Opinions on this

empirix

Hey all,

Please check out the links below, i am deciding which of these to buy
The ridgeback Tempest:
http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=71027

or the Specialized Sirrus:
http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=70093

Leaning towards the ridgeback for a few reasons, reviews on the net suggest its a good city bike and handles the rough and tumble well. Also its around €80 cheaper, has disc brakes and i think it looks very well. A few people here like/have the sirrus - am i trying to sell the ridgeback to myself!!!

Should add this is mainly for in and out of work and maybe a cycle up the Pheonix Park at the weekend
Anyway, opinions appreciated

cheers

Membrane

empirix wrote:

Leaning towards the ridgeback for a few reasons, reviews on the net suggest its a good city bike and handles the rough and tumble well. Also its around €80 cheaper, has disc brakes and i think it looks very well. A few people here like/have the sirrus - am i trying to sell the ridgeback to myself!!!

Should add this is mainly for in and out of work and maybe a cycle up the Pheonix Park at the weekend

I'd consider disc brakes as a fashion accessory and a drawback on a commuter, its likely to add weight, mechanical complexity whilst serving no purpose. To me that's how the whole Ridgeback configuration strikes me: designed to appeal to "wannabe off-roaders", the equivalent of the D4 tractors; they look like they could go off-road, but most never will, and that is how they are built.

The Sirrus looks like a much more sensible bike for the road, and it has an alu fork whereas the Ridgeback has a steel fork.

empirix

Hmm, thats food for thought, although i did pick the two up and i can't say i noticed any real difference in weight tbh.

copacetic

i'd disagree with the above comments, the 2 bikes are for 2 different markets. The sirrus is a 'fast' commuter or flat bar road bike, try hoping up and down a few kerbs etc and it will be in bits. It has mostly road bike components (700c wheels etc) and could never take disc brakes.The tempest is a std commuter, more like a mtn bike with slicks (26 inch wheels etc). It would cope better with the 'rough and tumble' of commuting in my opinion. However it would be a fair bit slower.

You need to decide what type of bike you want first and then compare like with like, in my opinion. Mebranes comments seem off to me as these aren't comparable bikes. The ridgeback equivalent to the sirrus is the 'genesis range' which they have spun off this year as a seperate brand. The genesis day 00 is nice and cheapish:
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/index.php?bikeID=33&show_bike=TRUE

I actually like the nemesis with the nexus hub too. Have a look at the halfords subway range, they are very similar to the ridgeback switch range but cheaper.

ThOnda

Ridgeback is going to accelerate faster, it could handle slick-tyres, however a little bit wider ones, so it is going to be more comfortable. Disc brakes are perfect if you are going to use it in rain. They are weather-independent.
Also the frame-height is lower, so you are going to have more room to get-off, especially in problematic situations.
You can fit both carriers and mudguards on both of those bikes.

However, bike with disc brakes is going to look more expensive and it is going to be stolen sooner.

Imho (I am mountain biker) I would prefer the Ridgeback.

empirix

Lads, much appreciated, think i'll go with the ridgeback as i've been known to hop up and down footpaths and take shortcuts, and tbh i really like the style/look of the ridgeback.
Thonda - am i missing something, i could of sworn there is slicks on the ridgeback