# Big ask of Boardman Hybrid Team....



## nickerbikerglory (27 Oct 2011)

Hi All, my first post, sorry it's a big'n.

I used to have a really really rubbish MTB (£60 odd) until I decided to treat myself to a Claud Butler Explorer 200. 

I was very pleased with the bike (given its price - i paid £240 for a new one) and it did everything that i asked of it very well. ie:

4 mile daily commute (thankfully mostly on cycle paths)
the odd 10 mile morning leisure ride before work (mainly roads, but included canal paths and farmers tracks too)
the odd 20 mile weekend ride 
the odd family ride with 2yo daughter on the back (ocasional forest trail, cycle lanes etc)
London to Southend bike ride

I'd say it was used 70% on roads with the rest being canal paths, trails etc. - nothing too hardcore

I'd only owned it about a year when some B*****d stole it ! Grrrrr! I feel like part of the family has been taken, given that it's been there for so many nice family weekends and about 5-6 breaks.

Anyway, my thinking is that if £240 was such a big improvement over a £60 bike, then fingers crossed £750 will be even better, with an improvement in my road riding speed and overall quality (experienced occasional creaks and rattles with the Claud Butler) .

So really, what I want to know is, given my riding needs, will a Boardman Hybrid Team do the job whilst being comfortable enough on the forest trails, forest paths etc? (given that it lacks the front forks and suspended seatpost of the Claud Butler)

Many thanks


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## HLaB (27 Oct 2011)

It probably depends how rough your route is but not having suspension will make it far more efficient on Tarmac, a lot smoother and easier rather than heavy units which will probably (unless a fortune is spent) transfer energy into a useless up and down movement. Also a cheap suspension seat post can do you an injury it did me anyway, I think my body over time was going one way and the post and knee the other. You'll probably find you stick more to Tarmac in the future but it sounds to me like you are indeed making the right move :-)

Oh and welcome to the forum


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## GrumpyGregry (27 Oct 2011)

you know, back in the day, nobody had suspension forks or fancy dan seat posts but it didn't stop us riding our bikes in the forest.

buy the Boardman, I suspect you'll ride on road a bit more, and I suspect you'll love every minute of it.


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## edindave (27 Oct 2011)

I tried to ride my Boardman Hybrid Pro along the Water of Leith path a couple of months ago. I gave up. Yes I am running 23mm conti gatorskins so with different tyres the experience might have been better.

I can't remember the tyre clearance - it might be 35mm. so perhaps with some knobbly 35mm tyres forest tracks would be a goer - but I'd research it or wait for more first hand advice.

The stock tyres that come with the board man hybrids won't be up to it though. Or gravel covered canal towpaths for that matter. In my opinion


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## jig-sore (27 Oct 2011)

as long as you remember that "a bike is only as fast as the guy riding it"... then yes, it will be an improvement


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## Cubist (28 Oct 2011)

I run my Hybrid Pro on 25mm tyres, so my first thought was "No". However, I know someone who has put 32mm cross tyres on his, so that would be a suggestion.


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## GrumpyGregry (28 Oct 2011)

That's it in a nutshell. If your hybrid is kitted out like a flat barred road race bike going off road at any speed will be a no-no but it if is built up like a flat barred CX-er then tally ho!


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## Cosmicned (28 Oct 2011)

I've got a Boardman Hybrid Comp- with Conti 28mm Gatorskins fitted - goes nearly as fast as my road bike - not as light but just the thing for my daily urban commute with a bit of off roading/trail paths thrown in... works for me... a brilliant bike imho...


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## GrumpyGregry (28 Oct 2011)

Cosmicned said:


> I've got a Boardman Hybrid Comp- with Conti 28mm Gatorskins fitted - goes nearly as fast as my road bike - not as light but just the thing for my daily urban commute with a bit of off roading/trail paths thrown in... works for me... a brilliant bike imho...



I'm a big unit. 28mm Gatorskin hardshells on 700c rims will pinch flat/snakebite even at 110pi if you hit an edge hard/fast enough.


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## Cosmicned (28 Oct 2011)

GregCollins said:


> I'm a big unit. 28mm Gatorskin hardshells on 700c rims will pinch flat/snakebite even at 110pi if you hit an edge hard/fast enough.



I'm erm... pretty beefy too - 90Kg & 6ft... been ok so far for nearly a year of brisk commuting- but like I said not really going proper bonkers off-roading - just during dodging the usual dogs/peds/squirrels etc... I'd better touch some wood then ...


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## scotty110788 (28 Oct 2011)

Cosmicned said:


> I've got a Boardman Hybrid Comp- with Conti 28mm Gatorskins fitted - goes nearly as fast as my road bike - not as light but just the thing for my daily urban commute with a bit of off roading/trail paths thrown in... works for me... a brilliant bike imho...



*Hi5* i also have the comp  imo i wouldn't use for trails tbh, it just about handles the state of roads in newcastle on my work commute


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## nickerbikerglory (29 Oct 2011)

Thanks for all of your replies.

I was planning on sticking a similar set of of tyres to the Claud Butler. I think they were 35mm Kenda Khan semi slick which I've been told will fit.

So, by the sounds of it, so long as I don't try to do anything too daft on it then I should be ok.

Can't wait to get it !


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## cloggsy (29 Oct 2011)

nickerbikerglory said:


> Thanks for all of your replies.
> 
> I was planning on sticking a similar set of of tyres to the Claud Butler. I think they were 35mm Kenda Khan semi slick which I've been told will fit.
> 
> ...



Beware of Kenda tyres! The puncture protection is minimal!!!


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