slganis

First post here, I did read alot of posts before I decided to write this, but my questions are a shade different than what has been previously asked and answered here (good advice is regularly given at this site!) First, some background: The LBS at which I have a $1K gift certificate (and I plan to come within budget, excluding tax & accessories) carries Trek, Specialized, Canondale (out of stock), Raleigh. Last bike I bought was my 1986 10 speed Lotus Excelle, which I still have but rarely if ever use (except I broke it out last summer, did some riding in between tennis, which is reason I was given the gift certificate by my kids)...after toying with idea of buying another road bike, I've now decided on hybrid class, and to squeeze 2 bikes out of the gift certificate, for my wife and me, so that maybe that will decrease chances that my new hybrid will gather cobwebs in the garage due to the busy Connecticut suburban streets, the backcountry winding roads with absolutely no shoulders, and learning how to ride off-road in the 200 acre local trails park where the mountain bikers share space with the off leash dog walkers, the trout fishermen (yes, a river runs thru it!). I don't see many mountain bikers my age out there...

So, nearing 60 and in very good physical shape (both of us), I figured we could walk into the LBS, ask for a hybrid, walk out with sales. What's with all this performance hybrid, dual sport hybrid, comfort hybrid, and all the models of each kind made by each manufacturer...and all these questions about what's your main purpose in buying the bike, etc. The bike marketplace has been so sliced and diced, I'm somewhat convinced it's catering to the same people upgrading their bikes every couple of years....

I now figure I'll do some road riding, say 15-18 mile range for starters, and also try out the nature trail park (there are weekly mountain bike Meetup groups there as well). When I was at the LBS on Saturday, I test rode the Trek 7.1 FX, the Trek 7.2 FX (a bit of a too-forward lean to it) and the Trek 7100 (OK, but too upright), but realize now that the Trek Gary Fisher DS 8.2 is also a hybrid, and I should have test rode the 8.2 model they had for $550 (remember, the budget). At another location of the LBS, they also sell the Specialized Sirrus for 520 and the Crosstrail for $580. So, I plan to go back and test the 8.2 DS here, after it finally stops raining in Connecticut...I hadn't realized dual sport was technically a hybrid, and an all-purpose hybrid. But before I go back, I figured I would ask more about dual sport, Trek vs. Specialized:

B] For anyone who test rode (in past year or so) the Crosstrail and the 8.2 DS, please let me know subjective differences you discovered![/B]

Women's Raleigh Hybrids: That mid 500s price tag on my bike would leave some cash left over for my wife's hybrid, she is petite and would be on a 15" size, and since she's not a rider at this point, but would ride on a casual basis with me, I don't know whether she would want a comfort or a performance hybrid....and I do notice that at my LBS that the Raleighs have an attractive price tag....the Detour 3.5 and the Route models can be had for the low $400s, which would be OK for our budget...(a bike like the performance Specialized Sirrus would cost 520; the comfort Trek 7100 was $490; the Trek 7.2FX was 575).........thoughts about Raleighs Women comfort or performance hybrids in the low to mid 400 range? (Or perhaps the Trek 7000 comfort bike)?
Many thanks for your answers!!!

P.S: Yes I know we have to have money to buy accessories, but Father's Day is coming up. We do have Bell helmets we bought at Target, and I don't plan to buy bicycle shoes, and will buy a pair of shorts at REI which can double as "regular" shorts, I have a lock, a Camelback, and I don't care about Cateyes for now....may buy an inexpensive clip on for the pedals, also at REI...we have a rack for the car that we haven't used for years, a Saris 2 bike rack, have to make sure it will be OK on our SUV...

ChowChow

What kind of riding will you be doing?

edsall78

What are you doing with that Excelle?..I have the same bike and what I love about it is how versatile it is. You can put fatter tires on it and even swap out the handlebar for something more upright.

