zoste

I bought a NOS (2007 leftover) Trek 7300 in March. I love the thing! It’s perfect for the type of riding that my girlfriend and I do on a rail-to-trail path that is part paved, part dirt, and good for evening rides around my neighborhood.

I’m just wondering if it will work to do a century? I can get around town (including hills) at about 11 mph, and can do 25 miles on the (flat) trail in about two hours. Is there any reason anyone can think of that this bike couldn’t handle a century? If I start training I figure that I can increase those speeds and (obviously) up the distance. My plan is a metric century in August and a full century in mid September.

Any thoughts? Is this the equivalent of the time I took my ’62 Beetle to the drag strip?

Retro Grouch 

There's no reason why it won't work. If that's your idea of fun, go for it.

JanMM

You can't ride a century on a hybrid. Not allowed and can't be done. Unless, of course, you want to do it. If you can ride 25 miles without difficulty and the full century isn't until September then shouldn't be a problem. In September, report back on whether or not a century can be done on a hybrid.

Pat

I was at the Florida Bicycle Safari and a lady I know on the ride, rides a hybrid. I don't think that she did either of the centuries (it is a multiday ride), but she did do 67 miles on one day. She had just purchased the bike for the princely sum of $300 too.

chipcom 

Hybrids have a computer chip that makes them blow up if ridden for more than 50 miles on the same day.

zoste

That was pretty much the reaction to the Volkswagon at tech inspection at the drag strip. I ended up winning my class...of course I was the only fool in the class.

Think I should post this question in the "Road" section?

zoste

That's OK...my seventeen year old "hacked" the chip and bumped it up to Paris-Brest-Paris level.

BluesDawg

Every year on BRAG (Bicycle Ride Across Georgia) there is a "century day" duing the week where there is an option to ride a 100 mile route. I have been amazed at some of the bikes people use to ride the century. Most people ride on typical road bikes, but others ride anything from time trial bikes to beach cruisers to full supension mountain bikes with knobbies. Several people do it on hybrids and comfort bikes.

BluesDawg

How thick is your skin?

aubinmg

Seems to me that the engine is more important than the wheels; so go, and have fun.
BTW, why is it that 100 miles is full and 100kms isn't?

BluesDawg

Because 62 is not equal to 100.

Beverly

I rode a century a couple years ago with an older couple (older than me) and they both had Trek hybrids. It was all I could do to keep up with them I think the engine is much more important than the bike.

If the bike is comfortable and you feel you can do it......DO IT!

DnvrFox

I saw a guy ride a Century on a BMX bike, two guys from Sweden do the Ride the Rockies on scooters, and last year a guy did the RTR on a unicycle. Several folks have done them on fixed and SS.

I did a century on a mtn bike.

But, no, you are not allowed to do a century on a hybrid!

zoste

Well, that pretty much seals the deal. Like a two year old, the surest way to make me do something is to tell me that I can't...century here I come

BTW - BluesDawg: are you a guitarist? Do you post on a forum hosted by Bob Brozman and Woody Mann?

BluesDawg

Nope. Not me. I'm a harmonica player, not a musician.

Terrierman

I rode a century last June on a Jamis Coda, which is more or less a hybrid. If I can do it, anybody can, all it takes is not quitting until you're back where you started from. Go for it and good luck.

Digital Gee

The answer, of course, depends on whether you're a Fred or an OCP. Without these details, it's only idle speculation.

zoste

Pardon my ignorance...I'm not familiar with those terms...'splain please?

zoste

Ahhh...the Mississippi Sax...the lickin' stick! Most assuredly a musician.

You electrified or acoustic?

BluesDawg

Did you bring beer?

zoste

Little Darwin

At over 300 pounds I have done a couple of metrics on a Giant Sedona... For someone of a more normal weight, I think a century on a hybrid is well within reason.

Your biggest issues will be related to saddle time. For comfort, you may want to consider something like bar ends to give yourself some variety in hand and riding positions. But, whether you do that or not, you should be fine.

walter231

I have a Trek 7300 FX that I bought 3 yrs ago, and for a century I would rather ride my 30-yr-old Motobecane touring bike than the Trek. Main reason is that I can usually go at least 2mph faster in the more aerodynamic position permitted by the drop handlebars. 2 mph for ZERO EFFORT is huge, especially when the last 50 miles of the ride is into a steady headwind on a hot August afternoon.

I rode the Trek quite a lot the first year I had it, but discovered that my legs strengthen more quickly when I do not have the option of resorting to the super-granny gears. (Ignore this if you have a great deal more will power than me.)

If you do ride the century on the Trek you might consider bar-ends if you don't want to lose all feeling in your hands.

swan652

Your original question was whether or not your bike could handle a century and now you've committed yourself to one. Careful or you'll be on a cross country bike trip before you know it.

bobbycorno

Sure the bike can handle a centry. People have done a lot of long rides on what others would consider "inappropriate" steeds: PBP (1200km, 90hr time limit) on kickbikes (grownup scooters) or a truly antique "retro-direct" bike (an early 2-speed bike where you pedal forward for the normal gear, and backward for low gear - not like a "kickback" 2 speed coaster brake, you actually PEDAL BACKWARDS). And earlier this year, a couple of folks did a 100km populaire in Oregon on unicycles.

So the short answer is "run what ya brung", and have fun!

SP