Claud Butler bikes

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Anyone know anything about them please?
I have a friend who is looking at the Explorer 300 Ladies and I don't really know if it is OK? I am guessing it is heavy, because I can't find a single figure on its weight anywhere. I really am uncertain on it being a 7 speed freewheel, but at least it is a triple. The forks are unnecessary for what she does, but... http://claudbutler.co.uk/cycle-range/range/claud-butler-hybrid/cb4018-2015

Frame: 6061 T4 T6 Alloy
Fork: Suntour SF13-CR-8V MLO (lockout)
Gears: Shimano TX75 Tourney rear, TX51 front
Freewheel: Shimano 7 speed 14-28t
Shifter: Shimano ST-EF51 trigger
Brakes: Alloy V
Wheels: 32h alloy QR hub with double wall alloy rim
Chainset: Sram alloy 28-38-48t
Tyres: Kenda 700 x 35c
Stem: Exile alloy ahead
Bar: Exile low rise alloy 31.8mm
Saddle: Exile
Accessories: Dual compound ergo grip

thanks
SNSSO

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I had a Claud Butler Legend hybrid and it was a nice serviceable comfy A to B commute or shopping bike with one niggle that drove me mad.

The rear gears would not under any circumstances including careful checking, proper lubrication, cable cleaning & perfect routing, changes of componentry, begging, swearing, voodoo rituals sacrificing barnyard fowl..... stay indexed and working correctly for more than a few days / 50-100 miles /

It drove me so far to distraction I swapped the bike for a dilapidated climbing frame.

A colleague got one a couple of years later and wasn't overly happy with it.

I did get to spend a happy couple of hours sat with an 87 year old gent outside Sainsburys one day telling me his whole cycling life history though that bike though, His 1st bike before the war had been a Claud Butler, back when they were proper quality, and he hadn't seen one in years.

 

[MartinQ]

Mrs MQ has got something similar (can't remember the exact CB model and too lazy to look in the garage). I got it second hand for £100 and it was worth it for that price, but probably not great value for £400. It's not light but she just uses it to pootle about (school / shops) infrequently and its fine for this. Better than a BSO but not probably not great for anything more serious.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Better than a BSO but not probably not great for anything more serious.

that is what I was afraid of. I am trying to talk her out of it, but I need an alternative, however her immediate budget is not great which is an issue. I need to establish if she wants to continue with cycling after this charity event (which this purchase would suggest) or if she thinks she will return to her old ways. She is a natural at cycling. Has so much uphill strength it is heart breaking! If I could get her over to a road bike or CX with drops she would sail away...

 

[MartinQ]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/193105584181380 & https://www.facebook.com/groups/592221384225573 may be worth trying, although these are north wales. Have a look through / search them and maybe put a wanted post? My wife's bike is a 17" (she's around 5'7 and the seat is up a bit) and she'd be welcome to that for the day / a few days (I would check the model :-)), but it wouldn't be my first choice for a longish ride.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/193105584181380 & https://www.facebook.com/groups/592221384225573 may be worth trying, although these are north wales. Have a look through / search them and maybe put a wanted post? My wife's bike is a 17" (she's around 5'7 and the seat is up a bit) and she'd be welcome to that for the day / a few days (I would check the model :-)), but it wouldn't be my first choice for a longish ride.

thanks for the offer, but I am already lending her my 15 inch mtb which she fits beautifully. The issue is that she is a new friend and not used to people being generous and whilst she will borrow my mtb when I am riding with her, she is not prepared to borrow it when I am not around.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

that is what I was afraid of. I am trying to talk her out of it, but I need an alternative, however her immediate budget is not great which is an issue. I need to establish if she wants to continue with cycling after this charity event (which this purchase would suggest) or if she thinks she will return to her old ways. She is a natural at cycling. Has so much uphill strength it is heart breaking! If I could get her over to a road bike or CX with drops she would sail away...

For the same money she could get

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/specialized-vita-15?bct=browse/bicycles/womens-bikes

Which from what you say, may be leggy enough to entice a natural cyclist into more.

Or a Ridgeback, Marin, Cannondale etc hybrids all under the £400 from your OP CB link & these are just from the Edinburgh Bikes site, Evans has same and an ok looking Trek all women's specific

 

[Milkfloat]

If she is on a limited budget then take a look at this http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/claud-butler-urban-500-womens-hybrid-bike-id83126.html

Even has a carbon fork. Mrs Milkfloat had me order one, but it got returned because of the colour. It was described as Champagene and the photo was of a cream bike, it is actually dark brown with a green stripe.

 

[MartinQ]

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500-flat-bar-road-bike-black-id_8322664.html
seems a good price as well

 

[Cyclist33]

Giant escape, or the Liv Giant ladies version.

Job done.

 

[howard2107]

Ive got the Voyager 400, no problems at all, nice and light, very easy to ride, and its taken a lot more abuse than it was ever designed for, and nothing has broken or come loose or fallen off.

 

[rovers1875]

Don't be to quick to knock the CB, I've had the CB urban 100 for just over 5 years. It was the bike that got me back into cycling. It has had some serous abuse and taken it all in its stride. Alright it has moved down pecking order, but when I'm off for some shopping, its chucking it down or someone needs to borrow a bike out it comes. My wife had a CB urban 400 (Which has now been passed to my dtr) neither bike had any problems and never needed any adjustments. Only thing i ever did was to change the usual consumables. Must admit, for entry level bikes I have been very happy with them.

 

[swee'pea99]

As I understand it, the Claude Butler tag is to all intents and purposes meaningless. It is just, and exactly, that - a tag. Like Sports Direct 'brands' - Dunlop, Slazenger, Karrimor - one-meaningful brands which simply got sold as badges, to be stuck on anything the owner wishes to 'add value' to. That doesn't necessarily mean a CB is a bad bike, or not worth the money, any more than most Sports Direct branded goods are necessarily poor/overpriced. It simply means that 'CB', per se, means nothing. It did once (I have an aged CB that's a joy to ride, to prove it), but not any more.