Should I keep the bike?

flyer
flyer Posts: 608
edited May 2008 in Road beginners
I bought a Road bike 2 years ago (S WORKS) and do about 100 miles per week. My delema is that I recently bought a Mountain bike and I love the riding position (more upright). Now I know you can adjust stuff, but only to degrees otherwise is pointless having a "race position" type bike. I only use the bike for enjoment and ftiness and don't race or compete in anything. A friend said :lol: I should sell it and by a good Hybrid, that will be my best option, "for my needs".

Has anyone done the same or will I regret it?

Thanks

Flyer

Comments

  • robmanic1
    robmanic1 Posts: 2,150
    Hi Flyer. I reckon you should keep the roady. You already have all the bases covered with an MTB and a roady, I'd personally steer clear of the hybrid route, I just can't see the point of them unless you commute a lot.
    If you're anything like me you'll go through phases of mountain biking or preferring the road option. I'm in a road phase at the min but, as the trails are turning dusty the MTB will soon be calling.
    Pictures are better than words because some words are big and hard to understand.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335188@N07/3336802663/
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Hybrid? What's one of them?

    Stick with your S-works.
    I like bikes...

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  • wastelander
    wastelander Posts: 557
    Speaking from someone who went the other way - former MTB rider who now has a 'best' road bike, a foul weather road bike and enough bits laying around to build a 3rd I'd say keep it. My '02 Spesh Enduro Comp lives on the garage wall except for the odd day that I take it for a spin...and then I remember why I bought it.

    My recommendation would be to keep it - as Robmanic1 points out now you've got the bases covered and sods law says that if you sell it then you'll soon wish that you hadn't
  • CrookedCucumber
    CrookedCucumber Posts: 324
    Don't buy a hybrid -- ugh! Neither fish nor fowl :)

    I'm fortunate enough to have three different bikes these days, but if I could find room for one, I reckon a decent cyclocross bike will go anywhere that a hubrid will go, and be a lot more responsive on the roads. Just my twopenn'th, of course.

    I don't ride my mountain bike much these days, but I think I'd regret it if I got rid of it. I imagine it would be the same going the other way.
  • feel
    feel Posts: 800
    Hi flyer, i think you pretty much answered your own question. If you love the position, a good quality hybrid could have the skinny tyres of a road bike and be virtually as fast. It is the getting out and enjoying which is important, not what you are riding.
    regards.
    We are born with the dead:
    See, they return, and bring us with them.
  • robmanic1
    robmanic1 Posts: 2,150
    So there you go flyer, keep the bikes you've got and buy a few more! (you can never have too many, oh the mrs says you can). I agree with crooked though, I reckon a cyclocrosser would be a good bet, plus you don't see too many of them around my area (bit of exclusivity), might get rid of the Trance and get one, now you've got me started!
    Pictures are better than words because some words are big and hard to understand.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335188@N07/3336802663/
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    "the hybrid route, I just can't see the point of them "

    Many bikes that are termed somewhat pejoratively "hybrids" are in fact very similar to what are termed "road" bikes (strangely but increasingly used as a synonym for "race" ) except for FLAT bars. The point is thus comfort and better control. Also, with bar ends, MORE actually useable hand/arm positions than drops (most riders rarely use the dropped part more than a small %age of the time).

    The "real men use drop bars" school of thought is a simple historical prejudice - and an attempt at exclusivity. They will eventually fade away...
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    You can make a big difference to your position just by changing your stem. I fitted a new stem to my Basso and then flipped it over and I got the bars about 2 inches higher which made a huge difference to the feel of the bike.
  • nickwill
    nickwill Posts: 2,735
    meagain wrote:
    "the hybrid route, I just can't see the point of them "

    Many bikes that are termed somewhat pejoratively "hybrids" are in fact very similar to what are termed "road" bikes (strangely but increasingly used as a synonym for "race" ) except for FLAT bars. The point is thus comfort and better control. Also, with bar ends, MORE actually useable hand/arm positions than drops (most riders rarely use the dropped part more than a small %age of the time).

    The "real men use drop bars" school of thought is a simple historical prejudice - and an attempt at exclusivity. They will eventually fade away...

    :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
    http://lakescyclist.wordpress.com/
  • flyer
    flyer Posts: 608
    Hey guys thanks for the help, looks like its keep the road bike. Anyway my local shop says its only worth £500!!!!!! I thnk not? It cost me over 2k less than 2 years ago.

    Is there anyway I can increase the height of the handlebars?

    The length of the head tube is 145mm, where as on the Roubaix it's 165mm, this should give me a better riding position (for me anyway) more up right?

    There doesn't appear to be any adjustment on the tube to increase height only to reduce if I take spacers out. Can I but a longer tube? How much and where?

    Thanks

    Flyer
  • Barrie_G
    Barrie_G Posts: 479
    As some one else has already said to gain a inch or two in handle bar height just flip the stem over.

    Though how much height you gain will depend on the length of the stem and the degree of angle it has.
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    IF stem already angled up, there are "steerer/stem extenders" for threadless forks. Either clamp on like this

    http://www.ison-distribution.com/ison/e ... rt=SMZMHU1

    or bung types (chainreaction have one, but the reviews aren't too good).
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • feel
    feel Posts: 800
    flyer wrote:

    There doesn't appear to be any adjustment on the tube to increase height only to reduce if I take spacers out. Can I but a longer tube? How much and where?

    Thanks

    Flyer

    Unfortunately that is right, the tube is part of the fork so the only way is to get a new fork and not cut it down so much - a very expensive way to go
    We are born with the dead:
    See, they return, and bring us with them.
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    This picture of Floyd Landis's bike in the 2006 TdF shows a flipped stem...

    bmc-landis2.jpg
  • weedy1
    weedy1 Posts: 143
    Heres a link to a 17 deg stem.

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=24317

    heres one to 10 deg stem.

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=16366

    or a 13 deg stem

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=19519

    there are loads of different angles and lengths (oooo er missus) see what you got now if you're unhappy make a change.
  • hodsgod
    hodsgod Posts: 226
    Why not put some road tyres on your mountain bike? It's not a hybrid of course but it will be better than the off road wheels.
  • thexvw
    thexvw Posts: 135
    Specialized do a clever adjustable one. Comes in 2 types 12 and 24 degrees with adjustment through the range. Got one on my Roubaix, gives a comfortable road position.
    http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=25337

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