Looking to get into cycling and I'm looking to buy my first bike.
I couldn't find many reviews only of the Ghost Square Cross essential so I'm wondering whether you have experience with it and what's your opinion on it?
Currently is on sale and I would be getting it for around 700euros, is that a good deal?
Primarily I would use it for city rides, but occasionally I might go off-road.
by bobka10
1 Comment
Hi! It’s a good deal for 700€. For 1000€, I would pass and buy a bike from Giant, Specialized or Trek. This bike is very well equipped for 700€.
I really appreciate the mounting points for a bike rack. A lot of brands like Cube make it complicated and pricey to fit a proper rack. And that’s an essential accessory if you plan on cycling daily to work and shop for groceries.
I have minor nitpicks:
– The suspension fork in the front adds more weight, cost and complexity for basically no benefit. But the bike should remain light nonetheless. I expect it to weigh about 12kg. I prefer solid forks, but it shouldn’t make a difference in the end.
– SRAM Eagle 1×12 is sweet. But SRAM parts are more expensive compared to Shimano or Microshift. A 12 speed cassette is more expensive than an 8 speed cassette. 12 speed chains are also thinner compared to 8 speed chains, so they’re less durable. If you replace the chain, you’ll also have to replace the cassette.
I am really talking from the perspective of a novice cyclist who neglects bike maintenance and rides in the rain a lot.
I am currently riding a Specialized Sirrus X 2.0 with hydraulic disk brakes (Promax F1) and a Microshift Acolyte 1×8 groupset (which is rock solid, cheap and runs smoothly). The Sirrus offers less value than the Ghost Square Essential on paper. So I understand why you would go for the Ghost Square Essential.