Hybrid Bicycles - How much slower will a hybrid be compare to a drop bar road bike?

I'm currently riding a Specialized Allez drop bar road bike. I would like to buy a fast fitness hybrid such as a Trek FX or Specialized Sirrus. If I go with the 7.7FX or Sirrus Expert, it will be almost identical in weight and components. I'm just wondering how much slower the hybrid will be compare to my drop bar Allez? I realize hybrids are more upright and wind will be a factor.

I would like to hear from folks who have both a drop bar road bike and a hybrid with similar weight and setup. I average 18mph on my Allez drop bar, can I get at least 16mph on a fast hybrid. Any suggest between the 7.7FX or Sirrus Expert.

I have an FX 7.2 and I average around 16 mph on my commute each way about 10 miles. You certainly can get aero on a hybrid, I use aero bars on mine personally & there are other options. The bigger difference is more gearing than anything else. Hybrids are more of a workhorse with the ability to mount racks & fenders easily. The only factors changing your average speed might be the wt of the bike and how aero you decide to make it. It will be the top end that will be noticeably different.

my hybrid is as fast or faster than my road bikes but it wasn't until I swapped these items.

drop bars
steerer tube extender
high pressure narrow road tires
real road saddle
tightened the front fork

it is now a road bike but sometimes gets a double take from the roadies I pass

the hybrid was comfortable but it was frustrating being passed by people on road bikes, even petite women would pass me and it pissed me off. I was clearly on the wrong kind of bike.

I suggest you test ride a hybrid for a day - rent one - and then see if you even want this kind of bike. also, what about your allez do you not care for? you know if it's the body position you can raise your bars with a steerer tube extender for a more relaxed position. you'll still be bent over in the drops but it will be more comfortable. I raise the bars on all my road bikes. it's amazing what 3"-5" will do for comfort and you wont sacrifice any speed.

everything about a (stock) hybrid makes it slow, really slow

It's the engine.
Road bikes will generally be faster due to gearing, aero positions and generally lighter components.

Work on the engine. I am not finess geek, but for exercise as OP mention, I don't know ultimate speed is required. What you want is vary the amount of speed and manage VoX.

if you are me....
no slower at all, and with my nice new bike, i got faster still.





keep in mind i was never that fast in the first place.....

Regardless of actual speed variations between different bikes/configurations - a good hybrid will give one the impression of great speed. A Trek 7.7 FX IS a very fast hybrid. Unless you run marked courses with a timer, the difference will likely be negligible between your road-bike and hybrid.

About 12mph slower. Its a fact of physics.

The main reason for a fast hybrid is for kicking around the city and running errands. The only time I ride my Allez is on longer weekend rides usually 20+ miles. I want to ride more casually with jeans and tennis shoes. I'm planning to install some campus pedal like the Shimano PD-M324. Probably will install fenders and rack as well. I really like to go fast, thats why I'm looking at the 7.7FX or Sirrus comp/pro. Any suggestion on a fast flat bar fitness/commuter bike? I know its a lot of money to spend on a hybrid, but I don't want to regret buying something cheaper and a few months later wanting something more.

I'm currently riding a Specialized Allez drop bar road bike. I would like to buy a fast fitness hybrid such as a Trek FX or Specialized Sirrus. If I go with the 7.7FX or Sirrus Expert, it will be almost identical in weight and components. I'm just wondering how much slower the hybrid will be compare to my drop bar Allez? I realize hybrids are more upright and wind will be a factor.

I would like to hear from folks who have both a drop bar road bike and a hybrid with similar weight and setup. I average 18mph on my Allez drop bar, can I get at least 16mph on a fast hybrid. Any suggest between the 7.7FX or Sirrus Expert.

I can give you a comparison. I had been riding a Cannondale full suspension MTB hybridized with bigger chainrings, narrow smooth tires.Then I acquired a new road bike. On our local veloway -- ideal conditions for the road bike -- the road bike was good for a several lap average speed of about 16.8 MPH as opposed to about 15 with the Cannondale. A huge amount if you are racing, less if you are riding solo for fun.

Speedometers calibration on both bikes was verified by GPS.

I say ride whatever you enjoy the most.

Don in Austin

I wonder how much difference there is between the upright position of a flat bar hybrid versus a being on tops or on the hoods on a road bike. I expect that it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and even within one manufacturer. The major difference is the wind resistance from being upright rather than on the drops and that will become more of a factor at speeds over say 16 mph.
I have a Trek 2100 which is excellent on trails but about 1 mph slower on the road than my Giant FCR2 (now Rapid) which should be sold as a flat bar road bike. I have 35 mm tires on the Trek and 28 mm on the Giant. Both have bar extenders, neither has aerobars. I must admit the Trek feels heavy and clumsy compared to the Giant, but I was surprised that the speed over 60 miles was not that much different.

I think OP may want to venture into the Road Bike section. I read some folks hit 30mph on flat areas. :innocent:

If you set it up with the bars three or four inches lower than the saddle, it will be faster than your road bike. More like a time trial set up. Perfect for the short rides you are describing. Nothing like running errands with a drag racer. :thumb:

For longer rides, you probably want to continue using drop bars which allow a more upright option, holding the top of the handlebars. :)

I primarily ride a road bike. I bought a hybrid about 15 years ago put fenders and racks on it for use as a utility bike. I have used it on trails, dirt roads and in heavily urban areas. Got some bar ends and mounted them inboard toward the stem to give me a aero hand position. I'm thinking about getting rid of the grip shifts and putting dropbars and bar end shifters on it.

It can still go pretty quick if you can make it go. I had it in Atlanta in '96 and rode the Olympic road course with it prior to the race. Hung with the Columbian team for a couple of miles. They thought I was pretty funny on that rig and of course they were just cruising but still, I thought it served me pretty well.

Can you tell me what does a 7.7FX or Sirrus Expert weigh?

I can easily hit 30mph on down hill and flats with the Trek FX 7.2 but that is its limit for the most part. The gearing is not going to let you run as fast as a road bike on the flats but you will be able to drop them on the grades. Hybrids are a utility bike for the most part. Not a sports car but not a truck either if you know what I mean.

My Sirrus has very tall gearing--11x48 high, I think? With that, my speed really just depends on aerodynamics and the strength of my legs. On a downhill, weight (rider+bike) isn't such a factor; on flatter terrain, it is.

I've had my Sirrus up to about 40-41 mph, downhill*. I'm not in excellent shape (though not in bad shape). I have drop bars on it. The wind may have been in my favor that day, but I can't remember.

(* on Rt. 9W, northbound, on the hill from the state line down to the 4-corners in Palisades. Yes, I know, there are bigger hills further north on 9W!)

I went to my LBS and test rode the Trek 7.7fx and I have to say its pretty dang fast. It feels almost as fast as my Allez road bike. It feels really good and alot less stain on my back. My conclusion after a 20 mins test ride is that I will not notice much a speed different under 15mph.

That was my conclusion as well. I have dueling Cateye computers on both my road-bike and my hybrid. I tricked out my hybrid with a 53T large chainring - Ultegra triple - and the difference in speeds of each narrowed considerably. Is the road-bike faster? Yes - but not by much.

^ I bet if you shave your legs and wear spandex, your speed will match a roadie. :)

Can't wait to test out the Specialize Sirrus for comparison. Hope to make the decision before spring. Any other fast hybrid suggestions? I should start looking in Craiglist for a used one, but I'm sure it will be hard to fine. 7.5FX-7.7FX or Sirrus Expert-Pro.

I ride a Specialized Sirrus and it is great for errands, commuting and hard workouts. I have
ridden and kept up with road bikes as long as the riders were in the same physical condition as me.
I can go about 22 MPH on flat ground at peak speed. I don't know how much faster I want to go
at 55 years old. It is a great all-around bike and it was faster than the trek 7.3 I tried 2 years ago
when I purchased. On long rides your hands can get numb

mymxv - it must have been the right size for you; fitted well and have high pressure road tires. I found going from fat wide low pressure hybrid tires to real road tires made a huge difference. you know guys, you can use whatever kind of bar you like and adjust it's height anywhere you like. just sayin'

anyway - it's always a good idea to get another bike! :-)

I have an ancient Trek 1000 road bike and a newer 7200FX hybrid. The road bike is always faster even if the hybrid bars are low (steerer tube stackers are gone) with my elbows on the bars, compared to riding the tops on the roadie. The chunky wheels with fat rubber sure does not help speed either.

But the hybrid speed does not matter. My two bikes complement each other. The road bike comes out for faster training runs, and the hybrid is for utility and slower training runs.

The hybrids you are looking at have similar level components to your Allez. If you want a more upright position, replacing the Allez, then go ahead and pull the trigger without worrying so much about speed.

