https://www.threetowners.net/forum/

Aye Meg I like them. They're a bit more geared like a road bike than a mountain bike. With upright handlebars and thicker tyres than a road bike.

Keep hearing good reports Bonzo - am going to Halfords and have a wee shot I think.

Mx

If you’re buying a bike costing more than 300 pounds from Halfords, it’s worthwhile joining British Cycling - cost £30, but you get a 10% discount on anything from Halfords (not just bike)

Also worth trying a proper local bike shop. I got mine from Billy Bilsland cycles in the Saltmarket in Glasgow - told them roughly what I was looking for, and what sort of price I wanted to play - they suggested 5 different bikes, and let me take each one out around Glasgow Green. Most local bike shops will have a few demo or hire bikes - or will be able to get them in.

Locally, I quite like Irvine Cycles, opposite the Turf, and the guy in Glengarnock (RT cycles, near the station) - he’s also got a place at Castle Temple loch in Lochwinnoch that does repairs and hires.

Also, maybe have a chat with “On Yer Bike” at the Dirrans pavilion in Kilwinning. It’s a charity that does up old bikes and sells them on at very reasonable prices. Good workshop, and a cafe too. Opening hours can be a bit random... I think they also have a shop front in Ayr. If nothing else, it would let you try various styles.

Just thinking - by “hybrid”, do you mean a conventional hybrid-style one, or an electric one? Maybe we’ve been answering the wrong question!

Bruce wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:34 pm Just thinking - by “hybrid”, do you mean a conventional hybrid-style one, or an electric one? Maybe we’ve been answering the wrong question!

Conventional hybrid style one Bruce - reckon I've got another ten years before I need an electric one
The reason I mentioned Halfords is because for me now, they are the local bike shop. The other two we used in Ayr before are both now gone. If anything goes wrong, I could literally walk my bike to Heathfield.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

Meg

Halfords bikes fall in to 3 main makers.
Apollo, which come in from around £130 to £300.(my wife has an apollo mountain bike and it's a solid piece of kit)

Carrera,which is their mid range bikes £200 to £500.

Boardman is the top of the range they sell £500 to silly money.

I'm quite sure you'll be able to pick up a decent hybrid probably with full mudguards and a rear rack if you want that sort of thing for under £300. Good hunting Meg

My bike cost 20 pounds. Got it from a local farm. Guy was doing up the bikes there.

It is a very old fashioned appliance and far too heavy for me. Really should get a lighter number.

Have to very careful because of the weight of it.

The start of another month can't believe the year is half beat already.

Castlepark to Portencross this afternoon. Ravenspark, dubbs Rd, the quarry then hugged the coast through the 3 toons.

Along the north shore up the hill at Seamill and turned down to Portencross. It was a beautiful afternoon, here's a picture of Portencross castle.

https://goo.gl/photos/vQ6G3ncjT3NJTfrx9

From there I just headed back to Irvine the same way as I went out. 30 miles of tread wear today.

Down to Prestwick today, just followed route 7 until the cut off at Bruce's well then turned back through Prestwick town and picked up route 7 again and followed my tracks back to castlepark. 32 miles.

To al the threetowners cyclist please be careful I had a friend killed on Tuesday last while out with his North down cycling club just 40years old the car that struck him and 2 other cyclist had just past the main pack and pulled into the inside lane and didn't see the front runners.

Terrible manbear, I take it it's the same guy, I was reading about his funeral at the weekend with all his club cycling behind the hearse.