Hybrid Bicycles - Has anyone else dismantled the "hybrid" aspects of their ride?

So, it's either genius/madness or the thin line between, :p, but last night, as I was listening to a Cycling 360 podcast about cleaning bikes, I got the bright idea to take off my fenders and rear rack.

I have only had my bike for 2 months, but I've been reading so much of the Bike Forums, and decided I could handle taking apart simple stuff on my bike. The fenders came with my bike (2011 men's size small Globe Daily 2), but they rattle around too much and daily need slight adjustments. It was just aggravating.

I hated my rear rack since every time I used my panniers, I felt like I was being weighed down (is there a decent demand for Axiom waterproof panniers? I only used the damn things 6 times.). I'm big enough without weighing myself more. Steering feels much harder with stuff on the rear; the CETMA website that sells front racks explains it better than I can.

The kickstand just took up weight I felt like. I wasn't initially planning to take off my bike basket, but I did. I felt so great on my bike today! I do need to get a sprocket set and tighten up the nuts on the wheels, but I felt almost like I had a new bike! I was naughty and listened to my iPod with headphones, instead of the speaker system that was in my bike basket. But I did keep the volume low.

I could eventually see myself getting rubber panniers in the winter if I absolutely had to. And I wouldn't mind a front rack eventually. But, I'll tell ya, it feels lovely to be stripped down of extra "stuff" on my bike. :thumb:

I took off the kickstand from my bike (paid extra for it; it didn't come with the bike), added a rack (gasp), added some nice barends, and added some light tires. It weighs as much as it did stock with the lighter tires and rack. I added the lighter tires so I could have "road" tires, not for lightweight-ness. Hybrids are supposed to be relatively heavy (when compared to road bikes). Mine weighs ~29lbs. When I decide I want a lightweight bike, I will get a road bike.

This is not to say that hybrids should be heavy. They can be as light as a road bike. Some even have carbon hybrids. I just find that in my style of riding, if I want a lighter bike, I will not touch my hybrid and get a road bike. That way, I can have a bike for commuting and a bike for recreation. Right now, my hybrid serves both purposes.

I might consider changing my bike to a 1x9 instead of a 3x9 to save some weight. I haven't used the two small rings ever since I bought the bike.

I might consider changing my bike to a 1x9 instead of a 3x9 to save some weight. I haven't used the two small rings ever since I bought the bike.
Then the front shifter and front deraileur. More weight saving. The problem is though your chain may skip off your front chain-ring unless you get a single speed specific front chain-ring. Other solution is a chain keeper like this...
http://www.paulcomp.com/chainkeeper.html

So how much weight would that likely take off, removing the 2 smaller rings ? OK, the front shifter/derailleur too.

So how much weight would that likely take off, removing the 2 smaller rings ? OK, the front shifter/derailleur too.

Just a little, but votoms888 mentioned weight, and I thought my advice would help a little more if he chooses to go down that path. Some people enjoy trying to shave small amounts off their bike, some don't.

I don't really know what constitutes the "hybrid" aspects of my bike, but I got rid of the suspension seatpost and forks, swapped the riser bars and adjustable stem for some trekking bars and a rigid stem, and changed the 38mm tires to 35s. I also got rid of the web-sprung saddle and replaced the flimsy kickstand with a solid Greenfield Stabilizer. I added the rack and fenders and I find them indispensable.

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I just installed a rear fender on my hybrid so that I don't fling gravel, mud and water at my son on his Trail-A-Bike.

I would've put a front fender on as well except it wouldn't clear the air valve in the crown of my suspension fork. Debating whether to modify it, or just buy another rear fender and install a full set on my wife's hybrid.

The difference of having fenders and rack or not does not make the difference between "hybrid" or not.
Having a hybrid with fenders and a rack makes it a "commuting hybrid" or maybe an "urban hybrid" if you like.
A hybrid without any commuting or urban accesories is a "sport hybrid".
The nice thing about hybrids is that you can think of anything you like and then just do that :)