Hey all
I know there are some bike enthusiasts here so looking for your opinion.
I want to buy a bike for the wife for her birthday.
I was looking around for a decent hybrid and thought the Reid City 2 looked pretty good.
http://www.reidcycles.com.au/reid-city-2-0-bike.html
With the vip code it is around $350-ish, which is about my budget, and comes with a little bunch of extra goodies.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this bike or other better options?
Thanks.
BTW - we're in Perth.
That's pretty much most of Gumtree. Join the club. I'm selling a lilac (better way of saying light purple pastel tone) Giant ladies hybrid also.
Doesn't have shocks but better quality. It's listed $350, got a lowball of $250 so instead of just saying no and ignoring them I suggested something for barter to make up the difference. They suggested running shoes which I was actually looking for but not my size. I suggested any old gadgets they might have and they can't think of anything. Sheesh! Everyone has old stuff they no longer use or need!
Selling on gumtree for a good price and or bartering/swapping is so much harder than the TV shows lead us to believe.
Yeah. Mine was up for $450, and I've gradually knocked it down to 400, then back up to 425 lol. I kept getting texts from people offering $200. I'm selling my bike with heaps of good quality gear - aluminium rear rack installed, cycling computer, front and rear Blackburn lights, new BMX pedals and grips and bar ends, complete tool kit, floor pump, etc etc. Everything bought online and well thought about, not crappy Big W type gear lol.
Can I ask what model Giant you're selling? And the year? Mine is a 2009 build, and frustratingly enough, Giant's website archive of old bike details no longer has the full specs up for my bike… so I can't tell how mine rates against the current model from Giant. Someone messaged me saying the new model of mine is only $350. Mine was $700 at the time of purchase - so either they're comparing mine to the most basic model, or Giant is using cheaper parts these days. I just wish I could get a hold of my full specs :(
Think it's called a GRX 7. Roughly 5 years old but hardly used. Barely used I mean ;-p Rarely used.
No extras but a thick and hard to lockpick springy lock cable, but didn't put that in the ad. Probably a $80 lock, but might not sell it but least would be maybe $30, but $45 would be nice.
Think I looked for stats and photos online but didn't find it.
i'd be more inclined to the reid 1 without suspension forks
what she going to be using the bike for?
+1, if it's only going to be used for smooth surfaces, I'd avoid front suspension too. My hybrid has it and I quickly regretted it - adds too much unnecessary weight to the bike.
To me it's not a weight issue but efficiency, wasted energy especially when standing up and climbing a hill. Not sure how much is wasted but it's very annoying if it's really soft, probably like 30%! Sure get a workout though!
You can lock the suspension on and off, can't you? I'm sure I had mine locked off… hence weight being my main concern. I never took much notice of whether the 'off' really did mean zero bounce/loss of energy though… but you have a good point, the last thing you need when climbing is a cushy suspension lol.
Looks good for $350 …. has rapid shifter, adjustable shocks, alloy frame.
Weight is the thing to watch out for, some can look ok but can be as heavy as a Russian tractor.
I don't know much about bikes, but isn't saying $350 will get you a decent bike the same as saying a Kia is a decent car? (bring on the negs from all the tight arsed Kia owners)
I think that's a pretty silly comparison to make. Anyone can be their own bike mechanic. The same can't be said for cars. Likewise you can swap/upgrade bike parts relatively easily. Can't do that with a car (as such..). So buying a cheap car would carry more risk than buying a cheap bike.
An occasional, non-hardcore, or new-to-riding cyclist doesn't need a $2k+ bike.
Wash your mouth out…everybody needs several $2K+ bikes, in fact nobody can ever have enough!! The scientific formula for how many bikes anybody should have is proven to be N+1 where N = the number of bikes you currently have!!
;)
My Kia is actually decent!
—tight-arsed Korean car owner
I must've been a bit sleep deprived last night, I initially read the title as: "Hybrid wife for bike" thinking some sort of trade for a genetically modified spouse was in order…
My first thoughts of course were Hmmm, hybrid wife eh, wonder what he's crossed her with… :P
My wife is often cross with me
Yup, seems to be a fairly common trait…
All the talk about weight and quality, it all comes down to the frame, wheels and derailleur. As long as those are good, you're sorted. As always, you get what you pay for.
here I was thinking you were offering your wife in exchange for a bike…
It could also mean the reverse.
I hope people are still checking this thread.
Any thoughts about this one?
http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Bikes-and-Accessories/Bik…
Thanks
I wish someone would help you out with this - I wish I could, but my knowledge on parts and models/quality of such parts is next to nothing :(
I'm quite inclined to say that the Reid City is a better option, purely because the derailleurs are Shimano Acera, while the Fluid bike has Shimano TX35 - which from what I can Google, is a lower grade derailleur than Acera. If I'm incorrect, anyone reading, please correct me!
