New2Cycling

My father is interested in purchasing a bike from a LBS. He's really kind of stuck between two brands, Raleigh and Trek. Since he hasn't been on a bike in years, he is interested in a hybrid bike. Based on the two brands I stated, does anyone have preferences? Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.
N2C

BroMax

I looked at the Raleigh line and eliminated it from my list of semi-finalists, mostly because it's no longer a "real" Raleigh, imported from their factory in Nottingham. The other reason is they seem very fond of putting suspension forks on just about everything and I do not need or want a suspension fork. For all I know they could be a good value; just not for me.

Of the two, I'd favor Trek.

For myself, I've decided to take as much money as I need to put an old, well-equipped Motobecane that gathers dust in my garage--a "gift" from a student who left years ago--into good, useable condition. For the value, it's the best I can do and it will be cheaper than what I was planning to spend. I expect it will be a good start on a relationship with the local bike shop, because parts are usually sold at a higher margin that ready-to-ride bikes.

catatonic

I have a Raleigh mountain bike, and it's great. A bit heavy, but the component choices seem to be pretty well thought out.

I really don't care where it's made so long as it's quality. Even the great Italian companies are making some of their bikes in Taiwan now...so to me where it's made is a moot point.

becnal

I love love love my Ralleigh hybrid. Don't care what anyone says, it IS a real Raleigh. Great bike! Especially like the Magura hydraulic brakes it comes with. Super stopping power, a snap to change the brake pads, and removing a wheel takes 2 nanoseconds.

bikingbets

I've never ridden a Trek, but I can give you my perspective of a Raleigh Passage 4.0 hybrid.
It's a great bike! I bought it new after getting addicted to cycling on a slow mountain bike. The Raleigh has great components and is very comfortable. However, it is rather heavy. As I got more fit and wanted to ride faster, the wider (40 mm) tires and suspension fork weren't as necessary as they once were for the comfort factor. Now my husband has the Raleigh (which he absolutely loves) and I have a used Marin Sausalito. The Raleigh is more of a "comfort bike" and the Marin is more of a "road bike."

Waldo

The Trek hybrids are made by Giant in Taiwan or China...are they still real Treks?

foxden

Have a Raleigh Passage 5.0, had some features I prefered - trigger shifters, disc brakes, and 35mm 700C tires. It is very well made with a bit better components than the Trek 7300 that I looked at. Both are virtually the same, and all are made in China. If you want something finer, a Cannondale is US made. But as far as value, either one, along with Gary Fisher, Specialized and Giant, is a good choice.

Everyone will give you different advice, generally based upon their riding experience and level. A hybrid is a good entry bike and will be fine on the road and paved trails. It is more comfortable than a road bike, too. You could outgrow it, but that is a better route than buying some road bike that never gets ridden because it is too uncomfortable for a beginner and sits in your garage.

jz19

I had a Raleigh mountain bike (2003) and it was a good bike. I sold it because I wanted a steel frame but I never had a problem with it and was a better value for the money than other brands. Your dad should ride both bikes and then decide which one he like better. Both will work fine.

HWS

I have an 03 Raleigh C40 and have put probably 10,000 miles on it. All I have had to do is replace the chain, tires and brake pads. I still ride it in the winter as my beater. It's as solid as a rock.

Cyclesome

I am considering the Trek 7300 or a Cannondale Adventure 400 to replace my uncomfortable Trek 4500.
How do the components of a Trek and Canndondale compare? Please advice.

danielhaden

One more vote for Raliegh!!

I've ridden a lot of Trek. I wasn't pleased once.

Raliegh is well though out.

My preference is Dutch market Ralieghs. Those are the highest quality. Shipping cost is far out.

chicbicyclist

I have a Raleigh made in 2000 or 2001. They are made in the USA, and I love the brand. I'm not sure where the newer Raleighs come from. I do agree that if you don't like front suspension like me, steer clear of the newer models.

bbattle

Trek Hybrids would be good, also their fitness bikes, the FX series. The FX doesn't have the front suspension of the hybrid, is a little more aggressive on the geometry and has flat bars instead of riser bars. My wife has a Trek 7100 hybrid and I'm upgrading her to the 7.5FX this spring. It's a bit faster and has better components. She rode the 7100 on dirt roads, packed trails, roads with no troubles but for rides longer than 25 miles I feel the FX will be the better ride.



