Hybrid vs Tourer?
MiniMalts
Posts: 266
What's the difference?
When I was looking to buy a bike I never imagined myself doing hundreds of miles so didn't really do too much research and settled on a Ridgeback Speed hybrid bike.
So basically, what's the difference between my Speed and Ridgebacks other touring bikes?
Speed: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/speed
Voyage: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/voyage
Tour: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/tour
The one main difference I do notice is the handlebars. I wouldn't get on with the type fitted to the touring bikes. My belly gets in the way of bending over, and I have a dodgy hip too.
When I was looking to buy a bike I never imagined myself doing hundreds of miles so didn't really do too much research and settled on a Ridgeback Speed hybrid bike.
So basically, what's the difference between my Speed and Ridgebacks other touring bikes?
Speed: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/speed
Voyage: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/voyage
Tour: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/tour
The one main difference I do notice is the handlebars. I wouldn't get on with the type fitted to the touring bikes. My belly gets in the way of bending over, and I have a dodgy hip too.
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Comments
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Hi, your bike would be considered an entry level general purpose bike. Ideal for popping to town, along the towpath, family rides in the country, commuting or getting a bit fitter.
The touring bikes are more for the serious distance rider with provision for panniers front and back. Also the drop bars give more variety of hand position for long hours in the saddle.
Of course you can ignore all that and ride any bike anywhere you like.
Why not get a bit fitter, lose the tummy and aspire to own one of the tourers and cycle round the world ?
Apologies, don't mean to sound patronising
He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!0 -
I wouldn't worry too much about the drop handlebars as most of the time while riding, cyclists have their hands on the hoods (over the brakes) or on top of the bars - very little time usually spent on the drops. Drop handlebars are generally more comfortable over long distances, although no reason you can't ride long distances on a good flat bar hybrid - bar ends on flat bars give you an option to move your hands into a different position from time to time.What's the difference?
When I was looking to buy a bike I never imagined myself doing hundreds of miles so didn't really do too much research and settled on a Ridgeback Speed hybrid bike.
So basically, what's the difference between my Speed and Ridgebacks other touring bikes?
Speed: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/speed
Voyage: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/voyage
Tour: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/tour
The one main difference I do notice is the handlebars. I wouldn't get on with the type fitted to the touring bikes. My belly gets in the way of bending over, and I have a dodgy hip too.0 -
Hi, your bike would be considered an entry level general purpose bike. Ideal for popping to town, along the towpath, family rides in the country, commuting or getting a bit fitter.
The touring bikes are more for the serious distance rider with provision for panniers front and back. Also the drop bars give more variety of hand position for long hours in the saddle.
Of course you can ignore all that and ride any bike anywhere you like.
Why not get a bit fitter, lose the tummy and aspire to own one of the tourers and cycle round the world ?
Apologies, don't mean to sound patronising
I wouldn't say around the world but I do want to cycle most of NCN Route 7 (Inverness to Ayr) in the spring. Then possibly Aberdeen to Yorkshire in the summer. I was just wondering if I might have been better suited to a tourer but I don't want the drop bars or need front panniers. Given that I'm 21 stone and would be carrying 12 to 15 kg on the panniers I was thinking maybe the Tourer would be better suited strength wise.
I notice the gearing is different, what's the difference between them?0 -
I wouldn't worry too much about the drop handlebars as most of the time while riding, cyclists have their hands on the hoods (over the brakes) or on top of the bars - very little time usually spent on the drops. Drop handlebars are generally more comfortable over long distances, although no reason you can't ride long distances on a good flat bar hybrid - bar ends on flat bars give you an option to move your hands into a different position from time to time.What's the difference?
When I was looking to buy a bike I never imagined myself doing hundreds of miles so didn't really do too much research and settled on a Ridgeback Speed hybrid bike.
So basically, what's the difference between my Speed and Ridgebacks other touring bikes?
Speed: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/speed
Voyage: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/voyage
Tour: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/tour
The one main difference I do notice is the handlebars. I wouldn't get on with the type fitted to the touring bikes. My belly gets in the way of bending over, and I have a dodgy hip too.
I like the idea of bar ends but I'd need to find some that fit in to the tubes given the odd shape of the rubber grips on the Speed.0 -
I wouldn't say around the world but I do want to cycle most of NCN Route 7 (Inverness to Ayr) in the spring. Then possibly Aberdeen to Yorkshire in the summer.
