Bicycle Mechanics - Could I use a hybrid wheel on a road bike?

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03staylo
04-24-11, 06:51 AM
Hi all,
I am looking at getting a new rear wheel for touring so it will have more spokes and be a bit more heavy duty for the job in hand. I was wondering what the different was between a hybrid and a road wheel was, both the wheels I have seen are 700c.
I was wondering would a hybrid wheel work on my road bike giving me more strength for the back wheel and better for touring?
Thanks,

bradtx
04-24-11, 07:23 AM
03staylo, There are two limiting factors you need to determine... dropout spacing and the maximum tire size that your road frame will accept. Off the top of my head most hybrids use 135 mm dropout spacing and rim widths suitable for 28C and larger tires.

Brad
jimc101
04-24-11, 08:10 AM
As bradtx notes, there main issues will be with the dropout size, and the max tire width the frame can take.

All a hybrid really is; or started of as, is a road bike, with a flat bar, instead of drops, and possibly wider tires & slightly more up-rite riding position, although the idea seems to be pretty fluid with what else goes on with them

Most 'hybrid' wheels will be 700c, and will be designed for 23-32mm tires, where as road normally use 23-25, so there is some crossover, on my hybrid I used road rims, with 23-28mm tires with no issues.

What type of touring are you intending to do, is important here, if credit card, then a normal road wheel will do, if heavy duty, then you would probably want to use tires bigger then a road frame can take, so the wheel would be a non issue there; if inbetween a 32/36 hole hub on say a Mavic Open Pro will do for light weight touring with upto 28mm tires.