Hybrid Bicycles - Help! I need to get out of the 80's !

I am a 47 male 200lbs 6 '1". I ran to get in shape but never liked it.

So I took out my old 80's ten speed, I hit the pavement a few weeks back and loved how fast and light it felt compared to my "pig" of (I guess that's the lingo) a MTB I used to ride because that was the thing to have ( from what they told me) Remembr I'm from the 80's and 70's the big thing for me was either the single speed or the 10 speed

So like many, that I am sure can relate to, my butt an knees started to hurt. Plus trying to learn to shift with stem mounted shifters.

After a week of self torture I went to youtube and found a few videos to help fit your bike to you.

So after making the following "correct" adjustments, my butt and knees didn't hurt after 2 weeks of steady riding. (steady by me is under 6 miles a day everyday)

One day I am down in my drops feeling I'm going 50 MPH on the flats (which I know i'm not) when a road racer out of nowhere came beside me and passed me like I was standing still. Bad thing of it is he was upright changing his shirt one hand on the bar drinking water and barely peddling.

I thought WTF?! So I thought, I'll show him by racing him or least keep pace with him
at least.

I thought he can have all that new fangled 21st century technology, my 80's equipment is is just as good.

I mean a bikes a bike right?! 2 wheels and a frame.

So I put in the it in the biggest gear on my bike which is 53/14 and I'm grunting like a constipated bear trying to close the gap and this guy still in his upright postion on his road bike and hes hardly peddling and gets farther and farther away. He makes few curves in the road and vanishes and hes like freakin 1 mile ahead of me!

So after putting my lungs back in and feeling defeated and humbled by my 80's technology I rode the rest of the way thinking how can he be freakin so fast?! I can understand if he was just pumping his legs and racing but he wasnt.

So the research began on why this guy was so fast. Slowly I began to realize that gearing was the big part it but other things as well.

I love my 80's bike I love how "light" it is and how fast I can go.

So I went to the bike store and almost had a heart attack at the prices on some of the bikes! 1k to 6k (for a freakin bike!)
I know a lot has to to do with marketing. Most parts are made by the same company just different paint and stickers on them and higher prices.

I figured if my 80's ten speed lasted this long with it's old technology.Then all this modern stuff no matter if it is bottom of the line it will be better than what i got now and last long after I am gone.

So I said to the salesperson. I want to get out of the 80''s and into the 21st century said I dont know anything if the drive train is the best drive train or the new composite frames, shifters etc etc.... blah blah blah I am looking for a bike, I am not going to do off road or dirt trails . I'm not going to enter road races or steep hill climbing.

I am looking for speed (did I mention how I liked going fast?) and physical fitness for a good workout. I will be riding on pavement and a few rolling hills.

Also I dont want have to get 2 more jobs to pay for it

I told I like the road bike I have now but I WOULD like to have more leverage with the handle bars.
( I never road a modern road bike so I dont know if the drops changes all that much.
at the store I put my hands on the bars and seem like any other drops they didnt seem any wider than the ones I have now.)

He showed my this hybrid called 2011 Specialized Sirrus Sport with a flatbar with Ergos handgrips (LOVE THE FEEL OF THEM IN MY HAND) for $549 (Is that a good price?! )

When I road tested it, I was amazed! It was like night and day. I actually felt I could have gone 50mph. The gearing is 48/39/28 T 12-25 cassette only problem I could only ride it around in the parking lot. So I couldnt go on a straight -a -way

(to me that doesnt seem big enough to get me the fast speed I want. Since Im used to 53/40t 14-26. I'm afraid I will just spin my grears adn wont go anywhere.)

I liked the Sirrus Sport, now people are talking about the Trek 7.3 Hybrid is also as a good bike. I havent rode a newer road bike I still like the speed of a road bike.


So with all this info I have now, comes the hard part. What to get!

Is the speed that you can go with a road bike compared to a hybrid really all different?! Are we just talking a few MPH between the two?

I know about being aero dynamic but for what I am doing for just speed an fitness just by lowering myself using the flat bar get me out of the head wind or going downhill or going fast on a straight- a -way be good enough?


I would like to hear from others on what they prefer, road or hybrid that are only in it for speed and fitness.

Also, what is a good hybrid for $500 more or less ? Specialized Sirrus Sport, Trek 7.3 or someother comparable brand ?