Ah, it wasn't clear in your original post that you had plans for longer rides.
Sell the hybrid, get the "Voyage" tourer.
It's a proper touring bike
More comfy steel frame / forks
Better geometry for longer rides
9 speed giving closer ratios and lower climbing gear
Has quite a high front end (it's not an aggressive racing bike) so if you get the right size it will not be a problem using the drop bars.
Enjoy your rides, you have 6 months to train and improve fitness
He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!0 -
The benefit oif the drop bars over flats is that it gives you different places and positions for your hands thus reducing or changing the strain on your upper body - a change is as good as a rest.
As suggested the end bars would extend the number of positions from the flats to two. Drop bars offer 3 or 4 different hand positions.
There are other types of handlebars specifically designed for touring - check them out here:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html
The difference in the gearing will be the shifters (on the handlebars) and the range of gears available. It is difficult to switch between the different types of shifters but you can easily and relatrively cheaply change the range of gearing by changing the cassette on the rear wheel. Typically £20-30 for a new cassette but there are limits.
More details here:
viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=125835660 -
I wouldn't say around the world but I do want to cycle most of NCN Route 7 (Inverness to Ayr) in the spring. Then possibly Aberdeen to Yorkshire in the summer.
Ah, it wasn't clear in your original post that you had plans for longer rides.
Sell the hybrid, get the "Voyage" tourer.
It's a proper touring bike
More comfy steel frame / forks
Better geometry for longer rides
9 speed giving closer ratios and lower climbing gear
Has quite a high front end (it's not an aggressive racing bike) so if you get the right size it will not be a problem using the drop bars.
Enjoy your rides, you have 6 months to train and improve fitness
Yeah, that is what I'm thinking of doing. But, how can a frame be more comfy?
I've read that tourers can be problematic/not easy to ride unladen so should I keep the Hybrid for shorter unladen rides?0 -
If you keep.your hybrid perhaps take off the complete.grips and replace with ones designed to work with bar ends. My preference is the ergon range.
http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/components/handlebar-grips-tape/f/ergon#!
http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/pages/service#
I have just reverted back to drops after about 18 months with a flat bar hybrid. It was a huge mistake for me but flats may suit you. I find there's a lot more hand positions with drop bars and with wrist and elbow issues flat bars meant pain in after less than 1 hour of.riding. I ride on the hoods and drops on my current bike. Never got on with the flat tops of the bars. I do however move my hands.around on both the hoods and drops for comfort reasons. I do not have my bars down low and there is are options to cope with any flexibility issues with using the monarch whole of the drop bars. There's a few cyclists with a larger size round here using.drop bars. The added to benefit.IMHO of drops is they are allow you to get low when cycling into a strong headwind.
There's also butterfly bars, trekking bars and probably more types too. However with the tourer you will be able to make pretty much any bar type work. I had a different set off needs to you but in.some things we.have the same needs. I got a Planetx London road bike but I nearly got a steel tourer. Still not sure if I made it the right choice looking at ridgeback and spa tourer bikes.
A tourer should cope with your weight and your luggage. I've only ridden my dad's old tourer and I never felt it was not a good ride when unladen. I doubt you'd notice anything significant and often people who is do are likely to be highly experienced with the same skill level for bike feel as a wine tester has with wine. Most normal riders I'd question whether unloaded tourers present any issues. I could be wrong though.
I'd get one of the ridgeback tourers if you have the cash and inclination to for a new bike. Look at spa tourer too, might cost a bit but it is highly regarded for the money.0 -
Also worth having a look at the brakes.
If you intend to ride with a decent amount of luggage and are of a generous size yourself perhaps you should consider disc brakes.
It will push the price up however.0 -
If you keep.your hybrid perhaps take off the complete.grips and replace with ones designed to work with bar ends. My preference is the ergon range.
http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/components/handlebar-grips-tape/f/ergon#!
http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/pages/service#
I have just reverted back to drops after about 18 months with a flat bar hybrid. It was a huge mistake for me but flats may suit you. I find there's a lot more hand positions with drop bars and with wrist and elbow issues flat bars meant pain in after less than 1 hour of.riding. I ride on the hoods and drops on my current bike. Never got on with the flat tops of the bars. I do however move my hands.around on both the hoods and drops for comfort reasons. I do not have my bars down low and there is are options to cope with any flexibility issues with using the monarch whole of the drop bars. There's a few cyclists with a larger size round here using.drop bars. The added to benefit.IMHO of drops is they are allow you to get low when cycling into a strong headwind.
