Best bike out of my shortlist of 5?

[londoncyclist007]

Hi everyone i have now done a bit of research and found these models available to me locally under £500 and would like your opinion.

I will be using the bike for commuting mainly (50+ miles a week) and would prefer a lighter aluminium bike with the option of mudguards if possible, ideally a upright hybrid.

Which of these do you think has the best components and where i could easily upgrade parts over the years?

1) Voodoo Marasa

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/voodoo-marasa-mens-hybrid-bike----18in-20in-frames-445471.html

2) Carrera Subway 2 (open to subway 1 as well)

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/carrera-subway-all-weather-edition-mens-hybrid-bike---s-m-l-frames-229822.html

3) Boardman HYB 8.6

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/boardman-hyb-8.6-mens-hybrid-bike-2021---silver---s-m-l-frames-366198.html

4) Triban RC120

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/rc-120-road-bike-grey-microshift/_/R-p-308062

5) Carrera Zelos

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/road-bikes/carrera-zelos-mens-road-bike-2020---black---s-m-l-frames-348198.html


Hope someone with knowledge of quality of parts of these bikes can help me with this conundrum?

Thanks
londoncyslist007

[nikki]

I was once advised (by Kim, I expect), that quality of parts is a lot better once you get above 21 gears. That was before 1x set-ups were so prevalent, so I've no idea how that holds now! I guess a good thing to look for is if they're giving a brand and model number for the components, or if it's a generic cheap factory part.

I'd maybe do a bit of research into mechanical disc brakes - some really like the idea that they could fix a cable roadside if needed, but I'm not sure how good they are in practise generally.

If you're thinking of a rack for the commute, then check the more mountain-bikey ones have mounting bosses in the right places. Same for mudguards if they're not already fitted (although there are band-on workarounds).

You'll need to replace the cassette (gears at the back) when that wears out, so have a look at availability of those. If an upgrade there means going to more gears (how hilly is your commute?) then you need to factor in the cost of matching gear shifters to the new number of gears. 9 speed in the upper quality ranges is starting to be phased out now, in favour of 10 speed, but I don't think 9 speed is going to totally disappear any time soon.

"Shimano hierarchy" is a useful google search to do to get a sense of relative quality of components. It'll lead you to pages like this: https://www.rutlandcycling.com/content/guide-to-shimano-road-amp-mtb-groupsets.aspx . You'll see Tektro components on a lot of the entry level bikes, particularly brakes. These can vary in quality and might be a potential upgrade point, but are probably adequate to get you going.

The Triban road bikes consistently get good reviews as excellent value starter road bikes, but I'd probably be aiming for a slightly more expensive model to get the better parts. I notice a lot of the next models up are out of stock, so that might not be an option for you right now. I've sat on one and ridden it around the store in The Before Times, and it was a noticeably twitchier on the steering compared to what I was used to as a flat-barred hybrid commuter or a butterfly-barred tourer. That might be a bit of a risk if you're stating a preference for more upright hybrid styles. I think they do flat bar versions though.

You might find that your first upgrades are going to be finding a saddle that works for you (might take several attempts) and tyres (fatter if you're dealing with potholes or towpaths, or slicker if you've got a lot of tarmac and knobblies are slowing you down - either should be straightforward).

Lights, locks and luggage are a good thing to factor into commuting budget now if you haven't done so already.


I know none of that actually answers your question, but hope it helps!

[londoncyclist007]

I was once advised (by Kim, I expect), that quality of parts is a lot better once you get above 21 gears. That was before 1x set-ups were so prevalent, so I've no idea how that holds now! I guess a good thing to look for is if they're giving a brand and model number for the components, or if it's a generic cheap factory part.

I'd maybe do a bit of research into mechanical disc brakes - some really like the idea that they could fix a cable roadside if needed, but I'm not sure how good they are in practise generally.

If you're thinking of a rack for the commute, then check the more mountain-bikey ones have mounting bosses in the right places. Same for mudguards if they're not already fitted (although there are band-on workarounds).

