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New bike
Jul 13, 2024 13:34:49 GMT
via mobile
Post by sticky on Jul 13, 2024 13:34:49 GMT
Any bike experts on here? Currently got a specialized crosstrail hybrid bike Tbf it’s been a really good bike, but now getting on for 10 years old I want a new one.. Wanting to spend between £500-£1000 Be for mainly roads, tow paths and canals, so want something pretty light, goes and stops easy enough and not a ridiculous colour (black ideally) Any help or advise as always is much appreciated
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New bike
Jul 13, 2024 16:21:42 GMT
via mobile
Post by Dutchpeter on Jul 13, 2024 16:21:42 GMT
I bought a Cube Road Race SL Hybrid/Gravel cycle three years ago. It weigh about 10kg, and is adept on the road and light trails/tow paths. Possibly a little over your budget but Cube cycles are worth a look. I got mine from Cycle Discount Centre in Middleport.
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Post by sticky on Jul 13, 2024 16:47:55 GMT
I bought a Cube Road Race SL Hybrid/Gravel cycle three years ago. It weigh about 10kg, and is adept on the road and light trails/tow paths. Possibly a little over your budget but Cube cycles are worth a look. I got mine from Cycle Discount Centre in Middleport. Ta mate, il have a look at that
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 13, 2024 18:12:26 GMT
Halfords Carrera Crossfire 2 men’s hybrid is a good bike at around 14kgs. I had one for about 4 yrs before switching to e-bikes. Had no issues at all very reliable. Currently around £380.
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Post by frasier37 on Jul 13, 2024 18:32:58 GMT
It pains me to say this but, Salops your man ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/kwfoKwtHI0jglJZ4qZf6.gif) I don't know much but I'd go Aluminum and go for the lightest weight. Try and get one with a half decent group set....maybe shimano 105's Disk brakes Worth going second hand for better quality so don't be fooled by camara etc...they are pretty shit imo ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/kwfoKwtHI0jglJZ4qZf6.gif) I bought a Giant Fastroad SR hybrid for 1k after salops advice.......absolutely brilliant buy. Good luck
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Post by CBUFAWKIPWH on Jul 14, 2024 14:32:22 GMT
Weight only really matters if you are into racing or need to carry your bike a lot. Lightweight frames can create problems in your hands and arms due to vibration - old school steel frames are much better at absorbing vibration and are more robust if you cycle on poor roads and towpaths.
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Post by salopstick on Jul 14, 2024 15:05:41 GMT
Any bike experts on here? Currently got a specialized crosstrail hybrid bike Tbf it’s been a really good bike, but now getting on for 10 years old I want a new one.. Wanting to spend between £500-£1000 Be for mainly roads, tow paths and canals, so want something pretty light, goes and stops easy enough and not a ridiculous colour (black ideally) Any help or advise as always is much appreciated Ive got a really nice Planet X Tempest titanium gravel bike with 34mm slicks. SRAM force. Its worth paying the extra Planet X are very good value new Have a look on eBay
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 14, 2024 18:02:15 GMT
It pains me to say this but, Salops your man ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/kwfoKwtHI0jglJZ4qZf6.gif) I don't know much but I'd go Aluminum and go for the lightest weight. Try and get one with a half decent group set....maybe shimano 105's Disk brakes Worth going second hand for better quality so don't be fooled by camara etc...they are pretty shit imo ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/kwfoKwtHI0jglJZ4qZf6.gif) I bought a Giant Fastroad SR hybrid for 1k after salops advice.......absolutely brilliant buy. Good luck Strangely the Mrs had a Giant Hybrid, not the model you describe, and the bottom bracket bearing failed for a past time. Not a difficult or expensive job but very annoying. In 5 years think I probably replaced it half a dozen times. Otherwise a good bike just a little on the heavy side. Best cheaper end hybrid I had was a Carrera Crossfire2. I upgraded the discs to hydraulic and the Sun Tor suspension forks were shite so spent another £100 on Volant hybrid lock out forks. Had the bike for 4 years very reliable until I switched to E-bike couple of years ago.
