable of mud plugging/steep ascents/decents then a "hard tail" MTB is a good bet. The important thing (as someone else said), is to get the right frame size, a decent saddle and a good shoe/pedal combo. Add some slick tyres and a saddle set at the right height and you'll still have some fun on road. The correct tyre pressure is critical as well!. I'd stay clear of a full Sus bike if you're doing much on road, they're a bit bouncy plus the on costs of maintenance can be quite high depending what you go for. Don't forget a helmet either! 

Rich


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

r1ch said:


> Don't forget a helmet either!


Never wear one and neither do my kids









Nice bike Rich, all the forums speak highly of them.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

r1ch said:


> It depends what you want to achieve of course..
> 
> Rich


Well rich what i really want to acheive is to ride mainly on road but every now and then down track (some quite pot holed) with my 7 year old, without getting a sore arse would be nice 

I also want mudguards, fed up with the black stripe effect and a rack to carry "m' docky" (packed lunch) as I'm getting too old to have a sack on my back all day.

being quite flat around here we have quite a lot of cycle paths and tracks and she is now of the age where she wants to explore.

btw I always wear a helmet, can't expect Caitlin to if I don't, mine is purple which sometimes raises some comments









Spoke to my brother and he siad his is a real English CB before they went to the far east although I didn't know shimano were english!









I'm now confused about front suspension, every time I'm out on my present bike and get jolted all over the place I wish i had it, but from comments read hear and elsewhere it seems that it's not all it's cracked up to be unless your doing a lot of off road.

seems like yesterday but here she is just over a year ago with her, then, new bike.


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

I'd really recommend a decent helmet whenever getting on a bike. I've had personal experience of a very experienced cyclist being killed from a fall at pretty low speed. Skull versus kerb stone







. Always worn headgear since. Nothings guaranteed of course, but a well fitted lid will give a much better chance of just getting away with "gravel rash" and dented pride. FWIW I'd never get sized and fitted for a helmet by an inexperienced youth in a car parts shop! - go to a pukka bike shop particularly if you're not 100% sure of what you're looking for.

On a lighter note, to stop the "skunk stripe" scenario off the back wheel when its wet, a "Krud Catcher" will clip onto the seat post and does the job nicely. Theres also one available for the front as well. They're only about a tenner and a two minute job to fix









Rich


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

There is far too much nannying, you would think this organization would be the first to promote helmet wearing but they don't. http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4379

I am very much anti-helmet. I do not think they contribute to rider safety. When I have crashed my motorbike and that has happened a lot, I have mainly been all togged up, full face helmet, full leathers and boots, a lack of awareness (daydreaming) is usually a factor in all the crashes. If I use my cruiser, I wear an open face helmet and often just wear shorts and a t-shirt, I have never crashed, not even come close, I am on a permament state of high alert, I feel vulnerable and react not to danger but to the possible threat of it. Feeling vulnerable makes you ride safer than any helmet ever will.

PG, Do you need front suspennsion to do roads and towpaths? No! Lance Armstrong doesn't need it to get down mountains at 50mph with tyres the width of a cock hair, so why do you.







Seriously, for the same cash, without suspension you will get a better bike. The frame is important, a decent one will make it viable to upgrade to suspension later on if you want to.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Have a look at the Specialized Expedition Paul, I have an older version from when I used to work in Scotland (sadly its sitting in my moher garage gathering dust now







I need to change jobs again I think ) the new 2006 version look real nice IMO.

It has front suspension but you can adjust the stiffness depending on the conditions, also the seat stem has a shock absorber .... nice!

The gearing for road use is better than the Rockhopper but good enough to allow you to do moderate off-road cycling.

I customised mine with front and rear mudguards, lights, water bottle, a mini-tyre pump and a puncture repair saddlebag; I also have a handlebar bag for longer trips for my "sarnies"


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Specalized seem to be rated very highly john,

It's all so bloody confusing, one thing I do know though whatever I do buy I will not be happy with and it will no doubt be at half price on a blow out somewhere within a month! Always happens to me









Oh and this size thing, I'm just short of 6 foot and 33" inside leg, I've been using 21" frame bikes all my adult life is this right?


