Juha

I needed something reliable to use for commuting and touring. Speed was not a factor. With these specs, I went into the LBS and came out with a Nishiki hybrid (complete with frame mounted rear wheel lock, fenders and a rear rack), helmet and a U-lock. I cannot really remember what else they had to offer, but the salesperson thought this one would fit the bill.

This was cirka 1994, and the salesperson was right, as I still use that bike as a winter ride. It's now equipped with friction shifters, B&M dynamo and lights, and Nokian studded tyres.

--J

Timber_8

I went into my lbs looking to replace my mountain bike. I use to be an avid camper utilization state parks & mountain biking was my recreation. The guy that sold me my bike pretty much interviewed me about my needs & what I now wanted to do. We talked about suspension & disk brakes. I rode a dozen or so bike even ones I was clearly not going to buy but they wanted me to know the difference in feel an performance. I decided on a Hybrid based on the fact that I no longer did much off road riding & commuting wasn't even a thought at that point. I liked the feel & control of a flat bar and decided on the Trek 7.2 based on lines, feel and color. Commuting came into thought over the winter and became a reality this summer. The more I ride the more I love my bike. It turned out to be a perfect fit

starla

Nearly exact same reason. Was commuting on a heavy Trek 820. Wanted something lighter and faster and I like a straight bar. Needed to be comfortable on gravel roads. Got a Trek Valencia and love it.

graceomalley

Two weeks ago I decided I wanted to ride a bicycle again after not having ridden regularly since I was a teenager. Condorita's quote above is my exact reasoning for choosing a hybrid.

I bought a Trek 7200 WSD bike in Pearl/Nickel and it's beautiful! However, the shifting is awkward. So, about 3 days ago I went back to my bike shop and ordered an upgrade to the Trek FX 7.5 WSD. It's so pretty and it rides like a dream! Can't wait 'til it arrives.

Panthers007

You're going to LOVE the 7.5! You will be amazed at quick the 7.5 moves - even compared to the 7200. There was a man around the other week. He was complaining about a 7.5 FX. It was his wife's bike. And he couldn't keep up with her - "It's too fast!"

Let us know your feelings, and post some pictures?

Tally Ho!

sh00k

i went in looking for a diamondback sorrento and the dude was like if you spend a little more, you can get the 7.2.. took it for a spin and i knew the fx's were for me....

but then about 100 miles of riding it, i got tired of it and wanted something more high end... so i sold it a couple of days ago....

now im on the lookout for my next bike...

al-wagner

I was looking for a bike that was lighter and quicker then my mountain bike. I was using to commute to work. I had a road bike but I didn't like using it in foul weather.

qmsdc15

Enjoy your rest.

sh00k

LOL. I got tired *of it* haha

qmsdc15

Yeah, I got that.

Chuck G

I basically got a case of new bike fever last year, I wanted a modern update of my 20 year old MTB: a flat bar bike with no suspension but with disc brakes that I could put a rear rack and fenders on. I intended to use the bike for riding the local greenways + rail trail, towing the kids trailer or trail-a-bike, and the occassional grocery run. I already had a drop bar touring bike I bought in 2007, my old cheap road bike bought in 1991, and my 20 year old MTB. I helped rationalize my purchase by thinking about the wear on the old MTB's rims and the rust flakes I found inside the frame the last time I repacked the bottom bracket.

I looked at hardtail MTBs, 700c wheeled hybrids, so-called "commuter" bikes, and eventually settled on a Novara Buzz: 26" wheels, street tires with a decent tread for rail trails, mechanical disc brakes, 2x9 gearing, twist shifters. Oh, and it is was ALL BLACK - really cool looking IMO, I never had a bike before that I thought was really eye-catching. I feel like a little kid when I am on that bike REI markets the bike as an "urban" bike, whatever that means. Incidentally, the geometry is similar to that of my touring bike except the chainstays and top tube are a tad shorter.

Praxis

My Shogun Ground Breaker was bought in anticipation of college biking: mostly paved, with some jaunts offroad. And the toe overlap on my existing 10 speed was annoying me greatly. So a hybrid was recommended, and that's what I bought. It still hasn't died yet and I'm commuting on it daily so it works for what I need it to.

Next bike may have drops, since the position of my wrists is a bit awkward if I'm riding a lot. I'd put on bar ends but I usually just grab the ends as if I had them.

rumrunn6

My road bike (10-speed) from my teen years was stolen. When I moved to Boston I built a Frankenstein 10-speed from parts I found on the street. It was nasty and spray painting it didn't help much. When I got married I brought my Frankenstein into the marriage and my wife brought her Fuji Shogun. They both lived in our basement and I eventually just got sick of looking at my beast after a few years of non use after we had kids. I would eventually find a nasty MTB in the trash which I fixed up and even used as a commuter. The frame was too small for me but what did I know. Wait, what were we talking about ...?

