Hybrid choice ?

Invincible

Hi all,
I intend buying a hybrid bike on the biketowork scheme,should save 47%,so looking at €1000 spend,I'm 5'6",only had racing bikes before,this is for leisure and odd trip to work 12 miles each way.What do ye think of this http://marreybikes.com/shop/specialized-hardrock-disc-silver-2010-p-861.html?osCsid=t3lb16rel5fobc0n75ngp4eqd5 or this http://www.kearneycycles.com/galway-bicycles-details.php?act=viewProd&productId=495 or have ye any better suggestions?

Thank's in advance.

cdaly_

Your first bike is a mountain bike rather than a hybrid. Unless you're going to be going off-road, you don't want that.

Second bike has fairly low gearing:

Chainwheel 42/32/22
Rear Cogs Shimano, 8-speed: 11-32

The lowest ratio available there (22-32) would do you for climbing up walls but won't be of much use otherwise. The middle chainwheel is as small as my granny ring while the 42 largest isn't going to do you any favours on descents.

For similar money you could consider the Giant Rapid 3 which gives you a much better gearing range.

Cassette SRAM PG 830 11-28
Crankset FSA Tempo, 30/42/52

OTOH, given you are used to racing bikes, why not get a road bike like the Giant Defy 3 for €775? You just might find yourself wanting to do a drops conversion later anyway...

Invincible

Thank's for the tips,cdaly,that Giant Rapid 3 looks suitable

Golfanatic

Get the Specialized Sirrus, my dad has one and he swears by it. i service it for him and its ajoy to work with. mikes bikes dunlaoghaire stock them you should check them out there real helpful an do the bike to work scheme

Invincible

Hi Golffanatic,I had a spin on one of these a few days ago, http://www.kearneycycles.com/galway-bicycles-details.php?act=viewProd&productId=518,hard to tell inside,need to get out for a while on it,nicely finished bike,good to hear positive feedback,thank's.

projectmayhem

Got the trek 7.3 fx a few months ago and never looked back. Stunning piece of kit for commuting in/out of town

Invincible

The 7.3 fx is a nice looking bike,but as cdaly pointed out above,it's geared on the low side.

projectmayhem

Invincible wrote: »

The 7.3 fx is a nice looking bike,but as cdaly pointed out above,it's geared on the low side.

Have to say I've never noticed it being an issue before. I seem to prefer a slightly "harder" ride but it's not a difficult bike to ride on at all... seen a few of them around town too so I'm not alone

Seaneh

Lapierre RCR100 is a great little piece of kit for the price.

Stark

Those gear ratios for the Trek are a mistake I'm sure. I had one before and it was 48 teeth on the large front ring.

Invincible

projectmayhem wrote: »

Have to say I've never noticed it being an issue before. I seem to prefer a slightly "harder" ride but it's not a difficult bike to ride on at all... seen a few of them around town too so I'm not alone

So you don't have a feeling that you're pedalling furiously and going nowhere then ?
I'd prefer something geared with a harder push too.

Invincible

Seaneh wrote: »

Lapierre RCR100 is a great little piece of kit for the price.

It seems similar in sprockets to the Specialized sirrus,what price did you see it for?

projectmayhem

Invincible wrote: »

So you don't have a feeling that you're pedalling furiously and going nowhere then ?
I'd prefer something geared with a harder push too.

Nope, never. My ride into town is mostly flat or downhill so it's not too bad, but home is fairly rough in the other direction so I get the best/worst of both worlds cycling and the bike has served me really well

Invincible

Stark wrote: »

Those gear ratios for the Trek are a mistake I'm sure. I had one before and it was 48 teeth on the large front ring.

I just checked the Trek site,you're right Shimano M361 48/38/28

Invincible

I suppose the best thing is to go to a dealer where they're all available and take each for a spin,only bother with that is the hr manager told me today that they'll do the scheme but will deal with local supplier for handiness for themselves,I rang dealer this evening to ask if he does Trek or Giant,he said he already has two suppliers and does'nt want to bother getting involved with another,agreed to check out if he can order them though,if he can't I'll have to have a word in said hr managers ear

Seaneh

Invincible wrote: »

It seems similar in sprockets to the Specialized sirrus,what price did you see it for?

I got mine for 400 and something in Nigels in Galway. Probably shading 500, cant remember.

Tom Doran

Invincible wrote: »

Hi all,
I intend buying a hybrid bike on the biketowork scheme,should save 47%,so looking at €1000 spend,I'm 5'6",only had racing bikes before,this is for leisure and odd trip to work 12 miles each way.What do ye think of this http://marreybikes.com/shop/specialized-hardrock-disc-silver-2010-p-861.html?osCsid=t3lb16rel5fobc0n75ngp4eqd5 or this http://www.kearneycycles.com/galway-bicycles-details.php?act=viewProd&productId=495 or have ye any better suggestions?

Thank's in advance.

I Have lovely Hybrid Cycle for sell Good reason for selling

poochiem

Seaneh wrote: »

Lapierre RCR100 is a great little piece of kit for the price.

You only like it because it's in Milan colours! haha


I've had the basic Spesh Sirrus model and now the Lapierre rcr100 and very much liked both but would favour the Lapierre. Have to say I bought the Lapierre from a boardsie and he has some nice upgrades on it. The Spesh sirrus came with grip change gearing and they're not great.

daymobrew

Invincible wrote: »

if he can't I'll have to have a word in said hr managers ear

Ask HR Mgr to go with one of the 3rd party companies that much of the admin for HR e.g. http://www.biketowork.ie/

They will issue you with a voucher to bring to almost any shop (the shop must be participating with the 3rd party company - many are).

Invincible

daymobrew wrote: »

Ask HR Mgr to go with one of the 3rd party companies that much of the admin for HR e.g. http://www.biketowork.ie/

They will issue you with a voucher to bring to almost any shop (the shop must be participating with the 3rd party company - many are).

I've already handed her a printout explaining the scheme for employers from biketowork.ie,to which she replied at the time, "we could probably go do it in conjunction with some local dealer",I explained that there was a list of dealers on the scheme that employees could choose to go to.She said last Thursday that they were going with a local dealer,it would be handier for administration and he had approached them:rolleyes:,and they were a reputable company.I think it's too much of a coincedance,as the scheme is over a year old,for the dealer to approach at this time.I rang the dealer on Thursday evening to ask if he did Trek or Giant,his response was,"I'm already dealing with two suppliers and I think it's enough and that another supplier did Trek and Giant".He said he'd find out if he could get them next week

cdaly_

From your employer's POV, the only interaction with the supplier is processing their invoice and issuing a cheque. Local or 200km away should make no difference.

Also be aware that biketowork.ie and other brokers take up to 10% commission from the bike shop so you lose out on negotiation room.

Seaneh

poochiem wrote: »

You only like it because it's in Milan colours! haha

.

Mine is actually silver and grey on black. no red at all.

It's a great little bike though.