You'll need to replace the cassette (gears at the back) when that wears out, so have a look at availability of those. If an upgrade there means going to more gears (how hilly is your commute?) then you need to factor in the cost of matching gear shifters to the new number of gears. 9 speed in the upper quality ranges is starting to be phased out now, in favour of 10 speed, but I don't think 9 speed is going to totally disappear any time soon.

"Shimano hierarchy" is a useful google search to do to get a sense of relative quality of components. It'll lead you to pages like this: https://www.rutlandcycling.com/content/guide-to-shimano-road-amp-mtb-groupsets.aspx . You'll see Tektro components on a lot of the entry level bikes, particularly brakes. These can vary in quality and might be a potential upgrade point, but are probably adequate to get you going.

The Triban road bikes consistently get good reviews as excellent value starter road bikes, but I'd probably be aiming for a slightly more expensive model to get the better parts. I notice a lot of the next models up are out of stock, so that might not be an option for you right now. I've sat on one and ridden it around the store in The Before Times, and it was a noticeably twitchier on the steering compared to what I was used to as a flat-barred hybrid commuter or a butterfly-barred tourer. That might be a bit of a risk if you're stating a preference for more upright hybrid styles. I think they do flat bar versions though.

You might find that your first upgrades are going to be finding a saddle that works for you (might take several attempts) and tyres (fatter if you're dealing with potholes or towpaths, or slicker if you've got a lot of tarmac and knobblies are slowing you down - either should be straightforward).

Lights, locks and luggage are a good thing to factor into commuting budget now if you haven't done so already.


I know none of that actually answers your question, but hope it helps!

Wow, amazing detailed answer.

I will stick with a hybrid, most likely buy a marasa/subway.

I am actually prepared and have already bought my locks and lights.... just need a bike to go with them LOL

thanks for your advice

[Kim]

I'd maybe do a bit of research into mechanical disc brakes - some really like the idea that they could fix a cable roadside if needed, but I'm not sure how good they are in practise generally.

Decent ones (Avid BB7, high-end Shimano, TRP Spyre^[1], that sort of thing) are like well-adjusted V-brakes that keep working properly in the wet: They don't feel as nice as hydraulics, but they're extremely competent at braking.  Suspect there are some awful low-end ones around, though.  I'm a bit out of touch.

If you're looking at flat-barred hybrids (which use mountain bike brake levers), you won't have to worry about cable disc brakes designed to operate with road bike brake levers, which have fewer options that all seem to be a bit meh.

But for a disc-braked commuter bike, I'd strongly consider hydraulics.  Arguably more of a pain to service, but inclined to Just Work™ for long periods without any need for adjustment in between.  And they feel lovely.


_{[1] This seems to be the braking equivalent of Marmite, with people either loving or hating them.}

[londoncyclist007]

I'd maybe do a bit of research into mechanical disc brakes - some really like the idea that they could fix a cable roadside if needed, but I'm not sure how good they are in practise generally.

Decent ones (Avid BB7, high-end Shimano, TRP Spyre^[1], that sort of thing) are like well-adjusted V-brakes that keep working properly in the wet: They don't feel as nice as hydraulics, but they're extremely competent at braking.  Suspect there are some awful low-end ones around, though.  I'm a bit out of touch.

If you're looking at flat-barred hybrids (which use mountain bike brake levers), you won't have to worry about cable disc brakes designed to operate with road bike brake levers, which have fewer options that all seem to be a bit meh.

But for a disc-braked commuter bike, I'd strongly consider hydraulics.  Arguably more of a pain to service, but inclined to Just Work™ for long periods without any need for adjustment in between.  And they feel lovely.


_{[1] This seems to be the braking equivalent of Marmite, with people either loving or hating them.}

OK, i will look out for hydraulic disc brakes

[quixoticgeek]

But for a disc-braked commuter bike, I'd strongly consider hydraulics.  Arguably more of a pain to service, but inclined to Just Work™ for long periods without any need for adjustment in between.  And they feel lovely.

