Thinking of upgrading to full on road bike.

mason5697

Bought a hybrid in January. http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/b ... AooM8P8HAQ

Running on 700 x 25c Gatorskins. Didn't know I'd catch the cycling bug. Doing regular 30 - 40 milers. Usual average speed is 17mph even over hilly routes. Even got 18.3mph 1200 ft of climbs over 30 miles last week. Kind of wishing I had bought a road bike tho.

Would I notice a huge difference if I swapped to a road bike...? And would it feel easier / more.comfortable over long rides?

slowmart

Its mostly subjective, comfort, better and easier when you add value to the equation.

The best advice I could give is to book a test ride with your local shop who"ll provide some valuable insight when you provide context for a more complete professional insight.

Then you can decide if the extra outlay is worth it.

dstev55

If you've caught the cycling bug like it sounds like you have then get a proper Road bike. You'll enjoy it even more.

nuclearred955

From the link, you have a halfway decent hybrid to begin with - pretty much a flat-bar road bike anyway.

But yes, from the riding you're doing, it sounds like the versatility of drop bars & lighter weight (if you go carbon) would make a difference.

dj58

Assuming the road bike is the correct size/fit you would have more variation of hand positions which would be more comfortable, particularly on longer rides. Would you notice a big difference, that would depend on what bike you buy, something the same weight as your hybrid, then probably not, something 2-3kg lighter more so.

markhewitt1978

As others have said, that's a pretty nice bike as it is, and you're averages are high so you're clearly quite fit. A road bike would clearly benefit you, but, it would have to be a fairly good road bike >£1,000 otherwise it would be little different to your hybrid.

mason5697

Thanks for the advice guys. Maybe saved me rushing into buying a road bike just now. Really want one. But only got the hybrid in January. I assumed it would probably have to be a road bike over £1000 to notice a good difference.

Fitness is decent. But nothing too great the now. Been a lot fitter in the past. So hoping as the fitness gets up, I can maybe squeeze out an extra 1-2 mph.

I have noticed a good difference in the last 2 weeks after flipping the stem and raising the saddle considerably. Guess Halfords didn't fit me to the bike very well when I bought it. Right now my feet are clipped in with the straps on the pedals. Would clipless pedals make a noticeable difference?

markhewitt1978

mason5697 wrote:

Thanks for the advice guys. Maybe saved me rushing into buying a road bike just now. Really want one. But only got the hybrid in January. I assumed it would probably have to be a road bike over £1000 to notice a good difference.

Canyon.com have some of the best value bikes at the moment. As long as you don't mind a few months wait.

Fitness is decent. But nothing too great the now. Been a lot fitter in the past. So hoping as the fitness gets up, I can maybe squeeze out an extra 1-2 mph.

Yup, every mph increase gets harder of course, eventually, perhaps even now, the position on the hybrid is the thing that'll hold you back more than your power.

I have noticed a good difference in the last 2 weeks after flipping the stem and raising the saddle considerably. Guess Halfords didn't fit me to the bike very well when I bought it. Right now my feet are clipped in with the straps on the pedals. Would clipless pedals make a noticeable difference?

Just don't raise it too high as I found to my cost! Clipless is definitely worth it, if only because it's easier to get your feet in and out than with straps. Get some Shimano M520 pedals (about £18) and some SPD shoes such as Shimano M089.

debeli

mason5697 wrote:

Bought a hybrid in January. http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/b ... AooM8P8HAQ

Running on 700 x 25c Gatorskins. Didn't know I'd catch the cycling bug. Doing regular 30 - 40 milers. Usual average speed is 17mph even over hilly routes. Even got 18.3mph 1200 ft of climbs over 30 miles last week. Kind of wishing I had bought a road bike tho.

Would I notice a huge difference if I swapped to a road bike...? And would it feel easier / more.comfortable over long rides?

You would notice a difference, but initially the shock would not be any increase in speed.

