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Fun fast hybrid needed, but which one?

My work has finally signed up to a cycle to work scheme, but bloody hell, it's Halfords. Great.

I need (want) a nice fast-ish hybrid bike, with minimal maintenance and with a bit of a hooligan ride. I need (want) an 8sp Alfine hub (can't be doing with faffing about with indexing deralileurs on a commuter), disk brakes, prefable hydraulic (again with the faffing), and ideally a steel frame.

The perfect choice would be a Cotic Roadrat, but - tcha, Halfords. Cotic won't supply them to Halfords, and they a minium order quantity which means they won't give my LBS one (who accepts Halfords vouchers) either.

So, question is:

How can I get a Roadrat on the Halfords scheme?

OR, what's a good alternative? My LBS recomends a Focus Planet TR 3.0 which ticks all the boxes, except it's an alu frame. I'm leaning towards that, but anyone tried one out?
The On-one pompetino looks good, but it's too expensive for the CTW scheme.
There is a Saracen Clever Mike, but it's got a boring upright geometry, with too short a top tube, and likewise the Kona Dr Fine. I could get one and then swap the frame out for a Pompentino....

Any ideas?

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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7 comments

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Ogg | 11 years ago
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I got a Ridgeback Flight 04 with Alfine and then after a year swapped the frame out for a Pompetamine, all the bits from the Ridgeback fitted except the seat clamp and I managed to get 40 quid for the ridgeback frame.

I did how ever have to rebuild the back wheel as I kept on snapping spokes...

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dave atkinson | 11 years ago
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i was going to suggest the ridgeback but they don't do an alfine one any more

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matty c replied to dave atkinson | 11 years ago
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Its on their website, otherwise you could get last years model discounted.

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dave atkinson replied to matty c | 11 years ago
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matty c wrote:

Its on their website, otherwise you could get last years model discounted.

my bad, so it is. was looking at the pic and forgot it had a chain tensioner, thought it had gone geared  4

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matty c | 11 years ago
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Ridgeback Flight 04 with Alfine, discs etc.
great fast commuter

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dave atkinson | 11 years ago
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cube hyde race?

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gralegav | 11 years ago
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See if you can get a whyte Sterling, bloody love mine for commuting.

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