[Bryans58]

I’m an unfit git 60+ and just wanting to get back to cycling after stopping as soon as I could afford alternative transport at 18!

I will be doing local journeys to the shops and longer stints (say around 1 hour round trips, some of it on steep hills) for keep fit; I may join a local club once I can get on a bike without immediately falling off.

I’ve been to a couple of local bike shops, Specialize were not very helpful – just said a Crosstrail with hydraulic forks should be fine (with no real explanation), cost £575, and another independent actually spent 30 mins with me and suggested a Merida Crossway Urban 100 Gents 2019 model at £700,

Does anyone have any suggestions?  I’m leaning towards the Merida because I like to support local independent shops, but would be interested to hear what more experienced cyclists say.

Topic

[RMurphy195]

I must admit I read a lot of

I must admit I read a lot of these threads, and given the OP hasn’t ridden for so long I’m amazed at how few respondents make the obvious comments i.e.

Low gears (a triple with at least 2 rear sprockets bigger than the smallest chainring) – otherwise you’ll soon find it to hard to pedal, esp when tired on the way back from a ride uphill against a slight breeze

Mudguards – ‘cos you’ll soon get fed up of getting wet in all the wrong places, and having to clean crud off your (ruined) clothes

A rack/saddlebag – the most comfortable way to carry spare waterproofs, or carry the clothng you’ve removed ‘cos its too hot. And a sarny/banana, small flask etc.

Water bottles, water bottles, water bottles and cages.

Add all these and, if ou’re keen, you can get a picnic together and find your way to, perhaps, the Monsal or Tissington trails and have a nice day out at most times of the year in  most weathers, and slowly grind your way back to your start point if you get really cream crackered!

(OK I’m talking touring bike here, have a look at Spa Cycles offerings)

[Rakkor]

Judge dreadful wrote:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-rc-520-disc-road-bike-navy-105-id_8554421.html

 

a nice bit of kit, with a decent spec, and a lifetime warranty on frame and forks.

 

 

This – I commute one of these and it’s excellent, a wee bit heavy (10.5 kg loaded) which helps with the fitness.

[henryb]

zero_trooper wrote:

henryb wrote:

Bryans58 wrote:

henryb wrote:

You don’t say what size you are, but how about a medium size Genesis Equilibrium? You can fit a pannier rack and proper mudguards for local pootling about and shopping, and then it’ll hold its own on group rides if you join a club:

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/genesis-2017-equilibrium-disc-20-md-ex-display-gng43mp001

I’m 6’2″ (188cm), so large I guess. Apparently the one the shop suggested has a decent mudguard and can accept most pannier racks.

 

This is pretty good too – a ‘large’ (56cm) frame, and a good spec for the money (and mudguard eyelets, etc.): https://www.freewheel.co.uk/saracen-hack-black-56cm-ex-brand-sample-bike-rn251556sp001

 

Great discount! However, not wanting to get into a geometry debate, the OP is 188cm tall. He’s guessing an L frame, I’m guessing more a L/XL, so all the more reason to go down the Local Bike Shop route for peace of mind.

 

Very true – it’ll always be a bit of a toss-up buying online. However it’s easier to work with a frame that’s slightly small (by changing the stem, for example) than one that’s slightly big.

[zero_trooper]

henryb wrote:

Bryans58 wrote:

henryb wrote:

You don’t say what size you are, but how about a medium size Genesis Equilibrium? You can fit a pannier rack and proper mudguards for local pootling about and shopping, and then it’ll hold its own on group rides if you join a club:

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/genesis-2017-equilibrium-disc-20-md-ex-display-gng43mp001

I’m 6’2″ (188cm), so large I guess. Apparently the one the shop suggested has a decent mudguard and can accept most pannier racks.

 

This is pretty good too – a ‘large’ (56cm) frame, and a good spec for the money (and mudguard eyelets, etc.): https://www.freewheel.co.uk/saracen-hack-black-56cm-ex-brand-sample-bike-rn251556sp001

 

Great discount! However, not wanting to get into a geometry debate, the OP is 188cm tall. He’s guessing an L frame, I’m guessing more a L/XL, so all the more reason to go down the Local Bike Shop route for peace of mind.

[henryb]

Bryans58 wrote:

henryb wrote:

You don’t say what size you are, but how about a medium size Genesis Equilibrium? You can fit a pannier rack and proper mudguards for local pootling about and shopping, and then it’ll hold its own on group rides if you join a club:

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/genesis-2017-equilibrium-disc-20-md-ex-display-gng43mp001

I’m 6’2″ (188cm), so large I guess. Apparently the one the shop suggested has a decent mudguard and can accept most pannier racks.

 

This is pretty good too – a ‘large’ (56cm) frame, and a good spec for the money (and mudguard eyelets, etc.): https://www.freewheel.co.uk/saracen-hack-black-56cm-ex-brand-sample-bike-rn251556sp001

 

[Eton Rifle]

schlepcycling wrote:

schlepcycling wrote:

How about the Planet X London Road, you can have a flat bar version with hydraulic disc brakes and mounts for muguards and a rack for £799.99

Aee you sure? Pretty ropey groupset and entry level brakes for £800. Another £200 gets you Shimano 105 and some better brakes (Shimano MT-400). Ha’porth of tar and all that…

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNFLATAPEX1/planet-x-london-road-sram-apex1-flat-bar-road-bike

[Bryans58]

henryb wrote:

You don’t say what size you are, but how about a medium size Genesis Equilibrium? You can fit a pannier rack and proper mudguards for local pootling about and shopping, and then it’ll hold its own on group rides if you join a club:

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/genesis-2017-equilibrium-disc-20-md-ex-display-gng43mp001

I’m 6’2″ (188cm), so large I guess. Apparently the one the shop suggested has a decent mudguard and can accept most pannier racks.

