Hybrid Bicycles - Making a Hybrid More Hybrid-y

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sfreitas323
07-11-11, 09:51 PM
So my dad and brother both have Trek 7300s. I think they are great bikes for cruisin around, maybe commuting a little bit but i feel like the position is too upright to do any real fitness oriented / long riding.

what are some modifications i can make to the bikes for them so that the bike will be more for fitness similar to the Trek 7 FX series or the Specialized Vitas.

some ideas i have had are a flatter and a stem with a higher angle to get them in a lower riding position. any other ideas?

Juha
07-12-11, 05:02 AM
How upright are you now, and have you raised the saddle to the limit? Maybe I've been lucky, but with all 3 hybrid bikes I've had, comfortable saddle height from pedals happens to result in handlebars being level or slightly lower compared to saddle level. That's low enough for me and quite a bit of commuting and loaded touring with those bikes. Are you aiming for a bigger drop from saddle level to handlebars?

--J
qmsdc15
07-12-11, 05:47 AM
The stem is adjustable. If your dad and brother share your concern, they can start with lowering the stem angle. If that doesn't do it, a different stem would be the next step. Lower and/or longer stem will put them in a less upright position. The handlebar on that bike doesn't look like it has a lot of rise, so changing to flat bars will not make a big difference, but might be part of the solution. Trekking bars allow a choice of positions. I believe you can install trekking bars with the open part forward which I think would result in a more forward leaning torso.

If they are comfortable and enjoy the bikes as is, I wouldn't worry them about it.