Anyone have any of these hybrid bikes?

joker77

Still struggling away getting in and out of town on a cheapo bike that's about to clap out any day now, so having a browse round so I'll know what to get when the time comes.....

I reckon a hybrid would be best for what I'd need, around the 400 euro mark the choices are:

Trek 7.1 FX - http://www.trekbike.co.uk/2006/?sec=overview&MainCatID=3&SubCatID=9&RangeID=15&ID=259
Claud Butler Urban 100 - http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/2005/cb/urban100.html

If I had the cash I'd like to get either:
Dawes Giro 200 - http://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/giro-200.htm
Claud Butler Levante - http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/2005/cb/levante.html

Anyone any ideas on the matter? Or own any of these bikes and like to voice their opinion?

HusseinSarhan

The trek is a good bike. I think you will not find a better deal (online or anywhere in Ireland) than they have them for in Cycleogical. One of the guys working there gave me the price but I remember checking and it was really good. Hybrid bikes are a pretty good idea but if you are locking it up in town a lot do you really want to see something that pricey get robbed. I know €400 isn't that much on the grand scale but the chances are a cheapo secondhand racer will be quicker and less likely to be nicked. It's what I ended up doing.

joker77

HusseinSarhan wrote:

The trek is a good bike. I think you will not find a better deal (online or anywhere in Ireland) than they have them for in Cycleogical. One of the guys working there gave me the price but I remember checking and it was really good. Hybrid bikes are a pretty good idea but if you are locking it up in town a lot do you really want to see something that pricey get robbed. I know €400 isn't that much on the grand scale but the chances are a cheapo secondhand racer will be quicker and less likely to be nicked. It's what I ended up doing.

I hear ya on that one, it seems Treks are the most nicked ones as well....

Thing is I hate racers, just never liked them.

There's an underground carpark in work, and to get in to it there's a guy in a security booth, so I reckone it's safe enough there. I don't really ever leave it locked up in town, so I should be ok on that front...

On the 2nd hand racer idea - where would you suggest picking one up?

HusseinSarhan

I got mine in a little junk/bike shop right next to The Bottle Tower pub in Churchtown. Just look around the place and in the Buy & Sell. Don't buy a cheap MTB though. They are not very good communters at all. Get a racer. You will get used to it. After a while you'll not want to use anything else on the road an begin to notice how quick you can actually get around when you need to. Cycling in the wind is also a lot easier with drops. I had to get used to it but now it's perfectly fine. If you get something that's not got any major problems you can take it on road spins too for fitness or with mates for the craic so it'd be more versatile than a hybrid. I think most people just don't like racers becuase they require a little getting used to but in all honesty I reckon I'd be spending an extra hour (if not way more) on the roads every week if I was using a MTB or hybrid. You have to remember, you can't actually get MTBs and Hybrids for €50 anyway! If you spent €400 on a used racer you'd have something pretty deadly.

EDIT* THe Dawes one looks good actually but I reckon there is no need for 24 gears on the road. A granny ring for commuting! Seems a bit unnecessary. More weight and all for no real reason. I don't think I use more than 3 gears commuting from Rathfarnham (far end near the mountains) to the city centre. Plenty of hills but nothing that even nearly requires an inner chainring. It's a nice bike all the same though. Any of them are a good choice. It's just the fact that they could get nicked that's pretty annoying. You could replace a cheap one (that is arguably faster) several times if they kept getting nicked (which they would not because they are cheap).

Trampas

I have Dawes discovery 401. I got it 2nd hand and its a great bike.

Alkers

The granny ring is there as the rear cassete will have a much closer gear ratio than any MTB. Easier to maintain cadence but harder to adapt to large changes in gradient, hence the granny ring. I really like the looks of the first Trek you linked and the Dawes, either would be deadly.

HusseinSarhan

Of course simon but I think you still don't need that ring for road use. Not all MTBs use really wide, say 11-34 casettes either. You mainly only find them on XC types. Actually I have heard of some DH guys using Shimano Dura-ace mech's and casettes which is mad as they are road specific.That's a bit irrelevant though.

For urban commuting the inner chainring is just not really needed. Only for something like this when you're on the road:



And that's really pushing it. I don't think they use them at all really on the Tour and you know the hills they climb! I know they are better climbers so it's a bit of a ridiculous parallel, still we are talking softly undulating slopes and the odd hill for most commuters. It's just redundant I think.

EDIT* Yeah the trek is a really nice bike alright. I was looking at it in cycological. Definately a good buy.

joker77

I usually only use the outer-most ring at the pedals (sorry not up on the bike-speak), and go from 1 to 6 at the back....