[Bryans58]

SilverBugle wrote:

Small world – I cycle past that shop quite often.  Looking at the hybrids on offer on their website and your budget I would say the Crossway Urban 100 is a good choice.  It comes complete with a kickstand and mudguards, both of which will find useful.  When you go back, I suggest you also look at the Crossway 300.  This is £50 more, but includes a supension fork, a fair jump in quality of the gears and wheels and a suspension seat post.  I find the roads around Northwood pretty lumpy, you might find the suspension useful.  Hopefully they will let you test ride both and you can decide. 

Thanks, I’ll have a look.  The roads are bad enough in a car, must be murder on a bike, I guess I need decent gel shorts as well!

[Eton Rifle]

Just to weigh in on the
Just to weigh in on the suspension forks issue. I had a Specialised Crosstrail Elite as my commuter for a couple of years. I reasoned that the suspension forks would come in handy when I went off-road. Thing is, I hardly ever did and when I did the tyres were not up to muddy conditions and spun.

The bike was stolen in January and I bought a Whyte Stirling, a hybrid with a rigid carbon fork and 32c tyres (the Spesh had 38c). Honestly, I don’t miss the suspension forks at all. The Whyte is much more responsive and faster with the rigid fork and feels much more stable cornering at speed. My average speed went up over 10% with no additional effort.

If you’re going to be riding mainly on roads, I’d go with a rigid fork.

[henryb]

You don’t say what size you

You don’t say what size you are, but how about a medium size Genesis Equilibrium? You can fit a pannier rack and proper mudguards for local pootling about and shopping, and then it’ll hold its own on group rides if you join a club:

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/genesis-2017-equilibrium-disc-20-md-ex-display-gng43mp001

[SilverBugle]

Small world – I cycle past

Small world – I cycle past that shop quite often.  Looking at the hybrids on offer on their website and your budget I would say the Crossway Urban 100 is a good choice.  It comes complete with a kickstand and mudguards, both of which will find useful.  When you go back, I suggest you also look at the Crossway 300.  This is £50 more, but includes a supension fork, a fair jump in quality of the gears and wheels and a suspension seat post.  I find the roads around Northwood pretty lumpy, you might find the suspension useful.  Hopefully they will let you test ride both and you can decide. 

[Simon E]

Bryans58 wrote:

I don’t mind paying up to 10% more to support local businesses, they get enough of a kicking from big online sellers, so I like to help them where possible.

If they are a halfway decent shop you’ll get customer service that is worth far more than that 10%.

[John_S]

Hi Bryans58,

Hi Bryans58,

I can absolutely applaude you spending money on the high street instead of online because the high street needs a;; of the help that it can get right now and it’s a great idea to support your local shop!

I’d say just spend some time in your local shop and try as many of their bikes as you can and try a good variety of brands and hybrids, drop bars etc. and get a feel for yourself as to what feels good for you.

If you want to get to try an alternative to what you can try in the shop most local to you and are interested in trying a British brand then for something different if you happen to be in London you could go to the Temple Cycles shop ( https://www.templecycles.co.uk/pages/contact ).  They’re a British brand who focus on getting the basics of bikes right and might possibly have something that appeals to you such as:-

https://www.templecycles.co.uk/pages/classic-lightweight-landing
or:-

https://www.templecycles.co.uk/pages/adventure-tour

But if you try & then buy something that you like from your local shop then good luck and I hope that you enjoy getting back on a bike!

John

 

https://www.templecycles.co.uk/blogs/blog/a-bike-for-life

 

[Bryans58]

Thanks for all the feedback

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.  I’ll probably get it new, mainly because the wife will be buying it as a Xmas pressie and she has even less of a clue than me!

Unless people reckon it’s a bad buy I guess I’ll go for the Merida Crossway Urban 100, mainly to support my local bike shop (https://www.northwoodcycles.com/ – if there is a better option on their website I’ll also look at that). 

I don’t mind paying up to 10% more to support local businesses, they get enough of a kicking from big online sellers, so I like to help them where possible.

 

[LastBoyScout]

SilverBugle wrote:

Don’t automatically rule out a suspension fork.  They do add weight, but definiely smooth out poor quality roads.  They would also set you up nicely for some casual gravel/light off roading.

A lot of hybrids have very similar gearing to road bikes.  So where a road bike might be 50/34 at the front and 11 – 32 at the rear, a hybrid may be 48/32 at the front and 11 – 32 or up to 36 at the back.  At 60+ and unfit, unless you are hiding a potential athlete in think you will find those overgeared.

I am a fit 50+ and have just bought a Boardmand MTX with a 48/32 and 11-36.  I rarely use the top chainring.

I suggest you consider a bike with triple chainset.  Some people say they are devils spawn and too complicated but if you can read an instruction manual you should be fine.  They will give a wider range of usable gearing.

Definitely get one with disc brakes.

All of this ^

Hybrids with suspension fork tend to have wider tyres with a light tread and would be ideal for gravel tracks, such as tow paths or local nature reserves. They’re also probably lower geared.

Hybrids with rigid forks tend to have narrower, slick tyres and higher gearing for roads.

My father in law had a Crosstrail Pro with triple chainset, which was a good bike and perfect for him.

[Author]

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