Thank you for your time

Delta

For speed get a road bike. That is what they are made for.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/IMG_0048.jpg

Something like theses.

http://websterbicycle.com/product-list/bikes-1000/road-1001/sport-performance-1002/

Is the speed that you can go with a road bike compared to a hybrid really all different?! Are we just talking a few MPH between the two?

I did not read all of your post because the sheer size of it scared me.
However I would like to point out that the eighties were great.

About the speed of a roadbike compared to a hybrid you will get most people's answer that there is a big difference.
Most of these people are roadies who have never tried a decent hybrid and who never even reach the speed at which a roadbike starts to make sense.
For doing constant 25mph+ riding ... definately without a doubt: get a roadbike.
For doing riding at speeds about 15 to 20mph ... get a hybrid ... or a roadbike if you like ... the difference is nonexistent.
However ... a hybrid is more versatile and will allow you to do forest trails or fields.
Your choice.
I ride both a hybrid and a TT-bike ... the difference is there but it's not huge.
For comfort I'll choose the hybrid over the TT-bike any day.

[QUOTE=10 Wheels;12941050]For speed get a road bike. That is what they are made for.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/IMG_0048.jpg

Something like theses.

And make sure it's yellow so you can pretend you're Thomas Voeckler :)
http://velonews.competitor.com/files/2011/07/VOECKLER-325x271.jpg

Riding in front of the Tour de France while changing his shirt. :)
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/07/16/article-0-0D09C62800000578-695_634x423.jpg

If drop handlebars were inherently faster than flat bars, time trial bikes would have drop bars and not handlebars that are flat.
http://www.doobybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/armstrong-time-trial-bike.jpg

The guy who passed you is faster than you mostly because he's been riding more than 6 miles a day for a few weeks. On the other hand, your bike is holding you back.

I believe road bikes are faster than hybrids, but rider position, frame geometry, and overall bike weight are what makes it so. Not the drop bars per say. A rider can achieve a very aerodynamic position with flat bars just by lowering them. On the other hand, drop bars allow the rider to change position, sit more upright sometimes to ease strain on back and neck, and get down in the drops sometimes to reduce drag. Overall, on longer rides, this ability to change positions will reduce fatigue resulting in faster overall speed.

A road bike would probably suit you better than a hybrid, but the cost is typically a lot more. Test ride both styles and think hard about the cost vs. benefit. If you just want to follow fast riders at a safe distance, you can do it on a hybrid. If you want to race for real, rules require the use of drop bars in mass start events, mostly for the safety of the riders.

The Sirrus you rode and the Trek you mentioned are good hybrid bikes. Many people start out on bikes like these and decide they really want a road bike. If this happens to you, you can keep the hybrid for transportion, (commuting, shopping, etc.), and buy a road bike with money from the sale of your car.

qmsdc15, I'm reporting you for posting obscene bike-porn.

Tommy's bare chest, suggestive tongue, sans helmet (oh my!) or Lance's bike? :D

Tommy's bare chest, suggestive tongue, sans helmet (oh my!) or Lance's bike? :D

Hahaha :) I'll have the bike please ... but can I have it without the yellow?

........
I figured if my 80's ten speed lasted this long with it's old technology.Then all this modern stuff no matter if it is bottom of the line it will be better than what i got now and last long after I am gone. ..........


Why do you think that?

Modern rear derailleurs are cost reduced copies of the the '80's Sun Tour V-GT, with a bit more precision to work with index shifting.

The technology is not what makes the bikes fast - 99% is the rider, the rest is the equipment. An older bike in top condition with the same overall gearing on the flat will match a newer bike at steady state. The newer bike may accelerate faster if it is lighter, and once your are over 25 mph, may be faster due to better aerodynamics.

Personally, if you have a decent older bike; I would tune it up and install some minor upgrades.

The gearing is 48/39/28

I reckon that's plenty. I'd be surprised if your consistently hitting the little cog on that.

The technology is not what makes the bikes fast - 99% is the rider, the rest is the equipment. An older bike in top condition with the same overall gearing on the flat will match a newer bike at steady state. The newer bike may accelerate faster if it is lighter, and once your are over 25 mph, may be faster due to better aerodynamics.

