mconlonx

Those two people do not know what they are talking about because they are not you or many of the others who appreciated their hybrids. They also may not know much about the current range of available hybrid styles at the moment, either. I mean, I know Treks*, so I will use them as an example: Trek used to have a single hybrid series that fit between road bikes and mtn bikes. Now they have at least 4 which might qualify as a "hybrid" -- DS 8.x series (Dual Sport); FX 7.x series (Fitness); Verve (Hybrid); Shift (Comfort). And even more if you include series in their "Urban" lineup: District, Lync, Allant. Hybrids of this nature are extremely popular and regularly outsell both mtn bikes and drop-bar road bikes. I'd be willing to bet that those who said you wouldn't like a hybrid vs. a mtn bike have no clue about bikes like the Trek DS 8.x series.

*I work in a Trek shop, it's what I know, but most other brands also offer a similarly wide range of "hybrid" bikes, many with similar features at lower prices.

winston63 

I agree with this - and just by my informal observations, it certainly looks like hybrids outsell more specialized bikes by some margin. Or least, get ridden more to the kind of places that I ride (to work, the pub, coffee shop, grocery store etc).

Hybrids are priced reasonably, are very flexible, are usually comfortable to ride and well suited to general commuting or recreational riding.

I would almost always advise someone looking to get into cycling to first buy a hybrid. They may decide they want a dedicated road/mountain/touring bike down the line, but a hybrid is a great choice for many people.

Cyclosaurus

Don't listen to anyone who tells you what you want or don't want before you actually ride the damn things

corwin1968

I think that's what first drew me to Rivendell. Their bike philosophy was very close to what I was already riding. The only real road bike they offer (Roadeo) came about because their head mechanic, a racer, pushed for it.

Now, Grant is into border-line cruiser bikes in the Clem Smith, Jr. A mostly tig-welded, inexpensive component, pullback handlebar, 50+cm chainstay, 60mm tire complete bike for $1500. He's also heavily pushing mixtes in the Cheviot (frameset) and the Clementine (mixte version of the Clem Smith, Jr.)

corwin1968

My first bike was a 1995 Trek 730, a true hybrid of a road and mountain bike. I love that bike!

fietsbob

OK 2 is technically "people" but damn few to base a Broad Generalization for everyone in North America and Europe ..

How Old were your 2 people and how much of the globe have they seen , and what kind of riding do they consider the only type worth buying a Bike For?

And, were they both self-centered pinheads?

Delmarva

I don't know the answer to your question as I have never had someone say that. In fact the owner of the lbs that sold me the Giant FCR3 was the opposite. He thought hybrids were a great design in part because they encouraged people to ride. Lots of folks are not into hard core mountain or road biking. Just looking at the number of hybrids being ridden should tell you how popular they are.

I think you encountered someone who wanted to make more money selling you a pricier bike. You should buy the bike designed for how you ride.

Gnosis

It’s not the bike that outperforms another type of bike, it’s the rider. I typically ride my portly mountain bikes and I outperform the majority of road bikers that I encounter.

simplybao

Why not do a Ti Hybrid? I don't know what to call mine. "flat bar road bike" sort of fits. But I love it....

Who cares what other people think? Who cares if I'm only a weekend rider and ride bike paths and paved trails. If you like it, then that's all that matters. I don't like drops. I have a dual suspension MTB and these bikes suite me just fine.

TakingMyTime

Kind of like what I was going to say... Any bike that gets your butt in the saddle is a good bike.

AlmostTrick

Your bike looks sweet.

Raleigh calls mine "Half 'cross bike, half urban commuter", so I'm going with "Flat bar crossroad bike"! You can too!

steve_cay

Am I going to bring a $6000 carbon road bike into the woods? Do I REALLY need a full out mountain bike for these kind of trails? Am I going to stick to only roads, or only trails for my enjoyment? My garage is already cluttered with the famillies bikes, I am not going to double them up so I have the "perfect" tool for each job. I don't compete, nor do technical trails. I love my Hybrid!

mconlonx

See, this is what I assume people who say a hybrid won't work in OP's situation think of when they think of "hybrid." Whereas this:

...is probably not a style the nay-sayers who haven't been into a bike shop in years are even aware of.

travbikeman

I agree here as well. I've become a really big fan of hybrids. My Crosstrail has become a huge amount of fun to ride.

steve_cay

So many people asking, "I don't have a bike but want to do some trails and road. Everybody says I need a mountain bike for trails."

