Roadking

I would also agree but the cheapest Trek is at least double the price. That doesn't make sense to me for a couple of weeks a year regardless of how many years we keep them.

paca

OK, I tried, I give up, Im not a salesman and don't really care what you buy in the end. I was just trying to have you avoid the mistake most make(buy the cheapest whatever). TBH I have no idea on decathelon bikes only that they fit the cheap crap pattern(possibly wrong hearing the other comments). If you only had 1 bike to buy I guess you wouldnt have to worry

you did ask "What do we need to consider, what are the must haves and nice to haves. The bikes will only be used when we are home so not expensive stuff"

You should have asked "Whats the cheapest bike I can get?"

Let us know how it works out

Roadking

Hear what you are saying but twice the price is difficult to justify when I compare the mens where they both use shimano gears, alloy frames, alloy hubs etc. The cheapest Trek is £400.

I do appreciate the feedback and will now look for the cheapest, nastiest piece of tat I can find for Mrs and Mini. I still fancy the Foxy ones ;-)

paca

£250 - free delivery
http://www.scotbycycles.co.uk/bikes-...nyx-2011-p1069

WakeUp

A bit of mud wouldn't go amiss either......

Roadking

Dat's a mountain bike, we need hybrid for comfort but good site, I will peruse at leisure.

Bahtatboy

A dilemma indeed. If it was just one bike, then it would virtually a no-brainer to go for the cheapest top-brand one (eg Trek), but if you're forking out for three...

All I can say is that with the bikes I have at home (in UK), the difference between the cheapo ones and the good (GBP500+) ones is huge. Really HUGE. My Trek mountain bike gets use about twice a year, but still feels like new and is a joy to ride. My elder's son's GBP600-ish road bike tends to be laid up at least half the year, but its still smooth and easy to ride. We bought a cheapo for my wife (her choice), but even that was 200-ish and its 'orrible.

Dunno about resale of the good ones, but I do know you can't sell the crap ones secondhand unless you're really lucky, and they're worth f all as trade in.

The difference in riding a cheapo and, say, a Trek is akin to the difference between riding a modern, top-brand motorbike and something Eastern European from 30 years ago. I bought the first "modern" bike in our household about 5 years ago, a 600 pound-ish road bike for me and my elder son. I hadn't been on a road bike for about 10 years, but before then had done a huge amount (nothing serious, just frequent). I honestly could not believe the difference which the "new" technology brought--brakes, gears and power-transfer all smooth, seamless and efficient, and a totally joined-up feel: as if the bike was actually adding something to the energy I was expending, rather than detracting from it.

Really, if you can afford to get something like a Trek, your two weeks every year will be infinitely more enjoyable.

Roadking

Aaaw FFS, I had just about made up my mind before you started on about motorbikes.

OK, what about Raleigh? Are they decent, crap or somewhere in the middle.

http://www.bikesdirect365.com/produc...e%2C-Mens.html

Would a Trek mountain bike be more comfortable than the Hybrids from Decathalon or Bikes Direct?

http://www.bikesdirect365.com/produc...2C-Ladies.html

I'm confused now!

Oh, and don't forget I ride a Harley

paca

go mountainbike as you are not doing 100's of miles... better value for money weather you go trek or cheaper. I think hybrids are too specialist. You can get road biased tyres for MTB's

Good post on the quality from BB, so true in how you describe it being "joined up". My marin was like that

paca

You should immediatly buy a branded one as you must understand what a quality product adds to enjoyment

Roadking

Read my signature

Bahtatboy

If you haven't ridden a bicycle for some time, you'll need more than bragging about your Harley to get sex--it'll be ice packs and Viagra, buddy.

Bahtatboy

I spend most of my life confused, why should you be any different?

My Trek mountain bike is, in itself, fine on the road: relatively relaxed riding position, sufficient gears, easily manouverable, comfortable suspension. But its not quick, and I hadn't realised how quick a bike can be till I got on the road bike: man, the new ones make me appreciate mechanical advantage. And although you're not after speed, if you're doing a good number of miles a day then you'll expend far more energy on a mountain bike than you would on a road bike--not necessarily a bad thing if you're my current shape...

On the other hand, you'd need to get the saddle / handlebar height set up right for a holiday on a road bike--its unlikely you'll want your arse in the air and craning your next just to look forwards. I don't think must road bikes come nowadays with an adjustable handlebar stem. Going from sit-up-and-beg on your Harley to your-arse-in-the-air on a road bike would be quite a change.

typical

The above's all true. Bicycles are a clear instance of "you get what you pay for". However, it's still true that you pay a premium for the brand.

I commuted into London for years on a Decathlon hybrid, and a few times borrowed my housemate's Trek (a rather heavier bike) - and frankly, I was hard pushed to tell the difference except the Trek handled much better at high speeds (20mph+).

Decathlon is a French-owned sports superstore and a lot of their own-brand kit is surprisingly good. Their bikes have a good reputation - there have been Decathlon bikes in the TdF, ridden by the team AG2R a few years back. You can't compare to the rubbish Apollo stuff from Halfords.

paca

True... I did a little research just to make sure I wasn't being blinkered... it seams there is a middle(vfm) ground between crap and entry level good quality