Which trekking bike?

padyjoe

Looking for recommendations on trekking bikes. Myself is 6'2" lad and 112 kg. It'd be used mainly on the road, so has to be quick and solid considering my weight. I quite like the Lapierre Onyx(equipped with factory mudguards) for example or Trek FX series. My budget would be €800, any good value out there? Thank you!

route66

padyjoe wrote: »

Looking for recommendations on trekking bikes. Myself is 6'2" lad and 112 kg. It'd be used mainly on the road, so has to be quick and solid considering my weight. I quite like the Lapierre Onyx(equipped with factory mudguards) for example or Trek FX series. My budget would be €800, any good value out there? Thank you!

The Lapierre is a heavy beast. If you will only be using this on the road, then do you need front forks? They add weight and are just taking away features elsewhere and efficency if you don't need them. I have a Trek FX 7.3 myself. It's a great bike and I have taken it off road on a forest trail myself the odd time; no forks needed but it's not a mountain bike! This isn't to say the Lapierre isn't good, it's just to the left of the scale of hybrid bikes in terms of weight. I'd say the FX series is in the middle and on the right (weight, speed) would be a flat bar road bike - say like this on special in Wiggle at the moment: Willier Asolo Veloce Triple 2011 for €758

As well as the choice of bike, you should also consider where you want to buy. From a service perspective this would vary from your local bike shop through Halfords and end at a web store like Chainreactioncycles or Wiggle, etc; as you move along this "line", prices and service tend to reduce. If you are new to the biking world, you might best be advised to visit a local shop who will look after you and get you sorted.

Have fun!

padyjoe

Thank you for shedding some light on this! No, I don't need forks, have only a bad experience with them. I think the amount of bike shops will be limited because I want to buy this on the bike to work scheme. Maybe disc brakes aren't necessary either? I just would like to have a bike which comfy enough for long journey and reliable so can take some abuse.

Mycroft H

My girlfriend has one of these, I would pick it over the trek FX series.

Its more of a road geometry compared to the Trek FX.

Tonyandthewhale

Yeah, the lapierre onyx is a bad buy, useless features (in the context of a hybrid bike) such as suspension fork and disc brakes make it heavier than it needs to be and detract from the ride quality.

The trek fx range are solid enough yokes, I know a few people who have them and they're happy enough with them although two out of the three people I know who bought one have since upgraded to a drop-bar road bike.
The lapierre shaper that BX linked to is nice, I know someone who used to have the older version of it, the lapierre RCR (although they've also since upgraded to a drop bar road bike. It was a nice yoke, felt a lot faster than most flat bar bikes and looked the business.

Although if you're only going to use it on the road and want somethign that's comfortable enough for long journeys I don't see why you wouldn't just get a road bike instead. That's what I'd do.

padyjoe

This is not going to be an easy one now, AFAIK! :-) Well, when I was a kid had a road bike, it was like a sport car to me. I liked it very much. Road bikes seem a bit more expensive compared to trekking ones.

Mycroft H

padyjoe wrote: »

This is not going to be an easy one now, AFAIK! :-) Well, when I was a kid had a road bike, it was like a sport car to me. I liked it very much. Road bikes seem a bit more expensive compared to trekking ones.

What is your budget?

padyjoe

Around 800ish.

Tonyandthewhale

padyjoe wrote: »

This is not going to be an easy one now, AFAIK! :-) Well, when I was a kid had a road bike, it was like a sport car to me. I liked it very much. Road bikes seem a bit more expensive compared to trekking ones.

If you're going with a budget of 800e you can get a road bike for that sort of money. You're going to be somewhat limited in your selection but there's still some nice stuff out there. I like this for instance:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=35560

Or this http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_789247_langId_-1_categoryId_212536

Or this: http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=35&idproduct=40641

Or this (stretching the budget even further although it is very pretty, and 10 speed campag) http://www.wiggle.co.uk/basso-devil-xenon-2011/

route66

BX 19 wrote: »

My girlfriend has one of these, I would pick it over the trek FX series.

Its more of a road geometry compared to the Trek FX.

There is an old thread here link from boards where somebody was looking at similar options. Might be worth a read.

I'd say you should first think about what you plan to do with the bike. If it's going to end up leaning against your garden shed (as most do!) then it doesn't really matter what you buy. If you plan to actually use it, then think about where, for what and when.

I bought a Trek FX 7.3 under the BTW scheme a few years ago. I did use it for commuting and fitness. Great bike, but after a while I felt it was compromised as a fitness bike - basically, it's slow. I still have it but I recently invested in a 2nd hand racer and I'm delighted with that - I don't get overtaken as often and it's better for fitness.

But there are no firm rules that apply here. With your weight in mind, a racer with lightweight wheels and a small number of spokes may not be up to the job. Similarly, the same racer (aka road bike = drop handlebars) won't be up to proper commuting because it won't have room for proper mudguards and a rack for your stuff. My Trek has all of this and that's why I'd consider it to be suitable for "a to b" transportation. My road bike on the other hand won't take a rack or proper mudguards (not the crappy clip on ones, proper ones!) so I'd consider it to be suitable for "a to a" transportation. Or fitness in other words.