Exactly. But it doesn't even accelerate faster.
Search the web for a video of a german television show where people take bets ... some guy on a 99 year old bicycle challenged Jens Voigt on a new carbon racebike over a 200m sprint ... and WON! :D

Nothing wrong riding your 80´s bike. Speed and stamina is more about your personal capacity. Modern tech has its advantages though, brifters being one of them. Get back in riding shape slowly, add time and length to your runs with patience, you´ll get there, no matter what bike you prefer.

Exactly. But it doesn't even accelerate faster.
Search the web for a video of a german television show where people take bets ... some guy on a 99 year old bicycle challenged Jens Voigt on a new carbon racebike over a 200m sprint ... and WON! :D

Jens Voight is one complexed dude!

I'm afraid I will just spin my grears adn wont go anywhere.

you should try a lower gear and spin at a higher cadence.. you might have had a better chance against that guy

Funny, I'm about two weeks ahead of you, only I didn't have any bike to start with...:D
I've been running also (though, I kinda like it). However, If I ran every day, I'd grind my knees into the ground - I'm 6'2" 270lbs. I went to my LBS to buy a bike so that I could exercise every day. They had me test ride a base Sirrus, and a Trek 7.3. I bought the Sirrus, it felt so much smoother than the Trek. For lack of a better way to describe it, the Trek felt like it was "out of adjustment" - the gears kept jumping around. Also, the Sirrus just seemed to fit better.

With respect to riding, I'm only a few weeks in, never put my hands on an actual road bike, but riding the Sirrus feels like I'm just screaming along.

Good luck with whatever you decide to get! :thumb:

Oh, BTW, this is my first post.
Hi everybody!
I should probably now get my butt on over to the Clydesdale forum.

The gearing is 48/39/28 T 12-25 cassette only problem I could only ride it around in the parking lot. So I couldnt go on a straight -a -way

(to me that doesnt seem big enough to get me the fast speed I want. Since Im used to 53/40t 14-26. I'm afraid I will just spin my grears adn wont go anywhere.)


48/12 = 56/14

56 is greater than 53.....

thus it has taller gears than your current ride

Just ride your current bike 24 miles per day, everyday for a few months, then you should be able to keep up.....

Nothing wrong riding your 80´s bike. Speed and stamina is more about your personal capacity. Modern tech has its advantages though, brifters being one of them. Get back in riding shape slowly, add time and length to your runs with patience, you´ll get there, no matter what bike you prefer.
+1. And even the brifters won't make the bike any faster, but they are more convenient and encourage you to shift more often.

the 80s were a great time for bikes..

the 80s were a great time for bikes..

Here come the C&V people (not that it's a bad thing :D)....

So you got passed by someone and couldn`t catch them. Yeah - I guess its a lot easier on the old ego to imagine that it was because he had a better newer bike and clothes. Couldn`t possibly be because he was fitter and faster than you ... or could it?

So how would you handle it if you went out and bought a brand new carbon fibre road machine and got blown away by some young kid on some cheap WallMart roadie? Sometimes you just have to face reality.

There were some nice bikes made in the 80`s. Some are every bit as good as some of whats on the market today.

My 1983 Nishiki International is faster, more comfy and better looking than my 2007 Sirrus. I paid over $550 for the Sirrus and $50 for the Nishiki. I once rode the Sirrus 40 miles in a race and it was hell. I rode the Nishiki 25 miles this weekend and felt fresh after.

Don't count out 1980s rode bikes, they were and are great. My Nishiki doesn't have any plastic parts on it and the rims don't go out of true with every pothole like the Sirrus.

Bottom line is, if you want to join the 21 century, skip the Sirrus and get a modern rode bike like a Carbon fiber bike with brifters and at least Tiagra. You will spend $1500 plus but it is better than $500 on something like the Sirrus when that is not what you really want.

Or, and this is probably the best option, update and tune up your old bike. Maybe you need to do simple things like grease the moving parts and get new tires and true the rims. You would be surprised what a big difference things like that make. I bet I could have your old bike ridiing better than any Sirrus ever could.

I'd ride the 10 speed until you're comfortable riding 30+ miles. You'll have a better idea of what works and what doesn't.

For example, flat bars just don't work for me because of lack of hand positions (resulting in sore hands/wrists) and the wind. That's just me though.

If you're just starting you might want different things very soon.

BTW I love my 80's 10 speed.