Can you tell me what does a 7.7FX or Sirrus Expert weigh?

I would guess the stock 7.7 is about 21-22lbs. My 7.5 was 23.43lbs stock and the 7.7 has a better (and I assume lighter) wheelset and road components.

In terms of a hybrid vs. road bike speed comparison: I averaged 18.5mph over a particular 35mile course in Chicago on my 7.5FX. On my Felt S22 TT bike I averaged 19.8mph over the same course in similar conditions. That is a material difference to me.

Cheers,
Matt

I started with a road/trail tired 27 speed 08' Motobecane Hybrid, then bought an 81' Raleigh Competition GS/Campy road bike...and then I bought an 86' Miyata 710/Shimano Light Action road bike. In succession all were faster than the previous bike.

It was a backwards way of learning about bikes but made me realize how much difference a tire/bike shape/components makes.

I am not clocking for speed on my Hybrid nor should anyone plan on getting on one to be fast.
I ride my Hybrid for leisure/trail riding and I like the gear shifters right there on the handlebars so much I bought a 92' Miyata Triplecross with 700 x 35 tires. It flys like nobody's business and is my favorite bike to ride. Talk about confusing.

The Miyata/Shimano bikes did make me realize it is hard to go back on a bike with lesser components.

I know these are older bikes...and I have to ask...are the newer bikes and components of the day like the Felts/LOOKs/Specialized etc. that much better than the Miyata/Shimano combinations??

I would guess the stock 7.7 is about 21-22lbs. My 7.5 was 23.43lbs stock and the 7.7 has a better (and I assume lighter) wheelset and road components.

In terms of a hybrid vs. road bike speed comparison: I averaged 18.5mph over a particular 35mile course in Chicago on my 7.5FX. On my Felt S22 TT bike I averaged 19.8mph over the same course in similar conditions. That is a material difference to me.

Cheers,
Matt

Thanks Matty, as a really old guy I need all of the help that I can get. 21-22 lbs wont help much. Probably I'll stick to my flat bar Trek 400.

Last Analysis: A Hybrid is NOT supposed to be as quick as a road-bike. Hybrids come in fast and slower. Look at the 7000 series Trek hybrids for examples of not-so-fast. And the 7.X series for faster hybrids. Check the difference in tires, components, geometry, etc.

If you want the fastest bike - buy a road-bike. Ride & Enjoy! But if you want a hybrid - get one that suits your taste and desire. Lordy!

If you want the fastest bike - buy a road-bike. Ride & Enjoy! But if you want a hybrid - get one that suits your taste and desire. Lordy!

What do you do if you already have a road bike? What do you do if you only want information? Maybe some of us have a lot of bikes and intend to get more but want some opinions from others first.

that's fine. ignore the critics :-)

riding in jeans and tennis shoes? that's exactly the reason i went for my trek fx 7.7 rather than a road bike. i wanted to ride comfortably and quickly - i dont own any biking gear/clothes/shoes. i simply wanted to have a really fast ride for some non-pro exercise.

on flats, i've gotten the 7.7 to over 25mph easily. that number comes down very fast once you stop peddling bc of the upright position but it's still a lot of fun to ride. definitely take a higher-end trek fx (7.5-7.7) on a quick test ride before you buy.

the other reason i went for a hybrid over a road bike - riding on nyc streets. i feel like my neck would get crampled if im in the aero/tuck position... i know you can ride out of the drops but still, i wanted something more upright and comfortable.

ps - the 7.7 comes with 28mm tires stock. im considering going to 25mm this season....

Interesting points all round.

If I may, it was '95 when I got my trek 750, which is a true hybrid compared to today's flat barred road bikes. Even though I'd swapped over to drops and barcons, I was still at a geared disadvantage with a 22-32-42 crankset. Yet my avg speed was still round 16, so I could still hang on most club rides (unless the pace really ramped up) and maxed out in the low 20's.

This set up was great for commuting with a leaning toward touring where speed was a nonissue. However, speed has become an issue and between my 750 (since upgraded to 42-52 I think), my fixies and new roadie (which all weight about the same and share many gears) I have increased my avg speed by up to 5 mph (finishing 2 centurys in 5 hrs).

So I would say that where as aerodynamics are a factor as are gearing (which is affected by tire size) the greatest factors are engine and technique. Today's hybrids fall, as I think was already mentioned, fast and slow. Either you are looking at a flat bar roadie or an upright comfortable city bike and 16 is 16 on any bike.

sorry for the ramble, hope I made my point.

good point - flat bar road bike is different than a hybrid and lets not even start talking about "comfort" bikes! hahaha what the heck are those anyway?

good point - flat bar road bike is different than a hybrid and lets not even start talking about "comfort" bikes! hahaha what the heck are those anyway?