Chances are if you don't already have a bike, you will have nowhere near the skill or fitness level to do technical mountain trails that would exceed the capabilities of a Crosstrail or Trek DS! But these guys saying you need a mountain bike vs a hybrid are basing their opinion on Trek FX or Specialized Sirrus type of bikes. There are many different types of Hybrids, and stereotype comments on hybrids to not fit all of them!

Bill1227

To the original author,
I don't see it that way at all. Meaning insinuating that hybrids are picked on or lesser. You will hear the exact same stuff with any bike category. Example- some dislike Fat bikes and seem to want to share this with everybody, while others love them. Down bar bikes versus = ditto. Race bikes versus touring. Rigid mountain bikes versus full suspension. It goes on and on.
Lighten up
Few will argue that Hybrid's of some sort are often the most practical/multi use fwiw.

Bill1227

[QUOTE=travbikeman;17748728]I agree here as well. I've become a really big fan of hybrids. My Crosstrail has become a huge amount of fun to ride.

[/Q
UOTE]
Nice picture , bike - good example of practicality

alathIN

Kind of like saying that a Swiss Army knife does nothing well.

OK, yes, it isn't a specialized tool for just doing one particular job ideally well.

It's an all-purpose tool that can do a lot of jobs adequately.

Last time I checked, Swiss Army knives are pretty popular. If you're a vascular surgeon, you will probably want a more task-specific tool. If you want something to throw in your pocket that can do a lot of different jobs you may randomly encounter, a Swiss Army knife is hard to beat.

Or maybe I should have used Leatherman as an example. Same idea.

FrenchFit 

Well,, it's sort of obvious. They are the bike designed by Homer Simpson, incorporating the most undesirable aspects of both road and mountain bikes, They are heavy, slow, clunky, non-aero, uncool and incapable of any serious off-road riding. They are the bike of choice for the uncool guy to ride to Rite Aid to get his stool softener prescription filled. The "Ramblers" of the bike world if you will.

I think that's the obvious answer: an unholy marriage of two capable bike designs

I do not agree; on its better days the biking community is a large tent, all welcome, leave your judgmental-ism at home, ride your ride.

Wittyname

Love my hybrid, it's great for just tooling around with my son's trailer on the back going to the playground or park. No need for a mtb since we only cut across a little grass, and I much prefer the upright position for visibility.

MRT2

What was your impression of the mountain bike you rented?

Gknight

I agree with everyone saying the only bad bike is one that doesn't get ridden...I'm a die hard road bike drop bar rider, but some folks are more comfortable on a hybrid, which means they will ride more! Why jump up to the bulk of a mountain bike just to get straight handlebars?

And I'm currently restoring a Jamis Coda hybrid that I bought for $50 bucks...DEFINITELY not a waste of money!

Gknight

Also, a lot of bike shop snobs will try to tell you a bike that costs less than $1000 is not worth riding...FALSE! Nothing like blowing past a guy on a $2000 road bike on an old steel ten speed!

madurotiger

I honestly don't even remember the exact brand of bike that I rented. I was just trying to get the feel for everything. I really enjoyed it. I've always been an adrenaline junkie and more on the adventurous side jumping out of planes and bungee jumping so mountain biking fits me well. I won't be able to go up to the mountains every week because of work but I want to explore the mountains and trails that nature offers. I think a hybrid would serve me well but I think a mountain bike would serve me a little better for what I want do do. I won't be doing a whole lot of riding on the road. I just don't trust drivers a bit and there's too much going on around you with cars flying by. I ordered the Specialized Rockhopper 29 from a great LBS. I'm sure later on in life, 20 years down the road when I'm approaching 50 I won't be flying down a mountain, but I'd like to experience some good fun mountain biking now. There's so many good parks and mountainous areas within 1-1.5 hours from where I live, so the area for it is a big plus.

madurotiger

That is one great looking bike!