jon p

hey all...i've been checking out these forums off and on for years and have gleaned much from them...thanks!...hope u can help me out...

i just moved to warsaw, poland and am looking to jump into the hybrid world, mostly because they're sorta perfect for around here!...specifically, i'll be riding about 50/50 on road and hard-packed dirt....all the usual biking suspects are here or available for a bit more than the States, but that's ok by me....

so, i'm making/whittling down a list...so far some models that i've looked at/read about are the Trek 7.3fx-wsd, the Trek 8.2 (all the way up to 8.5, i think), the Specialized Sirrus, and the Giant Escape...

essentially, the ability to handle at least the hard pack dirt is my biggest concern...i favor a rigid fork, so already i'm leaning away from the 8. Trek series, but i thought i'd get some ideas from your collective experience and expertise....

so...my biggest questions:
- general recommendations for a true 50/50 bike
- your experience with the skinnier tires of the Treks, Specialized, and Giants
- any immediate adaptations you'd make to make the cruise more enjoyable...

thanks again for allowing me to lurk all these years and i hope i can repay you with my (mostly single speed) experience henceforth...

pura vida ,
jon p

andrei_r

- general recommendations for a true 50/50 bike: fatter tires.
- your experience with the skinnier tires of the Treks, Specialized, and Giants: Get one that has the biggest tire clearances (Stay away from road caliper brakes. V-brakes and disc brakes are better for that matter. Closely inspect the clearance between the chainstays, seatstays, tire to seat tube and the front fork.)
- any immediate adaptations you'd make to make the cruise more enjoyable: fatter tires.

This is according to my book.

badger1

For that kind of riding -- taking you seriously to mean literally 50% paved/50% hard-packed dirt -- you wouldn't need to look further that these two, or competitors' equivalents.

Choose your preferred bar type, then:

Drop bars: something like AnyRoad CoMax | Giant Bicycles | United States

Flat bars: something like ToughRoad SLR | Giant Bicycles | United States

These are from the U.S. 2016 website, but Giant is a major presence in Europe so they might be available.

Wanderer

Anything 28mm or wider tires will be fine for what you plan. 32 and up, would be better on the soft stuff, especially if it includes loose gravel or sandy surfaces.

Welcome, and participate often. My Grandfather came to the US from Poland, 100 years ago!

Barrettscv 

I keep a Trek 8.2 (with the rigid fork) in Italy for when I visit family on vacation. It's a true 50/50 bike that can fit a wide range of tires. If I go on a longer off-road ride, I fit Schwalbe 700x47 Smart Sam mountain bike tires. If I plan a longer ride on pavement, I switch to Vittoria Voyager Hyper tires. The bike feels very sporty with the light and fast Vittoria 700x32 Voyager Hyper tires.

I would definitely recommend the Trek.



[URL=https://s289.photobucket.com/user/wildcat-bucket/media/IMG_0220_zpscb9eaa6d.jpg.html][/URL

andrei_r

Mama mia! Those are some breathtaking shots...

NormanF

My choice of do everything bike? GT Eightball: