Need some honest advice choosing between these two bikes. I'm coming from my childhood bike that I rode to the ground which is this Avigo 21-speed 24" mountain bike: https://www.xjd.com/t-avigo-21-speed-24-inch-mountain-bike/ . From what I can tell, it’s a pretty basic heavy steel MTB-style bike with 24-inch wheels, 21 speeds, V-brakes, and knobby tires.
The two I’m considering are the Northrock CTM from Costco: https://www.costco.ca/p/-/northrock-ctm-ultimate-crossover-bike/4000393050 and the Raleigh Gran Sport from Canadian Tire: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/raleigh-gran-sport-gravel-road-bike-700c-with-mechanical-disc-brakes-green-0710107p.html .
I list much specs below, frankly though I can't make much sense of them i do not know what's good quality.
The CTM seems to have a 6061 aluminum frame, SR Suntour NEX 63 mm suspension fork, Shimano Altus 21-speed drivetrain, Tektro mechanical disc brakes, 700x38c tires, double-wall alloy rims, sealed cartridge bottom bracket, and a listed weight around 14.3 kg.
The Raleigh Gran Sport seems to have an aluminum frame, rigid fork, Shimano A070 14-speed drivetrain with integrated shifters, mechanical disc brakes, 700x38c tires, and more of a gravel / road style setup with drop bars. So on paper the CTM looks more comfortable and forgiving, while the Raleigh looks more efficient and faster, but I don’t really know how big that difference feels in real life, especially coming from a kids mountain bike
My use would be longer rides this summer, sometimes around 50-100km, mostly pavement, but I also want to be able to do gravel paths and light trails without feeling uneasy. I’m trying to figure out which one would actually feel like the better upgrade from my current bike, whether the CTM is really that much slower on pavement or if people online exaggerate it, whether the Raleigh is actually good enough for light trails and gravel paths, and whether the parts on either bike are actually decent for the price or just cheap entry-level stuff that I might regret. I’m not trying to buy the “perfect” bike, just the right kind of bike for what I’ll realistically use it for. Would really appreciate honest opinions (Budget under $1000CAD)
by hopeinmed
3 Comments
50-100kms on the flat bar mountain bike is going to be rough in my opinion.
Option 2 has my vote in your price range
I just got 2 XCWs after tons of research and comparing against (and test driving) Kona Dew, Trek FX2, Norco Indie and a few more.
The XCWs offered the best value and I couldn’t justify spending more for what is essentially my first non-supercycle bikes.
The XCW has newer parts, but is only available in store.
I’m not familiar with your Raleigh options but all the experiences I’ve had with my Supercycle at Canadian Tire fully turned me off.
After 50kms I would look into a road bike with drop bars. its more efficient