Hybrid or road?

nannon27

Hi,
I am just about to buy a bike through our cycle to work scheme.

I will mainly be cycling on quite hilly roads to work but there are a few tracks that i can also use. I also will be using it while on holiday in the Isle of wight

I am planning on doing the London to Paris bike ride once I have done some training and so want the bike to be suitable for this.

It needs to be able to have panniers on it so I can take my things to work and also for the ride for my day to day things (not all my luggage as this is transported by a van)

I want to know whether I should get a road bike or hybrid?
I have been looking at the saracen Urban ESC Women's 2010. it says that it is a lightweight one and is closer to a road bike than a mountain bike. Ive then also at the Dawes
Giro 200 2010 and Claud Butler San Remo 2010.

I didnt know whether if i get a road bike I will then be completly limited and unable to use it for the tracks near where i live (not rough just a little stony). But then on the other hand, if i get a hybrid, if it will be too heavy and make things difficult on my cycle to work and for the London to Paris.

Hope you can help

Avanti Roman

I'd suggest a cross bike could be a good compromise. But it would be worth going to your local Specialized dealer and asking to look at a Tricross (cross bike), Sirrus/Vita (fast hybrid) and Secteur/Dolce (sportive roadbike) to compare.

Obviously alternatives from other makes are available but these are all market leaders in their respective sectors so will give you a good idea of what you prefer in a visit to one shop.

I believe all will take racks & mudguards.

Plenty choose a Tricross a great compromise for this type of riding. If your paths aren't rough you may be fine with a Dolce. I find the flat bars of my Sirrus a bit restricting & inefficient for longer rides though it is one of the fastest hybrids at the price and can handle bridleways & towpaths.

nannon27

And can you get hybrids with different handlebars?

I am concerned that the long rides will be harder with flat handlebars

nannon27

Ps im looking at the Sirrus 2011?

Avanti Roman

Vita is the female specific version of the Sirrus.

If you prefer drop bars (as I do), cross or sportive bikes tend to have wider and higher drop bars than a traditional roadbike which will give you a more upright position & should offer greater comfort and control. Cross bikes also often have secondary brake levers to be used on the top of the bars.

I know the bikes I've suggested are a little more expensive than your other options but they are worth it. Evans cycles, Leisure Lakes and Edinburgh cycles all have lots of branches and offers at the moment - e.g:
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c018341

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec019551

FransJacques

Always get drop 'bars - the more hand positions you have the better for wrist comfort.

Also, you can vary the angle of your back as well to relieve pressure on your lower back over a longer ride.

Finally, road 'bars are narrower than flat 'bars (90% of the time). You can trim flat 'bars but no one seems to do this any more - some 'flat bars are 72cm wide which means getting out of tight spots is difficult.

44 or 42 cm road 'bars are good for most riders over 5'7" and allow you to zip between vehicles. This is why urban fixie bikes have ridiculously narrow 'bars.

Plus the more you bike the more flexible you will become through muscle memory and fitness and loss of gut.

Avanti's sunggestion above of the top mount secondary brake levers is a great suggestion - but frankly if you mount the drop 'bars high enough you shouldn't really need them in the long run.

Let us know how you get on.

nannon27

Thanks for your replies. Im doing it through the cycle to work scheme so I am slightly limited on the bikes i can get.
Ive asked if i can gte the revolution cross through it.

Igts hard to find Hybrids with drop handlebars but I have asked if they can find one or change bars for me.

Will let you knwo what i decide on or I have any other quieries.
THANKS

Roadracer123

I personally would go for a road bike as they're faster and more comfortable then a hybrid, particuarly if there was a day you where running late for work. Also if you intend to add panniers which will increase the weight supprisingly it may be better to opt for the lighter option of a road bike... but as I said that's just my personal opinion...

rhext

I think the best thing is to try a few out and see what you're most comfortable with. Most road bikes will cope quite happily with the kind of tracks you describe, although it's probably worth checking tyre clearance to make sure you're not forced to use very skinny tyres. But equally, there's no reason why you can't do long distances on a bike with flat bars - you can give yourself different hand-positions quite easily by adding a set of Ergon grips/bar-ends for example. I commute on a bike with drop bars and do long-distance touring on a bike with flat bars. I find the slightly more upright position of the flat-barred bike more comfortable for long distances. I find the drop-bar bike maybe 5%-10% faster. There's not a lot to choose between the two and I can happily mix-and-match.

Avanti Roman

nannon27 wrote:

Thanks for your replies. Im doing it through the cycle to work scheme so I am slightly limited on the bikes i can get.
Ive asked if i can gte the revolution cross through it.

Igts hard to find Hybrids with drop handlebars but I have asked if they can find one or change bars for me.

Will let you knwo what i decide on or I have any other quieries.
THANKS

Fitting drop bars to a hybrid would be quite a lot of hassle & cost a lot extra.

Much better to just get the Revolution cross or one of the roadbikes mentioned - think of a Specialized Secteur, Allez, Dolce or Giant Defy) as being like a Sirrus hybrid with drop bars, different brakes and a very slightly shorter wheelbase.

If you want a chat about it (or are restricted to certain brands) feel free to PM me - I'd be happy to recommend/discuss & I've built quite a few hybrids, cross bikes & roadbikes for people (including my girlfriend, Mum & sister).