Help please!!

[MancRider78]

Hi,

I posted a request for information about the claude butler urban 300, a hybrid advised by my LBS. I have been doing some more info hunting and have been to Evans and the edinburgh cycle coop. ECC advised me to buy a revolution hybrid and evans shunned the hybrids and sent me straight to a specialized hardrock pro disc.

Evans told me a hybrid would struggle with towpaths that were not level with packed gravel and had holes in them. Who do I believe or is it a case of asking for a test ride and seeing which one I prefer to ride??

I have to make my mind up soon to get my cycle scheme money at the end of this month. The more info I seem to get the more confused I am getting. I want a bike that will ride roads well and handle some towpath and mud, loose gravel and grass pathway riding.

thanks in advance

 

[Randochap]

If you are saying that Evans tried to sell you a mountain bike, when you are looking for a hybrid, I'd say they are leading you down the tow path.

I'd question whether they aren't pushing you toward the stock they need to move.

Ask yourself this: Are you going to ride mostly on the road? If so, then it is a hybrid you need. I can't say what the surface of your "tow paths" are, but most hybrids with, say, a 32mm tyre, ridden by a competant cyclist, will more than handle a reasonable trail. I mean, it's not as if you are going to deliberately steer into potholes, is it?

I know UK roads enough to know there's plenty of those in the tarmac.

As I've said here before, I would never buy a bike I hadn't test ridden.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

+1

If you are saying that Evans tried to sell you a mountain bike, when you are looking for a hybrid, I'd say they are leading you down the tow path.

I'd question whether they aren't pushing you toward the stock they need to move.

Ask yourself this: Are you going to ride mostly on the road? If so, then it is a hybrid you need. I can't say what the surface of your "tow paths" are, but most hybrids with, say, a 32mm tyre, ridden by a competant cyclist, will more than handle a reasonable trail. I mean, it's not as if you are going to deliberately steer into potholes, is it?

I know UK roads enough to know there's plenty of those in the tarmac.

As I've said here before, I would never buy a bike I hadn't test ridden.

 

[MancRider78]

Thoughts

Thanks to you both.

The mountain bike is £200 more than the hybrids and seems to be an overkill for a commute/lesuire bike.

Personally I am leaning towards the cluade butler, and also the LBS. I'm sure a £300 sale would be welcome and the guys in there have gone out of their way to help me so far.

 

[byegad]

Hybrids will cope with a lot of stick. My Scott Atacama was happy on road with Marathon pluses rather than the knobbly tyres it came with and could be thrashed down rough tracks, on the same tyres! Evans are talking out of their saddle bags on this one.

 

[rael]

I have a claude butler urban 300 and use it to travel to work on both road and off road, i have found it to be no problem at all.
I also use it at weekends on costal paths etc and it's been fine.

 

[HJ]

The best advice I can give is to try as many bikes as you can in your price range as you can and buy the one that feels the best. I don't realy see why you would need suspension fork for the sort of riding you are planning to do, looking at the specs I would suggest that the Revolution Trailfinder would be a better buy than the Claude Butler Urban 300, but never having riden either bike I couldn't say for sure...

 

[valleyold boy]

I purchased a Dawes Mojave hybrid in the winter(a cheapy by many peoples opinion).I,ve since done approx 600 m on it on track and trail rides in south Wales.So far its been the best £200 ive ever spent,including the pothole I hit last week.Depends on your aspirations as a cyclist but in my opinion a hybrid is a great option.By the way bike survived the pothole.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

I had a CB Urban 300 - not a bad bike once the tyres were changed for something with more puncture resistence and the suspension seatpost changed for a solid one. It was well up to the task of towpaths and some mild offroad trails. It was fairly swift on the roads, which was where I spent most of my time to be honest.

So I replaced it with an EBC Revolution Courier Race, the 700c wheeled version of the standard Courier. It's a far better bike on road, much faster as it's lighter and has no suspension. With a change of tyres to something with more side knobbles, it would cope with offroad trails.

You SO don't need a mountain bike for what you describe, I think Evans are trying to upsell you what they have in stock, rather than what you need.

It all depends if you think the front suspension on the CB will be a help or hinderance, the ones you've listed are both good bikes.

 

[fossyant]

If you are doing mixed riding, canals / road and that's it -then a hybrid is better.

If you are going off road up in some mountains, then get a MTB....

You can change the characteristics of your bike with tyres, but for mixed riding, a standard hybrid is best...

My MTB has gone through the range with tyres.... road only (i.e. no canals...tarmac only), heavy tyres that will do minor trails, and full out get out there rough stuff - flippin terrible on tarmac......

 

[ed_o_brain]

Hybrids vary ... at one end they are like flat barred road bikes and at the other they are just mountain bikes with slick tyres.

I'd probably recommend a Specialized Tri-cross on some Schwalbe Marathons.

 

[MancRider78]

Thanks for all the info and help, I'm going to try and get a test ride on the CB from my LBS and will also go back to ECC and try a test ride on the Revolution...

Just waiting for Aldi's offer on cycle clothing now....

 

[HJ]

Good luck and enjoy

 

[MancRider78]

Thank for all the help.

Got a trail ride on the revolution trailfinder on tuesday, they have a suspension and non suspension version so I can have a a try of both. Unfortunatly local bike shop won't let me have a try of the CB urban 300. Shame really

 

[Sittingduck]

Thank for all the help.

Got a trail ride on the revolution trailfinder on tuesday, they have a suspension and non suspension version so I can have a a try of both. Unfortunatly local bike shop won't let me have a try of the CB urban 300. Shame really

Take your business elsewhere if their attitude is not to allow prospective customers test ride a bike!

Best of luck with the Revolution bikes though - have heard plenty of good feedback about them.

Cheers,
SD