Carrera Subway Zero £199 in Halfords Sale

I use a Subway 1 as my pub bike - picked it up on eBay. It is a great little bike - light and agile, and I've had no problem at all with the parts - pretty much the same spec you'd get on any entry level mountain bike up to £400. I wouldn't bother buying a new one though. Just get one for £50 on eBay and convert it to singlespeed if you want. Tape it up and it could be a Cannondale Bad Boy, which will mean people will think you're a cnut and thieves will steal it at the first opportunity.

rep!

did they just go with those forks 'cos they couldn't find anything more awful...?

Listen you tart, they've got cromoly blades and hold the front wheel on. WTF do your forks do that these don't?

(i don't ride a Halfords bike BTW... but i did recommend one of these to a mate while it was on sale)

me too, seemed like a reasonably good value for a singlespeed bicycles, recommended it to two of my mate, with another recommendation of getting it properly adjusted at their LBS instead of halfords.

they're still riding it, one of them made it into a town bicycle with moustache bar and wide saddle and the other put drop on it.

I bought one of these. I'm busy disguising it. It seems nice so far. Unfortunately the Carrera stickers are under the clearcoat, so it currently shouts HALFORDS everywhere I go.

Still, recommended for £199 + £20 voucher if you get one in the next week or so.

How much clearance is there for big tyres?

Do you think 32c or even 37c would fit?

35c defo, maybe 37c. Loads of clearance.

One last question... does yours have room for lockrings on both sides of the hub?

I'll have to check. The garage is currently a gauntlet of pissing rain away.

Unfortunately the Carrera stickers are under the clearcoat, so it currently shouts HALFORDS everywhere I go.

Just go faster, then people won't be able to see the logos.

I'll have to check. The garage is currently a gauntlet of pissing rain away.

No worries. Take a look if you get the chance.

I'm thinking of using one for some trails. A sort of poor mans CycloX bike.

Doesn't solve the problem of when it's locked up. Unless I stand in front of it permanently. Or leave it in the garage permanently.

The picture above and on the 'Frauds website does not do the decals justice. The pic makes the frame look almost completely black. The stickers are much whiter and more shouty in real life.

Ah, true. Mines in the bikeshed at work, or garage at home. So I can hide my shame ok.

No worries. Take a look if you get the chance.

I'm thinking of using one for some trails. A sort of poor mans CycloX bike.

It uses the same frame as the rest of the new Subway range I think, and they have much bigger tyres. The 28s look a bit puny in there.

I'm sure it would be OK on trails. Only thing I'm not keen on are the bars. They are WIDE.

Ah, true. Mines in the bikeshed at work, or garage at home. So I can hide my shame ok.

Ah. At least there's another one on here then. We can share the shame.

I'm thinking of using one for some trails. A sort of poor mans CycloX bike.

I was just thinking that, even as far as an MTB.

Yes, its been on my mind.

I've been thinking it's a good way to keep the mileage up through the winter. I live near some really good trails, and a lot of mates mtb there. When it's dark outside and the weather is really shit... it's just safer and more fun getting off the road.

The problem is I don't want another bike that'll persuade me to spend lots on repairing & maintaining. I'd love an On-One or GT Peace but in a way they're too nice, and I'd spend money to keep them that way. So far I've been looking out for cheap 2nd hand mtb bikes. Ebay is useless, but Gumtree has had a few. I'm going for something pretty low-end with rigid forks & V brakes. Disc, fork, and derailer maintainance are just things I can't be bothered with on a beater. It'll live under a tarp in the back yard when it's not being ridden!

The best thing about the Subway is that it's a perfect middleweight, buy the cheap Subway, ride it as much as possible and perhaps eventually upgrade to an On-one Pompino, which is similar to the Subway (compact geo, huge clearance, v-brake etc.).

Just bumpng this as Halfords are doing the same deal again.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_551205_langId_-1_categoryId_165534#dtab

^ such a good deal.

Also if you're concerned about the having the bike built baddly, go to the St Pauls Halfords just of Ludgate Circus.

Nothing but good things to say about those guys.

I think i am going to get one as a winter beater - rude not at that price

Tempting :) Still want a £400 pompino, but can't afford it. Might be able to stretch to this though. Must... sell... xbox!

I would.

Much as I love the pomps at that price I'd find it hard to believe they're twice/£200 better.

You could hold out for a second hand one.

I was chatting to retro de corsa and his opion was that the pomps have v flexible sizing - ie most ppl could prolly go up or down at least one size bc of the geo. I think he's got a large he's looking to sell. Drop him a PM.

I saw his for sale, looks very nice, but I think the effective TT length is a little long - I have T-rex syndrome :(

Well I've had mine over a year now. My first year with it I used it five days a week for a round trip commute of 7 miles, rain, wind and snow. I had to replace a bottom bracket and chain before the year was out. Then I moved house and have a 38 mile round trip commute, 5 days a week. Still using this bike although had to get a new rear wheel (I broke some spokes when my wheel slipped into a rut, but had to keep riding for a few days before I could repair, by then with the wheel being so out of true, I had destroyed the bearings in the hub). I've also fitted some drops and just about managed to convince the existing brake levers to fit on.

For the price, it's pretty robust. I've done over 5000km on mine.

How is it with the drops?