I had a 2000 Raleigh C30 hybrid bike that worked really well for me. However, it was stolen last week, so I'm looking for a new one. I checked out the new C40, and they look fine, however the store also had Diamondback (which is owned by Raleigh IIRC). The Diamondback model (Edgewood) was mostly the same except for button shifters on the diamond and different shocks. Are there any downsides to the button shifters?
When I bought the C30, I was riding a cheapo store brand (Manga or something). After a few months, the front shocks would shoot oil when I'd go over a curb. This managed to ruin a lot of clothes. The C30 had the accordion like rubber over the shock, so I wasn't as worried about it. The Edgewood only had a small rubber seal on the shock. Do modern shocks squirt oil, or was that a problem with the cheapness of the old bike?
If anyone has had any experiences with either bike, let me know!
Do modern shocks squirt oil, or was that a problem with the cheapness of the old bike?
probably cheapness. You do know that you can get a hybrid w/o a front shock? At my local mall's mega sporting goods joint they've got couple decent looking Marin city bikes for around 400-500 with steel frames and regular forks. Might be worth a think, most folks riding on the road don't need shocks. You'll save a couple pounds, the bike will be more efficient, less maintenance, and imho, it looks better.
