which hybrid

esox28

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.roam.1/11844/56841/#specifications

Or
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/multi-use/sirrus/sirruselite#specs

Or
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/multi-use/crosstrail/crosstrailsportdisc

Hey guys, looking to buy one of these inthe coming week and any comments or experiences with any of these?

Also does the lock out fork suspension give any problems or any advantages?

Thanks in advance and any comments appreciated.

Buzwaldo

Depends on what you want the bike for. If its road cycling / commuting, there is no need for suspension, in fact it would be a disadvantage - extra weight etc.
The sirrius is a nice bike (friend has one) and the giant equivalent is I think the rapid.
Suspension necessary for off road only, disc brakes for muddy conditions where brakes may not grip rims.

Darkglasses

Do you really need suspension? I occasionally ride basic off-road trails, and have no need for suspension (Such as the ones in these pics - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=84694515&postcount=1812).

Wider tyres are somewhat important though.

If you're going to be mainly riding off-road, go for a full mountain bike. A half and half mix, maybe the Giant you posted. Mostly roads with occasional trail riding, don't bother with suspension unless you're really heavy, try the Giant Escape (or similar). If realistically, you're only ever going to ride on roads, particularly bad roads, and for some reason you don't want a road bike, the Specialized Sirrus would be an excellent choice.

Hope that helps!

esox28

Thanks guys great info on suspension, originally was looking at the rapid and specialized surris comp.
Realisticly no real off road round here, just taught the roam was all things to all people.

my intentions are to first of all carry my son in a child seat till he's old enough, went I've no pillion excerise and a to b sort of thing all road use.

Can't see myself on a road bike with child in toe.....what do you think?

Darkglasses

esox28 wrote: »

Thanks guys great info on suspension, originally was looking at the rapid and specialized surris comp.
Realisticly no real off road round here, just taught the roam was all things to all people.

my intentions are to first of all carry my son in a child seat till he's old enough, went I've no pillion excerise and a to b sort of thing all road use.

Can't see myself on a road bike with child in toe.....what do you think?

Wouldn't bother with suspension so, it'll only be extra weight and somewhere unnecessary that your money will be going towards!

The Sirrus or the Rapid would be great choices I think, go with whatever is more comfortable/looks cooler to you.

I have absolutely no experience of carrying a nipper around on my bike, so can't offer any insight there!

Seaneh

Get a cross bike if you want something less aggressive than a road bike, still pretty quick and comfortable.

Something like the Giant TCX or Specliaized Tri-Cross.

Very upright riding positions but still have all the hand position options of dropped bars. Also capable of taking 37mm tyres and full mudguards, both have mounts for a pannier rack too so can be used as commuters or touring bikes (the tricross even has front rack mounts). Every bit as comfortable as a hybrid over unpaved/crap roads and every bit as comfortable as a road bike over longer spins.

If you buy a hybrid you'll regret it in 4 months time.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.tcx.2/11842/56837/

http://www.specialized.com/ie/gb/bikes/road/tricross/tricrosstriple

Darkglasses

Seaneh wrote: »

If you buy a hybrid you'll regret it in 4 months time.

Nah, I'm still bombing mine 2 years later. Didn't have enough money for much else when I bought it, have better bikes now but it still has it's purpose.

WAPAIC

I've a specialized sirrus for 6 years, used for commuting and knocking around the city. I think it's great - comfortable, more upright so I can look around easier, powerful brakes, attachment points for racks and bottles, of limited interest to thieves and still fast enough to embarrass plenty of lads.

I also have a road bike and two mountain bikes. I sometimes commute on the road bike if the hybrid is out of commission but I prefer the hybrid for city traffic - the only downside is the bars are wider than the road bike but I could chop them if I wanted to. It feels a bit more nimble in tight spaces. Just ordered a new bottom bracket for it, that makes everything except the frame and handlebars which has been replaced now - forks, grips, saddle, brakes, drivetrain, wheels, cables have all needed replacement for one reason or the other but the frame is like new. Great bike overall.

Dermot Illogical

Darkglasses wrote: »

Nah, I'm still bombing mine 2 years later. Didn't have enough money for much else when I bought it, have better bikes now but it still has it's purpose.

But if you didn't have better bikes now?
How would you feel if it was your only bike?

esox28

Seaneh wrote: »

Get a cross bike if you want something less aggressive than a road bike, still pretty quick and comfortable.

Something like the Giant TCX or Specliaized Tri-Cross.

Very upright riding positions but still have all the hand position options of dropped bars. Also capable of taking 37mm tyres and full mudguards, both have mounts for a pannier rack too so can be used as commuters or touring bikes (the tricross even has front rack mounts). Every bit as comfortable as a hybrid over unpaved/crap roads and every bit as comfortable as a road bike over longer spins.

If you buy a hybrid you'll regret it in 4 months time.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.tcx.2/11842/56837/

http://www.specialized.com/ie/gb/bikes/road/tricross/tricrosstriple

that specialized looks great I'll definitely get a price on it, like the higher bent bars.

im open to correction but IMHO a road bike generally invokes images of tour de France type, wouldent a hybrid like the sirrus be suited to family days out, commute and excerise.

Why would I regret it in you option?

HivemindXX

The assumption is that you will eventually want to race or do 100k+ cycles and you will regret not having a bike that is better suited to that. This assumption is not true for everyone.

For what it is worth I have a hybrid and no road bike. I don't regret it at all. I do regret getting a suspension fork slightly and when it finally wears out enough to warrant being replaced I'll change it for a fixed fork.

esox28

Do you mind me asking what hybrid you own?

If a top hybrid could you reduce tyre
size and change straight bars to curved?

Dermot Illogical

esox28 wrote: »

If a top hybrid could you reduce tyre size reduced and change straight bars to curved?

That's a question often asked by people who regret buying a hybrid. The answer is yes, at huge expense.

The reason people get the "don't buy a hybrid" advice here is that so many have regretted it. They're fine for short to medium distances, and some people find them more comfortable in urban areas, but if you want to do long spins they're a pain. A drop bar bike will do short, medium and long spins equally well and is more comfortable so what's the point in purchasing a compromise?

MB Lacey

I'd go for the Specialized Sirrus too, I like the look of it. I've been commuting/ heading into town on my Specialized Sirrus for about 6 years with no problems at all.

BailMeOut

The Trek 7.x FX range of Hybrids are really good too. I bought a 7.2 FX way back in 2008 and it is still going strong. I put thinner more slicker tyres on it, added handlebar extensions and and have used it for sportives all over Ireland including the ROK. I recently bought a full carbon road bike but I still prefer cycling on my trusty hybrid.

WAPAIC

The only consensus above is that you don't need suspension. Other than that, if you can, try them all. Buy the one you like, you'll ride it more if you think it's sexy.

Alternatively buy second hand, if it doesn't suit you, sell it and buy something else.

Darkglasses

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

But if you didn't have better bikes now?
How would you feel if it was your only bike?

I would have to change from doing mostly road biking to a mostly mixed terrain, but I'd still have a great time on my bike. I ride about 10 km on roads to get to trails which are fun but not very technical. Its very satisfying and a hybrid does a very good job.

esox28

WAPAIC wrote: »

The only consensus above is that you don't need suspension. Other than that, if you can, try them all. Buy the one you like, you'll ride it more if you think it's sexy.

Alternatively buy second hand, if it doesn't suit you, sell it and buy something else.

Yea straight in no kissing

Back to the bikes lol....

Would a 27mm tyre on a hybrid seam a bit big for alot of road use?
Also love the look of end bar is there any cool looking lables to look out for?

BailMeOut

esox28 wrote: »

Yea straight in no kissing

Back to the bikes lol....

Would a 27mm tyre on a hybrid seam a bit big for alot of road use?
Also love the look of end bar is there any cool looking lables to look out for?

I use Continental Ultra Sport 700x28C on my hybrid and they made a massive difference to the heavy standard types that came with the bike. They are really comfortable and fast although are quite difficult to get onto the rims. EUR15 each from what I remember so good value for money too.

Unregistered.

BailMeOut wrote: »

The Trek 7.x FX range of Hybrids are really good too...

Ditto this. I use a 7.3 as my daily commuter and it's bomb-proof! Tires are excellent too, not a single punture in 2 years of use!

bonnieprince

Don't forget Felt, they do a lovely range. I have a Qx75, great bike, comfy position and disc brakes are great.

HivemindXX

esox28 wrote: »

Do you mind me asking what hybrid you own?

If a top hybrid could you reduce tyre
size and change straight bars to curved?

I have a Claude Butler Urban 200. This is the page for the current model, which I can't really vouch for since it was more than 15 years ago that I got mine. I notice they've replaced the suspension fork with a rigid one though.

You can change the tyres within a certain range. One of the first things I did was change the original tyres which were quite MTBey to 32mm semi-slicks.

As one reply already said, don't bother thinking about changing to drop bars, there is a lot more work and expense than you think involved.

smacl

esox28 wrote: »

Thanks guys great info on suspension, originally was looking at the rapid and specialized surris comp.
Realisticly no real off road round here, just taught the roam was all things to all people.

my intentions are to first of all carry my son in a child seat till he's old enough, went I've no pillion excerise and a to b sort of thing all road use.

Can't see myself on a road bike with child in toe.....what do you think?

I reckon a hybrid is a better bet for your requirements. I've a hybrid and road bike, and when I was towing by youngest around the place preferred the hybrid. No point getting an expensive race horse to tow a cart when a donkey will do the job for a fraction of the price and half the fuss. In your shoes, I'd get a reasonably low priced hybrid (~€400, rigid forks) for now and keep the few bob aside to pick up a road bike when you catch the cycling bug.

esox28

Good way of having resistance training pulling one of the carts id imagine.

The bh got me one of those bike to work scheme for a mile stone b'day, that was this time last year. Lucky duck I know.
Was planning on spending around €7 - 800 on hybrid the rest on safety gear and child seat.
But if I can get local shop to credit me €400 is probably enough to spend starting off, as you say.