Living Car Free - Hybrids are dorky

Hybrids are easily the most unattractive, most unfashionable bikes in existence at the moment. Many of them are very poorly made, they tend to be a bit slow, you can't take them offroad, really, and even the good ones are sort of ugly. If you ride a hybrid, you know that roadies will view you with utter disdain, cool urban fixie-riders will be more polite and pretend you're not there, more because of your attire than because of your bike, and mountain bike riders will blow past you in their SUVs on their way to, well, the mountains. A hybrid rider is clearly at the bottom of the (ill-defined) bicyclists' social hierarchy.

The thing is, hybrids are possbily the most practical car-free invention ever, at least in urban environments. You can put fenders and racks on them, and do no significant damage to their performance. They're not as fast as a road bike, but on pavement anyway, much faster than a mountain bike. If you buy one with a good frame, they're indestructable. You can mange steep hills on them, even if you're old and fat- try that on a fixie. They're a lot cheaper, and a lot lighter, than one of those nice Dutch bikes. Finally- and this is not insignificant- no one will steal it. If you're going to the store, or the pub, in other words, if you're using your bike as urban transportation rather than making a statement or amusing yourself, they're just right.

I have two, one for winter and one for summer, and I agree they're great! I even tour on my summer hybrid, because that's what I have, duh. Touring with a hybrid has so far been nice enough not to start looking around for a "real" touring bike.

Sadly though, the "no one will steal it" -part is incorrect where I live. They get stolen just like any other bikes.

--J

About town they are ok. Local errands, etc. I have one and use it. Don't think its ever strayed more than 10 miles from town. For distance, I like riding in the drops.

I think I'll agree with your paragraph, but not so much on your second. I believe that, for the uses hybrids are actually intended for (viz. roads/paths, not offroad) one can do much better on a relaxed geometry, appropriately geared road bike. And even with an old race geometry road bike, one can fiddle with stems and seatposts to make a good commuter or weekend runabout. Even a serious racing bike can take mud guards of one sort or another.

I do have a 'hybrid' myself, but really the moniker is just a guise for a cheap bike with poor componentry and frame. But then I got it for free when my company cleared out its bike racks. The 'no one will steal it' plan probably can't be completely relied upon, but I'd lament its loss less.

I have two, one for winter and one for summer, and I agree they're great! I even tour on my summer hybrid, because that's what I have, duh. Touring with a hybrid has so far been nice enough not to start looking around for a "real" touring bike.

Sadly though, the "no one will steal it" -part is incorrect where I live. They get stolen just like any other bikes.

--J

Around here if it is has wheels....it will get stolen, even a rusty old POS Huffy 3 speed.

Aaron:)

I ride a mountain bike converted to what you could call a wacky sort of hybrid. It's uglier than a purpose-built hybrid (guaranteed!) but I love it.

Hybrids are easily the most unattractive, most unfashionable bikes in existence at the moment. If you ride a hybrid, you know that roadies will view you with utter disdain, cool urban fixie-riders will be more polite and pretend you're not there, more because of your attire than because of your bike, and mountain bike riders will blow past you in their SUVs on their way to, well, the mountains. A hybrid rider is clearly at the bottom of the (ill-defined) bicyclists' social hierarchy.

:rolleyes:

Hybrids are easily the most unattractive, most unfashionable bikes in existence at the moment. Many of them are very poorly made, they tend to be a bit slow, you can't take them offroad, really, and even the good ones are sort of ugly. If you ride a hybrid, you know that roadies will view you with utter disdain, cool urban fixie-riders will be more polite and pretend you're not there, more because of your attire than because of your bike, and mountain bike riders will blow past you in their SUVs on their way to, well, the mountains. A hybrid rider is clearly at the bottom of the (ill-defined) bicyclists' social hierarchy.

It can be argued hybrids and their riders are at the top of the social hierarchy. No one would ever mistake us for a bike messenger, for instance, or for those sorry 'posengers' who ride fixies because they are 'in'. And why would we want to be one of those silly people who get bikes that can't carry anything, bikes that need to be driven 25 miles to be ridden 25 miles? As for mountain bikes and their riders, they don't ride in the same areas we do, so their off-road machines can't be compared to our performance multi-task bike. As for some hybrids being poorly made, the same statement could be made about any type of bike. Remember the Tour de France, and the carbon-fiber wonderbike that fell apart when it hit a dog?

Neil, proud rider of a Trek 7.5 fx.

Well, in the spirit of "one upmanship", I will suggest that folding bikes are even less attractive, and more convenient, and so on. And the disdain one gets from roadies is... well... look at it this way: if you're on a folding bike, even the guy on the hybrid ignores you.