OK, i will look out for hydraulic disc brakes

For a commuter, I would be inclined to ask the following questions:

Will you ride in all weathers?

How hilly is it?

Assuming it's not 100% made of bastard hills, I would spec for reliability. Meaning gears in a can, and hydraulic disks.

My Dutch friends would scoff at this and say drum brakes, as would brucy. But they are such a bitch to service, when in 30000km you do need to service them, and they are not exactly a common part on your side of the pond.

J

[londoncyclist007]

But for a disc-braked commuter bike, I'd strongly consider hydraulics.  Arguably more of a pain to service, but inclined to Just Work™ for long periods without any need for adjustment in between.  And they feel lovely.

OK, i will look out for hydraulic disc brakes

For a commuter, I would be inclined to ask the following questions:

Will you ride in all weathers?

How hilly is it?

Assuming it's not 100% made of bastard hills, I would spec for reliability. Meaning gears in a can, and hydraulic disks.

My Dutch friends would scoff at this and say drum brakes, as would brucy. But they are such a bitch to service, when in 30000km you do need to service them, and they are not exactly a common part on your side of the pond.

J

Hi yes i would ride all year round, there are a few mini hills but not to big. Not sure about gears.

Reliability is super important to me, i want minimum hassle, maybe changing tires, cleaning bike etc

[quixoticgeek]

Hi yes i would ride all year round, there are a few mini hills but not to big. Not sure about gears.

Reliability is super important to me, i want minimum hassle, maybe changing tires, cleaning bike etc

Cleaning... a... bike? I'm sorry I don't understand. What is this "cleaning bike" of which you speak...

Changing tyres is more complicated with hub gears. But the gears themselves are more reliable long term. You basically have two choices: Design your bike to be easy to maintain with few tools, with most things possible even at the road side (i.e. derailleur gears), Or you go for very low maintenance, but accept that if something does break, then you're going to need a pro to fix it, i.e. hub gears.

Hub gears also allow you to have a chain guard easily, which protects from the worst, but it does make it harder to do anything, like lube it. Any problem, and expect to budget 30 minutes to remove all the armour plating.

Personally I commute on my race bike, but I think a steel framed MtB frame, with Di2 TT bars, and road wheels, is a little out of your price range. But I can fix pretty much everything at the side of the road.

J

[Cudzoziemiec]

You probably won't find anyone with experience of all five of your choices, but Boardman and Triban have good reputations as brands. Buying from Halfords might not be a good idea unless you're prepared to check everything twice, stories abound of bikes sold by them being really badly put together. Although there must be some decent mechanics working for them, I hope!

[londoncyclist007]

Hi yes i would ride all year round, there are a few mini hills but not to big. Not sure about gears.

Reliability is super important to me, i want minimum hassle, maybe changing tires, cleaning bike etc

Cleaning... a... bike? I'm sorry I don't understand. What is this "cleaning bike" of which you speak...

Changing tyres is more complicated with hub gears. But the gears themselves are more reliable long term. You basically have two choices: Design your bike to be easy to maintain with few tools, with most things possible even at the road side (i.e. derailleur gears), Or you go for very low maintenance, but accept that if something does break, then you're going to need a pro to fix it, i.e. hub gears.

Hub gears also allow you to have a chain guard easily, which protects from the worst, but it does make it harder to do anything, like lube it. Any problem, and expect to budget 30 minutes to remove all the armour plating.

Personally I commute on my race bike, but I think a steel framed MtB frame, with Di2 TT bars, and road wheels, is a little out of your price range. But I can fix pretty much everything at the side of the road.

J

cleaning a bike ...lol...i did say my repair skills are quite basic! i meant i can clean and lube a bike properly whatever that means.

Lowest maintenance will probably mean hub gears but will mean i will have to go to my LBS for repairs, servicing etc, i do not mind doing some repair work so will stick with a normal bike.

I have not ridden a bike in a long time, but hopefully as i learn to love cycling i am sure that i will soon get the cycling bug!

