Sizing Question & Road vs Hybrid

Notnormal

Hi all,

I'm looking at getting a new commuter bike. Top of the list is the Specialized Sirrus Pro which is currently reduced at evans. (ride to work scheme so has to be evans). Normally I get medium size bikes as I'm 5'10" and am usually at the big end for a medium or small side for a large. Either would probably be fine. The salesman was trying to talk me into the large saying it would be slightly quicker as I'd be leant over more compared to a more upright position on the medium. My school of thought has always been smaller bike = less weight = better. Within reason obviously. So basically my question is am I right to stick with the medium or should I try a large. I had a very brief go on both sizes and I do prefer generally a more upright position being more of a mtber than a roadie.

The second option (as my commute will be up to 27 miles) is should I scrap the idea of a hybrid and bite the bullet and go for a road bike? I've never had a road bike and don't want to make an expensive mistake. What would the benefits of a road bike be over a high end hybrid like the sirrus pro? Much of the riding will be on londons bumpy roads and I like the manouverability of flat bars.

Cheers,

Richard

mateotu

Hmmm, 27 miles is a long way!

I'll pitch gracefully into the hybrid-vs-road debate by saying that drop bars are definitely, no question, without-a-doubt better than straight bars for long rides The choice of different hand positions to prevent upper-body aches, and the ability to get down low when there's a strong headwind, are the major advantages.

Of course, to get the benefit you'll need a setup where you can use all the different hand positions comfortably, which might not be easy on a full-on racing road bike if you're like me, i.e. about as flexible as reinforced concrete But you're in luck, because road frames with a relaxed riding position are 'in' right now. Road stems also come in sizes right down to 50mm, and Evans should be happy to swap from a longer stem to a shorter one if you ask nicely and then demand to see the manager.

There are loads of 'road' bikes around that will cope with rough surfaces - I'd suggest a carbon fork, and 25mm tyres, at a minimum. A cyclocross bike like the Tricross could be fitted with semi-slick tyres of say 32mm for a super-comfy ride and would be strong enough to take some abuse. 'Cross bikes sometimes also have an extra pair of brake levers on the tops, which (unlike the brake-extender devices of old) actually work and are great for riders making the transition to drop bars.

Maneuverability-wise, the choice of bars makes little difference - the steering geometry is the main factor. There are plenty of road bikes out there with super-aggressive handling. The wider hand position of straight bars does give you more steering torque, but you probably won't need that in London. But the narrower, more aerodynamic hand position of drops will make you go faster. Which is always nice

Good luck!

lamchop

Or get a touring bike.

biondino

Hybrids are by their very nature a compromise. You're on 27 miles of road, so why compromise? You'll appreciate the speed and conservation of energy way more than you'd appreciate a higher level of comfort. Get a road bike.

RufusA

Notnormal wrote:

Top of the list is the Specialized Sirrus Pro which is currently reduced at evans. (ride to work scheme so has to be evans). Normally I get medium size bikes as I'm 5'10" and am usually at the big end for a medium or small side for a large.

From memory the Sirrus range is a little smaller than some, so Specialized suggest 5'9" is the change point from medium to large.

I'm 5'10" and use a Sirrus (Elite) in large. Tried both sizes and for me the large was slightly more comfortable. Though didn't spend much time tinkering with setup on the medium, and the LBS could do me a very good deal on the large, which was somewhat persuasive.

Notnormal wrote:

The salesman was trying to talk me into the large saying it would be slightly quicker as I'd be leant over more compared to a more upright position on the medium.

Ah the Evan's salesman - you can't beat them for trying!

The bottom line is both bike sizes could probably be set up to fit in a similar manner. The comfort depends a lot on body geometry, and height isn't always a sufficient guide. You can be 5'10" with proportionally long legs and a short torso/arms. Or visa versa! If you are borderline it's usually better to go smaller as it's easier to add length to components than hack bits off the frame!

Notnormal wrote:

The second option (as my commute will be up to 27 miles) is should I scrap the idea of a hybrid and bite the bullet and go for a road bike?....Much of the riding will be on londons bumpy roads and I like the manouverability of flat bars.

Is it 27 miles each way, or round trip?

If it's a 13-14 mile hack, then a hybrid would IMHO be adequate, and I personally prefer flats in London's busy traffic. In traffic on drops I spend my time riding on the hoods, and if I use the drops I tend to get neck ache with having to look up and out all the time.

If your commute is longer, and a proportion away from heavy traffic, then a road bike would offer advantages in terms of speed and variety of hand / back positions giving greater comfort over distance.

Though the Sirrus is IMHO almost a road bike with flats, and I can recommend it.

YMMV - Rufus.

secretsam

Notnormal wrote:

Specialized Sirrus Pro...Normally I get medium size bikes as I'm 5'10" and am usually at the big end for a medium or small side for a large

Got a vanilla Sirrus, flea bay, large, and I'm 5'9" ish with short legs, long body (and a head like a melon, if I'm honest)

Ideally I'd go for medium, but can cope with large. If the deal's good, get the big 'un.

but for 27 miles I'd want drops...say, an Allez?

Notnormal

Cheers for the replies, Its 27 miles each way although until my fitness improves I'll only be doing one way and taking the bike on the train on the return leg. (One of the few perks of shift work means off peak train travel and no probs with bike on train.) I went and had a look at a few 'proper' road bikes today and am still leaning towards the Sirrus probably in a large. Only the first 10 or so miles are on open roads the remainder ends up being Potters Bar area all the way down to near Canary Wharf so the bulk of it is through traffic and I think drop bars will give me neck ache looking up all the time. My other concern is not being able to 'cover' the brakes as easily on a drop bar, something I find essential when cycling in London.

secretsam

Notnormal wrote:

I think drop bars will give me neck ache looking up all the time. My other concern is not being able to 'cover' the brakes as easily on a drop bar, something I find essential when cycling in London.

