Road v Hybrid

carrotcruncher

Hi Folks

Yes another - 'please help me make my mind up' thread.

I hadn't been on a bike for 20+ years until last autumn when a trip to the doctor indicated raised blood pressure - and a course of exercise was prescribed.

In order to make sure I did it, I thought that cycling to work would be a good plan.

I've commuted pretty much all the way through the winter on an old rigid Falcon 'Stealth' mountain bike (ok I wussed it when I'd been poorly, and when we had the snow and ice etc, but otherwise I've been on the bike)

6 miles each way in Norfolk all on road / tarmac cycle path - so yes it was flat (apart from the footbridge over a dual carriageway).

After a couple of hard weeks on MTB tyres, I swapped to Schwalbe city jets which made it more pleasant, though I did get visited 4 times by the PF

This bike is now pretty much dead, needs new cranks and chainset etc according to my local fixer of bicycles.

I've decided that to keep this old thing on the road isn't worth the investment so I'd be better spending the cash on something more up to date that will last me a few years.

Although I'd gradually built up to being probably quickest out of the MTB commuters I see regularly on my route (lets face it, we all like to race a little bit when there's competition about) I was easily overhauled by a couple of the (much older) road bike commuters who seemed to glide past with very little effort.

I've therefore ruled another MTB out of the equation and am torn between a proper road bike and a hybrid.

I've been out this weekend to a very helpful LBS and had the pleasure of trying a Giant Defy 3.5 road bike and a Giant Rapid 3 hybrid.

Both very nice, both miles quicker than my MTB.

The hybrid felt more natural (because obviously I'm used to riding more upright) , though there were no problems with the road bike either (changing gear with the brake levers will take a bit of getting used to - but neither riding on the hoods or the drops were uncomfortable in any way).

The main problem is that neither one shouted 'buy me' more than the other - they were both very nice.

I'm pretty sure that the bike will purely get used for the commute.

I have a romantic idea about using it at weekends for fun - maybe even joining a club (any good ones in the Great Yarmouth area ?) but with two kids - one of whom is disabled, this is probably not going to happen.

So, which one would you pick - and why ?

Any input (even recommending different bikes to try) greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading

il_principe

Road , road road road road road.

Because Hybrids are the spawn of Satan.

If you buy a Hybrid you'll just end up wanting a roadie in a year or so's time*

Joking aside, try several bikes, buy the one you like the most.**

*unless you're odd, like Cafewanda and the rest of the hybrid loving brigade.

**Which'll be the roadbike*

Aguila

Road bike.

The STI shifters are a doddle after a brief period. For me I think the variety of riding positions you get with drop bars is the key. Most people prefer a fairly "upright" position for relaxed riding, on drops you get this by riding "on the hoods". On a hybrid however you have no choice but to use this position, which rapidly becomes a pain when riding into a stiff headwind or on a long descent.

Most importantly buy whichever you feel most comfortable with though.

gpsBRM

What ever you feel comfortable on.

I ride a 16mile each way commute 2 or 3 times a week. I do this on a hybrid (Planet X Kaffenback with a flat bar with bar ends) and its nice, easy and very comfortable, overtake many a roadie . I have to take a change of clothes and a laptop with me so need paniers etc. Its sometimes used for a it of touring and is my general bike for just riding everywhere and anywhere.

I also have a roadbike and have used it on the commute when I have nothing to carry and yes it is quicker, but I find you can't see over cars, have to swerve every pot hole around and worry about where I park it. Oh and it rides awful on the cycle lanes.

If you want to join a club etc, maybe a roadbike could be the way forward as some can be very funny with regards to hybrids (not saying all are).

ride_whenever

I'd suggest you keep looking, you'll find something that screams buy me at some point, but i'd look at a road bike as you clearly like the speed and don't seem to struggle with the concept of drop bars like some do.

carrotcruncher

Thanks for input so far guys.

No I'm not averse to drop bars.

Grew up in the early 80's when after you'd grown out of your Grifter, the next bike up for the cool kids was the 10 speed Raleigh arena racer - so although I've not used drop bars for 25 years - it's - erm - just like riding a bike

supersonic

I had an Arena and a Banana lol.

DonDaddyD

You know I'm going to go against the trend here.

The general rule is whatever bike you feel comfortable on.

I can guarantee that if i jumped on a hybrid and whipped it around the block I would feel immediately more comefortable than if I did the same on a road bike.

However, that isn't to say the hybrid is more comfortable than a road bike. I know from experience that if I commuted my 10 miles every day on a hybrid I wouldn't be more comfortable.

So I would say in the immediate a hybrid will feel more comfortable it really isn't the case.

Alinshearah

Il Principe wrote:

If you buy a Hybrid you'll just end up wanting a roadie in a year or so's time*

^ this is true. Happened to me

Cafewanda

Il Principe wrote:

Road , road road road road road.

Because Hybrids are the spawn of Satan.

