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Decent women's hybrid/MTB below £300?

by parksey
Mon, Apr 13, 2015 14:41
11

Does such a thing exist?

The wife has expressed an interest in cycling, so I'm on the lookout for a bike before she changes her mind! This would be a country park/forest trail sort of bike, not a road bike.

She's adamant she doesn't want to spend more than £300, as much as I've advocated otherwise. This will need to include a couple of accessories too, so the budget for the bike itself is probably more like £270.

I'm convinced that decent bikes must still exist at this price, so wondered if anyone had any recommendations, or had seen any good sale deals about?

I've been looking at a 2014 model GT Laguna at Winstanleys for £230, but get the impression that something better is out there.

Oh, women's-specific sizing would be preferable to just a smaller-framed "unisex" bike.

Cheers!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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11 comments

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alotronic | 9 years ago
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Pinnacles are good value, plenty of choice in styles (more roady, more MTB) and you can actually go to a shop and try one out pretty easy. Quality wise about the same as other bulk imports.

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mike the bike | 9 years ago
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Should have included this in the above post, but in my excitement I forgot .....

Try Edinburgh Bicycles for your wife's hybrid. They sell their own brand at remarkable prices and they are reliable, strong machines. I've had three over the years and been well pleased with them all. And, unlike some European firms we won't name, they usually have what you want in stock.

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pruaga | 9 years ago
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I think it might be a bit above budget unless you can find a sale, but my wife bought a specialized vita in a similar phase last year. To me it seems a bit heavy, but it's got lots of gears and 32 mm tyres so is very happy on roads and rougher trails. And I'm told it's very comfy.

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dafyddp | 9 years ago
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My wife has a Giant Escape 3W - fantastic bike for the price. It's a bit heavy, but she's happy to plod along at about 12mph 2-3 times a week and has done up to 50 miles on it. Honestly, couldn't recommend highly enough. Here's the current equivelant http://www.rutlandcycling.com/284941/products/giant-liv-alight-3-2015-la...

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parksey | 9 years ago
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I do like the look of that Fit bike, but the components seem very road-focussed so I'm not sure how well it would cope on something like the dirt and gravel trails around the New Forest.

The Rockrider is a better prospect, but it unfortunately seems to be the usual Decathlon situation of having no stock in any of the stores that are close to me. I'll see if they can't get one moved from another store to have a look at, as sizing would be important.

I did originally have in mind something like the Specialized Ariel or Trek Neko, but the current year models both start at £400 and 2014 sale models are basically like gold dust.

It's therefore a case of whether someone else makes a decent similar bike but at £300 instead...

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mike the bike replied to parksey | 9 years ago
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parksey wrote:

I do like the look of that Fit bike, but the components seem very road-focussed so I'm not sure how well it would cope on something like the dirt and gravel trails around the New Forest...

I'm terribly sorry sir but you can't ride anywhere near the New Forest, or indeed even think about riding there. In fact it is now against the law to know anyone who might be thinking of riding there. The local worthies, in their infinite wisdom, have decreed bike riders to be unclean and fond of cluttering up the place and making it hard for cars to zoom around the lanes killing horses.
So, in the interests of harmony they would like you to take your bike somewhere more suitable, like a motorway perhaps, where you can pedal to your heart's content. Seems fair to me.

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parksey replied to mike the bike | 9 years ago
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mike the bike wrote:

I'm terribly sorry sir but you can't ride anywhere near the New Forest, or indeed even think about riding there...

21

Living locally I do cycle in the New Forest regularly and, in fairness, it's a very pleasant place to ride. I've never encountered any problems, but then I've never cycled it as part of a Wiggle sportive...

Will have a nose at the Revolution bikes, but that Liv Alight certainly seems to tick a lot of boxes, plus the LBS is a Giant dealer too and so may be able to chuck in a few bits as part of the deal.

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MKultra | 9 years ago
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Certainly the Decathlon.

The question to ask is does she really need a 52t chainset unless she is intending to welly it down hill at 40mph?

I would be tempted to put largish slicks on a MTB and be done with it.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-500-mountain-bike-black-id_8322564....

You can always add a rigid fork later if the sus fork proves tiresome.

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jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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Yep, I'd definitely start with that Decathlon bike, great value. Failing that Trek's FX series are excellent do-it-all-bikes. Don't waste money on front suspension, get a carbon fork if possible (same principle as a road bike).

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Nat Jas Moe | 9 years ago
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How about this
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fit-500-flat-bar-road-bike-id_8239798.html
27 speed sora on sale at price point.

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cqexbesd | 9 years ago
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My knowledge is many years out of date but I have had good experiences with the approx £300 Trek hybrids. My wife, also many years ago, got a nice Specialized for only slightly more, that was on sale as it was the previous year's model.

Maybe things have moved on since then though. If you know what you are doing, at that price perhaps you are better off building from a second hand frame?

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