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Want to buy my first Hybrid

Old 01-24-23, 08:05 AM
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CharlieProud
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Want to buy my first Hybrid

Hello All,

I am looking to buy my first hybrid. I have signed up a charity event in September where I will be doing a 40 mile bike ride. I have very little cycling experience, although I can ride a bike!

Having a little read, a Hybrid seems to be the best option for someone without much experience over a road bike. I plan to train by doing around 50 miles per week, I will be commuting to work twice a week, 12 miles each way and then some weeks another cycle on the weekend. I am already in good physical shape, as I also climb 3-4 times per week so I don't think this will be a problem, albeit a bit painful for the first few weeks.

Some advice on fitting the bike to me would also be helpful!

I have a budget in mind of £600, but i'm willing to stretch this if there is a Hybrid above this price which is clearly superior to the rest.

If there is any other things that anyone needs to know, please ask!

Thanks,
Charlie.

Last edited by CharlieProud; 01-24-23 at 08:11 AM.
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Old 01-24-23, 09:14 AM
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Welcome!

Best advice I can give is try various different brands and find what works for you. Head over to the LBS or retailer and explore what's available. I'm not sure what's available in your market so Note the individual threads in this section to see what is popular here.

Trek FX line (and Verve if you want more upright)
Specialized Sirrus line
Cannondale Quick line (not as popular as the first two)
Jamis Coda line (look like nice bikes and I have read good things about them)
Giant Escape
Marin has several options

Here's hoping others can add to the post.

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Old 01-24-23, 06:35 PM
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Judging by the stated currency, OP is in the UK, and so may want to consider more popular European brands, for example:

Roadlite 5 | CANYON GB

https://www.wiggle.com/cycle/hybrid-bikes
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Old 01-24-23, 06:39 PM
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That Roadlite would be a solid choice.
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Old 01-25-23, 05:16 AM
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Thank you all very much for your advice, I'll have a look at the Roadlite. I'll see if I have any local shops near that stock them.

In terms of measurements, would it be better going into a local bike shop to see what fits me best? I'd imagine a calculator online wouldn't be too accurate?
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Old 01-25-23, 10:22 AM
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Originally Posted by CharlieProud
Thank you all very much for your advice, I'll have a look at the Roadlite. I'll see if I have any local shops near that stock them.
Canyon operates on a direct to consumer model in the US, I am not sure whether that is the same in the UK.

Originally Posted by CharlieProud
In terms of measurements, would it be better going into a local bike shop to see what fits me best? I'd imagine a calculator online wouldn't be too accurate?
Getting measured in person and trying several models, each in adjacent sizes, would be my preferable approach. It does not need to be a full blown bike fit, but at a minimum, measurements of height, riding inseam (as opposed to pants inseam), and arm length by an experienced staff member of a bike shop, plus some evaluation of a rider's flexibility.
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Old 01-26-23, 05:33 AM
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CharlieProud may want to peruse this list:

Best hybrid bikes 2023 — the affordable bike genre that offers both comfort and versatility | road.cc

Most of these are not widely available in the US except the Specialized Sirrus, which is a decent bike.
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Old 01-26-23, 06:59 AM
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I'd visit your local shop and establish a relationship with them. You'll hopefully be in good hands and find what works best for you. Good luck. I hope that charity ride is enjoyable.
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Old 01-27-23, 03:33 AM
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Thank you all for your responses, i'm going on Saturday to visit a local bike shop to see some used/new bikes. I emailed ahead with my needs and they have picked out a few bikes ready for me to go see. I do love the look of the Roadlite however it's going to be quite a while until my size is in stock. That also goes for quite a lot of the higher end specs in my size it seems, unless I want to travel a good distance. I would like to get a bike sooner rather than later so i'll take a look at a few when I get there and post in here for your opinions!
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Old 01-28-23, 02:36 PM
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How goes it CharlieProud ? Any Luck with finding a ride at the LBS?
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Old 01-29-23, 03:50 AM
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The only one that I liked and was in my size was a Ridgeback Motion for £440

Any thoughts? Can't post a link yet but could post specs
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Old 01-29-23, 07:43 AM
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https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/ridgeback-motion-varrb2103

Well it has Shimano Tourney rear derailluer and lower level components but looks reasonable. Promax brakes do the job although there are better options that could be added later. The CrMo frame would make for a smooth ride and adds to durability. 700x42c tires paired with the steel frame look to make a very comfortable ride if geometry works for you.


I also see LBS price is over 100 pounds less than the website.
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Old 01-29-23, 04:55 PM
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Originally Posted by CharlieProud
The only one that I liked and was in my size was a Ridgeback Motion for £440

Any thoughts? Can't post a link yet but could post specs
So heavy! 1.5 times as heavy as the Canyon Roadlite 5.
The rear wheel uses a 7-speed freewheel instead of a freehub and is thus not upgradeable in the future.
The Tourney 3x front derailleur is fiddly to adjust. A 2x9 or 2x8 setup is easier to maintain.

Are there any Marin dealers within reach?