Thanks for your help

[londoncyclist007]

You probably won't find anyone with experience of all five of your choices, but Boardman and Triban have good reputations as brands. Buying from Halfords might not be a good idea unless you're prepared to check everything twice, stories abound of bikes sold by them being really badly put together. Although there must be some decent mechanics working for them, I hope!

I now know what type of bike i want but still thinking shall i..... buy new online or from a shop (will have warranty, not be stolen etc) ....or go for a used bike from facebook/gumtree/ebay and then take it into a LBS to have it checked over....hmm

I think the second option might be better as the money i save i can use to pay an independent mechanic to bring my bike up to tip top condition servicing etc

What do you guys think will be a better option for me where i will face the least issues?

Let me know
Cheers

[Cudzoziemiec]

If you can take a semi-knowledgeable friend with you to avoid ending up with something totally crap, buying used not only saves money for servicing, it saves money for another bike sometime in the future when you're more certain of what you want (or when you want a second bike to do different stuff: go touring, or racing, or off road, or...

[londoncyclist007]

If you can take a semi-knowledgeable friend with you to avoid ending up with something totally crap, buying used not only saves money for servicing, it saves money for another bike sometime in the future when you're more certain of what you want (or when you want a second bike to do different stuff: go touring, or racing, or off road, or...

cheers

[Pickled Onion]

Hi yes i would ride all year round, there are a few mini hills but not to big. Not sure about gears.

Reliability is super important to me, i want minimum hassle, maybe changing tires, cleaning bike etc

Cleaning... a... bike? I'm sorry I don't understand. What is this "cleaning bike" of which you speak...

Changing tyres is more complicated with hub gears. But the gears themselves are more reliable long term. You basically have two choices: Design your bike to be easy to maintain with few tools, with most things possible even at the road side (i.e. derailleur gears), Or you go for very low maintenance, but accept that if something does break, then you're going to need a pro to fix it, i.e. hub gears.

Hub gears also allow you to have a chain guard easily, which protects from the worst, but it does make it harder to do anything, like lube it. Any problem, and expect to budget 30 minutes to remove all the armour plating.

Personally I commute on my race bike, but I think a steel framed MtB frame, with Di2 TT bars, and road wheels, is a little out of your price range. But I can fix pretty much everything at the side of the road.

J

cleaning a bike ...lol...i did say my repair skills are quite basic! i meant i can clean and lube a bike properly whatever that means.

Lowest maintenance will probably mean hub gears but will mean i will have to go to my LBS for repairs, servicing etc, i do not mind doing some repair work so will stick with a normal bike.

I have not ridden a bike in a long time, but hopefully as i learn to love cycling i am sure that i will soon get the cycling bug!

Thanks for your help

Changing a tyre or tube with a hub gear is not really more complicated than a derailleur, unless it's a Brompton.

With a derailleur bike you will need to replace the chain at least once a year, probably twice, on the mileage you will be doing. If you take it to the LBS for that, they will probably insist on a new cassette as well and the price will be something like £100+ each time.

A hub gear will run fine with no maintenance for tens of thousands of miles, chains last a lot longer and are easier and cheaper to replace. The hub itself will probably outlast the bike.

Something like this fits your budget and ticks the boxes: hydraulic brakes, alloy frame, takes mudguards and a rack.

In your position, I'd probably try to stretch the budget to something like this which has 8 gears and no chain, on the grounds that you'd save that extra £300 on servicing within a year or two compared to a derailleur equivalent.

[londoncyclist007]

Hi yes i would ride all year round, there are a few mini hills but not to big. Not sure about gears.

Reliability is super important to me, i want minimum hassle, maybe changing tires, cleaning bike etc

Cleaning... a... bike? I'm sorry I don't understand. What is this "cleaning bike" of which you speak...

Changing tyres is more complicated with hub gears. But the gears themselves are more reliable long term. You basically have two choices: Design your bike to be easy to maintain with few tools, with most things possible even at the road side (i.e. derailleur gears), Or you go for very low maintenance, but accept that if something does break, then you're going to need a pro to fix it, i.e. hub gears.

