Hybrid bike - Giant Escape?

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goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
My current bike is an old steel town bike. It cost me £25 (used) about 15 years ago, and it's a bit worn but still OK for road riding around here (Cambridge = totally flat). But now that we're going further afield, and taking in the occasional gravel path and dirt trail, perhaps a hybrid makes sense?

I recently hired a Voodoo Bizango, and didn't much like the road ride. AIUI, a hybrid has some elements of off-road bikes: wider gearing, slightly wider tyres. I don't think I need disk brakes, nor suspension, as this will be used dry weather only and 80% on tarmac.

The Giant Escape series seems to fit the bill. Any views? Alternatives?

Budget: £300 (mostly as bikes get stolen here so frequently; my current bike, if stolen, would be dumped by the thief after 10 yards)


As a bonus Q: I've been recommended a Wittkop saddle, like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Büchel-Wittkop-Medicus-1-0-Trekking-91201-Mens/dp/B01F8Z1XTS

Any suggestions on those?
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Comments

  • skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
    I looked at the Bizango a few years back. Its deffo more orientated towards xc or trail, so those things could be a waste anyway! Think it had a 1x drivetrain etc etc.  Not that thats terrible if its just around town I suppose. 

    My current bike is a Cannondale trail 4 but I’m leaning more toward hybridising it.. which to be fair just means locking the front forks out and putting some semi slicks on really!



    I’m not massively up on whats new in the bike world. The Giant looks ok to me for 300 bucks though. Obviously the components are lower end, but they can always be replaced. Something I am doing slowly myself too. 

    Tyres on the Giant look ok for what you want to use it for. They’re not fully hybrid in a sense, but like you say 80% will be tarmac and the rest gravel/dirt trail. 

    The Continental doublefighter is a more agressive hybrid tyre for example, a flattish centre section and raised knobbly outers for biting in.. but will be slower than the Giants I would imagine. 

    Sorry I cant be much help lol!


    The only easy day, was yesterday...
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  • S56035S56035 Frets: 1104
    The Bizango is a proper MTB so definitely not great on the road all the time. I've tried a couple of Carrera (Halforda) hybrids over the years and they always been good value for money. Just be prepared to do some post build work yourself or budget taking it to a proper shop.
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  • BidleyBidley Frets: 2912
    Carrera. Quality bits and well priced.
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  • Jimbro66Jimbro66 Frets: 2419
    My partner has had a Giant Escape Liv (the women’s’ version) for a few years and is very happy with it. We ride a mixture of country lanes and forest tracks, etc and it has been perfect for that. There have been no build or reliability issues at all. So a big thumbs up from her :)
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  • droflufdrofluf Frets: 3616
    I think in the current market you may be limited by what’s available. Was talking to my (Used to be) local bike shop owner the other day; he has very little stock and some orders placed in May have been pushed back to March despite an original date in July. Was also in both Halfords and Decathlon recently and it’s a similar story there, the racks are bare. 

    But if you can get something from Trek, Giant, Cannondale, Decathlon, Boardman or Carrera (plus a few others) you won’t go far wrong
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  • droflufdrofluf Frets: 3616
    Oops forgot Specialized. You can add them to the list as well.  
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  • DrJazzTapDrJazzTap Frets: 2158
    I dont think you can go a lot wrong with either a Trek or a Giant. I had a Giant with a nexus 7 hub, that was a brilliant commuter bike. Sadly it had 26 inch tyres and wasn't quite fast enough.
    My current bikes are both Trek's. I've got an old man Trek Allant which is my commuter from September to April. It weighs a tonne, but with marathon plus tyres, panniers and fully fitted mudguards it does the job. And hopefully it doesnt attract too much attention (i nick named it the "Reverend").
    My other bike is a 7.4 FX something or other, that's a lightweight hybrid thing. I'm using that one at the moment, I think it was £400 about five years ago from Evans in a sale.
    I would love to change my username, but I fully understand the T&C's (it was an old band nickname). So please feel free to call me Dave.
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  • jonnyburgojonnyburgo Frets: 12258
    Any bike around the £300 will last for ever with light use however if it's for daily use in all weathers that's when the components get tested and cheap bits will show themselves up, to be honest though with daily hammer any bits will wear. 
    "OUR TOSSPOT"
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  • underdogunderdog Frets: 8334
    The saddle question, the most comfortable one I've ever used is the charge spoon. So much so, if I get a new bike, the old one gets sold with original saddle so I can put the spoon on the new bike.
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    Thanks chaps. Someone mentioned the lack of bikes available and I saw that in the Halfords website - lots say "no home delivery, no stock in closest 5 shops". So I've also started looking at nearly new bikes on Ebay and Gumtree.

