"Alloy" means aluminium in common parlance, although strictly speaking any metal frame is made from some sort of alloy. 1/2kg is not that much difference on that sort of bike - you have to be a bit wary of quoted weights anyway - e.g. are they weighing the same size frame, with pedals? Of those three I'd lean towards the ridgeback, but I'm biassed as I have a Voyage and like it a lot. The galaxy cross looks good, perhaps better parts - shimano disks, but I'm looking at 15kg quoted weight, which is heavy even for a tourer. The discovery looks like an odd beast. Nice wide 35mm tyres, mini-v brakes, and a bit lighter than the others. But the spec I'm looking at says it has a compact double, although the pic shows a triple. Personally I'd definitely want a triple for those Bristolian hills, especially with a heavyish bike. It also looks like it has a freewheel rather than cassette, which personally I'd avoid, as it's a less robust design and more hassle to replace when worn. Proof of the pudding... I'd recommend getting a good test ride in (
Evans??) especially if you're not used to drop bars.