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

pg tips said:


> Oh and this size thing, I'm just short of 6 foot and 33" inside leg, I've been using 21" frame bikes all my adult life is this right?


Sounds right PG, I use a 21" and am 6'1" with a 34" leg. .


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## DAVID (Mar 17, 2003)

Tried a couple of hybrids a while ago, a Giant + a CB, and didn't get the point - neither fish nor fowl.

A good quality but basic spec mtb will do most things well enough, and allow some funds for a set of road tyres, riser bars + a gel/comfort change of saddle, or a bit of upgrading for a personalized fit.

This a my recently rebuilt 96 Rockhopper, used on road with a change of tyres/pedals, and on mild cross country/trails the rest of the time- a mere 21 gears, no discs, no suspension, no carbon fibre in sight!

(Doesn't attract much attention from the light-fingered vermin either)

Have got an old Mercian road bike, and a Giant ATX hardtail, neither gets used much at all these days.

D.


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

> Well rich what i really want to acheive is to ride mainly on road but every now and then down track (some quite pot holed) with my 7 year old, without getting a sore arse would be nice
> 
> I also want mudguards, fed up with the black stripe effect and a rack to carry "m' docky" (packed lunch) as I'm getting too old to have a sack on my back all day.
> 
> I'm now confused about front suspension, every time I'm out on my present bike and get jolted all over the place I wish i had it, but from comments read hear and elsewhere it seems that it's not all it's cracked up to be unless your doing a lot of off road.


From your first comment PG, I'm reallyed tempted to say an MTB would be fine. If you're going with a little 'un the chances are you're not going to be going b*lls out fast, and for lower speed stuff an MTB is ideal. They're very good for low speed manouverability, something that can be more tricky on larger wheeled more road orientated bikes. Its pretty easy on an MTB to stop and stay on it - not something I find at all easy on a road bike without much sawing around of the front wheel to keep my balance!

For mud guards, see my post above, problem sorted.

The issue with suspension in general, and particularly front forks is all to do with disipation of energy. A front fork is great for off-road/stone track work - you'll be amazed at how much more comfortable it is - no more numb arms or wrists. The problem can be when you venture _on road_. The force you exert through pedalling can be washed away through the front forks, (esp if you get up out of the saddle), as they bounce when you pedal. This results is alot of wasted effort and makes for very slow and tiring progress on tarmac. The cure is whats called a "lock out" facility. This is basically is a means of turning "off" the front fork so that the suspension doesn't operate. You're then left with a stiff from end for tarmac use. Front forks with "lock out" are a bit more expensive but well worth it IMHO if your going to do a mix of on/off tarmac riding. A decent spec, new front fork with lockout will give you the best of both worlds, and won't need tons of maintenance. As far as rear sus is concerned, unless you're planning on getting into downhilling, fancy stunts or doing bags of difficult off road terrain, I really wouldn't bother.

One other thing to just keep in mind is robustness. If you're a gentleman of, shall we say, a "fuller figure", crashing down potholes on a hybrid might well result in oval wheels and worn crank bearings in double quick time. An MTB is an inherently tougher machine and will take a good bit of stick - the rims will be more durable than the thinner road orientated ones on a hybrid.

Mark -







Madness - Its a good job we're not all the same. How about fitting cars with a spike on the steering wheel hub instead of an airbag


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

hi

i'd never heard of hybrid bikes before reading this thread







, anyhow, our amenity attendant at work used to live about three miles from work,and bought a mtb, all was well until he moved house, a thirteen mile ride each morning and evening soon saw him taking the bus.

i went into the amenity block as he was pushing the bike out and he asked if i wanted to buy his bike?, ok sez me and having ridden it about fifty yards to put it in the back of my veccie-i knew i'd made a mistake, my arse was killing and my legs were like lead







-talk about being out of condition









the bloody thing's stuck in the garage making it difficlt to get in/out, it'll have to go, my youngest is getting into fittness and keeps threatening to get it out and give it a hammering- but threats are cheap
















i've just been looking through my photobucket, could have sworn i had a pic but it's not there









i'll take a snap later,

john


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

i've taken some pics, there's no name on the bike just shimano on the forks (front and back), anyone knows what it is?

it's very heavy (strong as f**k) but i thought that was a bad point









some pics





































any help with id would be handy









john


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

r1ch said:


> Mark -
> 
> 
> 
> ...










