FMadridRN

I haven't seen anybody on the forums about riding road bikes and hybrids all in the same group. Is that just something that's common?

CraigB

They don't get along well at all, constantly bickering and back-biting.

Seriously, it just depends on the riders in your area. Unless you're hell-bent on performance, people can ride together on whatever kind of bike they like to ride. On our Thursday night shop rides, the C group welcomes riders on all kinds of bikes. I've seen people on road bikes, hybrids, mountain bikes. One time the leader was riding a Surly Pugsly - a monster of a thing with tires so big, I swear with some outriggers for balance you could ride it on the water.

mkadam68

+1

I think the reason it doesn't happen as often is hybrids just really aren't as comfortable/fast/efficient as road bikes and therefore don't do the same rides. When confronted with a 25-mile ride in 2-1/2 hours, hybrid owners probably pull out there own road bike to join or go to the local beach MUP.

1nterceptor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U930E...hannel&list=UL

Mark Stone

I agree with fast and efficient, but for me a properly adjusted flat bar bike, especially if you give your hands more options by installing bar-ends, is more comfortable. However, that's not true for everyone - it just depends on the person and the bike. For me a fitness bike, hybrid, or cafe bike would be more comfortable.25 miles in 2-1/2 hours? Naw - I might switch to the road bike if it was closer to 50 miles. 25 miles in 2.5 hours is a leisurely 10 mph, a family ride. For comfort, I actually ride Charity rides on flat bars, too (my favorite https://www.couragetours.com in Colorado - rode it 7 times thus far). I agree that road bikes are faster and they are more efficient, but I don't buy the comfort advantage because there's a lot more variables. A properly set up Hybrid/Cafe/Fitness bike is like riding your easy chair.

mkadam68

Well... I didn't want to rule anyone out.

Plus, living here in The Valley, we have alot of stop lights (think 1 per mile) and a very leisurely breakfast/regroup/socializing stop half-way.

Comfort meaning: being on the bike for hours, not necessarily the distance.

But, your points clarify: to each their own.

Condorita

Do roadies think hybrid riders are even "real" cyclists?

Juan Foote

I started a novice ride group within our club rides specifically to include slower riders. I ride with hybrids and "fitness" bikes all the time...even had a MTB on a ride last week.

Neil_B

On the whole, no.

CraigB

Even if they don't, what difference does it make? Show up and hang with them through the ride and they'll change their tune.

mprelaw

On charity rides, you'll see a mix of bikes. I did a local MS 150 in June, and a bunch of pedicab operators from Boston did the ride on their pedicabs.

We get a few hybrids on our club rides---mostly the lighter framed ones with 28mm tires. My club offers rides of varying distances. I usually choose the longer ones and rarely see hybrids on them, but we see a few 'bents and tandems. The tandems are cool--I blow by them climbing, and they blow by me on the descents.

Acquaspin

As usual, there are always the bad apples in every group/association. There's certainly a bunch of roadies that think they're the superior biking species, that is until the dude/dudette on the hybrid or single speed drops them at will on the hills, on the flats, etc

I had to see that a couple times, and it was pretty funny actually, the loudest roadies in the parking lot before the beginning of the group ride with the snark remarks about the hybrid, single speed, etc are usually the first being dropped and the first ones with the typical one-line excuses "today i'm going to take it easy" or "boy, i'm feeling the hard ride from yesterday"...

Best one was the single speed kid calling the wise ass to jump on his wheel...really a sight. I went to that group ride a couple of times only, more egos than legs, not my cup of tea but i did get a chuckle out of it

Bottom line, they can think whatever they want, you do your own ride, on whatever bike of your choice. It's about your fun, not theirs.

Neil_B

Sorry, but most of them won't.

Neil_B

Yes, the riders who know, deep in their hearts, that they could have beaten Contador up a hill if they hadn't had chosen accounting as a career path.

Mr. Beanz

Roadies don't even think other roadies are "real cyclists".

I remember a few years back some "real cyclist" female was criticizing me on a forum for riding in a tank top. I guess I was posing the entire time while riding in 100 degree temps. "A real cyclist would wear a jersey" were her comments. Hmm, I did 7300 miles that year, I was training for a climbing century so my rides were 3k -7k on plenty of rides.

I started to think about it then come to find she was riding a trainer in the comfort of her own living room while watching movies averaging 26 mph.....wearing a jersey though!

Pretty sure those rear pockets were very critical for holding the remote.

I only wear a jersey to hold my cameras for convenience. I carry two devices or I'd be wearing a tank top still.

Bottom line, even those that don't consider others as real cyclists are pretty much full of it , so who cares?

jyossarian

All the time. Any ride where a bunch of people aren't racing, such as charity rides, critical mass, social rides, organized tours, will have a mix of people on hybrids, roadies, FG, mtbs, 'bents, unicycles, tandems, etc. Some unattached riders will group together to go fast, but if you're w/ your friends and they're riding whatever's in the garage, you're usually in a mixed crowd.

bulldogs2k

As they say, opinions are like A$$holes, everyone has one. IMO two wheels is ALL GOOD!

mkadam68

The roadies I ride don't care what you ride. To illustrate:

Everyonce in awhile, on our very fast training rides, (think 26mph average--no exaggeration!) with cat 1s, 2s & pros, a guy will show up with a MTB w/knobbies (they hum loudly at 26mph!), and keep up. Nobody cares as long as they're not dangerous and don't get in the way. That's the underlying thought: ride safe & don't hurt me.

Big Pete 1982

A friend of mine rides a hybrid since he doesn't have a road bike. The few times I've ridden with him, he has a hard time keeping up. He's more of a mountain biker though. It got to where he doesn't like to ride with me anymore since either he's killing himself to keep up, or I'm not even breaking a sweat slowing down for him.

mprelaw

I'm gonna hazard a guess that has more to do with the engine than the chassis.

Big Pete 1982

Maybe, but when we ride a paved bike trail and take it easy just to have a chat, I'm pedal pedal coasting while he is pedaling the entire time and winded.

mprelaw

Swap bikes with him, and I'll bet you that nothing changes---you're fitter than he is.

Beachgrad05

I showed up at my first club ride on my FX hybrid. I did a decent job of keeping up with the others who were all on road bikes...I got a road bike not long after. LOL

But we have had other beginner rides that ladies have ridden hybrids, single-speeds etc.

Keith99

Do "Real Cyclists" have a small teddy bear on their handlebars?

SFVBC at least used to get some very good riders out once in a while in large part because they always had a centruy on at least near century every weekend (usually one each of the days). One time one woman showed up with her little teddy bear. Very nice young lady and a good rider. Turned out good enough to have won the womens RAAM the year before.

I do however prefer a 'real jersey', full zipper prefered. But tank tops can work out well also, which is why I have a couple of those made for cycling. I really do like my pockets and wicking materials. .

Mr. Beanz

Sometimes you never know who you're dealing with!

I'm not a real big sweater so I can get away with Speedo brand tank tops. First time I did Ride Around the Bear (100 miles nearly 10,000ft) I rode in a tank top.

2003