Please Help choose a bike no more than £700

[Lifeisforlivingkatie]

Hello everyone, after a cycling holiday this summer, I really want to cycle more around town and to build up my skills to be able to go on rides with DP at weekends mainly on paths and roads.

I cannot manage hills yet so need something that will be easy to get up hills. We live in a hilly city. It also needs to be light because I will probably take it in and out of the car a lot.
DP and friends go on90 mile rides so I will be driving some of it. It also needs to look really pretty to tempt me out of my car.

How about a cyclocross bike then? You'll be able to do trails on it, but it will still be faster than a hybrid. If you were doing a sportive, you could put slick tyres on it.

I've got a Specialized Tricross which is a cyclocross type bike. For me its a perfect hybrid without being a hybrid. Its got drops so looks the business and has different hand positions for longer journeys. You can tour on it as I've got mudguards and a rack. I've got fairly wide tyres....I think 35mm or possibly 32mm and it handles rough tracks ok. I reckon its faster than a hybrid. I could put slicker tyres on it if I wanted to and it'd be faster still.

If you want hills you need a 'granny gear' basically either a small (micro) smallest chainring on the front or a very large largest cog on the back or a combination of quite wee on front quite big on back so that it works out that the lowest gear you can use is close to being 1:1 i.e. the cog on the front is almost the same as the cog on the back so you get one turn of the wheel for every turn of the pedals. Going up hill is then easy (if slow)

usually you will something reasonable with smallest front and largest back on any bike with a reasonable number of gears (esp if it has 3 rings on the front) but you can specifically request a good easy climbing gear at the bike shop and they will be able to advise you.

Nobody has really addressed the issue of "pretty". Eye of the beholder, and all that, but personally I think it's important . But rather than a "pretty frame", you could consider a very plain frame (black or white or grey), and then accessorise it in a bright colour. We did this with my friend's hybrid, a grey Pinnacle (that's Evan's own brand), then added red pedals, grips, bell, lights, bottle cage, valve caps, panniers, etc. It looks really good (and when she sells it to me, I'll replace the red stuff with purple).

A word of warning, though - don't buy a red saddle

Pretty for me, comes at a much higher pricetag than £700. The beautiful Pinnarello I rode at the NEC last week, that was pretty - in a 'move aside boys, I'm coming through' way

I'm the opposite, I'd avoid pretty like the plague, just because bikes are so very nickable.

Ok, I've done the one finger test op, and I can't do it. Can do it with two fingers though, so was nearly right

What about a cross bike, they have drop bars like a road bike but will take tyres suitable for rougher paths. I have a giant invite2 and I love it. This years model is 699 so just within budget. It has a really low ratio on the lowest gear (ie less than 1 times) so is great for hills. The weight is not disclosed but it's light and can be fast when you want it to be. I also think the 2015 version in white is pretty!

Update everyone, went in the specialist shop today, liked the vita sport and the arial. Vita was lighter could pass the one finger text DancingD. Not a great range of colours but very nice.

They would not let me test them because it was wet outside. Also went to check out the Evans to check out the trek neko sl but they don't keep them in the show room. They don't stock the whyte Victoria either. If anyone has experience please update.

Cube pictures look cool. I live in a hilly city so low gears and light weight is a must. Oh can a change the saddle to one that's looks a a pashley?

Yes, saddles are inter-changeable, but don't assume that a wider, squishier saddle will be more comfortable. It needs to support your "sit bones" (ischial tuberosity), so the most important thing is the correct width. Some shops (inc Evans?) have an arse-o-meter to measure your width

Gosh arse-o-meter everything has been covered. I really did this big squashy meant comfy.thank you Ladymud

I thought the saddle on my bike was uncomfortable when I first got it, but didn't get round to changing it. I've come to find that the saddle is actually really comfortable on long distance rides. It just took a little while to get used to it.

I have a Whyte Malvern which I use for a hilly commute, cycle paths, towpaths etc. it's very comfy, prob not the lightest bike ever but comfy, solid and will manage panniers etc too

www.rutlandcycling.com/280933/products/giant-defy-3-2014-road-bike.aspx

this is an absolute bargain for the spec