Oh yeah, then I won a photo contest and got some discretionary cash and to allow me to remember my victory I bought a bike. Without consult I bought a Target bike cuz it looked adequate. Stop snickering - I put over 1,000 miles on it and just replaced the drivetrain and plan on another 1,000!

cc_rider

It followed me home.

ntime60

Most of my workmates ride, some enter triathlons, some ride 35 miles one way commuting. I mostly wanted to become a bit more active and lose some weight. Since gyms bore me, cycling appealed to me a bit more. So I set off to do some research, because I figured biking had changed a bit in 33 years.

After several weeks and many trips to different LBSs I got the choice down to Giant Cypress DX or the Trek 7.3FX. I ended up buying this. It also met with the approval of my personal accountant as it didn't break her idea of a bicycle. Actually we bought 2 Hers is a Giant Cyprus DX.

Panthers007

ntime60 - we can't see your pictures. You should transfer them to your post.

ntime60

I changed the link. I forgot if your not logged in you can't see the big pics. Sorry, I'll change the other links too

imstumpedru

I wore out several mtn bikes commuting, so when i decided to pony up for a new bike the last time i wanted more speed since i ride mostly on road. I road several road bikes and while they were easier to go fast on, i always felt they were not strong enough... so the hybrid was a natural choice for me, it just took several months to decide lol.

Luddite

I went hunting for a new bike in May, after my BF got himself a Dahon with pedal assist. I visited a few LBS and went to one where they finally asked me where I intended on riding the bike. I said for commuting etc. I didn't have the dough for a new road bike and suspension anything doesn't interest me, I also mentioned I like steel. I ended up with my hybrid that the guy actually designed himself. It's called the "Luddite" .

While I sometimes wish I could go faster (max I can go is maybe 32km/h on a flat road with max effort) this bike is just so easy to ride. I have it tricked out for carrying stuff etc, too. I like how it doesn't care if I go off curbs, across rough pavement/gravel even grass. It's the perfect everything bike.

I bought a classic steel road bike off my former roommate that I never ride, it's too big and the downtube shifters are annoying to figure out.

TinyCycler

At 5'0" tall, the factor that narrowed the field for me was size. I walked into the LBS, the clerk correctly guessed my height and then showed me what bikes came in my 14" size. The only kind of bike I absolutely did not want was a road bike, simply because they terrify me. I narrowed it down to a comfort bike (the Trek Navigator 2.0) and the hybrid, and the test ride did the rest. No contest, the Trek 7000 WSD is the bike for me. Just bought the bike today 8-22-09). Yippee!

Luddite

Congrats on your new steed. Treat her well.

TinyCycler

@Luddite, thanks, and I will baby her. I plan on having this bike for a long, long time!

gepilling

The main factor for me was weight. I chose my Specialized Sirrus Sport in large part because it weighed significantly less than any of the other dozen+ bikes I test rode that were in my price range of around $600. The reduced weight and thinner tires offered a better road ride than the others as well.

I also think the Sirrus looks better than most bikes, especially with the flat black paint. It just looks evil. Or stealth. Either way, awesome.

fitman1

I chose a hybrid by accident - I always had road bikes and was riding a Trek Madone 5.2 - seemed like it took 20 minutes to just get ready to ride the Madone (bibs, tires, water) and just wanted to have a bike that I could ride casually.

Anyway, found a Trek 7.3 on Craigslist about 2 years ago. Lady bought it for her husband and he never rode it. Got it for $300 and started to ride it as a workout/trainer. After 6 months I sold the Madone and have been riding the 7.3 exclusively. It has over 3K miles on it.

I didn't even know what a hybrid was when I bought it but it's a great ride for me. I never feel pressured to race (everyone wanted to 'drop' the Madone) and the 7.3 has been flawless. It's still all original (chain, brakes) although I swapped out the tires with 28s instead of the 32s.

bicyclridr4life

My employer said I could get any bike on the floor at the LBS, because I quit smoking. I already had a mountain bike, did not want a racing bike, but wanted something with 700 C wheels. After a couple test rides, I chose the Giant Cypress DX. NO complaints, other than the tires (Kenda's) seem rather prone to flats. 30 ~ 40 miles without a flat is a minor miracle, and I ride this bike ONLY on pavement.