The key difference for the first few rides would be the more nervous/sensitive steering you get with road geometry and drops. Your hands tend to be closer together and the steering angle is sharper. It can be strange for a while.

Looking at the spec of that bike, I'd say you have a pretty good machine there. I'd stick with that for a while.

If you want to get your head down out of the air more, think about a longer stem or a 'flatter' one.

You will derive some advantage also from going onto clipless pedals. I still sometimes ride distances without them and I enjoy it and seem to go along quickly enough, but there is a joy (especially when climbing) to the clipless feel.

One day (or one day soon) you may want to go for a road bike. As someone says above, do try one first. When you do, you might like it a lot. Be aware that most road bikes do not currently have hydraulic discs, so braking anticipation may be a noticeable change. But either way, you're onto a winner. You already have a nice bicycle and might enjoy another one even more.

Have fun!

markhewitt1978

Plus there's something to be said for doing your time, and paying your dues, ride everywhere on the hybrid, including off road paths because that's what it's designed for. Set yourself a milage total e.g. I'm going to do 3,000 miles on this bike, then once I've done that I can order by road bike.

That will give you the time you need to figure out what sort of rider you are, to learn all about bikes and how they work, and what sort of bike you want to have in the end.

Then when you do get your road bike, you'll be flying.

apreading

Get some SPD pedals and some bar ends and ride the hell out of what you have for now - you will want to go clipless anyway and better to practice on your current bike than a more expensive one as most people have a few silly falls in the early days with them.

I had the Boardman Hybrid team for 4 years, did around 15,000 miles until I got wiped out by a taxi and it is now mangled. As I had to buy a new bike, I have just bought a drop bar bike to find out for myself but I am not convinced that I wont prefer the flat bars and end up going back. Even if I like the drop bars, I will be using another boardman hybrid for commuting etc - I already have one in the box that I bought as a spare.

AK_jnr

Out of interest can you put drop bars on that hybrid and just have the shifters and brakes on the tops? Might look strange but just interested if its possible.

apreading

I guess you *could* provided you get bars the right diameter on the top to put the shifters and brakes on. Just adding bar ends to what OP has would be alot easier and give extra hand positions and better climbing position though. I have the Tioga Carbon Powerstuds on mine and they are great. Can get down pretty low and aero when on the bar ends too.

slowmart

AK_jnr wrote:

Out of interest can you put drop bars on that hybrid and just have the shifters and brakes on the tops? Might look strange but just interested if its possible.

Discussed here

viewtopic.php?t=12870872

markhewitt1978

AK_jnr wrote:

Out of interest can you put drop bars on that hybrid and just have the shifters and brakes on the tops? Might look strange but just interested if its possible.

It's possible, it just so involved and expensive in terms of purchasing new kit that it's not worth doing. Not to mention that the geometry of your bike is set up for straight bars. Even looking at it from a pure money perspective you'd be better off selling your current bike and buying a road bike.

mason5697

Slowmart wrote:

AK_jnr wrote:

Out of interest can you put drop bars on that hybrid and just have the shifters and brakes on the tops? Might look strange but just interested if its possible.

Discussed here

viewtopic.php?t=12870872

I looked into this myself too. And the main consensus was it would be easier and cheaper to buy a road bike.

Gonna prob try some bar ends pretty soon. And clipless pedals. But my wife's work starts a bike to work scheme in a month or two. So pretty tempted with a road bike as you save around 40% if I remember correctly. Hard decision, as I've hit 18mph averages on my my last two big rides on the hybrid - 28 miles, 1177ft climbs, 44.5 miles 1738ft climbs.

If I did go road, probably spend around during 1200, with 1000 of that cycle to work... any recommendations?

Sleeper Service

I have a Hybrid Team - the 2014 model, like yours.

I put a longer stem on it (120mm) and changed the tyres to 28mm Schwalbe One clinchers. My average speed over distance is just under 17mph, with 20mph on the flat when the road is clear without stops for traffic lights, etc. At 98Kg this isn't too bad. Next upgrades will be SPD pedals and bar ends.