I think my hybrid (Trek 7500) looks pretty cool although I am pretty dorky.

:D

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/7500mxb.jpg

It can be argued hybrids and their riders are at the top of the social hierarchy. No one would ever mistake us for a bike messenger, for instance, or for those sorry 'posengers' who ride fixies because they are 'in'. And why would we want to be one of those silly people who get bikes that can't carry anything, bikes that need to be driven 25 miles to be ridden 25 miles? .
I bet the average net worth of a top line hybrid owner exceeds the average net worth of a high end road bike owner. More of the former are gainfully employed part time riders who don't ride enough to become fanatics.

Finally- and this is not insignificant- no one will steal it.

Nope. Wrong. My 2006 Giant Cypress DX was stolen earlier this month.

It was locked inside my storage locker in the locked basement of my building. Before you ask, the storage locker has solid walls you can't see through, and it was locked. So we have locked bike, in locked locker, in locked basement. Gone.

They took the bike (complete with lights, cyclometer, Incredibell, clipless pedals, rack and fenders) and my box of spare parts. They left behind the spare wheelset and four tires for my roadie. I guess they didn't want that sissy skinny-tire stuff.

My roadie and my commuter rig sleep in my living room and are fine.

I have to put my two cents worth on this one, since I own a hybrid myself. I have hardly rode mine, not because of looks, but because of a small disagreement I had with a Chevette (Shoveit) on aforementioned hybrid my senior year in college. Saw the world spinning round, didn't hit my head on the ground, but did break my right wrist. Afterwards, riding caused pain in my wrist and where I was living and working the past 12 years didn't give me much time to ride. Having said that, I still love my hybrid and hope to revive it starting this year.

As for the argument that hybrids are "dorky", I have heard a similar argument about another bike: the Sportster (I own one of those, too). Point being, if it's got two wheels and it works for you, who gives a flying rat's butt what other people think? If you enjoy it, get saddle time and silently snicker at the nay-sayers, then great. If you're more worried about what people think when they see you, well, that's the definition of a "poser" in my book.

Ride what you love, love what you ride. :)

The thing is, hybrids are possbily the most practical car-free invention ever, at least in urban environments. You can put fenders and racks on them, and do no significant damage to their performance. They're not as fast as a road bike, but on pavement anyway, much faster than a mountain bike. If you buy one with a good frame, they're indestructable. You can mange steep hills on them, even if you're old and fat- try that on a fixie. They're a lot cheaper, and a lot lighter, than one of those nice Dutch bikes. Finally- and this is not insignificant- no one will steal it. If you're going to the store, or the pub, in other words, if you're using your bike as urban transportation rather than making a statement or amusing yourself, they're just right.
Exactly.

My hybrid isn't as fast or as pretty as my road bike, but its set up with everything I need to commute and the tires are just wide enough, but not too wide. I have a Trek 7.2FX and if I could only keep one bike :eek: I would have to keep this one, because I ride it the most.

I have been considering the idea of putting a rack on my peugoet so that might give the trek some competition.

Hybrids are easily the most unattractive, most unfashionable bikes in existence at the moment.

I couldn't disagree more! Look at that beautiful beast! Graceful, elegant, quick and agile. I love her. :love:

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/02/images/large/rw900_02.jpg

Nice ride, Haunted.

I can't say I agree with much of anything about that rant...

I love my hybrid too. It's good for commuting to work, grocery trips, fun trips with a kid on the freeloader, or any other trip I am likely to make. They also seem to be relatively popular here.

I bet the average net worth of a top line hybrid owner exceeds the average net worth of a high end road bike owner. More of the former are gainfully employed part time riders who don't ride enough to become fanatics.

to build off that, the hybrid owners might even be better cyclists!! I used to go down to the local MUP on my 35 pound hybrid (wearing basketball shorts, running shoes, and a cotton t-shirt) and dust all those fools riding high end carbon bikes and dressed like superheroes.
a lot of people buy nice bikes to cover up for their lack of a powerful engine. those with hybrids often have great engines and therefore have nothing to compensate for.

alas, I now have a surly LHT, which at leasts looks like a road bike and doesn't give me quite the ego trip I got on the hybrid. The other advantages of the surly greatly outweight this one disadvantage though, and I am very happy with my purchase.

I couldn't disagree more! Look at that beautiful beast! Graceful, elegant, quick and agile. I love her. :love:

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/02/images/large/rw900_02.jpg

Very nice looking bike.
IMO I consider it a comfort road/commuter bike with flat bars rather than the typical hybrid.

It can be argued hybrids and their riders are at the top of the social hierarchy. No one would ever mistake us for a bike messenger, for instance, or for those sorry 'posengers' who ride fixies because they are 'in'. And why would we want to be one of those silly people who get bikes that can't carry anything, bikes that need to be driven 25 miles to be ridden 25 miles? As for mountain bikes and their riders, they don't ride in the same areas we do, so their off-road machines can't be compared to our performance multi-task bike. As for some hybrids being poorly made, the same statement could be made about any type of bike. Remember the Tour de France, and the carbon-fiber wonderbike that fell apart when it hit a dog?

Neil, proud rider of a Trek 7.5 fx.
Hehe have to agree with that. :p

:rolleyes:

Well, yes, there's always that. I actually got my hybrid -the only bike I own, used, $75, and a tough bike, too- because I was newly car-free and got tired of walking. It was a good compromise between wanting to live a bit more lightly and having to get to work on time. It was only later, when I started encountering other cyclists, that I discovered the odd, somewhat silly balkanization of the cycling community. Personally, I don't believe you should ever judge someone based on what they have, and that includes their bike, but I'm not very surprised that it turns out this way.

Well, in the spirit of "one upmanship", I will suggest that folding bikes are even less attractive, and more convenient, and so on. And the disdain one gets from roadies is... well... look at it this way: if you're on a folding bike, even the guy on the hybrid ignores you.

Trust me, the guy on the hybrid ignores no one; he's thrilled just to have someone to talk to.

I'm thinking about getting a folding bike for travel use (planes, boats); any suggestions?

Trust me, the guy on the hybrid ignores no one; he's thrilled just to have someone to talk to.

I'm thinking about getting a folding bike for travel use (planes, boats); any suggestions?

Depending on your budget...I would suggest Brompton or Bike Friday. I have been researching for the past year and trying various bikes. The Brommie is my first choice. Expensive but from what I can tell well worth it in the long run. If you are below 6' in height and not over 200# you probably can get a way with a Dahon or Downtube. Those are less expensive than the Brompton but this is one of those cases where I feel you get what you pay for.

As far as Hybrids are concerned...what constitutes a true hybrid? I have an aluminum framed, upright bike with 700c wheels that was sold as a Trekking bike in Germany, I have a steel framed former MTB that has skinny 26" wheels and butterfly bars on it set up for expedition touring. I have another steel framed bike with 700c wheels on it that used to have flat bars that now has drops on it...does that automatically make it a roadie (actually a tour bike because of the racks, fenders and lights)? To me a bicycle is a bicycle and as long as it is being ridden it is a good bicycle;)

Aaron:)

I'm thinking about getting a folding bike for travel use (planes, boats); any suggestions?

Check out the folding bike forum! There must be a hundred threads there with exactly your question, always answered somewhat differently. The basic principle is that you have to sacrifice some 'big bike' characteristics to get a bike that folds, and you have to sacrifice more to get a bike that folds small. So figure out how small you need your bike to fold, and go from there. The bike I fold up to take on a train two or more times a day is probably not the same bike you might pack up in a suitcase for a trip to Maui or something.

With all due respect to Aaron, I don't like Bromptons. They seem overpriced and sluggish, and though they fold up pretty well, they're not that easy to deal with once they're folded.

Well, yes, there's always that. I actually got my hybrid -the only bike I own, used, $75, and a tough bike, too- because I was newly car-free and got tired of walking. It was a good compromise between wanting to live a bit more lightly and having to get to work on time. It was only later, when I started encountering other cyclists, that I discovered the odd, somewhat silly balkanization of the cycling community. Personally, I don't believe you should ever judge someone based on what they have, and that includes their bike, but I'm not very surprised that it turns out this way.

It's only certain elements in the cycling community. Roadies are often rude because they are roadies, and fixie riders because they are posengers.

If you ride a hybrid, you know that roadies will view you with utter disdain, cool urban fixie-riders will be more polite and pretend you're not there, more because of your attire than because of your bike, and mountain bike riders will blow past you in their SUVs on their way to, well, the mountains. A hybrid rider is clearly at the bottom of the (ill-defined) bicyclists' social hierarchy.

Well, who cares? And I doubt that most people who ride a "hybrid" [I keep one at my office] care either :)

It's only certain elements in the cycling community. Roadies are often rude because they are roadies, and fixie riders because they are posengers.

Sometimes I smell a bit of reverse snobbery in the cycling community. Doesn't the "hybrid dork" look down his nose a little at the roadies and fixies? To him/her, other cyclists seem frivolous and gullible to to the claims of marketers. To go one further, a guy on a Walmart bike with milk crate and boom box looks down on the hybrid riders because, compared to him, they're weight weenies and poseurs.