Trek Hybrid 7100 $300 list




Trek 7.2FX $400 list


2005 Giant FCR4 $440


2006 Fuji Crosstown 4.0 $290


Raleigh Passage 4.0


My wife's new 7.5FX WSD


Bikes like these will have triple chainrings with a wide cassette for lots of gearing options. You can add racks and fenders and tow kids in their trailers. As you go up in price, you get better wheels, better gears but the frame is the same.

These front suspension forks seem to be really popular but my wife hasn't felt the need for one and they do add weight to the front of the bike. A lot of these bikes have a suspension seatpost but that too, seems to be unnecessary.

When you first start riding and putting decent mileage on your bike, the saddle may seem to be hurting your rump. Don't make the mistake of swapping it with something squishier; that will actually make the problem worse. You sit on your sitbones(ischial tuberosities). If they sink down into the saddle, that brings pressure to bear on your "soft parts". Not a good thing. Better to get a hard saddle that supports your sitbones. Trust me, you'll get used to it.

I recommend getting a saddle bag that fits in behind your saddle to store a spare tube, tire levers, a patch kit, maybe some useful allen wrenches. You can get some that can hold all that plus a cellphone or your wallet. A bottle cage and some extra water bottles are good to have, too. You can get a small frame pump that is strapped to your bottom tube next to the water bottle. I recommend a floor pump for home use.

Then, a nice helmet that fits. Doesn't have to be expensive but make sure it has decent ventilation and fits your noggin well. Maybe some half-fingered gloves. Sunglasses that fit snugly around your face keep the wind and bugs out of your eyes and you won't be squinting all the time.

Finally, to show the neighborhood how cool you are on your new ride, some nice spandex jerseys and shorts. These really do make the riding a lot more comfortable but if the idea of spandex shorts bothers you, get some mountain bike shorts, aka baggies. They will have the chamois to protect your rear but aren't skin tight.

It's important to test ride as many bikes in your category to find the one that fits you the best. Have the local bike shop(LBS) guys do any adjustments to the seat and handlebars to get you a decent fit and then ride. A 54cm Trek won't fit you the same as a 54cm Fuji or a 54cm Specialized so buying an unknown bike off e-Bay isn't recommended.

There are still plenty of 2005 models available in many stores and you may be able to get a good deal on one.

danielhaden

Since the bike shop is set on selling you something that requires maintenance. . .

How about something fast, fully featured, and comfortable; considerably faster and requires no maintenance?

Here it is, the cat's meow:



Fully featured gears that don't require maintenance, operate easily (Any gear, any time, never stuck), don't overlap (no complex derailer conflicts! No memorizing what doesn't work, because every gear works!), and the gears are highly competent for both hills and speed.
Weatherproof drum brake that does not wear out the rear rim and does not require maintenance
Super-bright headlights and taillight that do not require batteries (dyno hub powered with one simple switch).
Fenders that stop dirt from entering the chain= no maintenance.
An alloy touring rack with the extra sheilds to support pannier bags so that you can easily carry things
700c size wheels make tire selection far easier; however, it comes with kevlar sheilded tires for flat resistance and no maintenance

Of course, the always-ready-to-go design keeps you away from the bike mechanic, so they wouldn't be likely to recommend this. Well, that and it's not mainstream. It is sort of like a light weight 3x faster 3-speed because it has comfort, all the features, ease of use, durability and lots of speed. This makes lots of enjoyment!

Give it a test drive. It is fast, lightweight (I was so surprised that a fully featured cycle would be light weight), extremely enjoyable, and did I mention it is fast? It'll blow those Treks away! That's because it is so much easier to pedal than a hybrid cycle that you wind up going faster and having more fun.