At the moment I've no plans to buy a drop handle road bike as I have slight arthritis in my hands, but would probably go full carbon if I did as I don't think an alu framed drop bike with a carbon fork would be any better than the Hybrid Team.

g00se

mason5697 wrote:

Slowmart wrote:

AK_jnr wrote:

Out of interest can you put drop bars on that hybrid and just have the shifters and brakes on the tops? Might look strange but just interested if its possible.

Discussed here

viewtopic.php?t=12870872

I looked into this myself too. And the main consensus was it would be easier and cheaper to buy a road bike.

Gonna prob try some bar ends pretty soon. And clipless pedals. But my wife's work starts a bike to work scheme in a month or two. So pretty tempted with a road bike as you save around 40% if I remember correctly. Hard decision, as I've hit 18mph averages on my my last two big rides on the hybrid - 28 miles, 1177ft climbs, 44.5 miles 1738ft climbs.

If I did go road, probably spend around during 1200, with 1000 of that cycle to work... any recommendations?

First decision could be 'high end aluminium' or 'low end carbon'. As it's your first, I would say alloy - then it you want to spend on a carbon in the future, this bike could become your 'winter' ride.

Will it be purely road - or are you thinking a bit of loose stuff too? If the latter, you could look at the gravel/cross side of things - but if just road, then there are loads of options. Go to a few shops and just try them out. Try the usual respected brands to start with and get a feel for what's out there. A good excuse to play with some toys.

markhewitt1978

g00se wrote:

Will it be purely road - or are you thinking a bit of loose stuff too? If the latter, you could look at the gravel/cross side of things - but if just road, then there are loads of options. Go to a few shops and just try them out. Try the usual respected brands to start with and get a feel for what's out there. A good excuse to play with some toys.

Personally I would go for the road bike being a full on road bike, then the hybrid can be kept running as a gravel grinding bike, with tyres and setup to suit.

DeVlaeminck

Definitely go full on road bike.

mason5697

Defo full on road. Never really go off road at all. If I ever get the notion for that I have an old mountain bike I can use. Or put bigger tyres on the team hybrid if I don't sell it.

I'm assuming a road bike is a bit more efficient and for the same effort level I may get an extra 1-2 mph when I get used to it.

markhewitt1978

mason5697 wrote:

Defo full on road. Never really go off road at all. If I ever get the notion for that I have an old mountain bike I can use. Or put bigger tyres on the team hybrid if I don't sell it.

You don't go off road now, but it does have it's charms, especially if you have the likes of old railway lines etc around you. You've currently got road tyres on there but fit some 35-40mm tyres on it and it'll be perfect for gravel roads.

I'm assuming a road bike is a bit more efficient and for the same effort level I may get an extra 1-2 mph when I get used to it.

Assuming you can use the aero position the road bike affords then 1-2mph should be realistic. Just keep in mind that most people when they go hybrid > road they're disappointed that they don't immediately PR every segment.

debeli

Certainly a road bike is swifter, which is why one tends to see them used in club and pro-peloton racing. I do not recall seeing (or hearing of) a major classic or stage race podium being achieved on a hybrid.

But to think in terms of the change being worth an extra 1-2 mph may be to miss the point.

There are benefits and there are costs. I love what we now refer to as road bikes - so I am not arguing against the change per se... But in truth you have a fairly wicked bicycle already and you are enjoying some benefits that may not become apparent until after the change:

The riding position is more relaxed.

The steering is less nervous and jittery.

The whole plot tends to be more robust and 'businesslike'.

These benefits and others will be lost with a change. Do as you will - and you will enjoy either option. But bear in mind that you have a pretty good machine as it is and without the evil hegemony of the cycle computer, we'd all be fairly ignorant of the tiny incremental improvements available for extra bucks.