Sometimes I think the best way to tell what kind of cyclist you are is not to look at the bike you ride, but which subforums at Bikeforums you spend the most time on. Hmmm... Might make an interesting thread!

hybrids are possbily the most practical car-free invention ever,

Only if your alternative is some ultra-specialized, overpriced bike for the American extreme sports market. Which most of the alternatives are for US riders.

The most practical car-free invention ever is the English three speed or the Dutch bike.


A hybrid rider is clearly at the bottom of the (ill-defined) bicyclists' social hierarchy.

Not even close. I'm way, way below a hybrid rider. I ride wearing street clothes and have a big brass bell. Though in truth the hard-core "cyclists" I've run into from out of state have been interested in my rig. I don't think the cycling world is half as exclusive and fashion-obsessed as the LBS clerks would lead one to believe.

For example, last time I did a long winter ride I found myself with a second flat near the south end of town with no more spares. There was a local shop nearby, but it was the UBER cool one for the real ultimate power mountain biking crowd. I shuddered to think what they would make of my dorkified Kona with its leather seat, racks, bells and so on. They couldn't have been nicer, and were very interested in the rig.

The most practical car-free invention ever is the English three speed or the Dutch bike.

A rigid mountain bike is pretty practical too. So is a pair of New Balance all-terrain running shoes.

;)

Doesn't the "hybrid dork" look down his nose a little at the roadies and fixies? To him/her, other cyclists seem frivolous and gullible to to the claims of marketers. To go one further, a guy on a Walmart bike with milk crate and boom box looks down on the hybrid riders because, compared to him, they're weight weenies and poseurs.
Sure! For Good Reason! Because it's the God's Truth, doncha know.;)

Sure! For Good Reason! Because it's the God's Truth, doncha know.;)

Hey! Good to have you back old fella!

I haven't had anybody on my Ignore list in a long time.

:D

The most practical car-free invention ever is the English three speed or the Dutch bike.

Yea.

We should make everything weigh twice what it needs to. Hey... maybe old bikes and modern cars have more in common than I realized.

I don't care what you ride, as long as you are riding something. Down here in the deep south where you rarely see people on bikes it's always good to see someone on a bike besides yourself. I wave to every biker I see. My weekly wave total usually comes to about 2!!

If you want to convince people to ride their bikes more, come down south and try your hand here. It's tough. People are conscious but really stubborn. If anyone holds back the public opinion on alternative transportation means, it would have to be the south.

If anyone holds back the public opinion on alternative transportation means, it would have to be the south.
Seriously. Even though Durham's got a pretty decent cycling "culture," my co-workers still tease me for riding my bike to work. I also know a few native southerners who refer to the bus as the "welfare wagon."

I like some hybrids, particularly the racier ones that are more like flat-bar 'cross bikes than anything else.

I heard someone down here say, "Bikes are for children and poor people who can't afford a car."

Well at least biking makes me feel like a kid. Yes, I am in college, so I am poor and can't afford a car; actually I don't even want one.

I heard someone down here say, "Bikes are for children and poor people who can't afford a car."

Well at least biking makes me feel like a kid. Yes, I am in college, so I am poor and can't afford a car; actually I don't even want one.

My bike's worth more than a lot of cars around here:D

Yea.

We should make everything weigh twice what it needs to. Hey... maybe old bikes and modern cars have more in common than I realized.

And antique cars and modern bikes also have a lot in common - the owner is expected to tinker with them constantly, they get flat tires every month or so, have exposed drivetrains that rip your clothing, lack headlights and fenders, and require that you dress up to use them.

Paul
(Who has a Crossroads hybrid in his bike stable, feels that hybrids are miserably impractical for transportation, but loves them anyway because his Crossroads got him riding to work.)

I prefer and own a hybrid with no suspension fork. I modified the handlebars because I like the old English 3-speed type handlebars. I added racks, fenders, head and tail lights, bottle cages, better tires, better rear wheel. (Translate that to mean it arrived with a few things missing...)

On the plus side: the hybrid is very customizable; mostly comfortable; does a lot of jobs reasonably well; is pretty cheap.

On the minus side: parts are pretty much at the bottom of the food chain.

Dorky?

Modern Hybrids are really just a soft melding of a cruiser, a mtn. bike and a touring bike, from the pics above I would hardly call all of them dorky. Sure, there are a few Hybrid bikes that have been modified with 10 inch tall stems and a seat that looks like it has something to do with hemroid relief but actually, I think that recumbents riders typically get the extreme dork awards. Wether they are smoking fast, slow as snot, old or young, a recumbent rider truely puts up with a whole lot more 'DORK' slack than any other rider.

