Need help choosing a bike

Crann na Beatha

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Lemag

What's your intended usage for the bike? What's your budget and are there any restrictions regarding where your employer must purchase the bike from?

Crann na Beatha

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Bobby1984

Is that €600 of your earnings that you are willing to spend. If so it would bring the cost of the bike which you could buy up around €1,100 presuming you are on the higher level of tax.

Not much of a clue about bikes either so I would be interested to see some of the answers.

Lemag

Road bikes aren't at all suited to off-road activities so you'd probably be looking at a proper hardtail mountain bike to suit your intended purpose. It'd be a bit of a slog on the roads but won't fall apart when bouncing off rocks. This might do the trick or perhaps take a look at the Carrera range in Halfords. I'm not that up-to-date on what's in the stores.

Tonyandthewhale

Then again, mountain bikes aren't really suited to riding on the road. If you're going to mostly be riding on the roads get a road bike (racing bike) and just leave the exploring the woods for when you're in a walking mood (although a road bike with 28mm tyres won't fall apart on gentle woodland trails, it just won't be that comfortable or fast and it'll be completely useless if the trail turns more technical like proper mountain bike trails).

If you want to ride on the road some days and other days you want to go mountain biking, buy two bikes.

Crann na Beatha

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clonmahon

Hybrids are good if you like an upright riding position, and want to carry cargo, for example shopping or delivering a child to school. If you just want to get to work ASAP get a road bike, if you don’t mind taking a bit longer and want to bring home the shopping get a hybrid. Hybrids tend to come with a wider range of gears, mudgards, carrier. Horses for courses