Bike finder: Which practical utility bike should I buy?

Practical utility bike

For: Nell Percival, age 43, from Glossop.
Bike needs: A hybrid for practical journeys. Mine was stolen when I lived in Manchester, and I’ve now moved somewhere hilly.
Must have: Easy-to-use brakes and simple gears. Pannier space. Reliable, strong lights. Ability to carry a trombone, if possible. Maybe the ability to fold, but I want big wheels.
Must not have: Drop handlebar. Fixed gear.
Budget: I have no idea what bikes cost. I’m basically a beginner.

Matt Lamy

Funnily enough, my first ever cycling article was a ride from Sheffield to Glossop, so I know the kind of terrain you’re looking to explore – even if my expertise in carrying trombones is sadly lacking!

For all-round ease, my first suggestion is the £349.99 Riverside 500 hybrid from Decathlon. It has: a single chainring at the front, so only one gear lever to worry about; easily maintained mechanical disc brakes; a flat handlebar; and room for a rear rack. Your nearest Decathlon is in Stockport. You could buy a rack and lights there, too.

Most entry-level hybrids from big-name bike brands tend to have two or three rings at the chainset, complicating matters. But Marin has a few single-chainring bikes, such as the Kentfield 1 (£499), again with mechanical discs and room for a rear rack and mudguards. Marin also does a step-through version, the Kentfield 1 ST.

Specialized’s Sirrus X range of bikes, starting with the 1.0 (£575), also comes in two frame shapes. The 1.0 features a simple 7−speed Shimano Altus drivetrain, alongside mechanical disc brakes. While a rack and mudguards can be fitted, these models feature Specialized’s ‘Plug+Play’ mountings, which might limit your options.

Finally, you mention folding bikes. An entry-level option is the Carrera Intercity Folding Bike from Halfords (£400), which comes with a rear rack fitted, an 8-speed drivetrain and a sub-14kg carry-on weight. It does have only 20in wheels, though.

If you want a bigger-wheeled folder, the budget will have to be bigger, too – to the tune of £1,100 in the case of Tern’s 24in-wheeled Node D8.

Marin Kentfield 1

Dan Joyce

The hard thing here is knowing just how much you’re happy to spend. There’s a huge difference between what’s available for £300 and what you can get for, say, £1,000. But before getting into that, let’s look at your most unusual requirement: carrying a trombone.

An online search tells me that a trombone case measures around 90-95×30-35×20-30cm. While you might squeeze that into a large rear pannier, poking out the top and secured to the rack with a bungee or two, there’s a better option: the Mundo AirPannier (£38.50), which is specifically designed for carrying bulky musical instruments.

As for the bike, the only one I can think of that ticks all your boxes is the Tern Node D8 that Matt mentions. I tested one for the Aug/Sep 2021 issue of Cycle and liked it; the review is online.

With 24in wheels and fat tyres, it rides like a conventional bike. Yet it will just about fit a train luggage rack when folded. All you would have to add is battery lighting, which we tested last issue.

If the Node D8 is too expensive, you’ll need to forgo the folding aspect and buy a hybrid. You can take non-folding bikes on trains, although it can be a frustrating experience.

Conventional bikes can be transported by cars with a large enough boot space or a bike rack; towbar fitting racks are the easiest to use.

The best-value non-folding bike that meets your brief is Decathlon’s Elops Long-Distance Step-Through City Bike 500. It comes with intuitive 1×9 gearing, mudguards, a rear rack, a kickstand and hub-dynamo-powered lighting. Normally £499.99, it was discounted by £50 at time of publishing.

Tern Node D8

First published in Cycle magazine, December 25/January 26 issue. All information correct at time of publishing.