Will a Road bike be faster than my Hybrid?

npowell28
npowell28 Posts: 204
edited January 2009 in Road beginners
Hi all,

First topic so please be kind. I use my GT Transeo 3 for cycling to work. The journey is 17 miles up with some decent hills. There is a little bit that is in the town but nothing major. I do the journey in just under an hour.

My question is simple, will a road bike which is probably lighter, has a different riding position and gearing, make my journey any faster. The guy from Halfords doesn't think it's going to make any drastic difference. He reckoned about 1 or 2 mph faster for my average speed. I thought i'd better ask the experts.

Thanks in advance

Neil :?
Cube Ltd Pro!

Bianchi C2C via Nirone

Comments

  • Gary D
    Gary D Posts: 431
    Neil,

    It would probably knock about 5 minutes off your journey time. Personally, I find it needs a lot of effort to increase my average speed by "only 1 or 2mph" !! :shock: :shock:

    Doesn't matter anyway its all irrelevant..................you will think and feel like you are going faster and that is the important thing :wink::wink:

    Gary.
    Oh and I feel like I've been raped by an Orangutan :shock: And I've got legs like Girders :lol:
  • npowell28
    npowell28 Posts: 204
    So is there any real benefit buying a road bike. I mean because they are lighter does it make it easier to go up hill or anything. There must be some benefit?
    Cube Ltd Pro!

    Bianchi C2C via Nirone
  • Gary D
    Gary D Posts: 431
    Neil,

    Yes - there are real benefits - mainly the ones you have already identified.

    Assuming you are not going to buy a £250 supermarket special, then it will be lighter, stiffer and more responsive, greater choice of hand positions, different riding position to make you more aerodynamic etc etc. Generally, it will convert your effort in to forward motion much more efficiently. A good example is I notice your bike has front suspension. Do you find that the forks bounce up and down a bit when slugging it up a hill? Well, chances are they do and basically that is absorbing some of your effort. The road bike will just seem easier to get up hills.

    Is there a chance that you could persuade a friend to let you ride a road bike or even if your LBS would let you test ride one?

    I started with a Hybrid, then bought a Spesh Tricross and now have a "proper" carbon fibre road bike as well. The Hybrid never gets used on the road now. Its only for pootles with the kids. I occasionally use the Tricross on the road but it is less rewarding than when I use the road bike. The difference between the 3 is very noticeable.

    Do you just intend to use the bike for commuting or do you go out a the weekends as well?

    If you are doing 17 miles in less than 1 hour on a Hybrid then that is pretty good - especially if it is hilly. I probably couldn't do that :oops: :oops:

    PS Unless you are very lucky with your branch - I wouldn't go to Halfords for "advice" :wink::wink:

    Gary.
    Oh and I feel like I've been raped by an Orangutan :shock: And I've got legs like Girders :lol:
  • for your commute i'd stick with the hybrid and fit some faster rolling tyres, maybe lighter wheels and generally get lighter kit. it would still be cheaper than getting a new bike, and to get a bike that would noticably improve your time would cost at least £500 IMO.
    Carbon fibre, it's all nonsense. Drink beer. Ride a steel bike. Don't be a ponce.
  • rally200
    rally200 Posts: 646
    way faster - but a fat tyred hybrid can offer durability & versatility on a commute (especially in this icy weather)
  • bice
    bice Posts: 772
    I used a heavy steel hybrid for years commuting in London. It was fine. I now use a much lighter, 1980s lady's steel road/ light tourer on which I have put flat handlebars. My commute is 6 miles each way.

    But this bike, while as fast as a light hybrid, is way slower than my trek 1.7 road bike. That's not a good commuter but if I was doing 17 miles I would get a tougher, cheaper road bike, not a hybrid.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    A road bike might offer better gearing ratios at the back and I assume that at the front you have a triple chainset on the hybrid which is probably adding unnescessary weight.

    Also as has been outlined, riding position on a road bike and frame geometry are designed to make you more aerodynamic, pushing you forward into a more horizontal position, although for a commute through traffic, this is not always ideal as you may find you are less able to easily see what is going on around you. Suspension of any sort is totally unnecessary, not only does it plunge up and down absorbing energy even if your hybrid has disc brakes, you may find that stopping distance is longer on a road bike, which is not always good for commuting in traffic.

    It certainly sounds like you're making good time already though so you may not find there is much difference, and I totally agree that raising average speed by 1 or 2 mph takes quite a lot of effort so I think the Halfords bloke is being optimistic. All in all, it may not be worth the added expense if you're just using the bike for commuting
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