Opinions please on Hybrid bike

billyhead

I am planning to get a hybrid bike for a 30Km round trip commute to work and for long leisure cycles (30-40 miles) the odd day aswell. I don't want to get another road bike because I have one already and would rather use a hybrid during the winter commute. I think there safer as well on wet roads and more sturdier also. What would your opinions be on this bike

http://www.duffcycles.com/about-shop?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=67&category_id=21

or alternatively a Lapierre hybrid bike from the cycle superstore http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=38&idproduct=17881. The budget is €1000 under the bike to work scheme. I could adda couple of 100 for a decent hybrid to last at least 4-5 years. Any suggestions or feedback would be welcome

245

I know that you don't want another road bike but a hybrid might not be to your taste if you're used to a road bike. If all you want is more strength and grip then a cyclo-cross bike might offer you these attributes with less compromise in terms of position and speed - you can fit the usual choice of hybrid tyres for equivalent grip and if you look at the Specialized Tricross Triple or the Giant TCX 2 you'll save a few hundred euro to boot.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=38443&gold_ses=

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=23631

blorg

Hybrids are not more sturdier than road bikes; a good road bike is plenty sturdy. You can however fit wider tyres which provide more cushioning both to yourself and the wheels in case of potholes etc.

A cyclocross bike would be a very good choice if you are like the drops but would like to add wider tyres for more comfort. If you go down this route make sure to swap the nobblies it wil come with for slicks, the nobblies are painful on the road.

If you don't like the drops/position for commuting though a hybrid could be a good idea. Bear in mind though that many cyclocross bikes have quite an upright position compared to a road bike, my Tricross certainly does. So it could still be a runner if you are looking for a more upright position.

Civilian_Target

Dunno about that blorg... my housemate has a race bike that costs twice as much as my hybrid, but there's no question as to which is more solid, and no doubt as to which one is heavier!

Neither of your choices would be my recommendation as a hybrid, but the Lapierre seems like a better bet, even if you have to provide your own pedals

Remember for both of them you'll probably want panniers and mudguards...

blorg

My experience would be quite different; I have had a few nice road bikes in my time and frankly they eat the miles with less maintenance and take knocks (and there have been a few) far better than a cheap or even mid-range hybrid (I have a cheap hybrid now and had mid-range ones in the past.) My various road wheels are a fraction of the weight of the ones on my hybrid and _look_ more delicate but they are actually less likely to go out of true if I smack into a pothole.

DePurpereWolf

The topic starter made the classic error of implying the question "is X better than a road bike".
You have to be really delicate in formulating your question amidst these racers.

A hybrid comes in different shapes and forms: City bike to (cycle)-cross bikes.

I would go for a more upright position than a road bike (so more like what you thought of) it is just more comfortable, definitely at stops and high traffic areas.

Wider tyres are also important, disc brakes if you go down steep hills (here we go again). If you go an add mudguards and lights and the shebang, than there is no need to spend more money on an ultra-light weight frame you'll get with a road-bike or a cycle-cross.

Al Wright

I use a hybrid for my 12 mile round commute to work in town. It was off road for 2 days last week awaiting spares so I used my road (dropped handlebar) bike. Although I use the road bike nearly every weekend for spins over 60miles at a time, I felt very insecure using it in town. It handles very differently, I felt that my field of vision was impaired and I almost came to grief on the first day when I sat up to look behind before changing lanes.
I suppore it comes down to what you are most comfortable with in the particular environment.

blorg

Not really the case DePurpereWolf, I rode hybrids for many years before I came to road bikes and I believe they are the probably the best choice for general use/commuting for anyone not used to drops looking to do moderate distances.

It's just a myth that road bikes are somehow fragile, honestly they are not and that is what I was addressing.

Wider tyres do however absorb shocks better and you are more likely to have this option on a hybrid, although you will also have it on a cross bike.

If you like drops and want wider tyres/more upright position, tourer or cross bike. If you don't like drops, hybrid. If you like drops and don't want wider tyres a road bike will be plenty sturdy.

billyhead

So what do you suggest folks. Do you think I should go for one of these to use during the winter and get a set of slicks. I do like cycling with drop down bars. Its just I figured i would have more confidence in terms of safety on those dark winter evenings cyling home. The route I take does not have cycle lanes either. There like country roads

http://www.cycleways.com/store/product/41333/Specialized-Tricross-Sport/

violator13

go for a boardman hybrid, geat spec and price as long as you are prepared to buy in Halfords!!!!

billyhead

Thanks for the info. Theonly problem is that there not on the approved list for the bike to work scheme (for the civil service that is)

blorg

@billyhead- OK, so you like drops. What is it about the road bike that you think another type of bike will give you more confidence or more safety on dark evenings? The position, increased comfort, or something else.

A cross bike like the Specialized Tricross will have a more upright position than a road bike while still having drops and you can fit wide slicks (700x32-38c or so) for increased comfort/shock absorbsion on potholes.