I'd need the lowest gear for the hill at Dundrum, and if I'm coming from Rathmines direction, the one at the Dropping Well and again at the Bottle Tower (HusseinSarhan - you know the ones!)

Cheers for all the advice

HusseinSarhan

joker77 wrote:

I usually only use the outer-most ring at the pedals (sorry not up on the bike-speak), and go from 1 to 6 at the back....

I'd need the lowest gear for the hill at Dundrum, and if I'm coming from Rathmines direction, the one at the Dropping Well and again at the Bottle Tower (HusseinSarhan - you know the ones!)

Cheers for all the advice

I think I know the hills alright. It's afair climb from the bridge at dundrum up to gaostown and also I know the hill you mean at the dropping well. If you find you need that lowest gear on them that's fine then; you'll need a bike with that gear. Simple as that I suppose. It's pretty easy to get used to using stiffer (higher) gears on those climbs, or equivelants though if you give it a bash. It's probably a little more tiring at first but it's quicker and it gets easier. I'm no climber though really at all. Anyone can fly up even steepish hills on a racer.

Those rings near the pedals are called the chainrings.

EDIT* By lowest gear do you mean the big one at the front and big one at the back or the actual lowest gear (small front big back)?

joker77

HusseinSarhan wrote:

By lowest gear do you mean the big one at the front and big one at the back or the actual lowest gear (small front big back)?

Big at the front, big at the back. The bike won't change gears up at the front, only down, so I just leave it on the big one at the chain ring all the time.

I was wondering was this a good idea or not, a fella in the bike shop said to me about people not know how to cycle properly, i.e. starting off in a low gear, cadence and all that, so you reckon leaving it on the big chain ring and moving up the gears at the back is ok?

joker77

HusseinSarhan wrote:

in all honesty I reckon I'd be spending an extra hour (if not way more) on the roads every week if I was using a MTB or hybrid.

Wow - you honestly reckon you'd save an hour a week between a racer and a hybrid, for cycling in and out of town? Didn't think it would be that much, from my ignorant viewpoint the only real difference I can see is the handlebars - the hybrid is supposed to have a racing frame and wheels isn't it?

Alkers

Those hybrids are far more road orientated than some. Some have very upright riding positions similar to granny bicycles with shopping baskets and what not. I don't think either of those would be too slow but still not as fast(stable) as a racer.

HusseinSarhan

joker77 wrote:

Wow - you honestly reckon you'd save an hour a week between a racer and a hybrid, for cycling in and out of town? Didn't think it would be that much, from my ignorant viewpoint the only real difference I can see is the handlebars - the hybrid is supposed to have a racing frame and wheels isn't it?

Not those hybrid in particualr but yeah I reckon an hour if I was on a cheap mtb. I am on a bike for say between 5 and 6 hours a week. If the bike held me back 4 mins on my way in (which is very much possble) and maybe 6 on my way back it would add up to 10 mins a day. That's an extra 50 mins a week. Also, I have not actually counted the other riding I do on the weekend on it just here and there and also the rididng position (wind etc). I think an hour is pretty on the mark.

joker77

Fair enough, suppose when you put it like that it seems entirely reasonable! Especially when I consider that I cycle what I consider to be fairly fast, given the bike I'm on (a cheapo MTB, rigid fork and replaced the tyres with skinier ones), and I'd be busting my gut cycling the way in, some fella on a racer would sail past barely breaking a sweat.....

It's good exercise for my legs though, no harm building them up on a sh*t bike!

HusseinSarhan

joker77 wrote:

Fair enough, suppose when you put it like that it seems entirely reasonable! Especially when I consider that I cycle what I consider to be fairly fast, given the bike I'm on (a cheapo MTB, rigid fork and replaced the tyres with skinier ones), and I'd be busting my gut cycling the way in, some fella on a racer would sail past barely breaking a sweat.....

It's good exercise for my legs though, no harm building them up on a sh*t bike!

Pah, why don't you get one of these and be done with it so :v:



Better exercise and all!

joker77

LOL!
The bike I have is less than a year old, but sounds like about 10, the creaky noises coming out of it.....

I have to admit, I have kind of grown attached to it now though..... think I might have to wait till it claps out completely (which I feel will be just after it's birthday)

HusseinSarhan

joker77 wrote:

I was wondering was this a good idea or not, a fella in the bike shop said to me about people not know how to cycle properly, i.e. starting off in a low gear, cadence and all that, so you reckon leaving it on the big chain ring and moving up the gears at the back is ok?