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New bike
Jul 14, 2024 18:11:24 GMT
via mobile
Post by sticky on Jul 14, 2024 18:11:24 GMT
Cheers for the advice, il start looking 👍🏻
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Post by sticky on Jul 15, 2024 6:04:58 GMT
Any bike experts on here? Currently got a specialized crosstrail hybrid bike Tbf it’s been a really good bike, but now getting on for 10 years old I want a new one.. Wanting to spend between £500-£1000 Be for mainly roads, tow paths and canals, so want something pretty light, goes and stops easy enough and not a ridiculous colour (black ideally) Any help or advise as always is much appreciated Ive got a really nice Planet X Tempest titanium gravel bike with 34mm slicks. SRAM force. Its worth paying the extra Planet X are very good value new Have a look on eBay Just had a nose on eBay, lovely bike that, tempted to invest in that one 👍🏻
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Post by salopstick on Jul 15, 2024 8:18:57 GMT
Ive got a really nice Planet X Tempest titanium gravel bike with 34mm slicks. SRAM force. Its worth paying the extra Planet X are very good value new Have a look on eBay Just had a nose on eBay, lovely bike that, tempted to invest in that one 👍🏻 i got a good deal off planet x. i use it for my winter bike so i invested in better road wheels with large slicks keeping the gravel wheels/tyres for the odd occasion i do any of that. Titanium will last for ever and its a decent groupset.
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Post by frasier37 on Jul 15, 2024 14:33:37 GMT
It pains me to say this but, Salops your man ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/kwfoKwtHI0jglJZ4qZf6.gif) I don't know much but I'd go Aluminum and go for the lightest weight. Try and get one with a half decent group set....maybe shimano 105's Disk brakes Worth going second hand for better quality so don't be fooled by camara etc...they are pretty shit imo ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/kwfoKwtHI0jglJZ4qZf6.gif) I bought a Giant Fastroad SR hybrid for 1k after salops advice.......absolutely brilliant buy. Good luck Strangely the Mrs had a Giant Hybrid, not the model you describe, and the bottom bracket bearing failed for a past time. Not a difficult or expensive job but very annoying. In 5 years think I probably replaced it half a dozen times. Otherwise a good bike just a little on the heavy side. Best cheaper end hybrid I had was a Carrera Crossfire2. I upgraded the discs to hydraulic and the Sun Tor suspension forks were shite so spent another £100 on Volant hybrid lock out forks. Had the bike for 4 years very reliable until I switched to E-bike couple of years ago. Sorry lawrie, I didn't see your post. As I say I don't know much about them really....only how I find. My views on carreras stem from my sons bike that I still have here in my garage covered in dust.....absolute chunk of a thing...poor quality groupset (constant maintenance) As you've pointed out maybe I shouldn't tar the whole of the Carrera with the same brush ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/kwfoKwtHI0jglJZ4qZf6.gif) As for Giant....quite expensive to have so many faults on some models I agree mate. Luckily mine has been brilliant from day one.....more than can be said for my riding skills as I cross tramlines on blackpool front, but that's another story ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/0m0lbCuTEBzaRn6f8QaM.gif)
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Post by salopstick on Jul 16, 2024 8:36:17 GMT
Any bike experts on here? Currently got a specialized crosstrail hybrid bike Tbf it’s been a really good bike, but now getting on for 10 years old I want a new one.. Wanting to spend between £500-£1000 Be for mainly roads, tow paths and canals, so want something pretty light, goes and stops easy enough and not a ridiculous colour (black ideally) Any help or advise as always is much appreciated If possible also think about increasing budget in relation to the use it will get its like buying a tv. you go 40" then once out the box wish you had bought bigger etc
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New bike
Jul 16, 2024 9:45:45 GMT
via mobile
Post by sticky on Jul 16, 2024 9:45:45 GMT
Any bike experts on here? Currently got a specialized crosstrail hybrid bike Tbf it’s been a really good bike, but now getting on for 10 years old I want a new one.. Wanting to spend between £500-£1000 Be for mainly roads, tow paths and canals, so want something pretty light, goes and stops easy enough and not a ridiculous colour (black ideally) Any help or advise as always is much appreciated If possible also think about increasing budget in relation to the use it will get its like buying a tv. you go 40" then once out the box wish you had bought bigger etc Cheers Salop, i know what you mean, and I’m already looking at more expensive ones now! I think realistic my limit will be £1500 tbh. Keep checking on eBay for Planet X bikes, I suppose I’m a bit apprehensive of buying 2nd hand as I’m not sure what I’m looking for (in terms of checking the bike over) Are there not shops that sell second hand bikes around this area?