Marin Bikes | 2023 Fairfax 3
Marin Bikes | 2023 Fairfax 2

How about Giant dealers?

City & Hybrid Bikes | Giant Bicycles UK (giant-bicycles.com)

Are you close to Preston (to test ride a Ribble at its HQ)?

Ribble Hybrid AL - Ribble Cycles | Ribble Cycles
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Old 01-30-23, 07:18 AM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
So heavy! 1.5 times as heavy as the Canyon Roadlite 5.
The rear wheel uses a 7-speed freewheel instead of a freehub and is thus not upgradeable in the future.
The Tourney 3x front derailleur is fiddly to adjust. A 2x9 or 2x8 setup is easier to maintain.

Are there any Marin dealers within reach?


How about Giant dealers?



Are you close to Preston (to test ride a Ribble at its HQ)?
The Fairfax & Roadlite are a little out of my price range, it would be a bit of a stretch without accounting for the other gear I need to buy.

The Ribble looks a bit more my range though, I live about 50 miles from Preston so could definitely go test ride there this weekend. Is there any customisation options you would reccomend?
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Old 01-30-23, 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Trav1s

Well it has Shimano Tourney rear derailluer and lower level components but looks reasonable. Promax brakes do the job although there are better options that could be added later. The CrMo frame would make for a smooth ride and adds to durability. 700x42c tires paired with the steel frame look to make a very comfortable ride if geometry works for you.


I also see LBS price is over 100 pounds less than the website.
It did look to be quite good value for money against other retailers. It's not used either which is good. I've put a deposit down on it in case I do take it.
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Old 01-30-23, 07:23 AM
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https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-hybrid-al/

Crafted for leisure cyclists and commuters alike, the Hybrid AL with Shimano Acera is supremely versatile. Kept simple yet fully featured, it offers the confidence-inspiring braking performance of hydraulic disc brakes and 700c wheels fitted with hardwearing tyres that deliver dependable puncture protection and grip in all conditions.

It comes complete with the everyday essentials of a rack to take care of your luggage carrying needs, mudguards to keep you dry, a bell to announce your presence and flat pedals that enable you to ride in trainers or shoes. The lightweight aluminium frame offers ample clearance for wider tyres, so you can choose to take the long route home over varied terrain. We wanted to create a bike that anyone can enjoy with absolute confidence on every ride. Feel fast, comfortable, and in control.
Nice looking bike - 2x9 is a plus and the sale price certainly helps (or at least it's showing £200 off right now) For the price difference, that's a much nicer (and lighter) bike with much of the additional kit already installed.

​​​​​​​Between the Ridgeback Motion or the Ribble, I'd go for the Ribble for sure.

Last edited by Trav1s; 01-30-23 at 07:27 AM.
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Old 01-30-23, 09:56 AM
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Given my budget, and the advice you guys have given me (Which is very much appreciated). I'm going to go for the Ribble, as long as it suits me when I go to test ride it. I think it'll be worth the 50 mile drive to test, plus I may be able to ring ahead and avoid the £40 shipping fee, I'll definitely spend less than that in fuel costs.

I'll update here once I've made my decision.
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Old 01-30-23, 10:07 AM
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Goodluck CharlieProud and I'm looking forward to your response.
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Old 02-06-23, 05:43 AM
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I've gone for the Ribble, gets delivered tomorrow! Very excited!
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Old 02-06-23, 06:00 AM
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Originally Posted by CharlieProud
I've gone for the Ribble, gets delivered tomorrow! Very excited!
Thx for the update! I looked at the Ribble line and the bikes look nice. Did some reading and they are will regarded too. I'd give one a ride but they don't make it to this side of the pond.
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Old 02-06-23, 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by CharlieProud
I've gone for the Ribble, gets delivered tomorrow! Very excited!
Congratulations. I take it that the test ride went well.
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Old 02-12-23, 01:14 PM
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Old 02-12-23, 02:05 PM
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50 miles is two hours for someone really fast (40 kph is about the average speed of a grand tour race) or four hours for someone really not. Five with breaks. So you need to be able to exercise all morning. There's a rule of thumb I'm not remembering right now, something like you can do a single ride that's as long as all your weekly mileage.

Beyond that, seat time is going to be really important, just to tolerate that long of a ride. Commuting a few miles at a time will help but it won't show if you can really do it. You need to do some long weekend rides, like 25 miles / 40K at least to see if you are going to have comfort problems and fix them. Otherwise you may get miserable.

Just about any road-going bike with not-knobby tires is going to be fine but something with pretensions to exercise or speed will be better.

At the actual event there will be snacks. Sweet stuff, bananas, usually. Eat them or you will bonk (hit the wall in runner jargon). Your body runs out of its easily accessible energy reserves.
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Old 02-13-23, 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by CharlieProud
I've gone for the Ribble, gets delivered tomorrow! Very excited!
That looks like a really nice bike. That is a sweet looking green.
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Old 02-18-23, 08:43 AM
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What I can suggest, try various different brands and find what works for you. Bikes are like shoes, even you like it, you can not buy it befeore you try it. I prefer Specialized, refardig I like their geometry.
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