Vienna 3 vs Sirrus 2010

[imcosmocat]

Firstly like many other newbies accept my apologies but i am looking for a bit of advice.

I have just got £400 from my work in the cyclescheme and i am looking for hybrid bike, i have it down to a couple of specialized Vienna 3 or the Sirrus 2010.

I am looking to do about 8 miles each way to work but would also look to increase on this at the weekends , im seriously out of practise but am keen to get this cracked and start enjoying myself.

Can anyone offer me any advice on the preferred choice , its going to be trvalling on roads for the vast majority of the time. I can also go for some other options but i cant squeeze any more budget.

Also is it likely that i will need to change the seat - how much am i looking for a more comfortable seat ?

thanks

 

[johnr]

Welcome to the forum.

I do an 8 mile commute on country roads. I started out on a Vienna-type bike and seriously looked at the Sirrus when I upgraded.

Basically, the Sirrus is all-round more sporty, the Vienna more of a workhorse. If you're looking to get to work ASAP and do longer rides at the weekends, the Sirrus is probably the best option. For a more leisurely and comfortable ride, and carrying significant amounts of stuff, I'd go for the Vienna.

I'd go with the saddles which come as standard. I bought a Specialized BG saddle for my old bike for about £20 and it was great; it looks like the ones supplied are the same/similar. Think about getting some padded shorts - they're more comfortable and they and the saddle should provide all the comfort you need.

Best advice I got when I started commuting was: keep the tyres pumped up high, clean the chain/drive train at least weekly (perhaps even more in this weather) and have a more general service about twice a year.

You'll get lots of advice from this forum - much of it useful - and what a good time of year you've chosen to start the new adventure. Enjoy .

 

[accountantpete]

The Vienna is very heavy (26lb) compared to the Sirrus (23lb quoted).

I'd suggest the Sirrus Sport or alternatively get some carbon forks when the finances will allow as they will be kinder to your hands.

Seats - take John's advice and see how the standard seat goes.

 

[Banjo]

Welcome to the forum. Specialized bikes seem to be a respected make.Either bike would be fine for commuting and general use.

The Vienna has 35 mm tyres which would make it more comfortable on gravel paths such as parks or canal paths. The Sirrus has 28 mm tyres that will be a bit quicker on smooth tarmac ,still ok on paths but not so forgiving on bumps /potholes etc as the wider 35's.

Generally the sirrus is a bit more sporty so would be more fun to ride .The Vienna has triple chain rings on the front so will give you a wide range of gears to cope with hills.I think some sirrus's have 3 some have 2 .If your fitness isnt high or its hilly in your area then the triple chainrings would be a good option.

Your lucky you only have 2 on your list.I ended up with about 10 bikes to fret over on my short list :-)

Another vote for keeping the original seat,any seat is going to hurt until your ar$e gets used to it.You can ease the discomfort by takling the weight on your legs a bit going downhill.Give it at least a month or two.

 

[imcosmocat]

big thanks for the really helpful responses , although i have limited this to only 2 bikes i am really open to any other suggestions , the only limiting factor is that i cant go over my 400 budget ,someone did suggest the sirrus sport but this will add another 100 to the budget.

There are some Scott bikes within budget but cycling is a much bigger animal than it used to be and its hard to get some independant reviews

maybe im looking at all this too scientifically as its still a relatively small budget but i just want to get the most for my money and the most suitable as this will need to last me a couple of years - the same as everyone else id imagine

 

[accountantpete]

If you stick with the major names they are all pretty much the same apart from the obvious stuff like Banjo says- triples and tyres etc.

 

[johnr]

Have you tried out any bikes? There are dozens in your price range (I eventually gave up trying to make scientific choices and stuck to Specialized because a good local bike shop - lbs, you'll see that a lot here - is a Specialized dealer).

It won't take long for you and your bum to decide whether it's Sirrus, Vienna, or something else for you... the problems really start a few months down the road when you start thinking about what your next bike is going to be .

 

[ACS]

Vote for the Sirrus. Do a 20 mile round trip on mine (2006 Sport) 4 days a weeks. Changes I have made; currently using a Bonty Race lite saddle off my road bike, looking for a B17 for the Sirrus at the moment. Rack and pannier and full SKS mudguards (must have) couple of Tesco 3w cree lights and 1/2 w smart light for the back, Specialized A1 Dirtrodz Bar Ends so I have other hand positions. Would have no hesitation in buying another.