Recreational & Family - Best Hybrid for under $700

I'm looking at getting a new hybrid to replace my Giant Innova circa '93? And I really like the Fuji Silhouette, the Ironhorse Skyline and the Trek 7500FX (a little over $700). Are there any others to consider? The Trek seems like a lot of $$ for what you get compared to the others. Any $.02 are greatly appreciated.

I have a Specialized Sirrus Sport. So far so good.

how long have you had it?

Take a look at the Giant Sedona DX.

I got a Trek 7500. That should be under $700. I love it.

Originally posted by tourist
how long have you had it?
About a little over 2 months. It has about 200 miles on it. And I love it. My budget was $700 too. But I found a great deal on my Sirrus and got it!

If you want to read about my adventure looking for a bike you can read this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8826&highlight=cadd

You'll learn a lot (just like I did from these guys here in the forum).

Good luck.

OK, how about this. If I just re-do the bike from the wheel set up and get it to a nine speed with Deore components with a 105 crank and cass. it will cost me $500 or so, and I'll have a bike I know I like and save $200. The only thing is that it's CroMo. Again the bike is about 7 yrs old or so. Is it worth it to do that?

A serious component upgrade is really only worthwhile on a good butted steel/Al bike. Modern "sport-hybrid" bikes are a lot lighter and nippier than older designs, more akin to flat bar touring bikes.

Its a difficult call on a lower grade frame, but generally if the frame is heavier than typical touring bike, then its not worth an upgrade.

Take some of the bikes for a test ride and see how they compare. You may want to check out some of the Jamis bikes like Coda.
http://www.jamisbikes.com/bikes/coda02.html

When you are test riding, watch out if your toes interfere with the front wheel, a common fault with some sportier hybrids. Also, many models come with suspension features. On a lightweight bike these are not neccessary.

The Jamis Coda looks like a hot little number. I need to check it out for sure. And I agree with you assesment of component upgrading on this bike, but it's always nice to hear it from some one else.

Specialized Sirrus Pro or Comp (Elite 02) are light and fast. Should be able to get left overs fairly cheap. I suggested these 2 over the lower models because they have a fairly high top gear where you would run out of pedal on the lower models.
:beer:

Ok, ok so damn the budget. That's what you get for test riding up the food chain. I've decided on the Cannondale Road Warrior 700. Frame geo is in the hybrid family but the rest of the bike is road.

Since my goal is to do a century the hybrid is out by default. Besides the little sucker bit me this morning for the first time. She must have known she was going to be replaced. Nothing like a little road rash to speed up the bike search. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

AHH tourist has got the fever now. We will be hearing from him in a couple months saying he just bought a road bike and then before long it will be a mountain bike. Welcome to the bike addiction. :beer:

Hey Tourist..... forget the hybrid and buy a full blown standard road bike...drop handle bars, little bitty seat and all of it.

In three more months you are going to do what EVERYBODY else has done...buy a road bike and then have a hybrid sitting in the garage. I gave my hybrid to my son.

Originally posted by 1oldRoadie
Hey Tourist..... forget the hybrid and buy a full blown standard road bike...drop handle bars, little bitty seat and all of it.

In three more months you are going to do what EVERYBODY else has done...buy a road bike and then have a hybrid sitting in the garage. I gave my hybrid to my son.

I'll second that...my hybrid, while nifty, hasn't been ridden in *months* since I got my Bianchi.

If you're dead-set on a hybrid, I'd go for a Specialized Crossroads, but just because I've put a few thousand loving miles on mine. :D

1OR - I did. The C'dale Road Warrior 700 and a hybrid have almost nothing in common. 105 groupo all the way around, except brakes. Cinelli drops, bitty seat (which sucks by the way, not the bitty part just that particular one), Look pedals, skinny tires on Mavic rims. Just a whisker under 20lbs. Not much hybrid here. I knew this was gonna happen!! :roflmao:

WELCOME TO THE ADDICTION!!!!

The Yellow one? Boy are you gonna be hooked!!!!

Nice bike!

Hey everybody another one has been lured in...hahahahahaha

The matte black one. I got a pretty good deal on it. It's an 02, and it's an XL which is good for me not apparently so for the LBS. I am psyched.

Yes the CDale resembles a Sirrus, except the Sirrus I bought has road wheels tires and frame, but mountain drive train and flat bar. I road it for awhile and really like it, however I just bought a Lemond Zurich which I love and I probably will wind up selling the Sirrus. Between the Zurich and mountain biking don't know if I will have time for the Sirrus.

Or, buy a real touring bike and have many of the best features of a hybrid as well as road bike positioning. That way, if you buy a racing bike someday down the road you'll have a bad weather/rough roads road alternative. Recently my wife and I did a double century that's popular in our region and there were plenty of touring bike riders hammering along at racer speed--the bike is no handicap. There are few better values than either the Trek 520 or, if an REI store is near you, a Novara Randonnee. There is, by the way, NOTHING wrong with a chrome-moly steel frame; all of the best bike frames in the world are made out of the stuff; never mind current stupid, fraudulent fashions.

