Hybrid Bikes

"Simon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Hi,

I'm thinking of buying a new hybrid bike and I've narrowed my choices
to the Dawes 501 or the Ridgeback Supernova. I've given each one a try
and they both seem like excellent bikes, however, the kit of the
Supernova seems a bit better. Can anyone recommend either of these bike
and Is the upgraded kit really worth an additional £100.

Cheers, Simon.

My Dawes discovery 501 covered over 10,000 miles in a little over 2 years
and mainly heavily loaded with 4 panniers and doing 2 long distance camping
tours in 2004 and 2005. Mind you I replaced the chain twice and put a new
chainset and a 2 new cassettes -- but it was working hard for me most of
the time. But it was a bike that took to me on day one and I was very
comfortable and happy with it.

When it was stolen last December I replaced it with a Discovery 601 ( I
modified it with butterfly handlebars and an 11 - 34 cassette.). I actually
found the new bike ( lighter and a neat setup) much more difficult to
adjust to and it is only now, after 6 months and 2500 miles ( including
2244.8 kms camping/touring on the Rhein & Mosel), that I can truly say that
me and my velo are real friends who work together.

My only other comment is that Dawes bikes are, like every other major
English "manufacturer" 's made in China and Taiwan. I have also found that
they ( Dawes main website) are very uninterested in providing any help or
information despite many e mails and information requests. I had to go to my
LBS to find out detailed specs on various Dawes bikes I was looking at. Yes
Dawes were distinctly unhelpful and they very nearly lost a sale. It was
only the help I received from Langsett Cycles in Sheffield that helped me in
my final choice.

I am now in the process of funding a Trice QNT recumbent ( about £2200 --
more expensive than my little Suzuki Swift 51 reg car!) which will see me
into my 70th year next year and keep me on the road for another 10 years I
hope!
--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

"Pinky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My only other comment is that Dawes bikes are, like every other major
English "manufacturer" 's made in China and Taiwan.

You sure about that? Their tandem frames are certainly made in Eastern
Europe.

Yes, Dawes web presence isn't great. But this isn't actually a bad thing -
they use the traditional model of 'go to your bike shop to buy things'.

cheers,
clive

in message <[email hidden]>, Simon

(') said:

I'm thinking of buying a new hybrid bike and I've narrowed my choices
to the Dawes 501 or the Ridgeback Supernova. I've given each one a try
and they both seem like excellent bikes, however, the kit of the
Supernova seems a bit better. Can anyone recommend either of these bike
and Is the upgraded kit really worth an additional £100.

Better kit is always worthwhile if you plan to use the bike very often.
Poor quality kit goes wrong quicker and wears out quicker, and doesn't
work so well in the first place. Not only is Deore a reasonable quality
groupset, but when you see a bike assembler using a whole groupset
rather than picking and mixing you know they're building to a quality
not to a price.

However, aluminium forks will tend to give a slightly harsh ride; I'd
personally be looking for carbon forks.

What you intend to use the bike for is of course relevant. If it will be
a major source of recreation, you need to price it against other things
you might do for recreation; if you intend to use it in place of a car
or public transport for commuting, then you need to work out how many
journeys in a (say) three year period you will in practice replace, and
how much those journeys will cost. You also need to consider the cost of
the accessories you'll need, like decent lighting and waterproofs.

But unless you are broke, or intend your bike to sit at the back of the
garden shed and only come out on the two or three days in the summer
when it's really too hot to cycle comfortably, I'd suggest that £500 is
probably quite a lot less than a bike is worth to you.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Diplomacy, American: see Intelligence, Military

Thanks for the replies, I went for the Ridgeback in the end.

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Simon

(') said:

I'm thinking of buying a new hybrid bike and I've narrowed my choices
to the Dawes 501 or the Ridgeback Supernova. I've given each one a try
and they both seem like excellent bikes, however, the kit of the
Supernova seems a bit better. Can anyone recommend either of these bike
and Is the upgraded kit really worth an additional £100.

Better kit is always worthwhile if you plan to use the bike very often.
Poor quality kit goes wrong quicker and wears out quicker, and doesn't
work so well in the first place. Not only is Deore a reasonable quality
groupset, but when you see a bike assembler using a whole groupset
rather than picking and mixing you know they're building to a quality
not to a price.

However, aluminium forks will tend to give a slightly harsh ride; I'd
personally be looking for carbon forks.

What you intend to use the bike for is of course relevant. If it will be
a major source of recreation, you need to price it against other things
you might do for recreation; if you intend to use it in place of a car
or public transport for commuting, then you need to work out how many
journeys in a (say) three year period you will in practice replace, and
how much those journeys will cost. You also need to consider the cost of
the accessories you'll need, like decent lighting and waterproofs.

But unless you are broke, or intend your bike to sit at the back of the
garden shed and only come out on the two or three days in the summer
when it's really too hot to cycle comfortably, I'd suggest that £500 is
probably quite a lot less than a bike is worth to you.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Diplomacy, American: see Intelligence, Military