Have a heavy traffic bit of London to cover as well, and do it on an old bike with drops and shoddy CP brakes - and don't find them a problem, as long as you sit upright and keep your wits about you. You soon learn to brake well from the hoods, with the emergency 'drop to the hooks and grab like hell' from time to time!

kentristar

A friend let me borrow his road bike for a month - neck ache - back ache - just not comfortable for me. Bought a trek fx7.3. If friend was to sell me his used bike - first thing I do is get rid of the drop bar, etc...not my style. FYi - make sure you get 700x28 tires for hybrid - have fun.

dan1w

I ride 17 miles each way which also goes from country roads into Potters Bar and then into London.

I can't wait to get rid of my flat bar bike and replace it under the bike2work scheme (although I'm probably going for a tourer). I find the wrist position on the flat bar okay for short distances, but it can become sore after 34 miles! I also occassionally get numb fingers.

meanwhile

biondino wrote:

Hybrids are by their very nature a compromise.

Nonsense. Hybrid is a marketing name, not a meaningful engineering definition. A Sirrus is a flat barred road bike with racing bike geometry (it differs from the Allez by having chain stays that are about 2cm longer..) and stronger brakes; other hybrids have quite different specs. Each needs judging on its won merits. You might as well say a regular racer is a compromise between a tourer and a time trial bike, so get one of those.

You're on 27 miles of road, so why compromise? You'll appreciate the speed and conservation of energy way more than you'd appreciate a higher level of comfort. Get a road bike.

There is no "conservation of energy". Rolling resistance is the same, and if a Sirrus's bars are set at the same height and width as a racer's drops then air resistance will be identical too. If you can think of a logical reason why a Sirrus should be slower than a "racer" do let me know...

As for "comfort", some people like flat bars, some people like conventional drops, some people think everyone should like what they like. Me, if I was buying a new Sirrus I'd probably spend the cash converting it to Midge Bars (which look like drops but function very differently, in that the drops and not levers are the primary position) but it's a very personal thing. Flats are probably the better choice for new riders, riders who need to view traffic and brake or steer hard, and who are riding short to moderate distances, which the OP is. Drop bikes are much harder to get a good fit on, less safe in traffic, especially for new riders, and a lot of non-enthusiasts just plain hate them.

That said, I don't really like my 2003 Sirrus - it doesn't take advantage of the v brakes to allow, say, 38mm tyres as it should, the agility/stability balance is mediocre, and the bike has a harsh ride - pretty much like the Allez racer it shares most of its frame angles with. I've had bikes that were just as fast, smoother, and much more agile. I've noticed that there's a Jamis bike that gets recommended a lot on US forums as an alternative to the Sirrus, I don't know if its imported to the UK or whether Evans could get one if it is. Otoh, the current model may well be much better.

If the OP does get a Sirrus, my tips are -

- The stock bars are huge. Flar bars should always be trimmed down to just a little more than the shoulder width of the rider. A piper cutter makes doing this easy. Too wide bars force your hands into an uncomfortable position, make for poor control, and create significant drag through the spread eagle position.

- Have the shop swap the tyres for 32mm Marathon Pluses. They're more comfortable and just as fast as the stock tyres. 32mm Contis Sport Contacts are probably even faster, but not quite as tough.

- Make sure you adjust the bike to fit correctly. If you're new to riding you'll probably set the saddle too low. Ask for help if you need it or google for advice. Less importantly you'll probably get the bars too high as well.

- Fit and learn how to use toe clips. Or Power Grips are said to be just as good and much easier to learn.

- If you don't like the grips or saddle on your test ride, get them changed as a condition of sale, paying only the difference in value. Ignore any nonsense about "breaking in".

meanwhile

SecretSam wrote:

Notnormal wrote:

I think drop bars will give me neck ache looking up all the time. My other concern is not being able to 'cover' the brakes as easily on a drop bar, something I find essential when cycling in London.

Have a heavy traffic bit of London to cover as well, and do it on an old bike with drops and shoddy CP brakes - and don't find them a problem, as long as you sit upright and keep your wits about you. You soon learn to brake well from the hoods, with the emergency 'drop to the hooks and grab like hell' from time to time!

You're obviously in control, but this is a personal thing. Just because you have managed - so far - is no reason for a new rider with access to a hugely discounted bike not to buy one with excellent (well, pretty good - I save "excellent" for disc brake bikes these days) brakes and a strong braking postion.

meanwhile

Anyway, taking a look at Evan's hybrids, I think my choice might be the Fisher Mendota, despite the rather "pimp" spoke pattern. Fishers always have good geometry, the Medota is praised for "smoothness" which is the Sirrus's big failing, and the bike has disc brakes - a huge advantage in the rain. The Kona Dr Drew has discs too, and that Jamis bike (which Evans doesn't stock) is the Coda Sport.

Obviously, test ride if you can.

meanwhile

dan1w wrote:

I find the wrist position on the flat bar okay for short distances, but it can become sore after 34 miles! I also occassionally get numb fingers.

This is an excellent reason to get rid of a flat bar! Otoh, you might try making sure that the bars are cut to the proper size* (99% of the time they are not - my Sirrus isn't cut yet and I'm getting numbies, which I never do on a correctly fitted bike) and that the stem length is right for you. Beside regular drops you can also look at Midges; and instead of regular flats, moustache bars.

* You think that bike shops would at least mention the need to do this, along with the need to avoid cross shifting, occasionally pumping your tyres up, getting the saddle at the right height...