As an alternative to getting a new hybrid, you can also consider improving the components on your existing hybrid.
My hybrid is a better bike now than when I bought it 2 and a 1/2 years ago. I have replaced the original wheels with better wheels that are designed to withstand a LOT of abuse. I have replaced the insufferable Shimano "rapid rise" derailleur with a normal derailleur. Once the bike has been customized to my needs enough, I no longer think of it as the original "brand/model" combination. In fact, my bike is so covered with stickers that you can no longer see the brand or the model printed on the bike. When people ask me what brand it is, I usually don't tell them, or else I tell them that I forgot.

Originally posted by tourist
Ok, ok so damn the budget. That's what you get for test riding up the food chain.

Now that you mention it, I have noticed a certain willingness on the part of my LBS to let me test new stuff. Are they perhaps exploiting that "food chain" thing?:p

Carl

I have owned a 2001 Giant Cypress DX for over a year now and love it. It's light, fast and confortable I paid about $425 for it. I will admit my last bike was a cheesie Huffy Mountain Bike, so this is like a dream by comparison. There are 2 more Cypress models with more features than this one I think.

Originally posted by tourist
The matte black one.........

So? does this make you the "Stealth Tourist"

How many miles did you do this weekend?

I bought a Univega "Via Montega" hybrid almost ten years ago. It has been an excellent bike and has held up to a lot of abuse and a lot of miles. Univega offered the most for the money when I was looking at hybrids ten years ago. Some of the other bikes I see mentioned in this thread - Giant, Trek, Specialized, and Jamis look to also be good bikes.

We did 28 Sunday and fast 10 on Sat. Cut 16 minutes off the previous 20 mile time. It took about 10 extra minutes to do the 28 vs the 20. What a difference.

As far as stealth goes the bike may be. Me on the other hand...:p

Tourist,

Sure, rub it in.
While you were out there frolicking (and sweating)
on your new bikes, I was here wondering exactly when
my toe was gonna fall off. . . :lol:
Good on ya for the 28 miler and the decreased time.
You riding Saturday morning? PM me.
I'm gonna try the shoes again tomorrow and if so
see if I can get some saddle time in.
saw some really brave soul riding Dallas Parkway
at 5:00pm, with some really p.o'd SUVs doing there best
to blow him off the road, could only think he was way more
dedicated than I am.

Marty

Originally posted by tourist
We did 28 Sunday and fast 10 on Sat. Cut 16 minutes off the previous 20 mile time. It took about 10 extra minutes to do the 28 vs the 20. What a difference.

This why roadies are down on hybrids. If you enjoy the ride, once you switch to a real road bike, you can never understand why you wanted a hybrid in the first place. And we all go thru the cycle. :p

I went to Performance Bikes and ordered a Jamis Coda. They had to order one because it was very hard to get. Manufacture shortage and there was an AIDS ride in DC and everyone was picking them up.

After a week of waiting, I called Performance and they told me that they couldn't get one. Thanks for making me wait a week. So I cancelled my order.

After talking with some folks, I realized that hybrid wasn't the way to go. IT IS NOT A ROAD BIKE.

I went out and got a Raleigh R700. It's so much easier to go fast.

I might get a hybrid when I'm 60 years old.

Originally posted by flow2east
snip, snip ...

After talking with some folks, I realized that hybrid wasn't the way to go. IT IS NOT A ROAD BIKE.

I went out and got a Raleigh R700. It's so much easier to go fast.

I might get a hybrid when I'm 60 years old.

What is your defintion of a hybrid?
Shouldn't assume that they are all the same. All "hybrids" are not the same just as "road" bikes are not all the same.
There are some that are basically roadies with straight bars that are light and fast. Then there are others that have MB gearing, do not go nearly as fast and are a bit heavier. Pick the right hybrid and you'll have a comfortable road bike.
:beer:

Originally posted by Stor Mand


What is your defintion of a hybrid?
Shouldn't assume that they are all the same. All "hybrids" are not the same just as "road" bikes are not all the same.
There are some that are basically roadies with straight bars that are light and fast. Then there are others that have MB gearing, do not go nearly as fast and are a bit heavier. Pick the right hybrid and you'll have a comfortable road bike.
:beer:

Hey take it easy. Why don't you look up and see the big picture.

Originally posted by flow2east


Hey take it easy. Why don't you look up and see the big picture.

Take it easy ... take it easy !?! Well, I .... you ... umph ... oh, nevermind. :roflmao:

Sorry if that appeared that I was upset because I wasn't. I should have put a :D or :beer: at the end.

:beer:

Flow, I don't think Stor Mand was trying to offend you. I think you have misunderstanding between hybrids vs. a road bike and he was trying to explain the difference. The R700 equipped with Ultegra is in a different class than a Coda.

Sometimes my fingers are quicker than my brain.:beer:

Originally posted by flow2east
Sometimes my fingers are quicker than my brain.:beer:
I think that's how the minds of men work :)
BTW, you got yourself a great bike! Get ready for the addiction :beer: