Carrera or Claud Butler? Please help?!!

Strikor

Hi guys,

Im looking for a cheap hybrid bike as my Mongoose was stolen! Can someone please lend me their knowledge and tell me which is the best one of these 2? Pleeeease? I have no idea!

halfords.ie/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/carrera-gryphon-hybrid-bike-large-21#tab2

or

jejamescycles.co.uk/claud-butler-mercury-gold-mens-id57114.html

They wont let me send links yet so just add www dot the the start of those if you can please?

Thanks a million!

CramCycle

Probably the Halfords on the basis that they are available for collection here and easier to get back to with an issue. You have an issue with the Carrera, thats alot of weight to ship to the UK.

What are you using the bike for? If your going to go cheap there are cheaper around that will be easier to maintain.

Strikor

Hi Marc, thanks for the message(s) and the reinstatement:)

I will be just leisurely cycling, and maybe ill venture off road but nothing crazy!

All im looking for is a nice mountain or hybrid bike with preferably 700x46 tyres and disc brakes(preferably hydraulic)! Oh and reliability too! My budget is about 400 euro. Ive been looking at many many bike and im still lost!

Cheers Marc!

CramCycle

Strikor wrote: »

I will be just leisurely cycling, and maybe ill venture off road but nothing crazy!

Thats what I was wondering, if you were just on road, the extra on discs and maintenance are pointless. If they are just leisurely off road and only in the dry, they still are not essential but are comforting to have.

All im looking for is a nice mountain or hybrid bike with preferably 700x46 tyres and disc brakes(preferably hydraulic)! Oh and reliability too! My budget is about 400 euro. Ive been looking at many many bike and im still lost

The truth of the matter is, reliability will be the luck of the draw at this price range, while Halfords has a reputation for poor workmanship in the shop (not always justified), they are local, they tend to take back bikes with issues immediately and are more negotiable if there are clear problems.
IMO, if these two are your only options, my money is on the Halfords one.

Strikor

CramCycle wrote: »

Thats what I was wondering, if you were just on road, the extra on discs and maintenance are pointless. If they are just leisurely off road and only in the dry, they still are not essential but are comforting to have.


The truth of the matter is, reliability will be the luck of the draw at this price range, while Halfords has a reputation for poor workmanship in the shop (not always justified), they are local, they tend to take back bikes with issues immediately and are more negotiable if there are clear problems.
IMO, if these two are your only options, my money is on the Halfords one.

Sorry for the later reply! Thanks for you advice! Theyre not my only options and I do have a question for you?! And can you help me post the question in the correct thread please as you now how much of a novice I am!!

My question is:

Dawes 2014 Discovery Sport 5 Hybrid Bike
startcycles.co.uk/dawes-2014-discovery-sport-5-hybrid-bike.html#!prettyPhoto
or
Giant Roam 2 2014 Hybrid Bike
rutlandcycling.com/150579/products/giant-roam-2-2014-hybrid-bike---grey.aspx

(please put www dot at the beginning of those links if you want to see the bikes... im new and cant post urls yet apparently)

Taking in to consideration that I can get the Dawes for about 120 euro less! They both have hydraulic brakes, theyre both hybrids with 700x40c tyres and they both come in a 22 inch frame! The components are similar too but im no expert!

Daroxtar

Don't know too much about the dawes but I have the Giant and it's a great bike. I've had it on canal paths, forestry trails and done some of the off road sections of the Sligo Way. I've also put about 2000 k on it on the road and it has been bulletproof. The disc brakes have serious stopping power.
It's a bit heavy and if you're not going to take it off road then the front suspension is unnecessary but I have no regrets in buying it.

CramCycle

If money was not an issue, the Giant would be my choice as I have ridden one, colleague in work had one with a rigid fork.

Dawes is 15+kg, Giant is 14.34kg.

Out of all your options it is between the Halfords and the Giant IMO.

The Giant is out of your initial price range though by a long way. Do you need suspension forks? Also get a friend with AXA insurance and you will get a 10% discount from Halfords in store as well, bringing it to sub 300euro

If you go for the Roam, Cycle Superstore in Tallaght have it in stock and if you log on, the price comes down to 616euro which makes it cheaper than the sites you are looking at eg 487sterling as well as being easier to return for servicing or any aftersales issues. Well worth visiting your LBS to see what they have in stock and what they can do for you pricewise. At least you can try before you buy, and most are quite negotiable, especially with the big name brands.

Strikor

CramCycle wrote: »

If money was not an issue, the Giant would be my choice as I have ridden one, colleague in work had one with a rigid fork.

Dawes is 15+kg, Giant is 14.34kg.

Out of all your options it is between the Halfords and the Giant IMO.

The Giant is out of your initial price range though by a long way. Do you need suspension forks? Also get a friend with AXA insurance and you will get a 10% discount from Halfords in store as well, bringing it to sub 300euro

If you go for the Roam, Cycle Superstore in Tallaght have it in stock and if you log on, the price comes down to 616euro which makes it cheaper than the sites you are looking at eg 487sterling as well as being easier to return for servicing or any aftersales issues. Well worth visiting your LBS to see what they have in stock and what they can do for you pricewise. At least you can try before you buy, and most are quite negotiable, especially with the big name brands.

Sorry for the delay in replying guys and thanks so much, your info is brilliant!!!

I have been doing a little more research myself and it seems I have narrowed it down to 2 bikes! I just cant justify going above 600 euro at this stage. So, if you have any thoughts on which of these 2 are best, id love to hear them please?

The Dawes or the Merida?

startcycles.co.uk/bikes/hybrid/merida-crossway-20-md-hybrid-bike-white.html

or

startcycles.co.uk/dawes-2014-discovery-sport-5-hybrid-bike.html#!prettyPhoto

Thank you very much guys!

Strikor

Oh I forgot to say?

How do you know the Dawes is 15kg + ? I cant see that anywhere... Plus, there are no Giant Roam 2 bike left on Cycle Superstore in Tallaght

CramCycle

Strikor wrote: »

Oh I forgot to say?

How do you know the Dawes is 15kg + ? I cant see that anywhere... Plus, there are no Giant Roam 2 bike left on Cycle Superstore in Tallaght

I found it on an english website, I think it was 15.4 kg

EDIT: 15.2kg from here: http://www.freeflowbikes.com/Hardtail/Complete-Bikes/Dawes/Dawes-Discovery-Sport-5-Gents/

Strikor

Wow, interesting... thank you for that! So what do you think of the Merida Crossway 20-MD ?

CramCycle

Strikor wrote: »

Wow, interesting... thank you for that! So what do you think of the Merida Crossway 20-MD ?

Reasonable bike, the forks are apparently not great but unless your going hardcore XC then it won't really matter IMO. A similar bike with better value and again, available here in Ireland would be the Carrera Vulcan from Halfords:http://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-vulcan-mountain-bike-large-20#tab2

Strikor

Ah I see ok... Yes I was on the Vulcan but its not a hybrid and the tyres are huge, plus I think 20" is the biggest they have unfortunately!