Quote ="Chaka"With your budget in mind, stay clear of Halfrauds. Their own brand, lower price range bikes are heavy and you will feel no benefit. Their customer service isrelatively poor as the shop assistants are just that assistants not specialists. Find a good local independent bike store, tell them requirements/budget and they will point you in the right direction. Often a lot of these independent stores take part exchanges in from keen cyclists and services up the bikes and sell them on at reduced rate. Check out www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=40058 for beginners section for tips on bikes, equipment, maintenance etc.'" Do what Chaka says and stay well clear of Halfords. I bought one from them a couple of years ago and had nothing but trouble with it. They couldn't even set it up properly. I ended up trading my bike in for another at the local bike shop. Go to the local bike shop and they will sort you out. EB Cycles in Pemberton are good.

Quote ="Chaka"With your budget in mind, stay clear of Halfrauds. Their own brand, lower price range bikes are heavy and you will feel no benefit. Their customer service isrelatively poor as the shop assistants are just that assistants not specialists. Find a good local independent bike store, tell them requirements/budget and they will point you in the right direction. Often a lot of these independent stores take part exchanges in from keen cyclists and services up the bikes and sell them on at reduced rate. Check out www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=40058 for beginners section for tips on bikes, equipment, maintenance etc.'" Do what Chaka says and stay well clear of Halfords. I bought one from them a couple of years ago and had nothing but trouble with it. They couldn't even set it up properly. I ended up trading my bike in for another at the local bike shop. Go to the local bike shop and they will sort you out. EB Cycles in Pemberton are good.

Think I might go for it then

, I'm 5 ft 8 so I'm thinking an 18 inch frame?

Go off your inside leg rather than height, my step father is 3inch taller than me yet has a 2inch smaller inside leg measurement

[urlhttp://www.livestrong.com/article/187060-how-to-determine-the-proper-bicycle-frame-size-for-a-persons-height/[/url

Sounds complicated but its not really, but still the best way is to go and sit on one - remember you're buying what is in effect a road bike and not a mountain bike, a bigger frame on a road bike will make for a more comfortable riding position and not knacker your back in completely especially in the hybrid style where you don't really want to be leaning forward too far.

Personally I'd always go for the biggest frame I could stand astride over, adjusting the seat height so that your legs extend properly when cycling is nothing really to do with frame size unless your on a stupidly small frame, but being comfortable on the bike is down to the height of the frame and the reach to the handlebars and unfortunately you're always going to be taking a chance on that if you just buy online, I'd be tempted to go into a store that has a good range of hybrid bikes and sit on a few different sizes - avoid mountain bike sizing as you'll just confuse the issue.

The old advice of stand over the frame and check scrotum clearance is pretty much useless nowadays with sloping top tubes and compact frames.

Go to Evans and sit / test ride on a few similar bikes to find what's most comfy for you. I would guess at 5'8" you'd be wanting more of a16- 17" frame. If the frames to big you'll end up getting sore hands and wrists as you accommodate the weight bearing down on them. To small and the.cockpit will be to cramped and you'll feel to upright. Plus when standing up in the pedals your kness will keep hitting the bar.

Just been to my local bike store for a look around and ended up buying an 18 inch "probike Blizzard". Knew I wouldn't be able to walk in and just browse.

Sat on a few frames, 22 was impossible, 20 was to high, 18 seemed about right. there was another probike a bit cheaper but I didn't like the look of it as much so went for this one even though It's got front fork suspension which is probably crappy. Doesn't feel too heavy though. 140 quid :/ Picking it up in a bit so I'll soon know if I've made a bad choice or not I guess.