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Checkout the Sirrus line from Specialized and bad boy models from Cannondale. Also if you are in an area where there is REI they will have some bikes on clearance sale. You can also checkout the "GHOST" brand they carry. The Trek makes more sense if you plan get their accessories as well. They have some cool mount options for the saddle, Garmin and Go Pros.

Suggestions

As you stated,

1)Merida Speeder 100 is a really good bike (you can bike it up at a competitive price in India itself)

Other options
2)Cannondale Quick 4 or 3, costs around 35-50k in India,

3)Ridley Temp X (60-65k in India)

4)Trek Zektor 2(55k in India)

5)Giant Escape 1 (comes with disc, 55k in India)

Upgraded from Btwin 7s MTB to Btwin Riverside 120 Hybrid bike on auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa. The gear shifting is nice, feels more efficient than MTB due to thinner and bigger (28inch vs 26inch) tyres. But the best improvement is in the posture. The lowest handlebar position in Riverside is higher than the tallest one in 7s, which results in extremely comfortable upright riding position.



Now putting up the 7s for sale.

The bike you own now is what I am contemplating to purchase this Friday.
How has your experience overall?
My budget is upto 12K and don't mind exploring more options but I am still hooked on to my choice.

I recently purchased Cannondale CAADX 105 SE.
Cannondale CAADX 105 SE Specs



It's a cyclocross bike but I bought it for its winter weather capabilities. It came with 700x37C WTB Riddler tires that have served me well on my few winter outings on snowy roads. They are grippy but slow, of course.

Now that winter is almost over, and since most of my rides will be on roads only, I will be replacing these tires with 700x28 Continental Gatorskins. Will see how they fare. They will arrive by Friday and I should be able to test them out on Saturday.

I would give a green signal. The gear shifts are smooth, the riding position is commanding, and the riding itself is joyful. Try the test rides in Decathlon.

I tried the Triban 500 as well (priced at 20k), but found that I couldn't control it! Being so light, I was going everywhere but the path :( Riverside 120 fits my requirement perfectly.

I liked riverside 120 a lot, but somehow felt our roads require a MTB bike.
The best part about riverside was ( as you mentioned ), upright seating position, which I feel is more comfortable than low set MTB handles.

I bought Montra Rock 1.0D for 16.2K.

Anyone heard about Foxtor Bikes?
I am getting a 21 speed MTB for 10K with accessories such as mud guards, bottle holder, lock and bell from a local store.

Worth it?

Foxtorbikes.com (for reference)

Some comparison pics of Btwin Riverside 120 vs Btwin Mybike 7S. Both are size M. You can see how the Riverside is one size bigger than 7s. The top tube being curved adds a great deal of mental comfort in case of sudden braking lol:. The handlebar picture shows the wider handlebar of Riverside which opens up the chest and gives a comfortable riding position. Also, the handlebar of Riverside is at the lowest position, while in 7S it is at highest position!

Cannondale makes some of the best Aluminum bikes. I drool over the CAAD12 every time I go to REI. I've had a CAAD 10 for couple month and loved it. What group set do you have on the CAADX? 105? Gatorskins are great BTW.

Yes, it comes with Shimano 105, with 48-32 up front and 11-32 at the back, total of 22 gears. The 1:1 ratio helps with the climbs, but I wish it had something larger than a 48.

I have had one ride with the Gators. Lets see how they pan out next weekend, when I will ride 100 miles on them.

But you know what? I have been having some doubts about my purchase though. Should I have gone for the CAAD12? I surely feel that I could have gone for 58cm instead of 61. So, maybe that is reason enough to try out the CAAD12? I have no idea how good REI is at honoring their 1 year trial period.

I've only returned couple items unused but I hear they are pretty good. Their website says 90 days only for bike trainers so it is still 1 yr for bikes I would guess. My size is 54 but I wish it was 58 because I see them on sale all the time. CAAD12 is superlight and fast. They come with a 36/52 hollowgram crank but the rear cogs are 11/28. Not great for climbing but you could throw in a 11-32 on the rear. I don't ride in winters but I'm sure I wont like the all-in-one setup. Maybe get a lighter bike and and extra set of wheels for winter. Also the CAAD12 is race geometry so if you ride long the synapse would be better. If you are REI check if they have the Ghost Nivolet. I had the ultegra version and it was super nice.

Good point about the geometry. I have a Bianchi Campione from the 80s, which is more racing bike. I have done 60+ miles on it but they were not very comfortable.

Looking at the specs for Synapse, the AL seems more like what i am looking for. Let me contact REI and see what they say. Thanks for the suggestion!

Guys, any of you use clipless pedals? I am looking for opinions from folks who use them in India. How do you find the experience? And with chaotic traffic that we have in our cities, are you able to clip out quickly if you face a panic breaking situation, which I often encounter in daily rides.

If you're using it for daily commuting it is avoidable. But for any level of serious riding I would say this is almost a must upgrade, particularly if you are on a roadie. Most serious rider i know would ride with cleats - you simply adapt and get the hang of it in a little time - no biggie.