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Post by salopstick on Jul 16, 2024 10:31:55 GMT
If possible also think about increasing budget in relation to the use it will get its like buying a tv. you go 40" then once out the box wish you had bought bigger etc Cheers Salop, i know what you mean, and I’m already looking at more expensive ones now! I think realistic my limit will be £1500 tbh. Keep checking on eBay for Planet X bikes, I suppose I’m a bit apprehensive of buying 2nd hand as I’m not sure what I’m looking for (in terms of checking the bike over) Are there not shops that sell second hand bikes around this area? fuck knows mate, but bikes of that value tend to be decent nick and looked after. just budget £100ish for a decent service. keep an eye on Planet X for their regular deals
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Jul 16, 2024 14:28:58 GMT
For your use case sounds like you want a hybrid or a gravel bike* which will take tyres up to about 45mm wide. The difference mostly being the shape of the handlebars really, hybrids have flat bars, gravel bikes have road bars. I personally prefer road bars by far as you have a choice of hand positions to help with comfort. The downside is they have integrated brakes and gear shifters which makes them more expensive than the equivalent hybrid, especially if you want fully hydraulic brakes. But you'll also probably find a drop bar bike a bit quicker. The most important thing with any bike is a good fit. Something like this Decathlon looks like a good bet - they get really well reviewed. All the components are good spec, they've only really saved on having brakes that are cable pulled but have hydraulic pistons - I had these on my bike for a good few years and they are certainly good enough to stop you. www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-gravel-bike-grvl-520-subcompact/_/R-p-313015?mc=8587697&c=burgundy%20purple_bright%20tomatoSonder Camino (sold by Alpkit) is also really well loved and price competitive. *touring, cyclocross, 'all road' bikes are all pretty similar to gravel bikes when it comes down to it.
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 17, 2024 8:08:21 GMT
I love bikes. But back in the day the choice was…… 3 speed Sturmey Archer or 3/4/5 speed Raleigh derailleur or no gears Cross bar handlebars, curved back handlebars or Dropped handle bars Cable brakes or Rod brakes Bike frames were only made from chrome molybdenum with brazed joints. Wheels were steel rims If you were lucky you could afford lights operated by a bottle generator driven by rear tyre rim.
Modern bike choice are mind boggling. I’ve even seen cable-less gear changes when Tour of Britain came through our village few years ago.
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Post by Gods on Jul 17, 2024 9:15:12 GMT
Any bike experts on here? Currently got a specialized crosstrail hybrid bike Tbf it’s been a really good bike, but now getting on for 10 years old I want a new one.. Wanting to spend between £500-£1000 Be for mainly roads, tow paths and canals, so want something pretty light, goes and stops easy enough and not a ridiculous colour (black ideally) Any help or advise as always is much appreciated I can't advise but I have the same bike as you, same age. It shows no sign of giving up and looks tatty enough not to get nicked! Only downside with it is that it does seem bloody heavy, I guess that is why it is pretty much indestructable!
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New bike
Jul 17, 2024 11:06:22 GMT
via mobile
Post by Dutchpeter on Jul 17, 2024 11:06:22 GMT
I love bikes. But back in the day the choice was…… 3 speed Sturmey Archer or 3/4/5 speed Raleigh derailleur or no gears Cross bar handlebars, curved back handlebars or Dropped handle bars Cable brakes or Rod brakes Bike frames were only made from chrome molybdenum with brazed joints. Wheels were steel rims If you were lucky you could afford lights operated by a bottle generator driven by rear tyre rim. Modern bike choice are mind boggling. I’ve even seen cable-less gear changes when Tour of Britain came through our village few years ago. I bought myself a 1978 Triumph Traffic Master with a three speed sturmey archer hub. It’s quite sprightly and the brakes work unbelievably well too. It must have looked old fashioned in 1978 but was built to last. It’s a surprisingly capable cycle even now, but a world away from the modern stuff.
