Super hybrid!
captain_vimes
Posts: 262
Having bought a CAAD8 last summer to get back into cycling after (many) years to improve my health and general fitness, I have stuggled a bit with an old lower back sports injury which caused quite a bit of pain after a few miles. I had a bikefit, but no joy. So when I saw a whole Cannondale hybrid bar, brake gear set up on eBay I bought it for a £36 winning bid.
Fitted a couple of days ago I have just got back from a pretty hard two hour ride and no pain at all!
It still feels like a real sports machine, light, responsive and great fun to ride. So really happy I tried this without resorting to the full hybrid route.
I think it looks rather nice as well!
Fitted a couple of days ago I have just got back from a pretty hard two hour ride and no pain at all!
It still feels like a real sports machine, light, responsive and great fun to ride. So really happy I tried this without resorting to the full hybrid route.
I think it looks rather nice as well!
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Comments
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Poor thing.
The bike I mean. Oh the shame. May it's suffering soon come to an end.0 -
Now that's what I call a flat bar road bike ;-)0
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I'd call that one all so far!0
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Carbonator wrote:Now that's what I call a flat bar road bike ;-)
Interesting the OP calls it a hybrid though
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Out of interest, is there any reason you couldn't have just fitted interrupter brake levers (like the ones cyclocross bikes often have) and ridden on the tops more often?
I feel sorry for the bike but if I think of it as a sporty hybrid, it looks pretty good.0 -
So how has that made any difference? You could have kept the drops and rode on the top of the bars, at least you had the option of differing hand positions now you dont! Totally pointless exercise, and I am a broken back survivor so I fully understand back pain.
But if you are happy with it WTF0 -
lotus49 wrote:Out of interest, is there any reason you couldn't have just fitted interrupter brake levers (like the ones cyclocross bikes often have) and ridden on the tops more often?
I feel sorry for the bike but if I think of it as a sporty hybrid, it looks pretty good.
Sorry, but thats one of the silliest comments I have read on here.
The OP would be riding along with about 12" of width to hold onto as opposed to at least 24" with the flat bars.
Not to mention the difference in quality/ability of the levers themselves.
Agree on feeling a little sorry for the bike, but hats off to the OP for going for it and having a bike he can happily ride.
It is modified/improved and will be ridden/enjoyed more as a result. Thats what cycling is all about in my book ;-)
There was another post on here about best flat bar road bikes (hence my earlier sarcastic comments). I feel they are a bit of a non existent bike type (to buy new), but the OP obviously wanted/needed one and he did what he needed to do to get it ;-)0 -
NewTTer wrote:So how has that made any difference? You could have kept the drops and rode on the top of the bars, at least you had the option of differing hand positions now you dont! Totally pointless exercise, and I am a broken back survivor so I fully understand back pain.
But if you are happy with it WTF
Er, the OP had back pain and now he does not. Sounds like a big difference to me and the direct polar opposite of pointless!
So what, ride on the top and have no brakes? He is not doing TT's so will need to turn as well. Not as easy holding 12" of bar with no ability to brake!
Even 'courrier' bikes in London (i.e. stupidly narrow flat bars to get through traffic) have decent brakes on them, and they do not have the weight/mass of the drops/levers hanging off the ends.
At the end of the day the OP has all the bits to put it back as it was if indeed it was such a 'pointless exercise' and he wants all the hand positions and back pain back.0 -
If it works for you then great, it's just a bike! I love jumping on my mtb time to time and forget just how comfy a good riser bar is
And you got a bit of a bargain0 -
Good to hear you've helped your back.
I have quite a problem with my back now and do the majority of my miles on flat bars now. One option you might like to try is bar ends to give you a further range of options for positions and comfort.
Good solution if it has helped you 0 -
Would highly recommend these ones
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cane-creek/bar-ends/
They are very tactile but the main thing I liked was that they protrude up and down (not just up as most do) which gives more holding positions.
you can wrap fingers over ends with palms still on the bars. If you did that with normal bar ends you would be holding bars ends only, which feels a lot less secure.0 -
Carbonator wrote:houston26 wrote:it's just a bike!
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Hehe knew that would get someone 0 -
Yes but you reeled in the village idiot so it doesn't count lolhouston26 wrote:Carbonator wrote:houston26 wrote:it's just a bike!
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Hehe knew that would get someone0 -
Wow! That caused a bit more comment than I expected.
Everyone has a right to their opinion, but 'totally pointless exercise' has rather missed the point as no back pain now is rather a nice result.
Many thanks for the positive comments, and having been out again today I am loving riding it, it handles fantastically!
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NewTTer wrote:
Yes but you reeled in the village idiot so it doesn't count lolhouston26 wrote:Carbonator wrote:houston26 wrote:it's just a bike!
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Hehe knew that would get someone
Would not really call some smileys being 'reeled' in lol, and after your post I cannot see you have the right to call anybody an idiot 0 -
There's a lot of "feeling sorry for the bike" going on, like it's some kind of faux pas to fit flat bars to a road bike. What nonsense! Bikes are very personal objects, and if the OP is happy and comfortable, then I don't see what the issue is. I think it looks great! 0
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The bike looks great and is great.
The thing is that it used to be a 'proper' road bike and now its been demoted a bit.
If you look at it for what it is now however, its a fantastic flat bar road bike.0 -
http://imgur.com/op9Lh4p
I have a flat bar carbon road bike for commuting when the weather isn't so great. I love it for darting through London streets. I also have a standard road set up on another bike i use for nice days and weekend. But the flat bar always puts a smile on my face!
Yay for super hybrids!0 -
OliverR wrote:http://imgur.com/op9Lh4p
I have a flat bar carbon road bike for commuting when the weather isn't so great. I love it for darting through London streets. I also have a standard road set up on another bike i use for nice days and weekend. But the flat bar always puts a smile on my face!
Yay for super hybrids!
Nice bike. We should start a 'Super hybrid' club.
And for anyone feeling sorry for the bike, don't worry. I have fully explained to it why it is now a little bit different from other road bikes, but being different makes it a very special bike indeed....
Vimes
(Founding member of the 'Super-hybrids" club)0 -
I am glad you have squared things with your bike :-)
Is it a boy or a girl?
If he's male then perhaps 'Nemo' would be a good name? He had a 'lucky fin' but it did not hold him back ;-)0
