I'm considering one of these bikes, but I'm still not sure which one to go with. I'll be using it mostly to keep fit, but may aslo for commuting (about 25 miles).
I'm leaning to the Sirrus 2015, but don't know if it's worth spending for the 2016 version, or maybe even go with the Carrera. Any advice is appreciated
Being a Yank, I don't know much about Carrera, but I do know that you really can't go wrong with a Specialized Sirrus. While I think Trek's FX series is the leader in this category, I know people who think the Sirrus is a better bike. In other words, choosing between Trek and Specialized is splitting hairs. Your Specialized dealer can explain the advantages of the 2016 model better than I can, and you can evaluate them against what you really need.
Disc brakes are nice but not necessary if you're trying to keep the cost down. And at these prices, and if you're riding mostly in the road, a suspension fork is just a lot of overhead that will eventually need maintenance or replacement.
I haven't owned a bike since I was 15 and I really want one now. I am a fitness junkie and I need help with cardio for my military PT test. Any suggestions on a good bike for me?
Here in the UK the Carrera brand is very popular and are decent prices for those on a low to mid budget. I've never used one of the hybrid editions but the regular bikes are good quality so there's no reason that these won't be also.
As for Specialized, I don't think they need any introduction, as I'd imagine they're probably the biggest selling bike brand in the world so picking either one of these you're not going to go too far wrong.
The Specialized Sirrus Sport seems like a versatile bike, for home commuting through traffic or riding across the countryside. The frame is made of aluminum wich is great, because that means the bicycle is light and stiff enough. Road wheels look pretty average thought, but it claims that they perform well in all conditions.
Overall, that specialized Sirrus could be a solid choice for practical use for urban/suburban areas. Looks comfortable to ride.
I'd also like to just mention that while Halford's is a decent place to try the bikes out and get some good advice, they aren't necessarily always the cheapest place to buy from, so maybe get their advice about the selection of bikes you want to look at, but then gmhace a look at other stores and especially online, as I'd imagine you'd probably be able to knock another £20/£30 off them prices.
