Advice needed please.
I started cycling to work a few months ago, as it was taking forever on public transport. I bought a cheap MTB to get stated which cost me about £130. I didn't want to spend too much as I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it and keep it up.
4 months on and I do enjoy it, but I've now worn out my bike. Front break keeps breaking and I can hear that the bottom bracket is on it's way out as well (obviously wasn't meant for a daily commute). I also want to start using it recreational riding at the weekend.
So I am going to get a new bike in the next couple of weeks. The company I work for is signing up the the "Bike2Work" scheme, which means I'll be saving about 45% off the price
and the payments are spead out over a year, being taking from my wages. (£600 will cost me about £30 P/M).
So I need some advice on what bike to get. I am looking at the hybrid bikes as I live in London and the roads aren't very good and a couple of the cycle paths take me onto to pavements, so a road bike won't really be suitable, and I want the higher gears that a hybrid give over a MTB.
Can you recommend any makes or models of bikes I should consider, and is there anything else I should consider getting. I am looking to spend about £500 - £550 on the bike and about £100 on accessories.
Any help would be much appreciated.
p.s. My god was it cold this morning. Looks like I'm going to have to bite the bullet and slip into some lycra. But as I've lost loads of weight in the last 4 months it shoudln't be too bad, I just don't want to offend anyone