How Hardcore with a hybrid ?

Happyhiker

Hi, newbie with a newbie question, please be gentle.

I've never been a big fan of cycling (bear with me) but as the kids are getting to canal path age, I decided to upgrade my hated 15 year old, too big, mtb through the cycle2work scheme. I got a boardman mx race, you know for the kids, and canal paths. Well much to my surprise I actually enjoyed riding it, in fact I flipping loved it! Especially the bumpy bits. So last weekend me and the misses did 20 miles on bridle paths and the like. Now I'm wondering just how far I can take the mx race. I'm into hiking, I can read an os map, and I live in derbyshire. So much to my surprise, I actually fancy taking to the hills. So what do you think my 700x37 wheels with front suspension (about 60mm I think) and mtb geometry hybrid can take? Prob not jacobs ladder, I know and the monsal trail is a given, but mbr magazine has a easy grade trail in the goyt valley, do you think it could handle that? I'm probably not going to be launching in to red trails, and I'm not going to start buying a proper mtb after shelling out £600 a few weeks ago, but what do you think the limits of an mx race are ?

(I know mtb ers hate hybrids, but that aside, whatcha reckon?)

cooldad

Only one way to find out. It may break, but you're unlikely to die.
Can probably take a lot more than you think.

Happyhiker

Ha, well yes there is that.

What's the worst that can happen, broken forks? Smashed up wheel?
Or more likely me chickening out and pushing the bike back to the car never to venture off canal path again?

arthur_scrimshaw

cooldad wrote:

Only one way to find out. It may break, but you're unlikely to die.
Can probably take a lot more than you think.

+1

700 wheels are close enough to 29er wheels, rims are tough and there are plenty of spokes (32?) 32 mm tyres may be a little skinny but pretty standard for CX bikes and they can handle most of the rough stuff, just depends at what speed you take it.

nicklouse

Happyhiker wrote:

Ha, well yes there is that.

What's the worst that can happen, broken forks? Smashed up wheel?
Or more likely me chickening out and pushing the bike back to the car never to venture off canal path again?

watch this

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/m ... ike-35489/

you will be fine on the MX.

Happyhiker

Nice video ! I wasn't thinking of going that far :-)

So are we saying I can pretty much do any trail I like as long as I don't go too fast ? I'm guessing the 37mm wheels( do not know number of spokes) will be too thin for real muddy or peaty trails, but I guess I could change the tyres if I took it that far. So sherwood pines red ? honestly I can't see myself doing much more than that anyway, but I can see myself wanting to do a long simple trek, ( like hiking, but on a bike).

Thaks for the answers, I sort of expeedct lots of abuse for getting a hybrid, but now I feel encouraged to get out there, and try the simple trail.... And then maybe a medium.....

cooldad

The idea is to ride a bike and have some fun. Many, many years ago we used to scramble on anything with roughly round wheels and a frame to hold them together.
If you feel the need for a gnarrlier bike at some point.....

nicklouse

My first Dirt bike was a converted drop bar bike. and there were no fat tyres back then.

just have fun and dont worry.

you may find that you will want to change the bike at some time but that is called progression- or the second flush of Youth. or Mid life crisis.

bennett_346

It will not break. But it will probably not be much fun.

cooldad

I disagree. We used to just spin the drop bars of racing bikes up, later 'progressing' to modified childrens bikes - call them the first BMX's before BMX was invented. Although one modification was sawing through the seat stays bending them and bolting them on further down - laid down shocks had just come out on motorcross bikes so we looked awesome. Until the frame collapsed anyway.
But we had an absolute ball.
You don't need all the tech to have fun, it just gets you back for bacon butties quicker.

bennett_346

But that's the most important part...

felix.london

I'll give you 10 months before you're back on here, asking advice about which mountain bike to buy for next summer

Torres

They can take a fair amount of abuse. Mrs Torres got in to mountain biking on one; she might be faster now on a full suss, but she had a riot on her hybrid.

The biggest issue you might find is grip; but as long as you start of slowly and gently progress to find the limit then it'll be fine.

Just have fun!

mkf

i was up Jacobs ladder and a guy on a cyclocross went pass me like I was standing still.
We were going up so he will have to ride down.
a few years back I rode highstreet in yhe lakes on a £50 makro special while mates where on 2k bikes.
make sure your brakes stop, gears change and get some of them cyclocross tyres then go ride.
have fun

dhobiwallah

As a novice, you will run out of cojones before the bike breaks! The possible exception is denting the rims by smashing into rocks. Put some big knobbly rubber that fits your wheels (and isn't too wide to fit in the frame) and do a search on tyre pressures/snakebite (or pinch) punctures.

You'll be fine and have a blast ....

Happyhiker

Thanks guys, we had big plans for today, high peak with the kids, but the weather looked rough, so we tried to cycle to the pub. 1/2 mile later youngest nearly fell of his trail gator, and all was amandoned for the car ;-(

Looks like my ambitions of becoming a mbr will have to wait til next weekend. But I definately will do the goyt valley trail now you've all convinced me my bike won't just fall apart.( sans enfant)

Chinley Churner

I live just along from the Goyt Vally and regularly ride round there on a cyclocross bike no problems. You just have approach things with a little more finesse and pick your lines a bit more carefully than on a MTB.

Happyhiker

just an update, but I did 30k last week, and this weekend we went to Hicks Lodge in Leicester and hit the blue trails. No problem on the MX, though it was only blue. (even the trail gator managed it) I've now twisted my ankle ( which apparently is rare for cycling) but I have the Goyt valley trip planned for kids Half term.(no kids). Thanks for the advice.

IT66T

All you've ever got to remember is take care while your out on the trails and always be prepared for the unexpected but above all just have fun ..

Monty Dog

I love singletracking on my CX bike - you really learn to look at your lines and be smooth. It's only when it gets really steep, rocky, rooty or muddy/soft that an MTB really gives an advantage.

Anonymous

not sure how much my hybrid can take curious to find out thou

IT66T

That depends on the quality of the components but alot of the latest cheap shimano components are pretty tough compared to 15-20 years ago so it will be more the case of how much you want to push yourself and how well looked after your bike is ..