    A used Boardman HYB or Team/Hybrid seems attractive, but quite a bit more than a used Carrera/Giant.

    I don't need to commute so there's no need for all-weather use - it's for long trips on fair weather days only. And I'll keep my old bike for cycling into town (high theft risk).

    Will look up that charge spoon saddle, too.
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  • BeardyAndyBeardyAndy Frets: 716
    Don't use a saddle like that for long trips, there's a reason why the TDF boys sit on razer blades and it's not because they are crazy!

    You soon get used to a saddle but big saddles chafe something crazy once you ramp up the mileage, I agree with @underdog that a Spoon is a good bet. Never actually owned one but have sold lots of them.  :)
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  • droflufdrofluf Frets: 3616
    Don't use a saddle like that for long trips, there's a reason why the TDF boys sit on razer blades and it's not because they are crazy!

    You soon get used to a saddle but big saddles chafe something crazy once you ramp up the mileage, I agree with @underdog that a Spoon is a good bet. Never actually owned one but have sold lots of them.  :)
    Either that or a Brooks. 

    Reminds me I’ve got a couple of Spoons in the bits box that I need to get shot of. 
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    Don't use a saddle like that for long trips, there's a reason why the TDF boys sit on razer blades and it's not because they are crazy!

    You soon get used to a saddle but big saddles chafe something crazy once you ramp up the mileage, I agree with @underdog that a Spoon is a good bet. Never actually owned one but have sold lots of them.  :)

    Just to clarify: by that, you mean avoid the Wittkop saddle I linked to earlier?

    I should clarify - I am not looking for a saddle suitable for comfort at speed, just comfort at normal road wombling speeds. :)
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  • DiscoStuDiscoStu Frets: 5382
    So.. this Charge Spoon saddle thing. Are they really that good? I could do with something comfier for my Stumpjumper.
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  • underdogunderdog Frets: 8334
    DiscoStu said:
    So.. this Charge Spoon saddle thing. Are they really that good? I could do with something comfier for my Stumpjumper.

    There's a false (and understandable) assumption to be comfortable a saddle needs to be padded, that's wrong and as mentioned ends up causing other issues. The spoon looks incredibly uncomfortable due to lack of padding but it supports the "seat bones" just right and so are so comfortable. They are like sub £30 too from what I remember
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  • goldtop said:
    Don't use a saddle like that for long trips, there's a reason why the TDF boys sit on razer blades and it's not because they are crazy!

    You soon get used to a saddle but big saddles chafe something crazy once you ramp up the mileage, I agree with @underdog that a Spoon is a good bet. Never actually owned one but have sold lots of them.  :)

    Just to clarify: by that, you mean avoid the Wittkop saddle I linked to earlier?

    I should clarify - I am not looking for a saddle suitable for comfort at speed, just comfort at normal road wombling speeds. :)
    Where about in Cambridge are you ? If you’re near the centre, go and see Colin an university cycles on the bridge by staples corner. He not only sells giant bikes, but will service your bike (as long as it’s him you bought it off)for basically next to nothing.
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    @guitarmangler ; - cool. Very good to know. I know that bike shop and can nip by there today/tomorrow.

    The Carrera Crossfire 1 is now £275 at Halfords, and that's the easily available option for new.
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  • underdogunderdog Frets: 8334
    goldtop said:
    @guitarmangler ; - cool. Very good to know. I know that bike shop and can nip by there today/tomorrow.

    The Carrera Crossfire 1 is now £275 at Halfords, and that's the easily available option for new.

    Carrera are usually very well equipped in each price brackets, always excellent value.
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    Cool. I will report back and then ask about setting it up for the right posture.

    The only significant problem I've had over the last two long rides is numb wrists/fingers and sore shoulders. I think that's because the hire bikes (from Rutland) weren't fully set up for me, except for the saddle height. I need to dig into the whole seat position/handlebars/etc set-up thing.

    (For my old bike and the typical 20 minutes ride into town, there's no problem.)
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  • underdogunderdog Frets: 8334
    goldtop said:
    Cool. I will report back and then ask about setting it up for the right posture.

    The only significant problem I've had over the last two long rides is numb wrists/fingers and sore shoulders. I think that's because the hire bikes (from Rutland) weren't fully set up for me, except for the saddle height. I need to dig into the whole seat position/handlebars/etc set-up thing.

    (For my old bike and the typical 20 minutes ride into town, there's no problem.)

    Yeah that sounds like just tweaks needed so the bike fits you perfectly. I find for my (mainly riding trails) I need bars to be up a bit more than normal, so I am more upright and this solves shoulder and lower back aches for me, I also have my saddle ever so slightly sloping down at the front.
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