Carerra subway2, are they any good?

Hey, I'm thinking about a hybrid (still) and I'm looking at the Carerra Subway 2. I'm wondering if anyone owns or has owned one as I'd like your opinion on them, as to what's good or bad.

I think if I bought one I'd go second hand then do some upgrading to it, maybe 1x10 slx, hydrolic discs bits of carbon bling and what not. Cheers Rob

Great value for money bikes that ride well. The only problem is the brand name - if you aren't a snob then so what?

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I totally agree with what the small furry one says

I couldn't care less about the brand, they're practically the same spec as a standard model cdale badboy for so much less! Like I say did be upgrading it over time anyhow. Got me thinking. Hmm

Good usable bike, and a decent machine to ride.

Cool, thanks chop.

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Cannondales are woefully specced for the price you pay..

Another brand to look at would be Boardman. Again, it's a "Halfords Special" but the reviews speak for themselves. You could pick up a nice Hybrid Comp for not much money and they make an excellent base for upgrading as the frame and forks are quality.

I snagged a practically brand new 2013 Hybrid Comp Fi for my girlfriend the other week for £180, specced with SRAM X5, Avid BB5s etc..

Subscribe to the Halfords email and you regularly get massive discounts like £100 off or 25% reductions - they're usually flash sales so the only last for a weekend or a couple of days. My missus used a Carrera Subway for work for 3 years and it never flinched - except fore the time she went over the bars when she ran over a dog.....

Cheers Barneyballbags ( my iPad new your user name!... Weird!) I really think I'm going to stay away from c dale the more I think about it, I'm a GT head so thought about a zum too. Those boardman hybrids look quite nice.

Meejoir, I might just do that if they offer good discounts. It's sounding like the subway is a glad decent bike. I hope your wife and the dog were ok!?

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I haven't owned or properly ridden either, but I serviced a friend's Subway for him and took it for a spin around the block when I'd finished. I thought it was a bit heavy and had a bit of harsh ride, but felt solid enough. I wasn't overly impressed with the cable disc brakes though, they weren't as powerful as the V-brakes on my own bike, but maybe different pads would sort that out.

Also, despite being only a year or so old and admittedly used for commuting in all weathers, pretty much all of the bolts had gone rusty, the handlebar stem clamp bolts, cable clamp bolts, bottle cage bolts etc.. They are all chromed or zinc plated, rather than stainless, which you might expect on slightly better components, so they look scruffy after a while. I had to replace all the cables as well, as they weren't stainless either and had also corroded.

Personally, for similar money, I'd chose a 90s rigid steel MTB over a Subway and fit slick tyres.

I never rode it, but another friend had a Boardman hybrid, similar to the one pictured above, but this was a dark metallic grey/silver. I was impressed with the finish on the frame, the paintwork looked good and the smooth finished welds were very smart. It wasn't used much, so I couldn't comment on how it compares to the Subway in terms of staying looking smart.