using a TREK 7300 hybrid for a 60 mile ride?

rick1900

As a beginner my son has used my old trek hybrid for a 24 mile charity ride and has plans to do a mini triathlon and also a 60 mile ride over the next few weeks.
he seems to ride at about 15 or 16 mph and the only thing I have done is put new tyres, semi slick, and pumped them up to 85psi. Yesterday he rode the 24 miles a bit quicker but I think that was due to the competetive spirit of the day. it has 24 gears and is about 8 years old but properly serviced and the mechanic says a good bike.
for these type of road events , or maybe say a 100 mile ride is this an ok bike? should I let him buy some narrower wheels with slick tyres. I think the tyres are Schwab 700 x 35 at present. or shall we go for a road bike. it would have to be 2nd hand.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

MarksMintness

Hi mate, I rode Leicester to Skegness (100 miles) on a Trek 7.5fx hybrid a very similar bike - no problems at all it was very comfortable. I rode it with the standard Bontrager SSR wheels with Bontrage 32mm road tyres.
Got on the bike the next day and rode from Skegness to Peterborough, again no comfort/ride issues at all.
I would say for a 60 mile ride he'll be fine, but if he wants to get competitive then of course a road bike with a more performance oriented geometry and ride would be better.
Good luck!

Bobbinogs

I have a hybrid and use it for pub runs/family trails, etc. I also used it earlier in the year when recovering from an injury and found it fine for club runs in a slower group than normal.

I would be tempted to check the wheels on your Trek and see what size they are (see "Sheldon Tyre Sizing" on tinternet) as you may be able to get some folding 25mm slicks on there which will be a lot lighter and faster.

The only problem I found with using a hybrid for extended usage is the lack of options for handlebar position. I hadn't realised how much one moves one's hand position on normal drop bars and how much this alleviates pressure, etc. Still, ok for the odd long run but I wouldn't want to do a century on one.

MarksMintness

Bobbinogs wrote:

I have a hybrid and use it for pub runs/family trails, etc. I also used it earlier in the year when recovering from an injury and found it fine for club runs in a slower group than normal.

I would be tempted to check the wheels on your Trek and see what size they are (see "Sheldon Tyre Sizing" on tinternet) as you may be able to get some folding 25mm slicks on there which will be a lot lighter and faster.

The only problem I found with using a hybrid for extended usage is the lack of options for handlebar position. I hadn't realised how much one moves one's hand position on normal drop bars and how much this alleviates pressure, etc. Still, ok for the odd long run but I wouldn't want to do a century on one.

I would echo this, hand positions is why I recently got a proper road bike. I think the answer is really yes its easily possible to do the 60 miles on this sort of bike but how fast and comfortable do you wanna do it! Mark

Peddle Up!

Trek 7300 - my pub bike! Echoing the above comments, a set of "slick" tyres is a good modification, but otherwise 60 miles is very do'able. I did a 40 miler yesterday on mine and could have turned around and done it all over again (but the pub beckoned ).

madtam

If you ask around your parents or grandparents you will probably find someone that used to ride there bike for miles just for fun. My wifes parents have both recounted stories of when they cycled to both coasts for weekends out. From where they lived that was about 90 miles one way and 80 miles the other, and we are not talking lightweight road bikes. This would be in the days of sensible bikes with rod brakes and if you were lucky a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub gear.
I am not advocating going back 50 years but we are very lucky to have the equipment we have available these days. Sometimes putting things into perspective is all thats required and having a decent and well maintained bike of pretty much any type should allow big miles if you are prepared to go for it.

Gizmo_

madtam wrote:

If you ask around your parents or grandparents you will probably find someone that used to ride there bike for miles just for fun. My wifes parents have both recounted stories of when they cycled to both coasts for weekends out. From where they lived that was about 90 miles one way and 80 miles the other, and we are not talking lightweight road bikes. This would be in the days of sensible bikes with rod brakes and if you were lucky a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub gear.
I am not advocating going back 50 years but we are very lucky to have the equipment we have available these days. Sometimes putting things into perspective is all thats required and having a decent and well maintained bike of pretty much any type should allow big miles if you are prepared to go for it.

Well said.

We're spoiled by how light, stiff and durable modern bikes are, even by comparison to ten years ago.