I really like my hybrid winter commuter, definitely a cushy ride, though it's not as durable as I would like it, and there's going to be a purchase to be made to a more durable version before next winter hits. My summer commuter was billed as a hybrid, but as far as I'm concerned it's basically a flat bar road bike, not as comfortable as the winter hybrid, but it's much faster and nimbler.

Only if your alternative is some ultra-specialized, overpriced bike for the American extreme sports market. Which most of the alternatives are for US riders.

The most practical car-free invention ever is the English three speed or the Dutch bike.

I respectfully disagree. The English three speeds, or for that matter any of the Dutch bikes I've seen, while utterly beautiful and a wonderful ride, have some significant disadvantages:

1. They're not geared for cities with hills, like Seattle, SF, or Portland. This is not quite true for the dutch bikes, but even an average Kona hybrid with derailleuer gears can still do wonders on steep hills compared to a Dutch bike with an internal hub. (Yes, I speak from personal experience.)

2. They're a lot heavier than Hybrids. (This becomes important if you're hauling beer or tools, especially on the aforementioned hills.)

3. In the case of Dutch bikes, they're prohibitively expensive. I love Dutch bikes in particular, but if I can get a perfectly good hybrid (good frame, good components) for less than half the the cost of a Dutch bike, there's no way I'm getting the Dutch bike unless someone gives it to me.

It seems that some hybrids are basically mountain bikes with 700c skinny(ish) tires. Others are basically road bikes with MTB handlebars and brakes. Still others are stripped down cruisers or comfort bikes. It's hard to make sweeping statements about a product that doesn't have a real identity.

I respectfully disagree. The English three speeds, or for that matter any of the Dutch bikes I've seen, while utterly beautiful and a wonderful ride, have some significant disadvantages:

1. They're not geared for cities with hills, like Seattle, SF, or Portland. This is not quite true for the dutch bikes, but even an average Kona hybrid with derailleuer gears can still do wonders on steep hills compared to a Dutch bike with an internal hub. (Yes, I speak from personal experience.)

2. They're a lot heavier than Hybrids. (This becomes important if you're hauling beer or tools, especially on the aforementioned hills.)

3. In the case of Dutch bikes, they're prohibitively expensive. I love Dutch bikes in particular, but if I can get a perfectly good hybrid (good frame, good components) for less than half the the cost of a Dutch bike, there's no way I'm getting the Dutch bike unless someone gives it to me.

I'd agree, except for the part about hauling beer. I have an old Norwiegan (much cooler than a Dutch bike 'cause it's from Norway) City bike that can haul an entire case and even more (YAY!). Eliminate the hills and they're great bikes; around much of RVA, an English three speed works fine for plowing about the city. Hills and terrain are certainly an important variable in choosing a bike, though.

And antique cars and modern bikes also have a lot in common - the owner is expected to tinker with them constantly, they get flat tires every month or so, have exposed drivetrains that rip your clothing, lack headlights and fenders, and require that you dress up to use them.

Paul
(Who has a Crossroads hybrid in his bike stable, feels that hybrids are miserably impractical for transportation, but loves them anyway because his Crossroads got him riding to work.)

OK- so what is more practical and cost-effective than a hybrid? BTW, I almost never have to tinker with my bike (90's vintage Diamondback Lakeside).

Paul
(Who has a Crossroads hybrid in his bike stable, feels that hybrids are miserably impractical for transportation, but loves them anyway because his Crossroads got him riding to work.)
My wife and I got started back riding on Crossroads (circa 1995). We have much better bikes in the garage now but we maintain the Crossroads because they are good for rides down to the Mall (DC) where we can chain them up without much concern. Also good for loaners to guests. We are taking them on a trip to Key West in a few weeks. Why risk an expensive bike.

There was a local shop nearby, but it was the UBER cool one for the real ultimate power mountain biking crowd. I shuddered to think what they would make of my dorkified Kona with its leather seat, racks, bells and so on. They couldn't have been nicer, and were very interested in the rig.

Maybe they think you've gone so far over on the "dorky" spectrum that you came to the other side.

For example, last time I did a long winter ride I found myself with a second flat near the south end of town with no more spares. There was a local shop nearby, but it was the UBER cool one for the real ultimate power mountain biking crowd. I shuddered to think what they would make of my dorkified Kona with its leather seat, racks, bells and so on. They couldn't have been nicer, and were very interested in the rig.

We're not roadies;)