If you buy a Hybrid you'll just end up wanting a roadie in a year or so's time*

Joking aside, try several bikes, buy the one you like the most.**

*unless you're odd, like Cafewanda and the rest of the hybrid loving brigade.

**Which'll be the roadbike*

Oy you. Watch it! :P

However, as a hybrid-loving roadie, I'm getting a road bike next time purely as means of improving my leg strength for running*.

*This may be a lie 8)

Stevo_666

Imagine going to a car dealership, telling them you need a car for everyday, practical purposes and them trying to sell you a 2 seater sports car. Then re-read the posts telling you that you need a proper road bike for commuting

Road bikes = open road, weekend rides, bit of competition maybe?
Hybrids = daily commute

Get something that's designed for the job in hand - as you said, "the bike will get used purely for the commute"....

carrotcruncher

Good points all - I can see that there are two distinct camps - and it really does seem to come down to personal preference in the end.
Thanks for all your thoughts

asprilla

Stevo 666 wrote:

Imagine....

How are hybrids designed for commuting?

Given that a lot of manufacturers use the same frames for both (Giant being one of them) the only difference in some cases is the handlebars and controls.

supersonic

Hybrids vary so much you can't pin them down. Some are designed for commuting. But what we want for a commuting bike varies a lot.

The Rookie

Its all about what you feel comfy with.....

Most road bikers ride on the top or on the hoods most of the time, so hand height is similar to flats.....if you ride in traffic the narower bars of a drop may be easier, I only have 1 junction on my commute where width is an issue.

I built my commuter from a bare frame to suit what I wanted, its a bit of a hodge podge of bits, I went flat bar as drops with a pannier just didn't seem right to me.

The Latest Boardman Hybrid is mental, Hydraulic disks with 23x700c tyres, yes that is a road frame, my frame is a Carrera 700c touring frame and I'm running 26" wheels (told you it was a hodge podge!)

EDIT Raleigh Hustler here, 3speed Surmey Archer rear, later converted to 5spd Derailleur, but the frame wouldn't aceept a double chainwheel at the front.

Simon

biondino

carrotcruncher wrote:

Good points all - I can see that there are two distinct camps - and it really does seem to come down to personal preference in the end.
Thanks for all your thoughts

If there is a chance that buying a roadbike might spur you to find the time to do longer/club rides (notwithstanding your existing commitments), then I'd buy a roadbike because this could add so much to your life!

supersonic

Or take so much away hehehe.

Bassjunkieuk

I can see the argument for both but can't help really echoing IP's original comments about getting a hybrid then wishing you'd gone for a road bike!

As some others have commented hybrids cover quite a broad range of bikes from your "typical" hybrid with chunkier tyres (similar to the City Jets your currently running) to "fast commute" ones that are for all intents and purposes a road bike with flat bars!

I started out commuting into London straight away on a rather old Raleigh road bike. It took me a few weeks for my hands to toughed up to riding on the drops but since then I've never looked back!
I've used the wifes hybrid (still a traditional horizontal top bar, so not a proper ladies bike!) for the commute and it's certainly felt like a lot more effort! The difference was possibly down to the wider tyres but I think it was mainly down to the gearing. On my road bike I could happily push a big gear at a comfortable cadence and hit 20-23mph. If I wanted to ge faster the gears where there to let me, if only for brief sprints!
On the hybrid I could put it in the top gear and still want to go higher as I was spinning like a washing machine but not going forward at a speed I'm accustomed to :-(

FrankM

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

... it's certainly felt like a lot more effort! ... I think it was mainly down to the gearing. On my road bike I could happily push a big gear at a comfortable cadence and hit 20-23mph. If I wanted to ge faster the gears where there to let me, if only for brief sprints!
On the hybrid I could put it in the top gear and still want to go higher as I was spinning like a washing machine but not going forward at a speed I'm accustomed to :-(

You can always change the gearing.

rf6

I'm in the road bike camp.

It sounds like you've found a good LBS. Don't they have any other bikes you can try?

Keep looking til you find the bike bike that floats your boat.

Then single speed the old MTB.

Bassjunkieuk

FrankM wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

... it's certainly felt like a lot more effort! ... I think it was mainly down to the gearing. On my road bike I could happily push a big gear at a comfortable cadence and hit 20-23mph. If I wanted to ge faster the gears where there to let me, if only for brief sprints!
On the hybrid I could put it in the top gear and still want to go higher as I was spinning like a washing machine but not going forward at a speed I'm accustomed to :-(

You can always change the gearing.

The wife would still like to use it occasionally ;-) I did leave it in 2nd from top once after fitting the rack and baby seat to the back. I rode it up the drive and back without a second thought then offered her a go........"what gear have you left this in!!!" she yelled as she tried to ride off :-D

carrotcruncher

Thanks again for the continued input.

I have another couple of LBS's to visit over this weekend, so I'll get to try some other bikes from Speialized and Trek etc - I'm not going to make a decision until I've tried some more.

davis

What do you mean "road v hybrid"? You're assuming there's some sort of level ground for comparison - arrant madness! The road bike every time.

Some background: I started on a hybrid. I still own it, but it might as well have square wheels for all I want to ride it. It's mostly because I just don't like flat bars on the road any more. I suppose I could put drops and proper shifters on it, and it'd become a decent enough commuter.

I view hybrids as a gateway drug -- I mean bike -- that non-cyclists look at and think "I could handle that". That's what happened to me; road bikes were the domain of scary lycra-coated lunatics. Once I'd tried a road bike over more than 30 miles (guess) I realised the choice of hand positions was more than just a gimmick.

Road bike every time. I still don't wear lycra. I don't care if it's better in every way. The world is not ready for such a horror.

fastbatard

Alinshearah wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

If you buy a Hybrid you'll just end up wanting a roadie in a year or so's time*

^ this is true. Happened to me

Me too!

FrankM

My own very personal opinion is that hybrids are a waste of money because it's always seemed to me that they try to be a bit of everything and at the same time aren't particularly good at anything. But it really does depend on what else you're going to do with your bike.

Me, I have ridden to work on an MTB with slicks for years but that's because I didn't find that road bikes and commuting mixed very well (or at least the way I rode my road bike and my commute didn't). I have a road bike for weekend rides and put offroad tyres on my MTB if I want to go offroad (or I just leave them on for commuting when, as now, I'm training for an offroad race). I don't find an MTB with slicks disadvantages me in terms of speed and I don't get pain in my hands like some others do from riding flat bar bikes, but then maybe that's because I have my bike set up properly.

A lot of people on this forum are road bike zealots. Fair enough, but you really do need to think about what else you're going to do with your bike and of course how much cash and space you have.

rally200

Yarmouth - might be flat but it gets mighty windy, get the drop bar.

if you want to stay upright you'd might as well put slicks on the MTB

carrotcruncher

Yep, plenty of sea 'breezes' here

Stevo_666

Asprilla wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Imagine....

How are hybrids designed for commuting?

Given that a lot of manufacturers use the same frames for both (Giant being one of them) the only difference in some cases is the handlebars and controls.

Looking at my own hellspawn hybrid and my mostly urban/sunurban commute , here's a few bits of commute friendly design (compared to your average road bike):
- Chunkier wheels and tyres to deal with potholes/ironwork etc
- Flat bar makes it easier to manoeuvre in tight speaces/low speeds
- Brake levers always at your finger tips
- Disc brakes for those emergency stops on wet days/hills/behind badly driven cars etc
- Facility to fit mudguards
Etc

PS: I am far from being a road bike denier, I will probably get a road bike in the foreseeable but it won't be for commuting !

onlyonearrow

carrotcruncher wrote:

I've been out this weekend to a very helpful LBS and had the pleasure of trying a Giant Defy 3.5 road bike and a Giant Rapid 3 hybrid.

Both very nice, both miles quicker than my MTB.

The hybrid felt more natural (because obviously I'm used to riding more upright) , though there were no problems with the road bike either (changing gear with the brake levers will take a bit of getting used to - but neither riding on the hoods or the drops were uncomfortable in any way).

The main problem is that neither one shouted 'buy me' more than the other - they were both very nice.

In many respects it's not surprising that you found both Giants very similar. I have a 2009 Giant FCR2 which is essentially a flat handlebar Defy - they share the same frame, fork, wheels, tyres, drive chain, brake calipers, etc. The Rapid, based what I've seen, is a rebadged FCR for 2010. I've always felt that the FCR (or Rapid) is better called a flat barred road bike rather than a hybrid.

In fact when I was looking to buy my FCR last year, one dealer was converting a new FCR to drop handle bars for a customer because UK stock of Defy bikes was depleated.

The FCR is a superb bike, with gearing as fast as the equivalent Defy. It's certainly not a 'hybrid' in the conventional sense of the term.

EdZed

One of these might suit you...

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cro ... /overview/

It could work very well as a commuter bike, probably better with 28c tyres instead of the 35c's they come with. I think they come with the interrupter brake levers so you have another set of levers to hand if you don't want to ride on the hoods all the time but are worried about not having the brakes immediately to hand - if this bothers you. Not as upright as hybrids though. Also depends on your budget, the Croix de Fer is £1k, less if you have a CTW scheme at your work.

The Raleigh Arena - now there's a blast from my past, I had one and it was my first bike.

dubnut71

That Genesis looks lush

I am pretty firmly in the roady camp for commuting having worked my way up from a MTB with slicks (like you) and a hybrid. My commute has some towpath and rough stuff so I ended up on a Specialized Tricross Sport but my recommendation is for a road bike every time.
I have been MTB'ing today around cape cod and can't believe how much effort it takes to hack one around tarmac, go light and get a roady mate, you won't regret it!!!!