Comfort-bike: Springs in the saddle - which is also wider than saddles found on road-bikes. Often also has a heavier frame. Or something like this. It's all marketing-hype to appeal to the customer.

the other reason i went for a hybrid over a road bike - riding on nyc streets. i feel like my neck would get crampled if im in the aero/tuck position... i know you can ride out of the drops but still, i wanted something more upright and comfortable.

ps - the 7.7 comes with 28mm tires stock. im considering going to 25mm this season....

The drop bar on road bikes provide a multitude of hand/arm positions that is superior to the flatbars of a hybrid. You do not need to always be in a tuck aero position in a road bike. You can rest on the hoods or putt along on the flats like a typical hybrid rider if you like. It is call OPTIONS. :)
When the road opens up and when you feel up to it, just get down on the drops. It's quite nice to have that option. ;)

I don't think you guys need to justify. Just enjoy the ride. I have a hybrid and a road bike. I enjoy both equally. n+1 baby!!!

Or you can be like me and raise the bars high enough that the drops are almost in the same spot as the ole flat bar was... But my bike looks goofy (I'm willing to admit it)

Or you can be like me and raise the bars high enough that the drops are almost in the same spot as the ole flat bar was... But my bike looks goofy (I'm willing to admit it)

I dunno. A Cylon riding a bicycle is already quite goofy by itself. :) But if it is Six.... then it's :love:

Want to thank everyone for helping me with my decision on the Trek 7.7 FX. I'd ended up buying a used one in excellent condition for 1/2 the price. The only real different on the older model is, it comes with a carbon stay without the IsoZone rear. Also the older model seem to have better components such as Ultregra.

I rode my Specialized Allez road bike back to back with the 7.7 FX, and to be honest I really can't tell any speed difference. I'm sure if I was a stronger rider going over 20mph then the speed will drop 1-2mph on the 7.7FX.

I need to dig up my digicam to post some pictures.

nice bike but the specs I found don't look like a hybrid's to me. crtainly not 700 x 25c tires! looks more like a straight bat road bike.

anyway glad you're not disappointed. btw: I think the fact that it felt fast can be attributed also to the fact that you ARE a good rider and know how to get set up and ride the bike! good for you! enjoy!

Looks like I'm late to this party...nice buy! I'm surprised nobody brought up trekking bars. If you end up wanting more hand positions and the ability to stretch out a bit, without needing to change out any components, they're worth trying. I like mine much better than flat bar+bar ends. Like most everyone already said, the speed difference between my hybrid and road bike over my commute is pretty negligible...so long as the bars aren't too high and the tires are "fast". However, if I want to push myself, the road bike is much more accommodating.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ENuQByJK0Tc/S27NMgdtarI/AAAAAAAAAD8/1jdAsPQlD4o/s912/DSC_0504.JPG

I can attest to what Trinamous is saying . I started on a Trek Hybrid & changed out tires , wheels neck , seat & bars . I averaged 15mph over the period of an hour, give or take. I sold the hybrid & went to a Trek 1000 triple w/sora components. Other than having a stout rear wheel built, it stayed stock. After a few rides (getting used to a road bike), my average jumped to 17 an hour and really was motivated start riding further / faster. I do believe perhaps I got better over time, but noticed a BIG improvement with the road bike. Other than picking up a used Hardrock for the trails, I have never looked back. I'd take the road bike any day over the hybrid.

I don't think one bike is better than the other. It all depends on ones needs and intended uses. I have three rode bikes that each serve a different purpose for me. I also have a hybrid that I can do things on that my road bikes are simply not well suited.

Agreed. However, the post asked was questioning speed between the two types of bikes. Not neccesarily which one was better.

That was exactly my point. You stated a preference for the road bike only on its ability for speed. However, if the OP has other intended needs for his bike that requires racks, etc, a road bike might not meet his needs. I love my light weight road bike, but I also make runs to the grocery via bike. This bike is impractical for this purpose. My hybrid is perfectly suited for this.

Maybe you should reread the posts? Again, answer was based on speed........What the OP's topic was based on, not "let's have a pissing match over which one is better".