My only conviction is for riding a moped naked, an SS50, a helmet would have helped to hide my ID.









I still think there is too much nannying, we are talking cycling, riding a bicycle, not a dangerous activity, I cannot remember ever hurting my head cycling and I've been doing it nearly 40 years. I cannot remember a pal hurting their head either or even the pal of a pal


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

John I've no idea what it is other than it looks about 30 years too young for me!

Rich thanks again for the reply, I'm thinking of just getting a suspension seat stem and some mud guards and new tyres for the one I have, but as soon as I've done that my son will no doubt want it back (It's sort of residing here at the moment as he has no room at his) Luckily i'm only about 12 stone dripping wet, a few days of fasting and I drop to 11, pisses the wife off i can tell you, so oval wheels shouldn't be a problem,

David I popped in my local bike shop this afternoon and he carries some of the giant range, they looked good but obviously budget entry level to me, they may be perfect for what I need but I'm gonna have a browse around over the weekend.


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

I know everyone is recommending staying away from the chain stores and If I was getting a serious bike for heavy specific use I would agree.

However (sticking neck out) do you have a Decathlon near you? its a French chain as far as I know and the French do take their bikes seriously. Ive an old "Rockrider 7.3" MTB (only pic I could find, sorry about the french)and am really happy with it, unfortunately not made any more. Ive always been impressed by decathlon bikes and their value for money.

They do a couple of Hybrids the B'Twin and Triban, A mate over here has just got himself a Triban Trail 5 and its a great bike for the money (200 quid in UK) a looker too. My only criticism would be the twist grip gears, they are easy to change accidentally if you are straining up a hill. The BTwins are nice too, a very original unisex design when they came out a few years back. A decent couple of budget bikes.

cheers

Foz


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Interesting Andy, never heard of them before! Nearest store is 50+ miles away though but I do like this!


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Never heard of the either









They seem to have some good gear and very reasonably priced


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

Disk brakes on that one by the look of it...









All you'd need to do is add a wicker basket on the front and you'd have a pretty hardcore Miss Marple look


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

pg tips said:


> Interesting Andy, never heard of them before! Nearest store is 50+ miles away though but I do like this!


 Ah the Triban Trail 7 if I am not mistaken. They are really nice in the flesh, very well finished, I really like the way the bottom back wheel bars join the seat post high up (sorry for the technical jargon







) and the curved crossbar gives it a retro low rider look.

I have been most impressed by Decathlon in france, they do bike servicing (over here you get a free service after a year) and the bike guys know what they are on about as well.

There are several other big sports retailers over here (Go sport and Eurosport to mention 2 ) with just the sort of tat you would expect. The quality of Decathlon is way higher for the same price.

Some of their real top end jobs are nice looking I am no expert and would be interested what some of the serious cycle guys think of them, the 700 quid rockrider 8.2 for instance?

Foz


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

MarkF said:


> r1ch said:
> 
> 
> > Mark -
> ...


I ride mainly on the road and I wouldn't ride without a helmet now - you may look daft in it but you'd look dafter brain damaged in a hospital ward because you didn't wear one. Cycling is dangerous because other road users are dangerous. You may not ride your bike dangerously but you don't have the power/speed to get out of the way of trouble on a pushbike so wearing a helmet is a reasonable compromise/safeguard to my way of thinking.

