Which bike?

[TheRuralLife89]

I'm overwhelmed with the choice of bikes out there.
I haven't owned one since I was a child and now I want to get something that I can ride around on at the weekend in the countryside...so probably a hybrid as I'll be going on the road, then off road on forest paths etc.
Any recommendations? I don't want to spend more than around £500-600 tops as this will just be a recreational bike.

Similar to you, I hadn’t ridden a bike for a decade and wanted to get out on the country lanes and bridleways. I was bought a Cannondale Quick (I think it’s a 5) hybrid which has been great for what I need. Lightweight, quick enough on the roads, fine on the trails and over lumps and bumps, struggles a bit on gravel uphill (as do I ) but I would definitely recommend it. I’m no bike expert but your requirements sound similar to mine and I’m really enjoying it.

Pop along to your local independent bike shop and have a chat. They’ll be able to talk you through your options, advise you, size you up and allow you to test ride. They can also ‘swap’ components to suit eg shorter cranks (the bit the pedal is attached to) so that your new steed fits you perfectly. This is really important for comfort and avoiding injury from a poor bike position.

A hybrid is certainly a good starting point. You could consider a gravel bike. It’ll have drop bars. Like a hybrid it is designed for mixing trail riding with roads.

Unless you live somewhere reliably dry. Ensure your bike is equipped to take front and rear mudguards. Even if you only ever intend to go out in dry weather, you never know when you’ll get caught in a shower. N’owt worse than a soaking wet arse and all the crap off the road flicking up in your face. If you may like to commute at some point, make sure it is equipped to take a rear rack. You can then purchase this and panniers at a later date. Carrying stuff in a rucksack vs panniers is pretty unpleasant (I’ve been cycle commuting years). Most hybrids and gravel bikes will take a rack and mudguards.

Pick the lightest bike you can afford (subject to test riding). If you are permanently employed (as in permanent job contract) consider the bike to work scheme. You get a code from your employer and pay for the bike by instalments through salary sacrifice.

It is worth travelling to make use of a decent independent bike shop. Have a look on local cycling club forums on Facebook and don’t be afraid to ask. Alternatively if you have local ish friends or family or work colleagues who are cyclists, ask them which shop they recommend.

Everything @WhiskeryWoman said. I have several bikes (used to work in the cycling industry) and the one I use the most is my gravel bike - a Cube Cross race. I commute on it, train on it, even stuck panniers on and did the coast to coast on it.

Would suggest that 1) you register to go on a couple of the women only Breeze rides that British Cycling run, if there are any in your area - great to meet new friends, and get tips on how to ride. Also see if you can get on a basic maintenance course - most councils run them for free or at a small cost, and if nothing else will show you how to change an inner tube, clean your bike and lube your chain. Try local independent bike shops first - you get a better service from them than Halfords or Evans. Finally, a padded saddle is not always the comfiest! Try ones with short noses or cut-outs if you’re having trouble or pain.

I have a liv alight which is a decent hybrid. I use it on tow paths, gravel cycle paths and the road. I have fairly thin tyres on it which I did struggle with in the new forest as the gravel was deeper and rougher and I fell off a few times. I think with thicker tyres it might have been ok. So do check how wide a tyre the bike can take if you’re thinking of rougher forest tracks.

I'd also add, don't think that you necessarily need a womens bike. There is usually less choice, and very little actual difference in component size other than the frame. Your local bike shop is a great place to start, but if they aren't helpful, flounce out and go somewhere else. My LBS only does road bikes (and it looks scary from the outside but they are the loveliest people around and very very helpful to a rubbish middle aged cyclist and her teen so never judge) so my hybrid came from Leisure Lakes bikes who were good

I recommend a hybrid too. Mine is Specialized brand and is brilliant. Disc brakes are good too. Definitely try them out before you buy. Racer handles for me would be a no-no due to neck pain, but I have neck problems.

Thanks for all the tips! There's an independent bike shop near where I used to live so I will go there and see what they can advise.

Disc brakes can add significant weight and be tricky to maintain... so on your budget I wouldn’t go out looking for discs. Rim brakes are perfectly adequate for the type of riding you are likely to be doing.

I only have discs on my MTB. I use rim breaks on my cyclo cross, best/race road bike and training bike. I use my training bike (standard road bike kitted out with rack, mudguards and more robust road tyres) to commute (lugging laptop, folders etc) and towing DS in his trailer, he’s 4.5. I live in a super hilly part of the country. I’ve had no issues with the stopping power of my rim brakes, even in the wet!

You’ll probably find a model without discs to be cheaper as it’ll be an older model.

Keep in mind that the delivery times on most new bikes are insane at the moment so you may be restricted to what the shop preordered many months ago. I had far less choice than usual on a recent bike shopping trip. And predictably it was the mid price hybrids that seemed most in demand. You may need to try a few shops to get what you want.