Budget Workhorse Required

[Hip Priest]

I currently commute 9.53 miles per day on a knackered Ridgeback MTB that I bought in 2003, barely rode, then sold to a mate for £50.

He left it out in the rain for a couple of years then gave it me back, in a pitiful state, for nowt. It's done alright, all things considered, but understandably I'm toying with the idea of a new commuter bike.

My criteria:​

​

Must be quite cheap (I'm a pauper)​

Must be new (I want to look after it from birth)​

Must be flat-barred (I prefer flat-bars on the commute)​

I'm tempted to just slap £200 into the hand of my nearest Halford's till-jockey in exchange for a Carrera Subway, but I was wondering if you chaps and chappesses had anything more interesting to suggest.

Hit me.

 

[bicyclos]

Ive just bought a Raleigh Detour as an emergency backup which I purchased from Sports Direct of all places for £149.99 delivered. For a budget bike I really like it.....

 

[col]

Carrera subways are pretty good.

 

[Herzog]

Carrera subways are pretty good.

Seconded, they always used to be good. I don't know if this is stil the case.

 

[NormanD]

I loved my Subway, it was pretty well bomb proof, I'd stick on an extra £80 (if you can afford it) and go for the disc brake version Here

 

[400bhp]

Subway limited edition can be had for £175 at the moment.

I've been toying with the idea of buying one and then selling my current (from around 2008) Subway 1 on Fleabay. I reckon the difference could be as little as £75.

 

[Soltydog]

If the budget will stretch to £300 maybe worth considering http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=69512
Belt driven hub gears, comes with rack, mudguards & dynamo lighting all fitted. Stock tyres are pretty poor & would recommend upgrading then asap