Hybrid Bicycles - How Did You Choose a Hybrid?

You could get a pair of tires, like Continental Gatorskins, that have a Kevlar or Vectran belt.

Around 1990, I had the same kind "everyone" had — a MTB-ish bike geared towards utility and recreation. No suspension, fairly smooth tires, rear rack, fenders, etc. Had it been faster, and with larger wheels, I'd call it a hybrid already. This was the ubiquitous model at the time, before suspension was cheap, and before aggressively threaded tires took over our pavements.

I bought a new bike in 1993, my first adult bike, and my LBS advised me to look at a hybrid model. It didn't take long for me to ditch the MTB convention and go for the smoother, faster ride of a hybrid instead.

I used that bike until three years ago. This time around, I knew exactly which kind of bike I wanted, so I went for a well-equipped Trek 7.3 FX. I'm very happy with it.

We live within riding distance to an outstanding bike trail (Little Miami River State Park A.KA. Loveland Bike Trail) and in 12 yrs have only ridden it twice.
I also need to drop some weight so the TREK "Fitness" hybrid drew me in. The TREK 7.6FX was a good fit and felt like gliding on a cloud, and very nimble. Tried a road bike but it felt uncomfortable.

She called to me from the bike racks at the LBS.
No really, I was looking for a bike that had large and small chainrings so that I could climb hills and had reasonable speed. My Diamondback Edgewood fit the bill. Her only fault is she has nowhere for a rack and has a slightly heavy aluminum frame.
Ernest

Hybrid - I knew I wanted a hybrid, since there are some lightweight trails in the Chicago area that I thought would be best with a Hybrid, so I went to a shop and chose a Giant Cypress (standard model, not the DX or ST or anything). Got it for around $359 with kickstand. Price was the biggest factor for me, and this has worked out great since the stock components are totally fine for what I will be doing - I am not going to be needing to do races or downshift while going up hills or anything. Also I don't mind doing work on the bike myself, which I of course did when I found out that the front and rear wheels were not dished correctly either from the factory or by the LBS. This is corrected now and the bike still rides nicely.

Any of you other guys with the Cypress model and have ridden mountain bikes or road bikes previously - what do you think of the weight and speed? I have a slight issue with the speed, and if its merely swapping out the set of tires in the near future I wouldn't mind doing that.

Someone else mentioned on this thread that said their Trek 7.5 hybrid was pretty fast compared to a 7.2 I think - I wonder what's so special about the Trek 7.5...

Back in '96 I had a road bike and a mountain bike. The mountain bike was the oldest and it spent 2 years in South Korea carting me all over the base and back roads around the local town. The road bike (Bridgestone RB2 Synergy) was my first LBS purchase. It performed great on some MS150 charity rides, etc. But the time came when the mountain bike just wasn't my thing anymore. I was bike commuting 27 miles r/t with the road bike but there was a lot of rough pavement that just jarred my bones. I wanted something more suited for urban cruising with occasional dirt/gravel road riding. So I sold the mtn bike and went to the LBS for options. I'd read about hybrids (new thing at the time) and fell in love with a Cannondale H300 at the LBS. One test ride for a couple miles sold me on it. Lightweight, decent components and very comfortable. I was sold. Plus it was matte black. I dubbed it "The Urban Assault Bike", partly cuz of the matte black but also cuz it was whisper quiet. I frequently freaked people out with an "on yer left". They had no clue I was even approaching. Long story short, I rode it so much I sold the road bike too! 13 years later it is still my only bike. I've done a few upgrades to it (pedals, seatpost, seat, handlebars, tires). I just did 66 miles on it this past weekend and I still smile as I ride it. Just a great bike overall!!! I'm planning to do a century with it in 2010.

trob

laid off in jan 09 and almost a senior i started walking. lately i was eyeballing my old 10 spd in a corner of the garage, but the 700c tires were long since dry rotted, i had laced 700c rims to the 27" hubs back when i got the bike. having only a one day/week part time job money was not easy to come by but a fuji appeared in the nearby dumpster with 27 wheels and good tires. they fit the 10 spd with just a brake pad adjustment. anyhow i was not all that comfortable with the drop bars. so i swapped out the drop for flat, the start of several changes.

what the heck is a hybrid? Is it a mtb with slick tires and rigid forks? Maybe it can be a road bike with chubbier tires and comfort saddle? WTF is hybrid. I don't get it.

It's a bike that does multiple things, but none of them particularly well.

My idea of a hybrid is when I put 1941 Columbia repros on a 1953 Rollfast.

It's a bike that does multiple things, but none of them particularly well.

Not true. They can make an excellent commuter, tourer, and grocery getter.

It's a bike that does multiple things, but none of them particularly well.

It's a bike that you get on and pedal and if it doesn't go forward particularly well, it's because you suck. What do you want your bike to do that you can't make it do? You might want to get a coach or something. Don't blame the bike.

It's a bike that you get on and pedal and if it doesn't go forward particularly well, it's because you suck. What do you want your bike to do that you can't make it do? You might want to get a coach or something. Don't blame the bike.

That got a smile out of me, LOL.

A properly fitting Hybrid does many things well, as you mention so often.... including, rides much better than a roadie, lets you sit more upright (if that is needed) loves MUPs, and city streets and alleys, and gets lots more people out on their bikes...... It might not be as fast as a road bike, all things considered, but it does pretty well, even better if you pump your legs more often.....

I came from roadbikes, and this one is much better for me now.

I rode regularly beginning in 1971 all through the 70s, 80s, and early 90s. It consisted of longish rides, centuries, commuting.. all done on steel "10 speeds", and I do mean 10 lol. I even owned a now classic 72 Paramount.

I sort of stopped riding in 92...increasing resposibilites at work, whatever. My inactivity eventually resulted in a stroke in 2004...which wiped out my entire right side... not to mention sense of balance.

Three months after the stroke, having suffered thru physical therapy and learning to walk, button my shirt, find my mouth with a fork, tie my shoes, etc. I attempted to ride my bike. Yes, you can forget how to ride a bike!

I gave up on my road bike (which always was a tad too big, with quick steering), and shopped around for an inexpensive mtb, which I eventually found at Dick's Sporting Goods, -- a 2004 Schwinn Mesa.. which was on sale, and I had a coupon, so I think it was right around 200 dollars.

Used the Schwinn to relearn how to ride...even took it on some singletrack....but mainly on the paved MUT's around here. I was planning to upgrade some components and put a rigid fork on it when I stopped into one of the seemingly dozens of bike shops around here, and fell in love with a Kona Dew Deluxe. (that was in 2006). My wife was with me and made me buy it!

Anyway, I have given away the Schwinn, and ride the heck out of the Kona. Still have my road bike, mainly because it was my uncle's bike (1956 Dawes.. Reynolds 531 steel). The road bike, however, is now wall art.

Twelve inches of snow on the ground.. no ride today.

Pete

My bike chose me.I was at LBS to get some parts and there it was calling my name.Im a sucker for blacked out stealth looking bikes.Its a Giant Transend without the heavy factory rack and fenders.Standard model comes that way.Never seen one anywhere around this town or on BF.LX, EX and DX models are equipped with racks, fenders etc. for commuting,and at least one model has disc brakes.I didnt need all that anyway.I couldnt pass it up,i really like the unusual frame design,it gets lots of good comments where ever i go. It rides and floats like on air,perfect fit for me.It has Touring bike type wheelbase and chain stays.Dont exactly know why they arent more common.Around same price as Trek 7.1,2's with same components,and reasonably fast.

Well, I came in thru the back door, ya see I remembered being a Novice MTB racer (NORBA) back in the mid-80's and decided I'd like to try it again so I got a top level, entry MTB from Jamis, Trail-X 3.0. Well after trying a few trail's, ect. I decided it was best to let some "dreams" die, LOL, what use to be FUN was now down right scarry at 50+ on the singletrack trails! :O

So along with my wife's more entry level Jamis Trail-X 1.0 we decided we like riding the MUPS, Rail-Trails, ect. around Colorado Springs, then we got the bug to try some, road riding, nothing like Centuries, ect. but now we want to go on "overnight or weekend" road mini-tours so we totally converted the MTB's to roadworthy hybrids and couldn't be happier!! The MTB frame and gearing is totally suited for Colorado Springs and it's outlying areas as there's a lot of hill's and even a few mountains! ;) The biggest change was from MTB straight bars with risers to the "Trekking or Butterfly" Euro tour bars, WOW, now the bike is totally comfortable on the road! Even if we ever bought road bikes they'd be "touring style", not fitness or racing, something like a "Surly LHT". Although if we win a lotto, we'd probably get "recumbant touring trikes" and still keep our "Frankenbrids" for local riding!

I was forced to own one by circumstance. While paroosing garage sales for C&V road bikes I came across a white '97 Trek multitrack 730 for 10 bucks...all it needed was tires, tubes and a good washing. Well I couldn't just leave it there, could I? It's been my trusty go to winter beater bike for over 2 years now. I've put it through more than it deserves and practically hated on it but it's tough as a rubber mallet. I'm replacing it this spring whether it needs it or not. :p

For me, I had a road bike (2006 specialized allez triple) that I LOVED riding, but my body didnt agree with the bent over position. I sold it and thought I could get away with just my mtb, but didnt ride much this summer...So in aug (09) I bought a Specialized Sirrus, just the base model. LOVE it. Comfy, just enough upright, a little more than my mtb...fast enough on the roads, yet sucks up bumps better. Because of work and the weather this fall I never go to ride much, but this spring im gonnan get back into it. It was sooo rainy this year, the nice days I wanted to get out in the kayak more than on the bike...hard to balance those two sports.