Hub gears also allow you to have a chain guard easily, which protects from the worst, but it does make it harder to do anything, like lube it. Any problem, and expect to budget 30 minutes to remove all the armour plating.

Personally I commute on my race bike, but I think a steel framed MtB frame, with Di2 TT bars, and road wheels, is a little out of your price range. But I can fix pretty much everything at the side of the road.

J

cleaning a bike ...lol...i did say my repair skills are quite basic! i meant i can clean and lube a bike properly whatever that means.

Lowest maintenance will probably mean hub gears but will mean i will have to go to my LBS for repairs, servicing etc, i do not mind doing some repair work so will stick with a normal bike.

I have not ridden a bike in a long time, but hopefully as i learn to love cycling i am sure that i will soon get the cycling bug!

Thanks for your help

Changing a tyre or tube with a hub gear is not really more complicated than a derailleur, unless it's a Brompton.

With a derailleur bike you will need to replace the chain at least once a year, probably twice, on the mileage you will be doing. If you take it to the LBS for that, they will probably insist on a new cassette as well and the price will be something like £100+ each time.

A hub gear will run fine with no maintenance for tens of thousands of miles, chains last a lot longer and are easier and cheaper to replace. The hub itself will probably outlast the bike.

Something like this fits your budget and ticks the boxes: hydraulic brakes, alloy frame, takes mudguards and a rack.

In your position, I'd probably try to stretch the budget to something like this which has 8 gears and no chain, on the grounds that you'd save that extra £300 on servicing within a year or two compared to a derailleur equivalent.

Thanks for the bike suggestions, i will check them out

[Hot Flatus]

Honestly?  If buying new at this price point it doesn't really matter which you buy. At a given price they will all be much of a muchness. If it were me, and that were my budget, I'd try and get something maybe 10 to 15 years old with 9 speed 105, in good condition. A year ago that would have been an easy thing to do, but now I'm not sure.

[Davef]

Could not see it mentioned above, but you can take 10% off the price at Halfords if your are a member of British cycling.

[londoncyclist007]

Honestly?  If buying new at this price point it doesn't really matter which you buy. At a given price they will all be much of a muchness. If it were me, and that were my budget, I'd try and get something maybe 10 to 15 years old with 9 speed 105, in good condition. A year ago that would have been an easy thing to do, but now I'm not sure.

Cheers

[londoncyclist007]

Could not see it mentioned above, but you can take 10% off the price at Halfords if your are a member of British cycling.

Thanks for the the money saving tip

[citoyen]

I was once advised (by Kim, I expect), that quality of parts is a lot better once you get above 21 gears. That was before 1x set-ups were so prevalent, so I've no idea how that holds now!

I don't think that really holds at all - at least, not if you're only counting the total number of gears. For example, 3x7 (21 gears) is generally going to be lower quality components than 2x9 (18 gears).

Also the total number of gears depends on the configuration. Both the Carrera Subway and the Voodoo mentioned by the OP have Altus components, so quality-wise, they're exactly the same level (in that department, at least). However, the Voodoo has a triple chainset (27 gears) compared to the Subway's double (18 gears).

The Boardman has 18-speed (2x9) Alivio, which is ostensibly higher quality than Altus (two rungs up the ladder) but still pretty low end.

The Zelos has an unspecified 2x7 set-up. That's a red flag - probably a screw-on freewheel. Avoid.

The Triban has 2x8 Microshift. They're a cheap alternative to Shimano, some people say they're fine, others hate them. I've never used Microshift myself so can't really comment.

OK, i will look out for hydraulic disc brakes

Two of the bikes you've listed come with hydraulic disk brakes - the Voodoo (Tektro) and the Subway (Clarks). A pleasant surprise at this price point, but that may be a reflection of the quality of the components. But I don't know them so can't really offer an opinion.