My friends brother was killed a few years ago because he tripped & fell & hit his head on a rock whilst out walking in the Yorkshire dales. This accident happened at walking pace & ended up killing him - what chance would you have if you were knocked off your bike by a car driver travelling within the 30mph speed limit, weren't wearing a helmet & hit your head against the curb? I can tell you now you'd stand more chance of surviving the accident if you were wearing a helmet than you would if you weren't! Wearing a helmet is definittely a good idea - even more so if young children are cycling. There may well be too much nannying but I'd still wear a helmet. You may well be an excellent rider but is the person in the car passing you at 40mph an ecxcellent driver????







???? You are vulnerable on a bike (whether on a pushbike or motorbike) & should take relevant safeguards/precautions.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

You have more chance of winning the lottery and being struck by lightening on the same day than hurting your head falling off a bicycle. A cycle helmet is as much use as a chocolate teapot if you are hit by a car. The only helmet that will help you is a full face motorcycle helmet, should we all wear them?

Here is a quote from the cycling organization:-

*motor vehicles are involved in around 90% of cyclistsâ€™ fatal and serious injuries, whereas helmets are only designed for impact speeds equivalent to falling from a stationary riding position*


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

foztex said:


> Some of their real top end jobs are nice looking I am no expert and would be interested what some of the serious cycle guys think of them, the 700 quid rockrider 8.2 for instance?
> 
> Foz


That looks quite a nice bike Foz. Theres not much detail on the spec, but the Shimano XT/LX groupset is good and the Reba shock is also a nice bit of kit. Add the hydraulic disk brakes as well and it sounds nicely specced. The cost in these things comes in the make and quality of the component parts themselves. Disk brake upgrades, ("Hope" make good ones) are about Â£150+ bought seperately and shocks like the Rebas, (theres a few in that range), start at around Â£240 and go well over Â£350 on their own. If its got decent quality rims and tyres and the frame is nicely finished it seems good value. It'd be a case of getting a full run down on it and going to have a ride, but looks promising.

Like cars registration chnageovers, theres a "model year" thing going on with bikes, certainly in the UK. The new models tend to come out in September-ish time and are sold in parallel with the current year model. As the end of the calendar year approaches the outgoing models get discounted, more so as Christmas/Year end approaches. If you're not that fussed about buying the very latest spec bike, there are good deals to be had around that time of year. The popular models tend not to hang around when they are discounted and so its a case of picking your time to buy, leave it too late and they all tend to be gone. I do this myself and its a good way of getting into a bike you might not otherwise ride.

If its not something you're "into" as such, I'd recommend buying a cycling mag for a two or three months before you buy and do a bit of reading to get the feel of whats available at the particular price points. I've got a couple of friends who are pretty serious club cyclists and they don't think that much of having a road bike setup that has cost them Â£4000. Thats by no means unusual, and its possible to lash lots more money at a bike than that! As with cars, theres a real marketplace from Trabant to Rolls Royce.

*Paulus * - Couldn't agree more. My personal take on "nannying" is state or government enforced legislation to compel people to behave in a particular way. Wearing a helmet while riding a bike just seems common sense to me. I'm biased perhaps having known someone killed. It certainly shifted my perception of risk and danger.


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

r1ch said:


> Like cars registration changeovers, theres a "model year" thing going on with bikes, certainly in the UK. The new models tend to come out in September-ish time and are sold in parallel with the current year model. As the end of the calendar year approaches the outgoing models get discounted, more so as Christmas/Year end approaches. If you're not that fussed about buying the very latest spec bike, there are good deals to be had around that time of year. The popular models tend not to hang around when they are discounted and so its a case of picking your time to buy, leave it too late and they all tend to be gone. I do this myself and its a good way of getting into a bike you might not otherwise ride.


Thanks for the insight re. the specs Rich, good advice on last years model too. Thats how I got mine. At the time the 7.3 was 400 quid but I paid 280 in the Autumn sales after the new model came out.

Foz


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

have you seen the new web site for decathlon? Looks like BTwin is the new brand image.

http://www.btwincycle.com/ If you click on the rockrider logo and then Competition MTB on the right you get more spec. The 9 XC looks wicked!

Yes Andy your right it is the triban trial 7, I just love the unusual design of the frame.