My girlfriend has a hybrid as well, a Trek 7100 wsd I bought her in 2007 when we met. She didnt have a bike! I showed her a specialized at first, they didnt have her size in stock, but she test rode the trek and she loved it... :)

For most of us near bike paths or who ride country roads, a Hybrid makes more sense. I use my mtb still on NYS erie canal pathway, but thats because I have no MTB trails and my MTB is my baby, I have more money into her than I would ever get back selling. Besides, I like working on bikes too much to only have one :D

I needed something with race geometry that could help me with outdoor riding during the winter, since I dont want to use my "vintage bikes". The bike should also be a comfortable everyday ride (and possibly commuter). My choice among the fair fleet of Crescent hybrids/sports at the time were lower end with the Acera group. It has been a pleasure owning - just minor problems but heavy beating! Honestly, best bike I ever owned.

I got back into riding a couple of years ago. I bought a department store mountain bike to replace the Raleigh MTB I gave my sons friend. Then bought t department store road bike. Although I like both bikes, I decided I wanted something nicer. I was hoping to get a Marin Portofino, but that was out of the budget. The LBS had a Fuji Crosscomp on clearance, but still out of my budget. The LBS was able to get me my Marin on clearance at a very reasonable price, that the wife was comfortable with, so that's what I got. I'm happy with it, and I'm comfortable on it. I'm sure it will get some serious miles on it this year.

About 8 years ago I rescued a 1995 schwin mountain bike out of the back of a pick-up on the way to the dump. I cleaned it up, put about $10. in parts into it and used it as my ride. I then took it out to Missouri and rode 226 miles across the state on the Katy Trail.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/katytrout
Anyway, I saw lots of hybrids on the trail and decided that I wanted one. When I got home, I went to my LBS and said that I wanted to buy a Hybrid to use for Touring. The owner of the shop was very condenscending and said that I did not know what I was talking about, that I wouldn't like a hybrid (he sold them), they weren't appropriate to touring, and he didn't want to sell me one. No kidding!!! As he was laying this on me, my wife's eyes were getting bigger and bigger, she couldn't believe that this jerk was talking to me like this!

So, I went home and phoned another bike shop. The owner said that he had exactly what I wanted and he would be glad to help me. I drove to his shop and came home with a Giant Cypress which I have since used for fully loaded tours of the Natchez Trace, the C & O Canal with the Shenandoah Valley through Virginia, I've ridden the Southern Tier from The Mississippi River to St Augustine (divided in three trips) and have ridden across North Carolina.

Now I have further modified this Cypress and have added a front Chromoly touring fork, trekking bars, front and rear fenders, front and rear racks, and other stuff. I haven't replaced any drivetrain yet, but am going to further modify it with some quality touring components.

BTW, the LBS who took his time to sell me what I wanted has since sold me 2 road bikes, 2 mountain bikes, and a comfort bike for my wife. The other guy is out of business!

That's a great story! Glad you found that other bike-shop. And glad that schnook is out-of-business. People like that give us all a black-eye.

Hi!



First post here!!!



In some way a new biker too!



Having a long biking history as a youngster, I failed to own a bike for some 20 years or so. I occasionally rode some wheels, but that’s no real biking.



I live in a city where cars heavily out-number people and if you’ ve seen any Terminator movie and really wish to live it, you can visit my town. Don’t expect laser guns to zip over your head, but terminated you shall become!



So, I have a car and go nowhere. If I do I will never be able to park again. SAD!!!



I have been using my legs big time though...


They serve me well and keep me kind of fit (Feet to keep you Fit – All Rights Reserved)…But let me tell you!


Feet just ain’ t any fun…they were never meant to be actually. Feet were designed to take you from one point to another in a slow, boring, ineffective way…did I mention BORING???



Last summer, while on vacation, a couple of friends visited our cottage by the sea. With their car. Loaded. WITH TWO MOUNTAIN BIKES!



We did use them a lot and had tremendous fun! On the road and in the forest…



So I got hooked. Several hundred hours of research later, I was so confused with all those bikes…



Not to become boring myself, one advice that I found extremely useful and that eventually led me to a Trekking bike – which I adore – was that most people who sell their mountain bikes, do so because they almost never use them in a mountain. Plain simple 90% of their riding time is spent on a road. And that’s exactly what a Hybrid bike is all about. Good for the road and still able to offer some trail joy!!!



So, here I am!



Nice to meet you ALL!