Hybrid Bicycles - Flat bar road bike vs Hybrid

This may have been asked and answered; if so give me the link. What is the difference between to two. I asked about a FBRB at one of the local shops and when they pointed the one they had out my wife exclaimed "Oh, it looks like your hybrid!" It did; I have bar ends on mine (better design IMHO) and without taking it down that was about the extent of the looking. The floor lady (whom I think was the owner; first time in this shop) said that the major difference is that a FBRB has Road bike gear 52 tooth on a RB and 42 tooth on a hybrid. So master(s) enlighten weedhooper please.

I don't know if there is an official definition, but a flat bar road bike has all road components except for a flat bar.. so road crank, road brakes (not linear pull or v-brakes), road RD and FD, shifters with road cable pull (which both Shimano and SRAM make). No suspension fork, no springy seat post.

A hybrid is a blend of components, but typically has an MTB drive train.

This may have been asked and answered; if so give me the link. What is the difference between to two. I asked about a FBRB at one of the local shops and when they pointed the one they had out my wife exclaimed "Oh, it looks like your hybrid!" It did; I have bar ends on mine (better design IMHO) and without taking it down that was about the extent of the looking. The floor lady (whom I think was the owner; first time in this shop) said that the major difference is that a FBRB has Road bike gear 52 tooth on a RB and 42 tooth on a hybrid. So master(s) enlighten weedhooper please.
There you go. Buy a road bike and replace the handlebars. Voila! FBRB.
If you really wanna get froggy, add drop bar ends to your flat bar...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31pXl0ZHrZL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

OK, that makes sense! I think I will stick with my hybrids; unless I can fun into a cheap in good shape used Road bike!

I wonder if people riding flatbar road bikes have ridden dropbars enough to form a credible opinion. Six or more hand positions versus one (maybe two)...

I wonder if people riding flatbar road bikes have ridden dropbars enough to form a credible opinion. Six or more hand positions versus one (maybe two)...

So are you saying that the only "credible opinion" is that drops are superior to flats? I ride essentially a flat bar road bike, routinely use three different hand positions, all of which turn my wrist in a different orientation and change where the pressure point is on my hand. Your description of six on drops is the highest number I have heard ascribed to them, five being more common, but the bulk of them keep your wrist in the same position, and all of them place load between thumb and forefinger.

Drops are a wonderful thing, but to each his own. I don't mean to sound snippy, but it seems that most people think flat bar riders do so out of ignorance. Which in turn seems ignorant.

No, that's not what I meant. Most people that have tried both do prefer dropbars for longer distances, but I am sure it is nowhere near 100%.

I have this impression from here, friends and family, and people in bike shops that flatbars are accessible and usable by all, and that dropbars are unapproachable or require a lot of skill to use. (They don't take a lot of skill at all, of course, but it does take a little while to become proficient with them and enjoy using them.)

The five (whoops! Lol) positions I use are: top center, top corners, shallow above/on the hoods, fully on the hoods, and in the drops.

I am glad I didn't offend, because that wasn't my intent. It is absolutely a pet peeve of mine, because every time a new person shows up at the group ride, they ask about my flat bars and explain the advantages of drops. Rubbed raw is probably an understatement on my part.. lol.

I know you ride both, and you and I seem to post in many of the same threads, so I realize you know pros and cons of both. Is the Litespeed a CC purchase? I oggled it there for a while but in the end decided to stay loyal to my flats. Glad they sold out of my size to remove temptation. Now the Wilier calls me... resistance may be futile.

Yep, I got my bike Litespeed last month from Competitive Cyclist. The Wilier is a great deall, too!

I borrowed a road bike and found out on my own the I preferred drops. I wouldn't try to ride a MTB trail with them, though. :)

I wonder if people riding flatbar road bikes have ridden dropbars enough to form a credible opinion. Six or more hand positions versus one (maybe two)...

You mean like a whole month?

I rode drop bars for 14 years. In the 1970s and most of the 80s they dominated the market. There wasn't a whole lot of options.

In '87, I built my Lotus with drops and downtube shifters, and can remember drooling over the "new" Shimano SIS downtube shifters (7 speed?). That was my third bike with drops. So I guess I could consider myself properly informed in choosing flat bars today.

I don't know if there is an official definition, but a flat bar road bike has all road components except for a flat bar.. so road crank, road brakes (not linear pull or v-brakes), road RD and FD, shifters with road cable pull (which both Shimano and SRAM make). No suspension fork, no springy seat post.

A hybrid is a blend of components, but typically has an MTB drive train.

So what does that make mine? My drivetrain is a mix of road and MTB - rear derailleur is Sora, rear casette is a road 9, front crank is a road triple (largest chainring ~50 teeth), but front derailleur and shifters are Deore. Hybrid? Flat bar road bike?

Doesn't really matter to me, though - all I know is it rides great and is awesome for long distance rides as well as for commuting. :)

You mean like a whole month?

I rode drop bars for 14 years. In the 1970s and most of the 80s they dominated the market. There wasn't a whole lot of options.

Not taking the flamebait. :P

I've ridden mountainbikes since I was 12, and dirtbikes since I was 5. I know all about flatbars. I started riding road bikes with drop bars last year, borrowing one now and then. Finally, I bought my own.

The fact that people initially liked riding big knobs on the street, and still do it despite the emergence of hybrids, tells me that a lot of people are drawn to flatbars for a variety of reasons.