Recreational & Family - Hybrid Question

I have an question for a friend. He is looking at a comfort/hybrid bike and is looking for a pretty much upright ride. All we got to look at today was the Giant Cypress, Giant Tran Send, and A Schwinn World. They all looked about the same frame. And when we went on line, the comfort bikes looked the same, just different names.

So, does any other brand have a comfort bike that rides upright that doesn't look like the Cypress/Nomad/World/Carmel?

Is it me, are are these the same damn frame?!?

Jerry

The Trek Navigator 2.0 and KHS TC-150 have similar looking frames, but you can tell they are different. Since most bikes come from Taiwan, it is easy to see why they all look the same. Same company builds the same bikes and puts different names on them. The KHS and the Cypress look the same to me.

Even if made by different companies, the basic frame elements are going to be similar. They are going to use a "compact geometry" that employs a sloping downtube. This design enables a wider fit range for each size. That is, they can make just a few sizes, say 15", 17.5", 20", and 22", which will fit pretty much everyone. Sometimes they get by with just 3 sizes. Makes inventorying much easier.

The frames are actually different if you look at them and their specs closely. To me the Giant Cypress and Specialized Carmel look quite different. They have very different riding geometries too, where the Cypress is more of a traditional seating position and the Carmel (and Trek Navigator) is much more relaxed. They should feel very different to you when you switch between them.

My friend was looking at a few bikes and then saw the hybrids on BD's website. I'm the one assembling it, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Has anyone been one of these? http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/motobecane_elite.htm

And it looks like its the same as the entry level Giant Cypress and others.

Any feedback is welcomed with a big thanks!

Jerry

That's not a bad bike. Seems to have reasonable quality parts on it. Not quite the deal they portray it to be. At the bottom of the page it says to compare to $695 bikes. Well, you can compare it, but it will badly lose to those bikes.

Looks like a $400-$450 bike. You'd be paying $300 and have to do some assembly. You would have no assistance in fitting the bike properly, or adjusting it, and would not have access to the typical free tuneup that most bike shops offer with new bikes. Tuneups include adjusting the derailleurs, which generally need it after the chain stretches a bit. Same can be true for the brakes when the brake cable stretches after some use.

If you know your size and know how to set up and adjust a bike, then it would be a decent deal.

It looks more like a standard hybrid, or at least a hybrid/comfort cross, to me than a comfort bike like the Giant Cypress. The seat isn't relaxed as far as most comfort bikes and it has a rigid fork. More akin to something like the Specialized Glove Vienna 1:
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=38415

Or Raleigh Detour 4.5 (which was on sale last week for $382)
http://www.rei.com/product/784385?cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-784385&mr:trackingCode=1647D5C0-521A-DE11-B4E3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

I was looking at the Carmels too but ended up going with the Glove Vienna. I liked the seating position a little better, not as upright but still comfortable. I also like the look of the frame better. Lot's of models to choose from in the Vienna line. Have your buddy check them out. I added a different handlebar holder which is adjustable and allows me to sit even more upright. Nice bikes.

Thanks Tom.

My buddy just ordered one so I should have a decent review in about a week.

Jerry