Recreational & Family - "Hybrid" vs. "Mountain Hybrid"

Hi all. I'm new to the formus and have gotten a lot of usefull information from browsing through them. I haven't been able to find much information or opinions on the Giant Sedona. Supposedly, it ranked near or at the top in many conusmer magazines. I test road one at my LBS and liked the feel of it. It is advertised as a cross between a hybrid and a mountain bike, leaning more toward the "mountain bike" side of the ledger. I also road the Trek 7100, which leans more toward the "road bike" side of the ledger. I liked it as well. Problem is I can't ride them back to back as they are at different LBSs. I'm looking for opinions on both bikes. I intend to ride mostly paved bike paths and dirt trails with an occasional joust down a "soft" mountain trail. I'll be riding with my now 10 month old daughter in a seat on the back along with my 6 year old son who is just learning to ride and wife, so speed is not really a consideration :) . I think I'd like the stability of wider tires on the Sedona, but I could also put wider tires on the Trek for those few mountain trail rides. What do you all think??

Thank in advance for your opinions!

A "mountain" hybrid will have the 26" wheels that a mountain bike has while the "road" hybrid will use the 700c (~27") wheels of a road bike. For your needs, either one will work; the road hybrid will probably be a bit faster.

I suggest you also take a look at the Trek FX, and the Giant FCR. They will have road wheels but wider, more comfy tires. They can take baby seats, racks, fenders. I think they'd be a better choice for those "soft" mountain trails, too. The front suspension of a hybrid isn't really necessary, they add weight and can rob some power from you .

The trigger shifters on the FX/FCR bikes are nicer than the grip shifters of the hybrids. If you are carrying a child, you may want to make sure you've got good brakes, too.

You can get wider tires for the "road" hybrids but I think you'll find them more than adequate.

If you have more questions, fire away. ;)

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't looked at Trek's FX series or Giant's FCR... a bit out of my price range. I decided on the Giant Sedona. After some more research, I found that the frame geometery of these two bikes (Giant Sedona and Trek 7100) are almost identical give or take a degree here and a fraction of an inch there. I assume this is has a lot to do with why they both felt so similar to ride. In the end, the Sedona felt more "right" than the Trek. Once I decided on a bike, my lbs gave me a really good deal on a DX that I couldn't pass up. The last bike I purchased was a Ross Professional road bike that I bought back in the '80s. A lot has changed since then, but all for the better... Happy cycling! :beer:

Congratulations. Always get the bike that fits better. :)

The Trek FX and Giant FCR's are quite a bit different than the Giant Sedona. While there are many stops along this path, a simple one might be seen as:

Mountain Bike - Mountain/Hybrid - Hybrid - Fitness/Hybrid - Road Bike.

The Sedona is a Mountain/Hybrid or Comfort Hybrid. Tends toward being a bit slower, heavier, but more rugged and comfortable for those who like a laidback cruising style of ride. Suspension fork for mild trail riding or smooth rides on graveled bike paths. Fatter tires.

The Trek FX and Giant FCR are more Fitness/Hybrids. Lighter, faster, more forward-leaning riding style, no suspension. Much faster on asphalt.

In between them are the more "standard" hybrids like the Trek 7x00 series and Giant Cypress. Still a comfortable, mostly upright riding position but a little more aggressive than the Sedona. A little lighter but still having a suspension fork.

Which one is best depends on what you like. If you like comfy cruising or riding on dirt trails, then you'll lean more toward the Sedona. Some people buy the Sedona and ride it for years. Others use it for a few months, find themselves riding a lot and "outgrow" the Sedona, as it can begin to feel slow and clunky.