2021 Boardman URB 8.8 - Full Review

Over the last two months I've covered over 200 miles on the new Boardman URB 8.8 - Here are my thoughts on the bike during this time. Questions and feedback welcome in the comments. Do you have this bike, what are your thoughts?
Parts changed in the video;
Saddle = Spoon Charge
Pedals = Shimano M520
Bell = Knog Oi
Mudguards = Bontrager NCS
00:00 Intro
02:46 Apperance
05:08 Equipment
08:37 What is it like to ride?
14:32 Conclusion

[@jonnythesaint]

Haven’t really cycled for 20 years, but just on an impulse I bought this about six weeks ago. I love it. Did my first 20 mile ride two weeks ago and felt great. I did find the seat uncomfortable, but I put that down to me. Thanks for the video

[@brandon_youtube]

This is a really good review. Told me everything I wanted to learn. Great detail of ride, gears, brakes, climbs etc

[@chr15b]

I should do a follow up now I've had it over a year, absolutely no regrets. Fantastic bike.

[@mathewpieraccini8792]

Great work. Enjoyed seeing my home towns of lochwinnoch and paisley. Your videos help me make my choice. Cheers

[@chr15b]

Glad you like them! It's a nice cycle route.

[@ariffjiwa3937]

Hey buddy I got my bike yesterday..you're so right about the saddle..Did 15th Miles and got biker's bum . But its a beautiful bike. Thank you so much for all the advice x

[@kieranboyle5057]

Thanks for this video, it's particularly helpful for me as I will be using the bike (8.9 in my case) for exactly the same reason as you - daily commuting around Glasgow, with the associated potholes and weather. I fancy giving the belt-driven internal hub a go as I'm very tired of the gritty grease killing my drivetrain over the winter, even with regular maintenance.

[@chr15b]

If you’re commuting all year round, it’s a perfect bike for it.

[@bas6628]

I'm also looking at the Merida speeder hybrids as well

[@foobar7819]

Nice video, thanks. I have the same bike and I spoke to you on Reddit about it earlier as well. Overall I am very satisfied and think it is a good value for money, but want to add a couple of points for who might want to buy it now: 1. If you're buying from Halfords, re-service it as soon as you can. My bottom bracket and cranks developed a noise after the first month, and when I disassembled it, I discovered that the 'mechanics' from Halfords didn't use any grease at all. Luckily it was easy to fix, but I wish I did it sooner. 2. Same about brakes which feel a bit spongy. I think I will need to learn the procedure and bleed them. 3. My belt also was tensioned too tight by Halfords. Buy a special tool (4mm pin wrench) and adjust the eccentric shell holding the bottom bracket to get the recommended tension (use the Gates app to measure it). In general the advice about belts is that it's better to have it too loose than too tight. 4. It's also worth mentioning that the front sprocket and the belt on this bike are Gates CDN tier as opposed to more expensive Gates CDX. Luckily the most vulnerable component in the drivetrain, the rear cog, is a CDX one. The difference between the two is lifespan - what you read about belts lasting x3 longer comparing to a chain is usually written about CDX. CDN lifespan is comparable to that of the chain, although you still get other benefits like no lubrication and smooth ride. Yet the belt and the cog are worth upgrading to CDX when the time comes (that would be £100x2 instead of £50x2 though). The saddle however is comfortable enough for me - possibly as I didn't know any better (have always been using standard stock saddles), but I cycled 30+km on it several times without any serious discomfort.

[@chr15b]

Excellent comments, thanks for sharing! I've done a few miles on this bike now and still love it, I think I'll have it for years. Interesting your point about the belt being too tight, I haven't checked mines but think it may be the same - when the bike is on the stand for example if I pedal backwards there is enough resistance that the rear wheel spins also.

[@foobar7819]

@@chr15b This guy cycled pretty much around the word on his (CDX) belt drive and is very happy about it - and he recommends keeping it loose, even below the recommended level: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boSuloRsd5eIis0

[@kieranboyle5057]

I completely agree with you about getting anything built at Halfords reserviced as soon as possible. I bought a Boardman CX Team 2017 from them which wasn't put together correctly, gears were completely off and the BB was ungreased.

[@85gregbrett]

Same goes for any bike brand really they come from the manafacture pre greased, halfords mechanics wouldn't have assembled those parts, just handlebars pedals and general set up. I've had highend bikes with the same lack of grease issue so I always strip and rebuild every bike I own. 👍

[@micky7028]

Hiya Chris Ive had my boardman for about 2 months now and must say im very impressed with it same issues as you, changed seat straight away and the welds are not impressive, but my worst grip is with the gearing, on all my other bikes with finger shifters on the thumb changes gears down and index finger changed up, so im always having to think before i change gears. But as bikes go and for what you get for your money id say this is a great value bike with an nice smooth ride.

[@chr15b]

I too found that a bit strange Michael, the shifters being the other way round.

[@micky7028]

A good tip for adjusting the hub gears on these boardman belt drives if there not changing gear properly or a bit off, put bike into 4th gear which is neutral on theses and theres two yellow lines on back hub on right side adjust with barrel adjuster on handle bars so they line up then away you go nice smooth gears again.

[@unda25]

i had been seen this type of bike in the past , i bought a second hand one, when i will be confident that is worty i will buy a new one

[@tonystone3397]

Great vid, i am not sure weather to buy a MTB or Hybrid, i think MTB maybe too much for the greeways and boreens i ride.

[@bas6628]

The hyb is great for climbing hills.

[@Vartan297]

Thank you for the video. I’m looking at the URB 8.9. At £875 it seems good value. Either that or the Canyon Commuter 5. Just can’t decide which would be better. The 5 is £799 at the moment.

[@tompeddle]

Strangely it's the higher gears that I'm missing on the new belt drive, I yearn for an extra few on the URB8.9. The lower gears don't seem to be an issue on the south downs, the belt is actually preferable to me over that slight chain lag, when on a long incline. Strange how you notice the difference when first moving to the belt system! Apparently there are ways to change gearing to your preference, but it's beyond me. A question for the bike engineers... And as for those Bontrager's - they're a perfect match (medium).

[@chr15b]

I guess a smaller rear sprocket would do the job, however I'm not sure if you'd also need a smaller belt or if there is enough movement in the bottom bracket to compensate.

[@edwardtye4119]

@@chr15b I think tightening the belt might be enough to compensate for the smaller rear gear. I have no idea though.

[@carlton0zz]

Hi Chris, I have had my URB 8.9 for over 6 months now and its been worth every penny I spent on it. I cycle about 30 miles a week for fitness purposes and much prefer the low maintenance belt drive and internal gear hub to the derailleur gearing system - it feels more secure and I like the no noise factor too. Earlier this year I asked for your advice about mudguards - and thanks again for your helpful reply. Can I ask you another question please: I have `Shimano BL-MT201 / BR-U300 hydraulic disc brakes` on my 8.9 - when they wear out, is their a specific shimano brake pad I need to replace them with, or will any shimano disc brake pads do? Thanks.

[@chr15b]

Good question, I'm not too sure. I'd recommend asking on "Cycle Chat" as there are many helpful people on that forum.

[@ravidemel1256]

Thanks for the video Chris.. I've been keeping an eye on Halfords for my size (M) for my height 178CM to be available. They only have small at the moment, any advice/feedback on the bike size you are using?

[@chr15b]

Hi Ravi - I'm 5ft9in (175cm) with a 32in inside leg and find the medium is a perfect size for me but it's worth trying a small if the store has one to see how you feel on it. Note that for my road bike (2019 Boardman SLR 8.9c) I use a small frame.

[@ravidemel1256]

@@chr15b Thank you for sharing your insight. Please keep up with the video clips.. all the best.

[@bas6628]

Just curious how often do you lot degrease and lube your bikes. I have a Boardman 8.8 hybrid

[@foobar7819]

Belt transmission does not need any grease (in fact it might even damage it), so the only occasion when you would want to change / apply grease is when you're replacing some components like the bottom bracket or pedals. Considering the bike came out only a year ago or so you shouldn't be touching any of these yet for the purpose of regular maintenance only (unless they're misbehaving or you're replacing them with something better).

[@billybhoy32]

I'm looking to buy the Boardman HYB 8.8 Mens Hybrid Bike any recommendation on which tyres I could upgrade to? Ones that have a bit more grip

[@chr15b]

I've always been happy with Schwalbe tyres, they have a few in the range that would fit this bike.

[@raysmith5026]

Hello .how can I make my handle bar higher, I've tried Halfords but they wasn't much help

[@chr15b]

Hi Ray, first the zero cost option - do you have a spacer above your stem on the bike? Most don't but if you do you could remove the stem and drop the spacer under the stem to raise it a little. The second option I'd recommend is a "riser stem", there are plenty of these available online in varying length and angles, I'm sure you could find one to suit your needs. Hope this helps. Thanks, Chris.

[@bas6628]

Thinking of purchasing the Boardman road bike for long distance. What would be the difference between the Boardman URB and hybrid models

[@chr15b]

The main difference is that the URB has an internal gear hub and (Maybe not all...) gates carbon belt drive. Great for riding in all weathers.

[@oky14]

Hi Chris Thanks for the informative video's. I collected my 8.9 yesterday and rode it home (about 4 miles) and then a very short commute to work this morning. I love this bike! So quiet, great response from the belt, looks great. I checked the belt tension with the Gates app as it felt tight to touch. It's reading that the belt is too tight (89hz) if I've checked it correctly? Does anyone know how to change the tension as I can't find any instructions for this bike anywhere. The guys at Halfords were helpful but new nothing about the belt. Any help greatly appreciated.

[@chr15b]

Hi Rob - I don't at the moment but need to find out myself, I think mines is too tight also. With the weight off the back wheel, pedalling backwards turns the rear wheel more than I think is normal so I'll need to check it too.

[@oky14]

@@chr15b Hi Chris, I realised I hadn't entered the correct settings on the app before checking, such as belt 115, front ring 50t and rear sprocket 24t. When I did that it averaged at 42hz which is fine. I emailed Boardman and they kindly replied with the instructions and 2 photos which was great! It's quite simple, release the two screws under the crank in the bottom bracket. Use a 4mm pin spanner on the two holes on the non drive side and move the crank arm to tension or de tension then tighten up again.

[@oky14]

Hi Chris My bike started making a creaking noise when pedalling yesterday. I took it to cycle exchange in Kingston Upon Thames who thought the belt was still too tight. They adjusted the rear brake and lessened the tension on the belt. All good now, no creaking. Took it for a ride this morning about 10 miles around Richmond Park and it went really well.

[@stuartyboy8301]

Thank you for the video, the info is really helpful. Could you tell me if you’ve found the belt to be reliable? I’m looking for a low maintenance bike to lose a couple of lbs on.

[@chr15b]

It has been amazing, I’ve ridden in all weathers and blasted the crud off with a pressure washer. The bike genuinely looks and runs like new. For a low maintenance approach, you can’t go wrong.

[@stuartyboy8301]

@@chr15b thank you. I’m just waiting on a stock update from Halfords and Tredz, I have to go through them for my Cycle To Work scheme. It’s the first bike I looked at, then I looked at all the other hybrids and now I’m back to the Boardman lol. There’s not much info on it so it was great to watch your content 👍🏻

[@test-ml9wr]

Could you do a review of bike lights please - the one you have and why you picked it?

[@chr15b]

Hi Josh - The lights I have are no longer available, I just picked some years ago that had a good review on Amazon. They are made by "MENERUSKAN" but I assume this is a brand name applied to various lights that may be the same.

[@test-ml9wr]

@@chr15b okay thank you

[@mihais7183]

How's the bike held up? I've read that some Boardman bikes have quality issues. Thanks!

[@chr15b]

Very well. I've had a few Boardman bikes and have zero complaints.

[@SWatchik]

Love the look an idea of these. Just wondering if clicking/any noise is normal when peddling and not freewheeling? I tried a used on out and it felt like most gears had some kind of noise. Is this normal?

[@chr15b]

There is some noise as you pedal but nothing that should sound concerning. I'd say it's quieter than a chain driven bike?

[@SWatchik]

@@chr15b Hmm good to know, it didn't sound right. Could just be the belt tension being off but the guy had left it for a while and didn't know much about bikes so I think I will avoid this one!

[@Van_Goghs_Left_Ear]

Hi Chris, do you still have bike ? How's it holding up after a year ? Any issues with belt drive / internal gears ? I bought this bike 2nd hand and so far so good - quite pleased with it but wondered about durability given that it's meant to be low maintenance bike. Cheers, Craig

[@chr15b]

Hi Craig - I sold the bike towards the end of the summer and put the funds towards a new gravel bike. I had zero issues with it, I did have to apply some tension to the shifter cable but the yellow markings on the hub made that super easy. My father purchased the URB 8.9 and has been using it a lot and it's been flawless. These are great bikes, I struggled with it on climbs and now work from home but if I had been a more casual cyclist or commuted still - I'd still own it. Cheers!

[@Van_Goghs_Left_Ear]

@@chr15b Hi Chris i shipped mine over to Thailand to use and brought an extra cassette joint after watching your video ! We are well off the tourist trail and getting spares over here would be impossible hence low maintenance was vital. Very pleased with it so far. Pretty flat here so 7 gears not an issue. Next time i'm home i'll grab a Gates carbon belt, then should be ok for next 100K Km - Lol. Thx again for taking time to make video mate - was a really good watch. Cheers, Craig

[@Shrekeo]

Great review! I’m currently looking at the URB 8.9 and wondering if Boardman sizes are correct? I’m 176cm or 5ft 9 and usually take a medium frame but the Boardman recommended size for me is a small. Do you mind me asking how tall you are and what size you went for? TIA.

[@chr15b]

I am the exact same height as you and went with a medium, that was perfect for me. For the road bikes however I use the small frame.

[@Shrekeo]

@@chr15b thanks for the reply. I've actually ordered the small yesterday as I went with the Boardman sizing guide and partly because a fella at work has the HYB in a medium and albeit a different frame/position, it felt huge. None of my local Halfords seem to stock many Boardman's to try for size, plenty of Carerra and not a lot else. Thanks again.

[@leslatham7797]

I’m 5’7” and the small frame fits me perfectly

[@Shrekeo]

@@leslatham7797 after recieving the bike, size small is also good for me. Thanks

[@joyceivanmisa2646]

Does this bike can go to a gravel pathways. Little bit Rocky road

[@chr15b]

I’ve used it on some gravel paths without issue, riding on rocks though I’m sure would be ok in small doses but the thin tyres and lack of suspension wouldn’t make it good for a prolonged length of time.

[@bas6628]

URb has 1 gear shifter

[@perrymitchell7118]

How heavy is it please?

[@chr15b]

The bike is around 11.5kg.

[@perrymitchell7118]

Thanks alot Chris, I appreciate it. 🙏

[@ariffjiwa3937]

Do u have a Facebook page?

[@chr15b]

Technically yes but I rarely use it, only a personal page for friends and family.

[@SGuy889]

You replaced the seat didn't you ? I have had loads folk saying the seat it comes with is rubbish? I am literally watching your video and getting ideas for the very same bike . Am a copy cat!

[@chr15b]

I did yeah, I try a lot of different bikes and the saddle on this one had to go after a single cycle.

[@Vartan297]

Would these bikes be ok for gravel paths/canal paths etc?

[@chr15b]

With the right tyres, absolutely.