Bear in mind that bikes at this price will more than likely come with shit tyres, so you may need to budget extra to replace them with something that won't puncture every five minutes, or be so sluggish as to make riding a chore.

The Subway comes with lights and mudguards fitted, which are bonuses for a commute bike, but the lights are probably shit and may need replacing with something better, depending on what kind of roads you're commuting on. The others don't come with lights or mudguards, so you'll definitely need to budget extra for those.

[londoncyclist007]

I was once advised (by Kim, I expect), that quality of parts is a lot better once you get above 21 gears. That was before 1x set-ups were so prevalent, so I've no idea how that holds now!

I don't think that really holds at all - at least, not if you're only counting the total number of gears. For example, 3x7 (21 gears) is generally going to be lower quality components than 2x9 (18 gears).

Also the total number of gears depends on the configuration. Both the Carrera Subway and the Voodoo mentioned by the OP have Altus components, so quality-wise, they're exactly the same level (in that department, at least). However, the Voodoo has a triple chainset (27 gears) compared to the Subway's double (18 gears).

The Boardman has 18-speed (2x9) Alivio, which is ostensibly higher quality than Altus (two rungs up the ladder) but still pretty low end.

The Zelos has an unspecified 2x7 set-up. That's a red flag - probably a screw-on freewheel. Avoid.

The Triban has 2x8 Microshift. They're a cheap alternative to Shimano, some people say they're fine, others hate them. I've never used Microshift myself so can't really comment.

OK, i will look out for hydraulic disc brakes

Two of the bikes you've listed come with hydraulic disk brakes - the Voodoo (Tektro) and the Subway (Clarks). A pleasant surprise at this price point, but that may be a reflection of the quality of the components. But I don't know them so can't really offer an opinion.

Bear in mind that bikes at this price will more than likely come with shit tyres, so you may need to budget extra to replace them with something that won't puncture every five minutes, or be so sluggish as to make riding a chore.

The Subway comes with lights and mudguards fitted, which are bonuses for a commute bike, but the lights are probably shit and may need replacing with something better, depending on what kind of roads you're commuting on. The others don't come with lights or mudguards, so you'll definitely need to budget extra for those.

Thanks for your detailed answer!

The Voodoo reviews do mention about the bad tyres... so i think i will buy puncture proof tires.

I have already bought my helmet, lights and lock.

The schwalbe marathon tires look like they are good, Tires for commuting is something i will have to research as i am clueless on this.

Thanks for your help

[quixoticgeek]

The Voodoo reviews do mention about the bad tyres... so i think i will buy puncture proof tires.

I have already bought my helmet, lights and lock.

The schwalbe marathon tires look like they are good, Tires for commuting is something i will have to research as i am clueless on this.

Thanks for your help

Puncture proof tyres are either incredibly horrible to ride, or they are puncture resistant.

In my experience, Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard are the best compromise of rolling resistance vs puncture protection.

J

[londoncyclist007]

The Voodoo reviews do mention about the bad tyres... so i think i will buy puncture proof tires.

I have already bought my helmet, lights and lock.

The schwalbe marathon tires look like they are good, Tires for commuting is something i will have to research as i am clueless on this.

Thanks for your help

Puncture proof tyres are either incredibly horrible to ride, or they are puncture resistant.

In my experience, Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard are the best compromise of rolling resistance vs puncture protection.

J

cheers

[Kim]

I was once advised (by Kim, I expect), that quality of parts is a lot better once you get above 21 gears. That was before 1x set-ups were so prevalent, so I've no idea how that holds now!

I don't think that really holds at all - at least, not if you're only counting the total number of gears. For example, 3x7 (21 gears) is generally going to be lower quality components than 2x9 (18 gears).

I would have put it in terms of "8 speed or above", for which "more than 21 gears" was a reasonable muggle approximation at the time, but is becoming less so as multiple chainrings go increasingly out of fashion.

[bobb]

This place isn't what it once was. Nobody has said it yet, so I will.

For that money, just go fixed and you won't have to worry about the quality of gears and associated components