Is it worth me trekking across to Nottingham this weekend to check them out I wonder? Tthe T7 has a retail of Â£280


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

pauluspaolo said:


> MarkF said:
> 
> 
> > r1ch said:
> ...


There is no way your going to win.......Mark's mind is made up, even if it might be spilled all over the pavement one day!







Just kidding Mark......lets hope you cycle everyday of your life and not even swallow a fly laughing.....

BTW.....What the hell is a "Hybrid Bike" ?

Last bike I had was a "push bike".....boy am I old!









Best regards David


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Boxbrownie said:


> There is no way your going to win.......Mark's mind is made up, even if it might be spilled all over the pavement one day!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That'll be some day, the same day I win the lottery, get hit by lightening, meet Elvis and..............it's not a dangerous activity I tell you, the opposite is true.









In a nutshell David, it is a mongrel bike, a cross between a road bike (wheels/gears) and a mountain bike, I sold a MTB and a full on tourer and replaced it with a hybrid, I cycle more now than I ever did with two bikes and although they are a compromise they are just what I needed. Here's mine, I have fitted a rack and guards to mine along with an airbag, stabilisers, twin airhorns and a micro-transmitter, which is programmed to transmit on the international cyclists in distress frequency. I should be ok.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

MarkF said:


> Boxbrownie said:
> 
> 
> > There is no way your going to win.......Mark's mind is made up, even if it might be spilled all over the pavement one day!
> ...


Well you would be if somebody hadn't nicked your bike! Where is it...I can't see it







get cammy on the case, quick!


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## DAVID (Mar 17, 2003)

Er...I'd avoid Decathlon this weekend, Ikea is next door + they have a sale on as well.

At 9.0 am this morning they were backed up to the motorway turn off.









I like Decathlon a lot, they sell good stuff, their camping gear is especially good value, and some of their road bikes are fab. I think they do or did sponsor their own cycling team in France at one time.

D.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

We used to buy loads of camping stuff in Decathlon when we were in France.....back in the days theu were unheard of over here, and great for riding stuff too (equestrian), still have a load of gear down the farm my daughter used for years.

Must admit though we haven't been into any of the Decathlons over here yet..........

Best regards David


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

> Don't forget a helmet either!


For sure.....

Dont forget that Transit drivers get 10 bonus points for every helmet they hit with the rear-view-mirror!

Its called "ringing the bell" I am told.


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

Stumbled across this , for any of us who wanted a Chopper but never got one. velotechnik spirit this is a great site some really nifty tackle.

cheers

Foz


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

well a big thanks to everyone, I spent most of the weekend trawling the mrs and kid around various bike shops, virtually made my mind up on a dawes but today i had to go to grantham, and Nottingham isn't that much futher so went to the Decathlon store suggested by Andy.

Big mistake doing it in the school holidays, full of kids the staff were a bit over run but one kind bloke who couldn't speak much English served me and was very helpful. I wanted to try a trail7 but the only ones they had in were XL (bloody french sizing that's about a 23" frame) which is too big for me, so I tried a trail 5 and ended up buying one. just spent an hour putting a suspension seat post on it changing the seat for the big gel one off my old bike and generally setting it up and I love it, it's so much more comfortable and seemingly faster than my old one (or I should say my sons old one, I'll have to tell him he can have it back now).

btw that decathlon store is fantastic for all sorts of sports and outdoor type stuff, I'd never heard of them til Andy's post.

and there was a very tidy piece in tight white trousers trying a few sets of in lines, some very nice views


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

No Dawes eh?









The Trial 5 looks a nice bike, forget PG, put a basket on the front and call yourself PeeWee









See, same


















That was a cracking film, one of my all time faves.

And even a macho rebel like Peewee doesn't need a helmet


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

He's like that precisely due to the fact he wasn't wearing one when he should've 

Well done on the bike PG.. enjoy it.


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

Enjoy your bike PG,

I am just off on mine with the nipper for a wee cycle along the Canal Midi

Cheers

Foz


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