Earlier today I discovered a nice crack where the top tube and seat tube meet on my 2016 Whyte Stirling, so replacing that has become a bit of a priority. However what was once known as the "fast hybrid" seems to have become less common in the past decade, with gravel bikes seeming to be edging them out in product ranges.
Quite a few of the big offerings (e.g. Giant Escape, Specialized Sirrus) either top out a little bit lower in spec than I'd like and/or a little bit small in frame size. Some like the Trek FX Sport and the Cube Nulane jump up to a carbon frame before they get to a spec that starts to appeal to me, meaning the price to get those specs goes up quite a bit.
I'm 6'3" or so and the Stirling has a 627mm top tube that definitely doesn't feel too stretched for me, plus a decent SRAM 2x11 and disc brake spec. So availability in big sizes is particularly important!
The most suitable candidates I've found so far are possibly the Canyon Roadlite 8 and the Merida Speeder 500:
- https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/hybrid-bikes/city-bikes/roadlite/roadlite-al-cf/roadlite-8/3873.html
- https://www.merida-bikes.com/en-gb/bike/5626/speeder-500
What else should I be considering?
Boardman Hyb 8.9?
Top tube 615mm in size LG https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2347-hyb-8.9-2021.html
I've got a Giant Fastroad Advanced AR 2, it's absolutely superb. Light, fast, comfortable. 'Advanced' means carbon, 'AR' means All Roads so bigger tyre clearance.
It's 'only' Tiagra, but it all works brilliantly. If you want fancier then there's a 105 specced model.
Highly recommended
Boardman Hyb 8.9?
Top tube 615mm in size LG
I'd initially discounted the Boardman because their sizing chart stops an inch or two below my height! However their actual geometry table does seem to suggest that their large is about as bit as the largest sizes from other brands.
I've got a Giant Fastroad Advanced AR 2, it's absolutely superb. Light, fast, comfortable. 'Advanced' means carbon, 'AR' means All Roads so bigger tyre clearance.
It's 'only' Tiagra, but it all works brilliantly. If you want fancier then there's a 105 specced model.
Highly recommended
I foolishly looked at the "City & Hybrid" section of the Giant site rather than the "Fitness" section so I missed the Fastroads, I'll check them out, thanks!
Quite a few of the big offerings (e.g. Giant Escape, Specialized Sirrus) either top out a little bit lower in spec than I'd like and/or a little bit small in frame size.
If you want the higher spec versions, you need to be looking at the Sirrus X:
https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/shop/bikes/hybrid/model/sirrus-x/
XL fits me and I'm the same height as you. Some versions go to XXL.
Thanks for all your suggestions! I've gone for a Boardman Hyb 8.9, it seems to tick most of my boxes and is quickly available so I think it'll work out pretty well.