Be Excellent To Each Other

Does this one seem ok?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec016812

After doing a little reading it seems that some sort of hybrid is what I'm after and that one is in the right price range. I've also had a Trek bike in the past and was happy with it, although I don't know if they're still any good. There are so many different bikes around that finding any sort of review for each seems impossible, most reviews I have found are just the pointless kind where people talk about how great the thing that they just bought is.

I'm no bike expert so can't comment on your choice, but I've got this one and it's really good for what I need (12 mile round trip commute on roads/cycle paths and occasional long weekend ride).

Basically, everybody is slightly different in their dimensions. Added to this most bike manufacturers use slightly different frame geometries.
Trek are a good bike manufacturer, they're one of the big boys, so a car analogy would make them like Toyota, or Nissan or Ford. I think they're only direct rival size wise is Specialised.

So basically, your bike will be good. Whether it's excellent largely depends on whether it suits you or not. You can adjust many things on a bike to make the riding position more optimal and comfortable.

Saddle height: Rotate the crank till one of the pedals is at a perpendicular to the floor, or as close as possible in it's rotation. Sit on the bike and place the middle of your foot on that pedal. Your leg should be close to straight, but not locked. That's the correct height for the saddle.

That bike looks like it has quite a long stem on the handlebars (the clamp that attaches the handlebars to the crown of the forks). If this makes you feel like you're being uncomfortably stretched, push the saddle forward a little bit. If you're still stretched ask the shop if they're willing to swap it out for a shorter stem. If not, buy one - you can get one for £20

[edit] but on further reflection the rearward sweep of the handlebars and the short wheelbase make me think it'll be fine and feel quite nimble.

Next thing for riding comfort is the position of the brake levers. Sit on the bike, put your hands on the handlebars. Now, that line that your arms make from your shoulders to the bars should be exactly the same line you set the brakes on. This will reduce enormously the pressure going through your hands and wrists and I can guarantee the shop won't set it up correctly. You can adjust this yourself with a 5mm allen key.

Those two things will make a sizable difference to how the bike rides. However, if you don't like the frame geometry, try some similar bikes from Giant, Specialized, etc.

I have a Trek 7.2 FX, I got it after my Scott was stolen. For some reason I can't fathom, I just don't like it. Something about it doesn't feel right when compared to the Scott. Not sure why, and not sure if it is just me, but thought I would let you know, as well, you did ask.

Excellent cheers and thanks myp I'll have a look at those.

So would buying online having not sat on it definitely be a bad idea then? It's just that this isn't London and so there are relatively few bike shops around and the number of hybrid type bikes on offer locally seems quite small. Basically if I were to discount buying one over the internet and after taking frame size and price range into account then I can't imagine I'd be left with very much, if any choice.

Are you buying it through your company? If you're not, that's something you might want to look into. I forget the name of the scheme, though.

Yeah, it's some sort of tax scam. I think I'm meant to use it to get to work (I actually will in the summer).

Unless you're hellbent on getting a good deal it's a reasonable idea to support your local bike shop if you can find a local one with a knowledgeable owner.

They'd also help you with finding something to suit you, with test-rides even. And the "cycle to work" stuff.

The geometry *does* make a difference. I had a heavy old cheap steel frame job to start with, and for some reason I could go up (very steep, tricky) hills on it far better than my mates who had fancy light-weight cannondales and Scotts and things.

Could be frame geometry, could be how you have the bike setup. If you haven't got it setup like I suggest above that could be it. However, it could be, as I mentioned, the geometry of the frame - each manufacturer has their own thoughts on this and though the differences can be subtle it's amazing what a slight degree change or a few mil of extra length in one bar can make to how a bike rides.

If you've had a Trek before then I suspect you'll be alright with this one, too.

Well my old Trek is a mountain bike and I'm also pretty certain that I've not done nearly enough cycling to know if it would be lots better if the geometry were slightly different. I mean I liked it because it has been neglected and it still all works well and seems easy to ride.

I'll go to the local shops first and see what's on offer, it does sound as though it would be worth trying a few out.

Definitely. Most of them will allow you take a bike for a decent spin.

It's not a scam; it's th Cycle2Work scheme. I used it last year to get mine. I ordered it from halfords.com, but went in and tried it before agreeing to pay for it.

My friend did this and ended up with a nice full suspension thingy. Can't remember the make now, but it was about £800, IIRC.

mark: def go into a shop that stocks this bike and sit on it/try it our first. There isn't one set rule for the correct frame size for any individual, it all depends on many factors like height, arm length, torso length etc.