The Reid also has 24 gears while the Fluid only has 21 - probably inconsequential but having more gear options can be nice if you're travelling all sorts of surfaces and inclines.
The Fluid has disc brakes which I think are preferable over V-brakes (which the Reid has). But on the flip side, the Fluid is a mountain bike, so thick knobbly tyres and presumably smaller wheels than the hybrid - meaning a slower ride / more resistance. If she's only going to ride paths and roads, I'd go a hybrid still.
I could be talking out of my arse here though, so take my words with caution lol. Hopefully someone with more knowledge comes along to offer assistance.
At this point in time, you might be best heading into a bike shop and picking their brains a bit to get some idea of how to evaluate bikes. Then research more at home online. You could get away with going in and not buying on the spot, or them being really able to pressure you so much, since the bike is not for you :)
OK here goes, I've just made a hybrid up from bits as a bit of a project and because I didnt want to ride my expensive carbon road bike on the cycle paths!! I am currently making up a Mountain bike from frame and parts to take to the bush over summer.
Key question here is what kind of riding your wife will do. If she is likely to potter about the local streets, maybe a bike path or footpath and occasionally maybe a gravel driveway or unsealed road, I agree you don't really need suspension forks. The bigger (700c) wheels are much better for roads and bikepaths and personally I wouldn't be swayed by disc brakes for pottering around bikepaths. If your wife wants to take up downhill racing then sure, get some XTR disc brakes but V brakes will do a great job stopping her moving at a normal speed on a road or bikepath. There is also a lot less than can go wrong or need servicing with V Brakes.
Cheap suspension forks can be a pain in the onions, they are heavy and the bounce on flat roads just saps your energy, particularly when climbing hills! You might be able to lock these out with a small dial on the top of the fork stanchion (normally the top of the right hand leg of the forks) but even then some don't really lock all the way out. Suspension forks also need servicing over time as the springs and other bits inside wear out. The plus side, and this is why they include them on hybrids is that they will do a job in soaking up the potholes and cracks in the pavement/bikepath.
The basic part set of this bike is regular low-ish end shimano parts and heavy cheap/wheels. Acera is probably good as many of the competitors at this level use the next line down, Altus. The good bit is that they are Shimano parts mostly so replacing them or servicing them will be easy as any bike shop or even yourself over the internet can probably find these bits fairly easily if anything goes wrong.
If I was accurate about the type of riding your wife will do this looks like an OK deal. If you look on www.bikeexchange.com.au and search for hybrid bikes you will get a range of competitors. For a basic hybrid there is this http://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/hybrid-bikes/polygon/nsw/no… which is $100 cheaper. It has the next level down in groupset (parts) and no suspension forks but for general cruising would probably do a similar job. I've never ridden altus or acera but oI imagine your wife probably won't notice the difference. If you have a search on bikeexchange there are loads of hybrids, find one at a bikeshop near you. 12.9 Kgs is heavy though, I guess that's why you pay $2K+ for a carbon fibre roadie!!
Finally, I have found that having a relationship with my local bike shop is invaluable. I know this sounds crazy as an OzB but I sometimes pay more for stuff through my Local Bike Shop (LBS) because while I am there the guys will professionally fit the part, give me advice, teach me how to fix/service my bike and provide fun free rides that I can go on over weekends etc. If you or your wife are new to this I would recommend you maybe cop the extra $30 - $40 to buy from your LBS. I didn't do that with my latest several $K roadie and I regret it. I got a slightly $100-200 ish better deal from a bike shop on the other side of town so I bought there. Problem now is that I am not going to take it to the other side of town to get it serviced etc. I also go on rides organised by the shop 5kms from my house. I wish I had bought from Dave at the LBS as I have already had more than the extra $100 in free advice, rides and help.
p.s. the Fluid Mountain Bike looks like rubbish in my personal opinion.
2ndeffort has hit the nail on the head - so read his post as it's bang on.
Like he said depends what riding your missus wants to do - but 99% of folks will be far better suited with a flat bar road bike than a hybrid. As she won't be going off pavement and the less weight the better.
Bear in mind a lot of females quit riding as they're put on small size mens bikes that are uncompfrtable and not properly setup for them. Make sure she has a GOOD quality femaile specific saddle and the bike is properly adjusted for her or she will not ride it and you will get the shits - I speak from experience.
Quality 2nd hand is a good way to go as a knowelgeable rider will have maintained well etc.
Better you spend a tad more on budget than trying to go cheap as a dodgy bike will become a PITA and just not be used - which again defeats the whole purpose.
I'm not saying buy from your LBS but I'd atleast tyrekick down there and pick their minds on what s suits etc - if they have a good enough deal sure they get your business but if not buy where you can get best price etc. Good luck.
Boooo. I got excited by the thread title - was hoping you were in Sydney and wanted a kick arse ladies hybrid bike.
Cos I've got one to sell, and I'm desperate lol (it's on Gumtree but girls just want cheapo bikes and keep lowballing me, sigh)