It's not a BAD idea but still you are better off using the correct gearing if you can. Use your middle ring up front now and then if you need. THe thing is, by sticking with your outer chainring all the time your chain-line (the run of the chain) won't be that straight and there will be more lateral wear on both your rear casette, chainrings and possibly the chain itself. I'm not 100% sure on the exact pitfalls though.

Cycling properly is cycling the way that you feel safest and the way that is most efficient. There is nothing that bad in starting in a stiff gear from a stop. Provided you are able to get the pedals up to speed relatively fast you'll often still find yourself quicker off the mark than those using a gear change. It's a good idea to get a rhythm in your cadence somewhat but there is no major disadvantage in starting from a stiff gear if you are capapble of turning them as I said. When on a hill of course its a good idea not to be trying to use big gears from a standstill.

EDIT* Oil your bike and keep it out of the rain. Bikes can really last decades if kept well. Also, a lot of those noises could be because of the route your chain is taking. It may be making contact with the front mech...

HusseinSarhan

The Trek 7.1is €360, I found the card your man gave me... Cycleogical that is.

joker77

Cheers for that, I'm in town next week so I'll take a look

ciaran76

joker77 wrote:

Fair enough, suppose when you put it like that it seems entirely reasonable! Especially when I consider that I cycle what I consider to be fairly fast, given the bike I'm on (a cheapo MTB, rigid fork and replaced the tyres with skinier ones), and I'd be busting my gut cycling the way in, some fella on a racer would sail past barely breaking a sweat.....

It's good exercise for my legs though, no harm building them up on a sh*t bike!

I have a cheapo bike too. Using it to get to work and always thought I was getting great speed etc etc till 1 day this old guy who had racer wheels breezed by me like I wasn't there. I was dead impressed and tried to up my pace a little to keep up but he was well gone. So when the light comes back in the evenings I am changing to skinny tyres.

onesoma

joker77 wrote:

Trek 7.1 FX - http://www.trekbike.co.uk/2006/?sec=overview&MainCatID=3&SubCatID=9&RangeID=15&ID=259
Claud Butler Urban 100 - http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/2005/cb/urban100.html

these are just mountain bikes (26" wheels - mtb cassette) with road tires. suspension post on the trek is a waste of time.

joker77 wrote:

Dawes Giro 200 - http://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/giro-200.htm
Claud Butler Levante - http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/2005/cb/levante.html

these two bikes have exactly the same frame - made in the same factory - just badged differently. they're great bikes though. 700c wheels (with road cassette) - faster and same strength as 26" mtb wheels. the wheels on the claud butler are just gimmicks and will cause more hassle in the long run than the wheels on the dawes (more flash = more likely to get nicked, non standard spokes - not easy to replace). these are perfect city bikes - fast with a comfortable geometry.

u2gooner

I have a Ridgeback Cyclone. Got it in Cycological on bachelors walk about a year and a half ago. €350 i think. Great bike, fast, strong,light. great for commuting anyway.


http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/index.asp?pageRef=%2Fbikes%2Findex%2Easp%3FseriesID%3D40%26sName%3Drapide%26navRefresh%3Dtrue

joker77

onesoma wrote:

these two bikes have exactly the same frame - made in the same factory - just badged differently. they're great bikes though. 700c wheels (with road cassette) - faster and same strength as 26" mtb wheels. the wheels on the claud butler are just gimmicks and will cause more hassle in the long run than the wheels on the dawes (more flash = more likely to get nicked, non standard spokes - not easy to replace). these are perfect city bikes - fast with a comfortable geometry.

Yea I was in Penny Farthing yesterday, the have the Giro200 - http://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/giro-200.htm for 500 Euro, but they have a Claud Butler Chinook - http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/2005/cb/chinook.html for 450. The guy in the shop was saying to go for the Chinook as they are the exact same bike, different livery.
Thing is I reckon the Chinook would be more likely to get nicked as well being the more flash....
He said there's a new range out soon, with an option to get all matte black, never asked how much they'd be (D'Oh)

youcancallmeal

I've been looking at getting one these hybrid bikes for a while, My budget is around 350euro maybe a little more . I would have to agree about the Chinook, bit too bright and standoutish for my liking. I was in cycleways yesterday looking at hybrid bikes. They have a 'Specialized' range which starts at 399euro, they look pretty nice but couldnt really find much out about them on their site.

I'll have to pop into cyclelogical and a few other places.