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Hybrid or road bike?

by werdna67
Tue, Oct 20, 2015 01:11
7

I'm looking to buy a new bike. After a break of 5 or 6 years I've started riding again but on my 15 year old MTB on the roads & need something more suited to roads & a lot lighter in  weight.

I really like the look of the Giant Escape 3 & BTWIN Triban 500 Flat Bar Road bikes. I can go up to £300 & would prefer new to second hand.  I know this is quite a low price, but just wondered if anyone had any other suggestions. Thanks.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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werdna67 | 9 years ago
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Thanks everyone for the replies. I bought a 2016 Giant Escape 3. The expertise and help in the Giant Liverpool store was superb compared to Decathlon who basically just said sit on different sizes and pick which feels best. I thought the Giant seemed far better put together than the B'Twin.

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werdna67 | 9 years ago
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Thanks for the replies so far. I went to Decathlon & looked at the Triban road & flat bar bikes. I also wanted to go & look at the Giant Escape as a comparison, but Giant is closed on Sundays. They must be out riding on Sundays. I'll take a look on Saturday as some of the 2015 models have been discounted by 20%.

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Jacobi | 9 years ago
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The B'Twin Triban 500 SE is on sale just now for £299. Aluminium frame, carbon forks, 24 speed. It was voted the UK's Best Budget Bike & Best Commuting Bike for 2014/15 by Road CC.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500-se-road-bike-black-id_8306187.html

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Jacobi | 9 years ago
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Personally, I'd go for a road bike. And, as TCXR94Di2 says, it gives you more hand position options. There are new road bikes out there under £300 - and at this time of year many of them could be on sale to make way for the 2016 Christmas stock.

Check out these bargains -  http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/166573-best-road-bike-bargains-under...

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CXR94Di2 | 9 years ago
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I would go for a road bike as it gives a variety of hand positions to aid against fatigue. The price range you're looking at, look at eBay. There will be loads of bikes worth far more than you think you can afford. This time of year will be going very cheaply.

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Daveyraveygravey | 9 years ago
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Merlin cycles do a road bike for around £300 which gets good reviews, but it has drop handlebars I think.  

 

There are lots of reviews here that cover that budget, although I don't think you'll get anything less then £300 new.  If it was a drop bar bike you were looking for, I would say Ebay or secondhand, there are plenty of hardly-used bikes around.  People buy them and then decide they don't really like it for whatever reason, and that is the best way to get a bargain.

 

And have you considered drop bars?  IMHO they are way better than flat bars, you have the option of maybe 6 different places to put your hands whereas flat bar bikes tend to force you into just one position.

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Shades | 9 years ago
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My commuter is an old hybrid (bit slow, but it's a bit of 'an old friend') but I get the road bike out in the summer to speed things up a bit.  If the hybrid packed up I'd get a cyclo-cross style bike (disc brakes) and add mudguards and a rack; kind of a fast tourer. Not sure if there's anything out there in your price range. Definitely dump the MTB; way too slow for commuting, unless you switched to some skinny wheels for it (that some people do)?

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