The principal perceived benefits of a change will be in responsiveness to both steering and pedal input. This will be a fairly
major difference. There will be (unless you go the disc route at the cost of mass) some loss of braking efficacy, but not detrimentally so. You may also find your back, shoulders, wrists and hands take a while to get on with drops. But you will be aware that it is more whippet than labrador. That will be the difference, not some real or imagined speed differential.

A road bike will not get you any fitter or stronger, just as an Alfa doesn't make you a better driver and a Harley doesn't improve your chances in a bar-room brawl.

I'd be inclined to advise you to go clipless, slip some bar-ends on and re-assess the issue in another six months and fifteen-hundred miles.

veryslowtwitch

Hi, in reply to OP, if you are doing 40m on a hybrid then you will love a real road bike. Far more efficient machine with more comfort from different hand positions. If you want to ride in a bunch then you will never keep up on a flat barred bike. You are obviously having fun so get a road bike, join a club and start doing bunch rides and double your mileage. You will overtake the flat barred riders as if they are standing still. Good luck and post here when you have done a century.

apreading

veryslowtwitch wrote:

Hi, in reply to OP, if you are doing 40m on a hybrid then you will love a real road bike. Far more efficient machine with more comfort from different hand positions. If you want to ride in a bunch then you will never keep up on a flat barred bike. You are obviously having fun so get a road bike, join a club and start doing bunch rides and double your mileage. You will overtake the flat barred riders as if they are standing still. Good luck and post here when you have done a century.

Funny that - I always overtake loads of people on drop bar bikes riding my boardman hybrid on Sportives etc. I have done several centuries on mine and been comfortable at the end with loads of hand positions with my bar ends etc. I did an organised tour round italy a couple of years back and of the twenty(ish) people there (some of whom were club riders), I was always first to the top of the moutains and faster on the flats - some of them were surprised by this somewhat... Mind you, I was last on the downhills but thats just because I am a chicken on those hairpin bends and nothing to do with the bike. I am not saying that I am faster than a fast person on drop bars but the bike hasnt significantly held me back.

I am currently experimenting with a drop bar bike but slowly because I am just starting back after two months off with a broken collarbone and not really supposed to be riding yet. Jury is still out - so far I preferred the hybrid but I need to give it time to get used to it.

ForumNewbie

veryslowtwitch wrote:

Hi, in reply to OP, if you are doing 40m on a hybrid then you will love a real road bike. Far more efficient machine with more comfort from different hand positions. If you want to ride in a bunch then you will never keep up on a flat barred bike. You are obviously having fun so get a road bike, join a club and start doing bunch rides and double your mileage. You will overtake the flat barred riders as if they are standing still. Good luck and post here when you have done a century.

If OP can average 17mph solo on hilly routes of 40 miles, I don't think he would have any problem keeping up on most group rides.

bungalballs

I'd be tempted to get down to your trusted lbs and see if you can get a test ride on a few drop bar bikes, and start working out which geometry, material etc suits you. Above spec/materials etc, most important thing on a drop bar bike is fit, so it's worth spending time on it, as it puts you in an 'odd' position.

In the mean time get used to spd's or spd sl's whilst you are on a more 'stable' bike. Then go splash some cash when the right thing comes along, or even wait for an autumn deal. Get a bike fit at the same time.

(Almost guaranteed you will fall for one and be a proud new owner by end of May...!!)

apreading

Bungalballs wrote:

I'd be tempted to get down to your trusted lbs and see if you can get a test ride on a few drop bar bikes

+1 Best advice yet!

feisty

May find a relaxed geometry road bike a good introduction. Eg specialized secteur or roubaix. Cannondale synapse (loads of others)

DeVlaeminck

The vast majority of people are happy with full on road geometry so that's my recommendation - OK so the OP may not be one of them but equally they may find something like a Roubaix as being far too upright. Most people who get into road cycling seem happy with a race focused bike and that includes 30, 40 and 50 somethings like myself !

bikes`n`guns

Road bike.

Never ind trying to convert the hybrid, it will just end up costing too much.

everyone I know that bought a hybrid, binned it for a road bike.