Hybrid or road bike the age old question

macp

So 8mls round trip to work and back mostly national speed limit B roads with some town traffic.Do I go for the best flat bar hybrid I can afford or a road bike with drops?

Thanks all.

supersonic

Whatever feels most comfortable for you. And your preference for brakes and shifter types.

Greg T

supersonic wrote:

Whatever feels most comfortable for you. And your preference for brakes and shifter types.

Fence sitting.

Road bike.

or death

itboffin

Greg T wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Whatever feels most comfortable for you. And your preference for brakes and shifter types.

Fence sitting.

Road bike.

or death

Don't get him started on his big ring...

Greg T

itboffin wrote:

Don't get him started on his big ring...

It takes some effort from a standing start and if you go off to hard without a warm up it can smart a bit.

"Whatever feels comfortable" Pah - backsliding like that cost us a bridge.

The Rookie

Billiard table B road or something more like a singletrack across Cymbran?

My commute surface is rough, so I'm running a hybrid on 16x1.3" tyres for a little more give versus 700x1"

Simon

supersonic

A unicycle.

HebdenBiker

Get the road bike. I know a few people who've bought a hybrid on B2W then got bitten by the Sportive/Club ride/TT/Triathlon bug, and have ended up plumping for a road bike after all.

supersonic

And I know plenty that haven't.

Try some out, and go for what suits you best, not someone else.

roger_merriman

4 miles is potter on a hybrid in work clothes i'd say.

rally200

roger merriman wrote:

4 miles is potter on a hybrid in work clothes i'd say.

only if you've got shares in Sketchleys

Aguila

road

macp

Looks like the consensus of opinion is to go road.

The Rookie

Hybrid......probably

Simon

Stevo_666

Just debated very recently here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12702352 with the usual objective, unbiased input from everyone on the forum

itsbruce

Stevo 666 wrote:

Just debated very recently here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12702352 with the usual objective, unbiased input from everyone on the forum

While another thread, which started out as a simple inquiry about fixies, is turning into another stupid argument. Too many people on this forum seem unable to cope with other people making choices different to their own and have to insist on the one true way of riding a bike. Yawn. Have to say, my heart sank when I saw this poll created.

macp

Stevo 666 wrote:

Just debated very recently here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12702352 with the usual objective, unbiased input from everyone on the forum

Cheers Stevo
Its bloody difficult aint it. One minute I think a hybrid would be perfectly suitable then a sexy looking roadbike turns my head.

I did enjoy my Dawes 601 Discovery though although I found it tough on my palms for a flat bar.

onlyonearrow

Not a hybrid, but a road bike with flat handlebars.

So not a Giant Defy, but a Giant FCR (Rapid)

macp

onlyonearrow wrote:

Not a hybrid, but a road bike with flat handlebars.

So not a Giant Defy, but a Giant FCR (Rapid)

Very nice but 700 notes is a bit painful on the wallet.

itsbruce

onlyonearrow wrote:

Not a hybrid, but a road bike with flat handlebars.

So not a Giant Defy, but a Giant FCR (Rapid)

I like a nice flat bar road bike myself (check the sig) but I always had the impression that purists see that style of commuter bike as just another hybrid variant, really.

roger_merriman

rally200 wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

4 miles is potter on a hybrid in work clothes i'd say.

only if you've got shares in Sketchleys

I do a 10ish round trip every day, I manage it with out being that hot and sweaty so, use work clothes. takes 20/30 mins depending on how frisky I'm feeling.

unixnerd

What about a road bike with a pair of these fitted?



My road bike came with them. Was going to remove them until I tried them, really good.

lost_in_thought

itsbruce wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Just debated very recently here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12702352 with the usual objective, unbiased input from everyone on the forum

While another thread, which started out as a simple inquiry about fixies, is turning into another stupid argument. Too many people on this forum seem unable to cope with other people making choices different to their own and have to insist on the one true way of riding a bike. Yawn. Have to say, my heart sank when I saw this poll created.

Honestly, I don't see what you mean. It's not turning into a stupid argument, it's actually fine. You're the only one arguing... apart from good old supersonic who I think BR are paying to say 'blah blah balanced opinion blah' on this forum. You should check out some of the older threads if you want to see stupid arguments!

A lot of the vehement road bike supporters are like that 'cause they've bought a hybrid/MTB/etc and realised they didn't like it then got a roadie. They're trying to save people the unnecessary first step.

Aidy

lost_in_thought wrote:

Honestly, I don't see what you mean. It's not turning into a stupid argument, it's actually fine. You're the only one arguing... apart from good old supersonic who I think BR are paying to say 'blah blah balanced opinion blah' on this forum. You should check out some of the older threads if you want to see stupid arguments!

Or just check out the "You can't pull up with SPDs" thread over in the mountain bike forums, where our good friend supersonic is presiding

The Rookie

Part of the trouble is that 'Hybrid' covers everything from a mountain bike (with MTB frame and finishing kit) with road tyres to a full on 700cc road bike just with flat bars (like the boardman's some of which are now hydraulic disc braked as well), so its not really one type.

The surface I ride on is very poor (the top dressing has partly comie away leaving continual 1/2" up and down on the surface) its jarring enough on 26x1.3" at 60psi, my coleague at work who uses 700x23 tyres at over 120psi says its positively painful, he uses the road once a week for an 18mile training ride, I use it 4 times a week, so for MY COMMUTE I think a hybrid with 26" wheels better suited. If I were on better roads then I may think differently, if I were on a slimline 700c bike then perhaps drops would make more sense than flat's.

I'm quite comfy now on flat bars, width is only an issue at one junction FOR ME and flats are lighter (mine are 111g), also I have to use a rack and panniers and to me that just doesn't look right on drops!

Hence I think SS is right, the choice is personal not only to the rider but their commute, if the bike is to be used for other purposes then that is different, but the question here was commuting.

Simon

UndercoverElephant

The Beginner wrote:

flats are lighter (mine are 111g), also I have to use a rack and panniers

Interesting weight-saving combination.

fnegroni

The Beginner wrote:

Hence I think SS is right, the choice is personal not only to the rider but their commute, if the bike is to be used for other purposes then that is different, but the question here was commuting.

Simon

Agree to all of Simon's post, especially the point above.

I call my hybrid 'the commuter', because that's its intent and purpose: a go anywhere machine without too much thought, flexibility in use and variety of parts that can be fitted.

I used to commute to work by car ( along time ago) on a sportscar: it was painful. The traction you lose on uneven surface can be scary at times.
It was a mistake. A more comfortable and softer vehicle, with half as much power, would have done the same job better.
But I only had one car and that was it.
Fortunately, the main purpose of the car was track days.

My commuter is an MTB which is geared towards road use, but is at home on any surface, including single track with freeride tyres, and can take panniers, extra seat at the back, and tow a kid's bike.

It is not specific to any use, but somehow I still manage a pretty respectable average speed of 17.5 mph on my 24 mile round trip commute (that's including an extra 10 kilos (22 lbs) on the rack).

Stevo_666

macp wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Just debated very recently here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12702352 with the usual objective, unbiased input from everyone on the forum

Cheers Stevo
Its bloody difficult aint it. One minute I think a hybrid would be perfectly suitable then a sexy looking roadbike turns my head.

I did enjoy my Dawes 601 Discovery though although I found it tough on my palms for a flat bar.

Yep, it's a tricky choice. In an ideal world we'd have a commuter bike and a road bike then you don't get saddled (scuse the pun) with as may compromises. [Ignoring for a minute that you need at least one mountain bike as well ]

rhext

I think it has to be your decision. And you need to try both. Personally, I find the slightly more stretched out position and drop handlebars on a road bike more comfortable, but I've got a mate with a very similar commute to me who just can't get on with a road bike.

It's also worth considering what other use you may put the bike to: if you want to go offroad at the weekend then a mountain bike with slicks might be for you. If you might want to join a club, then maybe that would sway in favour of a road bike. But apart from racing, I suspect there's little you can do on a 'road' bike that you can't also do equally well on a hybrid, so surely it's down to which you find more comfortable!

ride_whenever

The Beginner wrote:

The surface I ride on is very poor (the top dressing has partly comie away leaving continual 1/2" up and down on the surface) its jarring enough on 26x1.3" at 60psi, my coleague at work who uses 700x23 tyres at over 120psi says its positively painful, he uses the road once a week for an 18mile training ride, I use it 4 times a week, so for MY COMMUTE I think a hybrid with 26" wheels better suited. If I were on better roads then I may think differently, if I were on a slimline 700c bike then perhaps drops would make more sense than flat's.

You are actually wrong here, a large volume 700c wheeled bike would be better than yours, bigger wheels roll over obstacles better. If your colleague was riding at a sensible pressure rather than 120psi or on slightly bigger tyres he'd find the road fine.

Nik86

I find this bike snobbery from the "roadbike brigade" frustrating. Surely it really depends what kinda riding you're doing and also what kind of hybrid.

I just bought a new bike and in my research I found that "hybrid" means many things to many people... some hybrids are basically MTB with slightly more road friendly tires (so not ideal for regular commuting) whereas some are basically road bikes with certain features (flat bars, slightly thicker tyres, etc.)

I bought one of the latter and find it perfect for london roads. It is light and speedy and can duck in and out of traffic (like a roadbike) but is slightly comfier, has a slightly more upright position, to have a better overview of traffic, slightly thicker tires mean fewer punctures and can handle potholes, jumping onto pavements/footpaths every now and again, etc.

I can appreciate however that if you are somewhere more suburban, covering more miles but having nicer roads, less traffic and perhaps a dedicated cycle path, a classic road bike might be better.

Somewhere totally rural where you may need to cross rougher terrain (canal paths, woody paths, etc.) is where the MTB style hybrids come into their own.

Why all this "real bikers ride road bikes" snobbery? Real bikers ride roadbikes when they're the best option, but they also know when to give up their roadbike and plump for some sort of hybrid... losing a little of the performance, for a little bit of durability. Riding a pure road/race bike in a big inner city is like having a lambourghini car. Yeah it's fast (in theory) and looks slick but is it really suited to the conditions? Remember guys, it's all a spectrum...

Just my two cents...