Hey folks, I’m looking for advice on buying my first real bike since I wrecked my old 24" Toys "R" Us bike which lasted 8 years. I’m finally ready to upgrade and I’ve narrowed it down to two options from Costco: the Northrock CTM 700C and the XC27. I could really use help deciding between them.
Why Costco? The return policy and warranty are a big comfort. Since this is my first adult bike, I want that safety net in case it doesn’t work out.
My riding style:
- I’m 5′10″
- I ride on pavement a lot (fitness rides, long distances (50km-100km), bike paths)
- But I also ride forest trails pretty regularly – dirt, roots, rocks, light hills, not technical MTB parks but definitely off-road
- I like to ride fast on the road, so smoother tires sound nice
- That said, I’m coming from a basic 24" bike, so I know anything will feel like a big upgrade
- Just not sure how much knobby tires would slow me down or if I’d regret not getting something more trail-ready
The options:
- CTM 700C – hybrid tires (700x38C), 63mm fork, Altus 3×7 drivetrain, lighter and more road-optimized ( https://www.costco.ca/northrock-ctm-bike.product.4000293671.html ) – also cant understand how big the wheel is with 700c
- XC27 – 27.5" x 2.2" Maxxis knobby tires, 80mm fork, same drivetrain, more trail-ready but maybe slower on road ( https://www.costco.ca/northrock-xc27-mountain-bike.product.4000293706.html )
My dilemma: CTM looks ideal for speed and pavement, which I like, but I don’t want to destroy it or be under-equipped on trails. The XC27 looks like it’ll handle trails better, but I’m not sure if it’ll feel sluggish when I’m just cruising roads or commuting. Is the XC27 overkill? Or is the CTM too fragile for frequent off-road use?
If anyone has thoughts I'd really appreciate it. I'm not the smartest with bikes.
by hopeinmed