But even at that, there are options. On the extreme right hand side of the hybrid classification there are bikes that are faster and lighter than the extreme left hand side of the roadbike classification. These road bikes tend to be called tourers - e.g the Dawes Vantage (link)

Bet you're sorry you asked now!

Tonyandthewhale

route66 wrote: »

But there are no firm rules that apply here. With your weight in mind, a racer with lightweight wheels and a small number of spokes may not be up to the job. Similarly, the same racer won't be up to proper commuting because it won't have room for proper mudguards and a rack for your stuff.

Unless you buy an audax road bike or an entry level road bike which is designed with commuter use in mind. Although you're right that an all out racer won't have room for all the commuting bells and whistles, you don't have to go for something as heavy as a dawes vantage to get mounts for a rack or mudguard.

padyjoe

No, I'm not sorry at all! I'm amazed by your knowledge and your inputs are very much appreciated! My main goal to get fit (actually losing weight), everything else comes second. If there was a road bike which is solid enough to carry my weight I'd go for it. That tifosi CK7, which linked by Tonyandthewhale, reminds me the old bike I had. I suppose once it rains doesn't matter that you've mudguards or not. I think I need a big thinking about this now, considering all the options you have given me.

route66

padyjoe wrote: »

No, I'm not sorry at all! I'm amazed by your knowledge and your inputs are very much appreciated! My main goal to get fit (actually losing weight), everything else comes second. If there was a road bike which is solid enough to carry my weight I'd go for it. That tifosi CK7, which linked by Tonyandthewhale, reminds me the old bike I had. I suppose once it rains doesn't matter that you've mudguards or not. I think I need a big thinking about this now, considering all the options you have given me.

Ok, so if fitness is your primary goal, just go for a road bike. If you are not commuting on it, then - as you say - it doesn't matter that you have no mudguards. It's only your cycling clothes will get wet; so what!

If you are buying a bike, best to get one that will do you for a while. I purchased mine secondhand but it originally cost about €1K and I'd say this is about the best starting pricepoint if you want something half decent (i.e. alloy frame, carbon forks, Tiagra groupset) and are buying in a shop. Halfords might be cheaper and will sell you this very nice bike for about that price (link). You'll get cheaper/better online of course (i.e. this one: link or this one: link) - lots of choice out there.

Just keep an eye on the wheels. You might need 32-spokes and a lot of bikes trade weight for robustness in this area ...

Andy-Pandy

Would you consider something like this?, nice steel frame for comfort, takes panniers and mud guards. Ive the model up from it and its a fantastic bike, id assume this is too.

padyjoe

Nice bike too Andy-Pandy. So, let's presume if I want something decent I have to look out for: 32 spokes, alloy frame, carbon forks(does this iron the bump better out than the alu ones?), Tiagra groupset and what brakes? I guess the size should be 58-60? This would be bought through BTW scheme, not sure that Halfords included. I'm sure, it's gonna be a road bike now, let the mudguards and panniers, etc. alone, don't need them atm, just want to get out and go for a spin.

njburke

I purchased a bike on the B2W scheme in March, I'm also a similar size to the OP. I was looking for a bike for fitness and commuting. I haven't ridden a bike since '08 but up to then I commuted daily by bike.

My LBS holds what I guess is a unusual amount of bikes in stock, if you've some idea of what you want from bike that can cut down the agony of choice.When selecting the new bike I went for one had the characteristics of the bike I had previously ridden,comfort and durability being high on the list. My previous bike is a 12 speed dawes steel tourer with a straight bar that I put on. After a couple of visits I settled on a Trek 7.5 FX for 675 euros (albeit a 2011 model:eek:).

I've since replaced the saddle with a leather one and swapped the pedals for SPD shoes . I may end up doing something with the handlebars as I could do with more hand positions as I've begun to spend longer on the bike. The Trek has these oddball handlebars which don't facilitate bar ends. I have a rack and panniers to carry work clothes for the commute. Whatever bike you get, budget a few quid to buy bits and pieces afterwards.

I've gradually worked my way up to commuting the 30K return, with a longer spin when I can. I bought a S/H computer with heart rate monitor which I find very helpful in holding a steady work level. My average speed is rising from when I first started, but I'm only now starting to use the big ring when on the flat, even then I can only sustain 30KM/H for a couple of minutes at a time. Its not the bike thats slow,its me. So far no injuries or discomfort other than the hands on longer cycles, the upright position of hybrid may be kinder to the back, again depends on the individual and their level of fitness I suppose. At the time I bought I didn't want a road bike, but that may change by the end of the summer,we'll see.

The bike has performed as expected, I'm down a stone so far, I'm sure any of the hybrids on the shop floor would have done the trick. If its fitness your after its the 'do I drive today/watch TV/head for pint or cycle' choices that are more important than bike A or bike B.