Note also you will have the extra brake levers on the flat part of the bars so you can keep you hands there in traffic while still having brake access (albeit these are *not* as strong as the main levers.) I didn't think these would be any use when I first got it but really took to it in practice.

doozerie

billyhead wrote: »

Thanks for the info. Theonly problem is that there not on the approved list for the bike to work scheme (for the civil service that is)

By approved list, do you mean that your employer has an explicit list of bike shops that you can buy from? If so, then the following is irrelevant in your case but might be useful for others planning to avail of the scheme: there seems to be quite a bit of vagueness and some almost contradictory information available about the scheme generally. In particular, to anyone looking at this list of "partner" bike shops it could be interpreted as a definitive list of shops that you can buy from under the scheme, but it is simply a list of shops that have agreed to "partner" with the company calling itself "Bike to Work". The scheme itself allows you to buy from any shop, on-line or otherwise. Of course, if your employer decides to impose their own restrictions within the rules of the scheme, then you are bound by those.

As regards choice of commute bike, another option worth considering is a mountain bike fitted with slicks. The main advantage here is that you then have the option of doing some off-road mountain biking (just by changing the tyres) should you decide to give that a go at some stage. A cyclo-cross bike would give you that option too, but my personal choice would be a mountain bike over a cyclo-cross bike. A hybrid will always be a road bike only so offers less flexibility.

72hundred

doozerie wrote: »

In particular, to anyone looking at this list of "partner" bike shops it could be interpreted as a definitive list of shops that you can buy from under the scheme, but it is simply a list of shops that have agreed to "partner" with the company calling itself "Bike to Work". The scheme itself allows you to buy from any shop, on-line or otherwise.

I thought getting that domain name was a bit dubious. Its very similar to the actual government title and for a commercial enterprise to get it might lead a lot of new cyclists down a for-profit-website.

pburns

I've been mystified by the number of posters on here commenting that they are restricted to a particular shop or chain or referring to the 'approved' list.

There can't be a bike shop in the country that isn't participating. You go in, spec your bike, get an invoice, bring the invoice to work, get a cheque/transfer, pay for bike, cycle home. There seems to be a lot of misinformation & awkward employers out there however.

245

pburns wrote: »

I've been mystified by the number of posters on here commenting that they are restricted to a particular shop or chain or referring to the 'approved' list.

There can't be a bike shop in the country that isn't participating. You go in, spec your bike, get an invoice, bring the invoice to work, get a cheque/transfer, pay for bike, cycle home. There seems to be a lot of misinformation & awkward employers out there however.

A lot of employers seem to be taking the easy way out and joining a scheme which has participating shops - my employer uses the Raleigh To Work scheme which was a pain because I saw the bike that I wanted in Cycleways and couldn't buy it as they weren't on the list.

Bottom line is that its the lesser of two evils if an employer uses a scheme in order to participate instead of not participating at all. It does seem to be doing bike shops no end of good which shows you what a little imagination by government can achieve. Pity its so seldom that we see innovation (or copying ideas from other countries - the UK seems to be running the same scheme)

DePurpereWolf

The Netherlands has been running the scheme some 5 year now. Much easier though, you buy and you just get a tax back at the end of the year if you do your taxes.

Anyway, that raleigh2work scheme looks like a cowboy scheme, I can't believe it's allowed.
1. Why would a company limit their staff to only buy from a single company (distributor)?
2. Is this not inviting shady business? Illegal price gouging.

I can't believe it is that much paperwork for a company that they are protesting, or going with these limiting options.

Or it's just a good sales person from Rayleigh who convinced the employer the paperwork is just impossible.
"Hey, if you let your employees buy with us I'll do your paperwork."

245

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

The Netherlands has been running the scheme some 5 year now. Much easier though, you buy and you just get a tax back at the end of the year if you do your taxes.

Anyway, that raleigh2work scheme looks like a cowboy scheme, I can't believe it's allowed.
1. Why would a company limit their staff to only buy from a single company (distributor)?
2. Is this not inviting shady business? Illegal price gouging.

I can't believe it is that much paperwork for a company that they are protesting, or going with these limiting options.

Or it's just a good sales person from Rayleigh who convinced the employer the paperwork is just impossible.
"Hey, if you let your employees buy with us I'll do your paperwork."

There's a similar scheme called Bike2work (www.bike2work.ie) and maybe more - I haven't done too much digging. I don't work in HR but I assume that these schemes somehow minimise the paperwork for HR depts who are notorious for disliking additional workload and the risk of liability. These schemes seem to do a deal with a selection of bike shops so there is an element of competition in that the customer can shop around and can ask for and get a discount - I dunno though - the Netherlands scheme seems to be attractively simple.

The name of the Raleigh2work scheme is deceptive (and maybe a bad choice) - I bought a Giant through it and any brand sold by the shops participating can be purchased.

Soccerchipie

Some employers are listing specific bike shops as partner shops due to the nature of the transaction. Finiance departments only want to deal with a small number of shops.....
The whole bike-to-work scheme is becoming a bit of a joke.... Bike shops are upping the prices on bikes in the €750 -€1000 and keeping them artifically high as a direct result of the scheme.
Bike shops have seen their busiest period ever over the past few months and are making a killing. Typical mark-up on bikes was approx 40%.... but is now closer to 60%.
Add to this that suppliers are now forcing shops to sell bikes at their list price or loose the rights to sell particular brands and the consumer looses yet again!:mad: