Is a hybrid a lot slower for 10 mile commutes?

Bustacapp

I'm thinking of commuting to work in future which is a 20 mile round trip. I've been looking at road bikes but my fear is that if I try it and don't want to continue I will be stuck with a road bike I never use (I like spending time with my family at weekends). So I'm thinking if I get a hybrid, I'd at least be able to go on bike rides in parks/trails etc with the family and still get some use out of it. But the trade off is that if I stick with the commute then it would be slower than a road bike. My question is just how much slower would it be percentage wise?

Grenouille

What are your expectations? What is your level of fitness?

I bought a Boardman Hybrid Comp a few months back and have a 16+ mile round trip commute. Each 8 mile section takes about 34 minutes and the more I do the quicker it is becoming. I started out 4 months ago at 20.1 stone. I am now down to 18.5 stone and it is getting easier and quicker each week.

I guess a lot also depends on how much time you are willing to give away each morning to your commute. I'm up at 5.15 on days I cycle (to be into work by 7.15) but as it is really the only time that I am able to exercise I'd rather be up early than not be exercising.

Bustacapp

Grenouille wrote:

What are your expectations?

I bought a Boardman Hybrid Comp a few months back and have a 16+ mile round trip commute. Each 8 mile section takes about 34 minutes and the more I do the quicker it is becoming.

My target for one way would be 40 minutes tops. I was looking at the same bike as you but unfortunately those tyres don't look like they'd be up to much in the woods. So I am looking at more of a commuter that is more mountain bike orientated. Perhaps something like the Voodoo Marasa..


My level of fitness.....well I've not ridden for years and weigh 18 stone. LOL I know that sounds bad but most of it is muscle trust me.

samsbike

I don't think its going to make any sort of real difference but then I am a novice. The difference between a road bike and a slick tired fully hard mtb is around 5 mins if that on my 1.5hr commute (16/17 miles). Also with the hybird if you have any slightly off road sections (canal paths etc) then the difference is reduced further.

Here is my original thread

viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=12849708

clarkey cat

what's that... a road bike that goes off road?
might be worth considering a Cyclocross - you can always swap the tyres over if you find yourself doing more riding on roads and less riding in the park.

Bustacapp

samsbike wrote:

I don't think its going to make any sort of real difference but then I am a novice. The difference between a road bike and a slick tired fully hard mtb is around 5 mins if that on my 1.5hr commute (16/17 miles). Also with the hybird if you have any slightly off road sections (canal paths etc) then the difference is reduced further.

Here is my original thread

viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=12849708

Wow thankyou that post has helped a lot.

It's weird though because whenever I see road bikers they seem to be shifting a lot more than the situp and beg crew but is that because of the bike or because they tend to be more serious bikers?! But 5 minutes difference over 17 miles is certainly encouraging.

Bustacapp

clarkey cat wrote:

what's that... a road bike that goes off road?
might be worth considering a Cyclocross - you can always swap the tyres over if you find yourself doing more riding on roads and less riding in the park.

Thing is I have money on a Halfords gift card so stuck with them and their cyclocross bike is about £1000 !!

I'm looking for something less.........expensive.

drays

Bustacapp wrote:

I'm looking for something less.........expensive.

Just put some 35mm cyclocross tyres on the hybrid.

Bustacapp

drays wrote:

Bustacapp wrote:

I'm looking for something less.........expensive.

Just put some 35mm cyclocross tyres on the hybrid.

What about this for a compromise? A Boardman Hybrid Comp with a set of knobbly tyres? Would knobbly tyres help protect the wheels when going over kerbs etc? Those wheels look awfully thin!!

drays

Bustacapp wrote:

drays wrote:

Bustacapp wrote:

I'm looking for something less.........expensive.

Just put some 35mm cyclocross tyres on the hybrid.

What about this for a compromise? A Boardman Hybrid Comp with a set of knobbly tyres? Would knobbly tyres help protect the wheels when going over kerbs etc? Those wheels look awfully thin!!

I actually have a hybrid comp with 28mm tyres. The wheels are bascically 29er wheels with widish rims. With bigger tyres, they will easily withstand going off road. The frame itself is actually chunkier than my mtb!

Bustacapp

drays wrote:

I actually have a hybrid comp with 28mm tyres. The wheels are bascically 29er wheels with widish rims. With bigger tyres, they will easily withstand going off road. The frame itself is actually chunkier than my mtb!

Can you expand on this a bit. Sorry I'm a noob expecially when it comes to wheel sizes etc.

Lets start from the beginning - what wheel size/tyre size come with the bike? I've seen them in store and they look just like racer tyres to me. would I be able to ride the stock bike off road/up down kerbs with the wheels/tyres it comes with? If so then I won't even bother with knobblies as my weekend riding would be with a 5 year old so wouldn't be too strenuous!! Sorry if I'm mythering you but if I can clarify the bike can be ridden off-road to a decent degree then that will probably be me sold. It really does look like a road bike with flat bars and to me it doesn't look much like it would lose hardly any speed to a road bike on-road.

Danny1962

Let's look at the figures,

samsbike reports 16.5 miles in 90 mins on a road bike which is 11mph average speed, and in 95 minutes on a MTB which is 10.4mph average speed.

Grenouille reports 8 miles in 34 minutes, which is an average speed of 14.1 mph

I can do Maidstone to Sittingbourne (15 miles each way) or Tunbridge Wells (18 miles each way) at an average speed of 10.5mph, and that's 14st 6lb of me on a big heavy sit-up-and-beg Dutch bike, plus backpack, tools and change of clothes. It's mainly hilly terrain.

bustacapp, your target is 10 miles in 40 mins, that is an average speed of 15mph. Unless you are on very flat roads and unless you are fit you will probably struggle to do that on a hybrid. Average means just that... frequent stops or slow sections will have to be made up for.

Rather than spend big money and buying new at first, you could check out ebay and buy a used one of both types. Then try them over alternate weeks until you see what type you prefer, and what difference it makes to your time. Then sell the one you think you won't use as much, or keep them both and have the best of both worlds. Older ones (like an old 10-speed racer or a 3-speed sit-up-and-beg) are cheap as chips, and they are pretty tough too. Invest in new tyres and tubes though, and make sure they are mechanically fit. You'll be able to sell again for about the same as you paid, all else being equal, so it's a much cheaper experiment than buying a new bike you aren't sure about.

godders1

Sod the figures!

5 -10 minutes difference over an hour or so doesn't sound like much but you also need to take into account how pleasurable the ride is. The fact I get to work/home 5-10 minutes quicker doesn't mean that much to me but my road bike is 10x more fun and much less effort to ride compared to my old hybrid.

I'm on the thing 10 hours a week (more if I go out on the weekend) so I want to enjoy it!

I like the buying used idea. Sounds like a bit of a faff but at least you'll be able to make an informed decision.

grechzoo

the above is true, unless you are commuitted, no bike will get you to an average of above 18mphs.

but with a road bike over any other type of bike the BIGGEST benefit is getting that speed for a LOT less percieved effort. that not only reduces fatigue, but increases enjoyment by such a massive amount.

bruto

i ride a full suspension trek ex5 on a 35mile round trip each day, each way takes me about 70 mins now on mtb road tyres and i'm considering a road bike now purely because i can't keep up with the roadies that come whizzing past me!!

noisepolluter

I'd try both types of bike and see which you get on with best. Even better if you can get one second hand - if you decide to change over later on you can hopefully then move it along without taking a loss. You might find the hybrid really gets you into the commute and then you fancy a change a bit further down the line.

In response to the question, drawing on my own limited experience, I'd say for a ten mile commute you'd probably have a couple of minutes' difference, 4-5 absolute tops, but you'd probably find a road bike a fair bit less tiring.

MrSweary

It depends a lot on where you are cycling but if you want the versatility of a bike you can use at the weekends with the family a hybrid is fine for that sort of commute.

I'm currently doing a 28mile round trip commute from the London 'burbs in to the the City and each leg takes me around an hour on a basic hybrid with pretty poor stock tyres. The journey is quite stop start as I get closer to the city so if you have a less fiddly run you should easily manage that speed.

I'm passed by quite a lot of guys and gals on road bikes but with all the traffic lights etc I doubt they are shaving more than five or ten minutes of my time - I'll be interested to see how many are still there in the depths of winter!!!. Of course the cycle in may be easier on a nice light road bike with slicks...

My own solution is to get a CX bike and swap the tires for something less knobbly and more road friendly. Not an especially cheap option though. I contemplated going for a road bike but the I think the compromise of a something like a Boardman Team CX will be better for year round commuting and weekend leisure cycling.

So, all in all you'll find a hybrid with some forgiving tires will be fine for that sort of commute and will allow you to use the bike on light trails at the weekend with the brood in tow. Good luck with it!

Bustacapp

MrSweary wrote:

It depends a lot on where you are cycling but if you want the versatility of a bike you can use at the weekends with the family a hybrid is fine for that sort of commute.

I'm currently doing a 28mile round trip commute from the London 'burbs in to the the City and each leg takes me around an hour on a basic hybrid with pretty poor stock tyres. The journey is quite stop start as I get closer to the city so if you have a less fiddly run you should easily manage that speed.

I'm passed by quite a lot of guys and gals on road bikes but with all the traffic lights etc I doubt they are shaving more than five or ten minutes of my time - I'll be interested to see how many are still there in the depths of winter!!!. Of course the cycle in may be easier on a nice light road bike with slicks...

My own solution is to get a CX bike and swap the tires for something less knobbly and more road friendly. Not an especially cheap option though. I contemplated going for a road bike but the I think the compromise of a something like a Boardman Team CX will be better for year round commuting and weekend leisure cycling.

So, all in all you'll find a hybrid with some forgiving tires will be fine for that sort of commute and will allow you to use the bike on light trails at the weekend with the brood in tow. Good luck with it!

Yeah thanks. The only thing that worries me about the boardman comp is how easily the wheels might get damaged. As far as lightness is concerned - I am 120kg so will a few kg saved on a road bike make any difference?

Grenouille

Bustacapp wrote:

The only thing that worries me about the boardman comp is how easily the wheels might get damaged. As far as lightness is concerned - I am 120kg so will a few kg saved on a road bike make any difference?

The wheels seem pretty good to me so far - I started off at 20st when I got mine and now down nearly to 18st - I have been over some pretty bumpy ground too. The wheels seem to take it well.

Bustacapp

Grenouille wrote:

The wheels seem pretty good to me so far - I started off at 20st when I got mine and now down nearly to 18st - I have been over some pretty bumpy ground too. The wheels seem to take it well.

Thanks for that. Are you using the tyres the bike came with? I assume then that the wheels/tyres are not quite as narrow as a road bikes.

Also - if your commute into work is 34 mins and you have to be in for 7:15 then why do you get up so early?

Grenouille

Yes, I still use the stock tyres. I have been looking at alternatives - a couple of chaps at work have specialized armadillo ones (I think that is what they are called) which have increased puncture protection but so far so good for me. I have had one puncture but that was a split by the valve so not something that penetrated the tyre. They are I think a little wider that most road bikes (but I'm only really guessing).

I get up that early because I'm not very quick straight out of bed! Plus I like to have a spot of brekkie and a shower before I leave (no showers at work...yet).

Bustacapp

Grenouille wrote:

Yes, I still use the stock tyres. I have been looking at alternatives - a couple of chaps at work have specialized armadillo ones (I think that is what they are called) which have increased puncture protection but so far so good for me. I have had one puncture but that was a split by the valve so not something that penetrated the tyre. They are I think a little wider that most road bikes (but I'm only really guessing).

I get up that early because I'm not very quick straight out of bed! Plus I like to have a spot of brekkie and a shower before I leave (no showers at work...yet).

I have to be in work for 7:30. If I commute I plan to get up at 6:00 and have a brew and then off!

Thanks for the update!

Grenouille

Forgot to say, part of my time is spent in the car - I drive about halfway and park the car and cycle the rest. It would take too much time otherwise to do a 30+ mile round trip commute when I work 11.5 hours a day.