Apparently Brooks in Fleetwood are a Trek dealer:

http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/home,store,1401.htm

Pop in and have a chat, see what they can do you for. They also do the cycle to work scheme, so you get all the lovely discounts. I totally recommend getting it through your local independent shop, they can help you set it up properly and then if anything goes funny, you can just pop in to get it sorted.

EDIT: Actually, looking again, I mis-read it. Brooks isn't a Trek dealer (but they may be able to get Trek bikes in, though), but The Bike Shop in Blackpool is:

http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/home,store,1253.htm

When buying through cycle2work, remember to go nuts and get every accessory / clothing item you think you might possibly need at the same time, as it'll all be on the same receipt and it's a great discount. Shame my work dun't do it

I just went to the bike shop at lunchtime and got them to do me a quote for a Trek 7.3 FX They had one in the shop so I was able to sit on it and have a good look.

Awesomes! Looks a beaut!

Can it do jumps and skids?

It can do anything, it's awesome.

Needs a basket, but otherwise it looks nice.

and a proper saddle and a cover fer cheeeeen.

Is there an optional little red flag for the back? Get that if there is. Also - flame decals, if possible.

Are those wheels compatible with spokey-dokeys?

I had spokeydokeys on my bike when I did my first ever downhill race. Everyone else cheated by having full suspension bikes and practice.

It'll come out of the store plastered in reflectors anyway, as EU legislation dictates that all new bikes sold have to have reflectors on both wheels and at the front and back. You, however, don't need to keep them on the bike.

And a bell.

DING

My bike came with the brake levers the wrong way round. That was interesting.

Are bells required by law now?

I wonder if I gapped it from 8ft if it would still be in one piece?

I like mountain bikes but they never seemed to last me more than about two minutes.

Only when sold new. I don't think there's any law requiring you to keep the thing on the bike as soon as you leave the store.

Mine didn't come with one. Or any reflectors at all, for that matter.

There'll be one on it as soon as it leaves the shop.

Also: Upgrade the saddle mark.

Bollocks, years back, MBUK took a £300 mountain bike down Cap d'Ail and it survived.

I did one 180 on a mountain bike and the rear deralier (sic) went into the spokes. I figured then that mountain bikes probably weren't for me.

The best thing about MBUK was always Mint Sauce.

As you were.

Mmmm, possibly JCs riding style might be a little.... 'clumsy' (no offence meant JC )

I also liked mint sauce. I think I still have a few 'combo spanner bottle opener keyring' thingies that were often given away free with MBUK. Probably chucked in a drawer or something though. I think the most useful thing they ever gave away was a verlcro strap that is still on the Marin my Dad had ages ago that is now in our garage and sees use every year or so.

Yeah, I can imagine anything with user adjustable parts is liable to explode/implode/fall apart with your hands around.

I tried to 360 my Alienwares and the bios fell off

Do mountain bikes have flashable BIOS's?

Im fairly sure that it is a requirement for bikes to have reflectors if you are riding on the public roads. Not sure about a bell tho...surely "Arrgghhhh get the fuck out of my way!!" is quicker and more effective than a puny "ding ding, mobile chicane coming through"?

I bought a £600 bike last year, rode it twice, decided bikes without engines are no longer fun so sold it for £400. The two most expensive rides of my life.

Yeah, mountain bikes are way too fragile to do any sort of stunts on.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

If mountain bikes are really fragile, I'm now scared of even looking at my hybrid in case it falls apart.

I thought you had kids?

haha, good point...theyve only been gone for 5 hours and Ive already forgot they existed!

Almost certainly, my bike was built to take a hammering yet I still break stuff when I mess up a landing or give someone else a shot (funnily enough I've stopped that now). One of my pals is around 5st heavier than me & rides a lesser quality bike, yet it's still rare that he breaks anything.

Aside from buckling the wheels, I never damaged anything on my mountain bike as a teen, despite throwing it off all sorts of stuff. Most of the damage from the bad landings was suffered by myself.

I used to have these on my carbon fibre xc racing bike. I took them around Afan Argoed about 30 times over a 4 year period and rode them everyday on Hackney marshes and never even had to have them trued. They were unfuckingbelievable light and amazingly strong. Loaned my carbon fibre racer to my brother to do Afan Argoed one weekend just after building up my latest bike and the clumsy fucker managed to break (and by break I mean crack the fucking rim) of the front wheel, one mile into Afan Argoed's penhydd trail. He is the clumsiest fucker I know. Amazingly, even though the rim was clearly broken the actual wheel stayed together for him to finish the rest of the 12m course!

I bet they cost you a pretty penny.

BUckled wheels and components don't count as "breaking" mountain bikes that's normal wear and tear.