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New bike
Jul 17, 2024 12:45:40 GMT
via mobile
Gods likes this
Post by sticky on Jul 17, 2024 12:45:40 GMT
Any bike experts on here? Currently got a specialized crosstrail hybrid bike Tbf it’s been a really good bike, but now getting on for 10 years old I want a new one.. Wanting to spend between £500-£1000 Be for mainly roads, tow paths and canals, so want something pretty light, goes and stops easy enough and not a ridiculous colour (black ideally) Any help or advise as always is much appreciated I can't advise but I have the same bike as you, same age. It shows no sign of giving up and looks tatty enough not to get nicked! Only downside with it is that it does seem bloody heavy, I guess that is why it is pretty much indestructable! I’d agree with all that Gods! It’s been a great bike tbf and still rides ok, but compared to others I’ve seen it’s very heavy, and the suspension doesn’t work. Those Planet X bikes look amazing so got my heart set on one of those atm
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Post by salopstick on Jul 17, 2024 13:20:55 GMT
I can't advise but I have the same bike as you, same age. It shows no sign of giving up and looks tatty enough not to get nicked! Only downside with it is that it does seem bloody heavy, I guess that is why it is pretty much indestructable! I’d agree with all that Gods! It’s been a great bike tbf and still rides ok, but compared to others I’ve seen it’s very heavy, and the suspension doesn’t work. Those Planet X bikes look amazing so got my heart set on one of those atm ![](//storage.proboards.com/800541/thumbnailer/oGpaKJtsLwcgtNcNI0no.png)
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Post by sticky on Jul 17, 2024 13:31:33 GMT
I’d agree with all that Gods! It’s been a great bike tbf and still rides ok, but compared to others I’ve seen it’s very heavy, and the suspension doesn’t work. Those Planet X bikes look amazing so got my heart set on one of those atm View Attachment Looks nice that mate!
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Post by salopstick on Jul 17, 2024 13:39:30 GMT
the bike is too ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/800541/images/KYqg3pYeaerc5lD_P7BR.gif)
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New bike
Jul 17, 2024 13:40:18 GMT
via mobile
Post by tuum on Jul 17, 2024 13:40:18 GMT
I love bikes. But back in the day the choice was…… 3 speed Sturmey Archer or 3/4/5 speed Raleigh derailleur or no gears Cross bar handlebars, curved back handlebars or Dropped handle bars Cable brakes or Rod brakes Bike frames were only made from chrome molybdenum with brazed joints. Wheels were steel rims If you were lucky you could afford lights operated by a bottle generator driven by rear tyre rim. Modern bike choice are mind boggling. I’ve even seen cable-less gear changes when Tour of Britain came through our village few years ago. I have e-shifting (Di2) on my gravel bike and I like it. I love the fact that you can pre-program it to shift chainrings up or down when you want just by entering a couple of numbers into your home computer. I also have the GRX 815 shifters and they are a thing of beauty with their great feel and fancy thumb shifters on the inside of the hoods for scrolling through your bike computer..miles better than Ultegra. There is loads of tech stuff out there these days. I don't have room on my handlebars for a front light so I got a head light from Decathlon for a few quid. Stunningly bright and comfy. One of my best purchases.