I took the 7.7 FX for a short 5 mile spin around town today in my tennis shoes and jeans. I love this bike, everything just felt right, quick and very reponsive. I was very suprise the 700x32 Bontrager hardcase tire that come with the bike roll so smooth and was quicker than expected. It's rated for 120PSI, but I had it only at 100psi rear and 90psi in front. I think I'll just keep till it goes bald before swapping it out for some 23c Cont gaters.

What I really like about these flat bar road bikes, is that I can ride them casually and not have to deal with dressing up in biking clothes. With my Allez, I'd feel a bit silly riding in street clothes and always need to wear my cleats. This bike works well for my short joy ride and running errands.

If these hybrids are fast, I am sure the likes of Cavendish, Contador and Armstrong will be using them at TDF. So let it rest already. As per the question of the OP. A road bike will be faster than a hybrid on roads.

a stock road bike has the potential of going faster than a hybrid, but the average rider is not likely able to afford one or be strong enough to work the bigger gearing

a stock road bike has the potential of going faster than a hybrid, but the average rider is not likely able to afford one or be strong enough to work the bigger gearing

I can average 18mph on my Allez with stock 9-speed, 12 - 26 teeth and 30/42/52 front. The stock 7.7 FX is 10-speed, 12 - 27 teeth and Shimano 105, 30/39/50 teeth in the front. It makes no difference in gearing for me. I can't spin 90 cadence in the highest gear.

A couple of years ago my wife stopped a guy at the local dump from tossing a perfectly good GT hybrid (chrome moly frame, low/mid Shimano, 700x28 tyres, no suspension) into the trash compactor, and brought it home. After the usual cleanup and refurbishment, it got moved to my office as my daily lunchtime errand running bike. Used it like that for about a year, then sold it, replacing it with my heavy tourer (Bianchi Nyala mtb converted to street). BIG mistake. I stupidly sold off the best lunch runner I ever owned. I recent sold off the Bianchi, too.

In the past five years I've kept a run of differing bikes at the office: Raleigh Sports 3-speed roadster, Peugeot UO-8 ten speed, the Bianchi, an old Raleigh single speed (drop bars), everything short of a modern road bike. And I've got a few of them at home, both modern and vintage. That GT had me running 15-17 mph in traffic at any time, handled closer to a road bike than anything else I've used, and was flat out more enjoyable than any of the alternatives. Speed on the flats was about 85-90% what I do on a road bike.

The experience has me keeping my eye out for another refurbish-able hybrid, and this time I won't be stupid enough to sell it off. My big thing on hybrids is that they don't have suspension. I can't see the need, and it never feels good to me.

I can help.

I have a Specialized Sirrus with road tires (700cx23mm) and a drop bar road bike (Mercier Aero TT). I had been riding the Sirrus all summer and got the Mercier in Oct. I noticed at about 1 1/2 mph increase over my 80 minute bike ride. I am not sure what my top speed increase was but on average, I gained about 1 1/2 mph without any additional effort.

The big advantage is in the wind. On my Sirrus, in a headwind, I would really slow down but on the road bike, I cut though a little better. The Sirrus is about 4 lbs heavier but was still a dream in the hills. I mounted mountain bike climber bar ends on it and cranked up the hills using brute force. The Mercier doesn't need such a heavy hand to get up the same hills but it is not as much fun.

I have owned a ton of bikes over the years but that Sirrus is a heck of a bike. If I could only have one bike, it would be a bike like the Sirrus. I got the base model but if I were to buy again, I would get the higher model with better components.

My Sirrus is a base 2007 and the only complaints I have are the rims are not quite strong enough for my 225 frame and the gears are a little sloppy. Better rims and gears which I assume comes on the better Sirrus would be a worth wile investment.

Since I have owned my Sirrus, it has served many roles. When I first got it, I was coming from mountain bikes only so I set it up with off road tires and made it it more of a mountain bike hybrid. I then used it to exercise on the road and turned it into a road bike with skinny 23mm slick tires and went 25-40 mile a day rides with no problems. Now that I have a new road bike, the Sirrus is on my indoor trainer and is my exercise bike again. I have mounted 700c X 28mm city tires on it and fenders and when the spring gets here, it will be my city bike/commuter bike.

The Sirrus really is a great bike and even though I have only had it about 3 years, I am attached to it and will never sell it. I love it and it the bike that got me into cycling at the ripe old age of 33. I always had a bike but last summer I got into cycling seriously and did rides every other day and entered a tour. I would never had done that with a mountain bike.