Jul
28
My partner and I are about to buy mountain bikes but we won't be riding them cross country as we will have our little one with us most of the time, so we need to know the good brands for riding on flat surfaces, grass and dirt roads, not cross country.
We have a Halfords nearby and we were considering looking there but someone else suggested we find the best brand then shop around for a good second hand bike.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
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Your best choice may not be a mountain bike at all. From the sound of it a hybrid may be a better choice.
Hybrids are kind of a cross between a MB and a road bike. But the best way to think of them is as a bit lighter, narrower/less knobby tired mountain bike. See the link.
However, whether you pick a mountain bike or a hybrid, brand isn’t that important. Stick to a name brand and you won’t go wrong.
What is more important is fit (critical for comfort) and the quality of the components. In general, look for a CrMo or aluminium frame(vs carbon steel), alloy rims and stainless spokes in the wheels and quality alloy components (brakes, shifters, cranks, etc).
In general you will get a better bike for the money by buying used than new, but you have to be able to judge fit (rather than taking advice of the salesperson at a bike shop) and may have to replace some parts (e.g. tires, chain, freewheel, brakes) if they are worn.
While not critical better components stand up much better, can be adjusted easier, and perform better. For example, gears shift better, wheels are lighter and stronger. Lower weight is desireable for any part that must rotate (e.g. wheels, cranks), on the other hand total bike weight isn’t too important if you are aiming for flat riding. That said, a CrMo frame is more comfortable and stronger than carbon steel (normal on department store bikes).
Hope that helps.
getting the best branded anything in Mountain bikes would be quite redundant for the type of use you intend. … go with a hybrid absolutely! The best" you ask for does not exist since all of the brands out there each have a low end to high end and everything inbetween in a certain price range. I favor GT and Iron Horse higher end bikes but I also favor Specialized, Rocky Mountain, Trek and a few others too. Most of the time it is just a matter of "what name do I want on the side of my bike?" and nothing more….
I would definitely go with trek their bikes ride great the position that your body is in and they are very reliable… if you get your bike from bike doctor you can have free tune ups for the life of the bike my trek is a mountain bike and i ride it on streets
the best brand of mtb is kona but you would be better off getting a hybrid bike or a road based bike for what you are doing. an another tip stay away from halfords as they are not good for bikes. go to a proper cycle shop that specialise in bikes an will give you proper an true advise.
I’ve got an Optima Richmond hybrid bike which is great on road or tracks. They come with mudguards and rear carriers and are part of the Falcon group.
I got mine from a local independant bike shop last year for about £140 and he even threw in a lock as well. It’s not a "flash" bike but I do about 50 – 60 miles a week on mine and I’ve no complaints.
It really depends on your price range. Also, have you considered a hybrid instead of a mountain bike? It sounds like a hybrid will be more than adequate for the riding you want to do and it will be far more comfortable.
Check out the website below for some excellent videos on choosing the right bicycle for you reneeds.
I’m just going to agree with everyone else that you don’t want an MTB for this sort of use. You will pay extra for the suspension and robust frame but you will not need these on the flat, all you will get from it is extra cost and weight. Go for a hybrid with a rigid front fork, you will get a better frame and components for your money, less weight to carry around, and a bike that’s fast on the roads but strong enough to cope well with flat grass and dirt roads.
Halfords stuff is generally bottom end of the market, cheap bikes but with the low quality that goes with the low price. I think they’ve improved in recent years, but that there are better buys out there. I don’t know what your budget is, but have added links to a couple of decent looking hybrids at under £500. If you know what to look for there are some good second hand bikes out there. Good luck and have fun.