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Post by salopstick on Jul 17, 2024 13:43:13 GMT
I love bikes. But back in the day the choice was…… 3 speed Sturmey Archer or 3/4/5 speed Raleigh derailleur or no gears Cross bar handlebars, curved back handlebars or Dropped handle bars Cable brakes or Rod brakes Bike frames were only made from chrome molybdenum with brazed joints. Wheels were steel rims If you were lucky you could afford lights operated by a bottle generator driven by rear tyre rim. Modern bike choice are mind boggling. I’ve even seen cable-less gear changes when Tour of Britain came through our village few years ago. I have e-shifting (Di2) on my gravel bike and I like it. I love the fact that you can pre-program it to shift chainrings up or down when you want just by entering a couple of numbers into your home computer. I also have the GRX 815 shifters and they are a thing of beauty with their great feel and fancy thumb shifters on the inside of the hoods for scrolling through your bike computer..miles better than Ultegra. There is loads of tech stuff out there these days. I don't have room on my handlebars for a front light so I got a head light from Decathlon for a few quid. Stunningly bright and comfy. One of my best purchases. some decent garmin mount ones out there too
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 17, 2024 17:22:50 GMT
I have e-shifting (Di2) on my gravel bike and I like it. I love the fact that you can pre-program it to shift chainrings up or down when you want just by entering a couple of numbers into your home computer. I also have the GRX 815 shifters and they are a thing of beauty with their great feel and fancy thumb shifters on the inside of the hoods for scrolling through your bike computer..miles better than Ultegra. There is loads of tech stuff out there these days. I don't have room on my handlebars for a front light so I got a head light from Decathlon for a few quid. Stunningly bright and comfy. One of my best purchases. some decent garmin mount ones out there too When I was in hospital 5 years ago there was a research engineer in the next be who worked at Plymouth Uni. At the time he was involved in the design of extending pedal arms which worked by extending by about 20% in length as the pedal arm passed top dead centre to give move leverage on the downward power stroke. As the pedal arm approached the bottom of the power stroke it retracted to normal length as it passed bottom dead centre. He reckoned it would add about 30% more power with both pedal arms working in unison. Never seen anything further about this innovation but he said it was working well in trials.
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New bike
Jul 17, 2024 18:45:00 GMT
via mobile
Post by salopstick on Jul 17, 2024 18:45:00 GMT
some decent garmin mount ones out there too When I was in hospital 5 years ago there was a research engineer in the next be who worked at Plymouth Uni. At the time he was involved in the design of extending pedal arms which worked by extending by about 20% in length as the pedal arm passed top dead centre to give move leverage on the downward power stroke. As the pedal arm approached the bottom of the power stroke it retracted to normal length as it passed bottom dead centre. He reckoned it would add about 30% more power with both pedal arms working in unison. Never seen anything further about this innovation but he said it was working well in trials. Shorter crank arms are all the rage.
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 17, 2024 20:29:42 GMT
When I was in hospital 5 years ago there was a research engineer in the next be who worked at Plymouth Uni. At the time he was involved in the design of extending pedal arms which worked by extending by about 20% in length as the pedal arm passed top dead centre to give move leverage on the downward power stroke. As the pedal arm approached the bottom of the power stroke it retracted to normal length as it passed bottom dead centre. He reckoned it would add about 30% more power with both pedal arms working in unison. Never seen anything further about this innovation but he said it was working well in trials. Shorter crank arms are all the rage. How is that Al? You’d have thought shorter crank arms would be harder work with power stroke
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Post by salopstick on Jul 18, 2024 5:06:08 GMT
Shorter crank arms are all the rage. How is that Al? You’d have thought shorter crank arms would be harder work with power stroke Depends on leg size.
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New bike
Jul 18, 2024 8:21:34 GMT
via mobile
Post by tuum on Jul 18, 2024 8:21:34 GMT
I have e-shifting (Di2) on my gravel bike and I like it. I love the fact that you can pre-program it to shift chainrings up or down when you want just by entering a couple of numbers into your home computer. I also have the GRX 815 shifters and they are a thing of beauty with their great feel and fancy thumb shifters on the inside of the hoods for scrolling through your bike computer..miles better than Ultegra. There is loads of tech stuff out there these days. I don't have room on my handlebars for a front light so I got a head light from Decathlon for a few quid. Stunningly bright and comfy. One of my best purchases. some decent garmin mount ones out there too I need a garmin mount. I have got a cheap chines knock off and it shows. Fitting is pretty loose and the headset rattles about a bit. I need one that I can sling a light under. Unfortunately, I live in Thailand and am currently working in Kazakhstan. Garmin has no presence for cy ling stuff. I did buy my replacement shifters on line in the UK and have a work colleague bring them back to Kaz but I can't be doing that every time I want something.
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