There's also butterfly bars, trekking bars and probably more types too. However with the tourer you will be able to make pretty much any bar type work. I had a different set off needs to you but in.some things we.have the same needs. I got a Planetx London road bike but I nearly got a steel tourer. Still not sure if I made it the right choice looking at ridgeback and spa tourer bikes.
A tourer should cope with your weight and your luggage. I've only ridden my dad's old tourer and I never felt it was not a good ride when unladen. I doubt you'd notice anything significant and often people who is do are likely to be highly experienced with the same skill level for bike feel as a wine tester has with wine. Most normal riders I'd question whether unloaded tourers present any issues. I could be wrong though.
I'd get one of the ridgeback tourers if you have the cash and inclination to for a new bike. Look at spa tourer too, might cost a bit but it is highly regarded for the money.
Thanks.
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Also worth having a look at the brakes.
If you intend to ride with a decent amount of luggage and are of a generous size yourself perhaps you should consider disc brakes.
It will push the price up however.
I was nearly killed due to disc brakes in the past so I think I'll be avoiding them. :shock:0 -
How?Also worth having a look at the brakes.
If you intend to ride with a decent amount of luggage and are of a generous size yourself perhaps you should consider disc brakes.
It will push the price up however.
I was nearly killed due to disc brakes in the past so I think I'll be avoiding them. :shock:0 -
How?Also worth having a look at the brakes.
If you intend to ride with a decent amount of luggage and are of a generous size yourself perhaps you should consider disc brakes.
It will push the price up however.
I was nearly killed due to disc brakes in the past so I think I'll be avoiding them. :shock:
I went down the Worlds Most Dangerous Road in Bolivia (the same one Top Gear went up) on a mountain bike with disc brakes. My shear weight meant the brakes couldn't cope, the discs heated up, the fluid heated up the point it had no effect, and I had no brakes. I had to gingerly make my way down the road whilst everyone else sped off ahead.0 -
How?Also worth having a look at the brakes.
If you intend to ride with a decent amount of luggage and are of a generous size yourself perhaps you should consider disc brakes.
It will push the price up however.
I was nearly killed due to disc brakes in the past so I think I'll be avoiding them. :shock:
I went down the Worlds Most Dangerous Road in Bolivia (the same one Top Gear went up) on a mountain bike with disc brakes. My shear weight meant the brakes couldn't cope, the discs heated up, the fluid heated up the point it had no effect, and I had no brakes. I had to gingerly make my way down the road whilst everyone else sped off ahead.
Bigger rotors, chap! 0 -
How?Also worth having a look at the brakes.
If you intend to ride with a decent amount of luggage and are of a generous size yourself perhaps you should consider disc brakes.
It will push the price up however.
I was nearly killed due to disc brakes in the past so I think I'll be avoiding them. :shock:
I went down the Worlds Most Dangerous Road in Bolivia (the same one Top Gear went up) on a mountain bike with disc brakes. My shear weight meant the brakes couldn't cope, the discs heated up, the fluid heated up the point it had no effect, and I had no brakes. I had to gingerly make my way down the road whilst everyone else sped off ahead.
Bigger rotors, chap!
I know that now, but I just had to use what the company that did the tour provided.
Still, after that, I'd be very very wary or disc brakes in the future. Then again, I'm not likely to be mountain biking down The Worlds Most Dangerous Road again. I think I would need to try a bike with disc brakes for a few days and see how I get on before shelling out the money for a bike equipped with them.0 -
I know that feeling. You've got your brakes on full but you're.accelerating. I had that on a UK hill with rim brakes. I ended up burning my finger on the rim when I got to the bottom. Not sure what's the damage to my rims of that heat but I've had disc brakes ever since.0
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I know that feeling. You've got your brakes on full but you're.accelerating. I had that on a UK hill with rim brakes. I ended up burning my finger on the rim when I got to the bottom. Not sure what's the damage to my rims of that heat but I've had disc brakes ever since.
Yes, not a good feeling especially with a solid cliff face on your right and a 100+ drop to your left. :shock: :shock:0