slganis

Well, ChowChow, I am a work in progress....I feel like a startup company, I'll probably buy a bike, and may end up meeting some guys and doing some riding different than I originally thought. However, presently, my idea would be to take long rides on pavement, some hills say for starters a couple of hours, maybe a couple of times a week (I'm a working man), and maybe if I can muster it, at a 12 mph pace, just enjoying the ride, getting some exercise no Cateye, and from time to time my wife would join me on her new hybrid. Plus, if I can handle it, I'd like to take the bike into the 5 mile perimeter trails area I described, part of it has 10 foot wide flat dirt trails with some tree roots, but other parts are narrow trails and hilly and very rocky...there is a weekly MeetUp group that does mountain biking there, I'm not sure at this point whether a dual sport hybrid, be it a Trek or a Specialized Crossroads, would enable me to keep up with those mtn bike daredevils,but I'm willing to try it out if they permit me, a newbie on a DS hybrid, to join in the fun. Plus, I meet young mountain bikers there each weekend when I'm walking the dog, and they tell me it's just so much fun to be riding in nature without the bother of weekend traffic (just loose off-leash dogs)Off-trail biking would be completely new to me. So, my plan is to have the versatility to do both pavement and as a beginner, off-trail...I can't really say in what percentage, I would hope someday it would be 50/50, but I may have to ease into the off-trail, or I may be so jazzed by off-trail that I'll be doing that more than the pavement riding. I think the specs of the Specialized Crosstrail and the Trek 8.2 DS are close, but I wanted to hear from the group and make sure that the dual sport tires aren't too knobby that would make pavement riding a real chore--the lack of shoulders on these 'backcountry roads' make it hazardous enough...

slganis

Last summer, I bought new tires for my Lotus, they were 27s, and no, you can't put fatter tires on it (I asked about that), won't fit. It has the electric blue color, and I'm not sure what you mean about versatility, but I know that for the shape I'm in, I could never keep up with these new racing bikes on other than "D" rides in the local road bike club rides. I bought it in 1985/86 for about 180 bucks at Sheepshead Bay Cycle on Coney Island Avenue near Avenue U (or so), planning to ride in Prospect Park, but then we moved to a small city in CT. After replacing the tires, I did some local riding last summer with it after it mothballed for more than 12 years in my garage. (The chain broke when I was first riding it again last summer).

ChowChow

I'm not a big fan on bikes that claims to do a 50/50 on road and off road. I recommend getting a bike for road/pavements. then when you do want to try out some off roads, then get a mountain bike. Bikes that claims to do 50/50 aren't that great for either types of roads IMO. I suggest getting a flat bar hybrid road bike. One that has a 25-32mm tires. Like the Fuji Absolute model, Trek FX series, Jamis Coda/Allegro etc.

slganis

Thank you, ChowChow. Your plan is reasonable, but it would blow out my plan and my budget. Knowing me, I would never buy a $1K mountain bike and then see whether I like doing it...especially since no one I know---approaching 60, y'know..... goes mountain biking. In fact, I think all these bikes are way overpriced and that's why I'm sticking to the budget, who knows how much riding I'm going to do? As I posted, I did ride the Trek FX 7.2, no suspension fork, but was a nice ride. I am not buying a Fjui or a Jamis, as I posted, the LBS I have the gift certificate for does not sell those bikes. Did you have a subjective opinion about Specialized Crossroads vs. Gary Fisher 8.2 DS, or are you just opposed to dual sport bikes in general?

bjjoondo 

Dual Sport Bikes, are a "compromise", like a "crossover" in a SUV, jmho. IF you are going to ride on any DIRT, rougher than a "limestone hardpack trail", then I'd go with a "dual sport" over a "non-suspension" hybrid. I tried to turn my 2011 Jamis Allegro 1 into a "non-suspension" hybrid to use on part of the Pikes Peak Greenway trail and discovered that even with, "small knobby 700Cx38 tires it was still very "skittish" in the softer dirt and didn't like "ruts" in the least!!! So, I've changed my Allegro 1 back to a "flat bar road bike, (changed to 700Cx25 road tires) and IF, I decide that I must do dirt, I'll be getting a "Jamis Allegro X" which would be like either the GF 8.2 DS or the Specialized Crossroads, this is jmho, ymmv. (My personal preference, would be the Specialized Crossroads)

IF your going to ride "singletrack" mtb trails with any "rock croppings" (called rock gardens), then pass on the Dual Sport and get an MTB!!!! If nothing else, purchase a "2nd. set of wheels" and put on semi-slick 26x1.5 or 26x1.25 road tires so you can use them, IF your doing mostly "ROAD RIDING" and change out the wheels when your going "MTB'ing". The nice thing about a Dual Sport is that you "CAN" ride a lot of varied terrain and not cause any "damage" to the bike! You could also get a "2nd. set of wheel's" for the Dual Sport, just for longer road rides, MAKE SURE your Dual Sport has "Lock out" on the fork for your road rides, again jmho, ymmv. Whatever you get ENJOY!

ChowChow

If you are planing on getting a bike that claims to do a 50/50 on road pavements and off roads like dual sports bike. Don't expect it to be that great on pavements or very rough roads. It will do okay on pavements, but it will lack in speed and may be harder to pedal. It can go on dirt and rough roads, but don't expect it to be as good as a mountain bike. Sometimes when you try to save money. You may end up with something that you don't really want.

FormerFF

If you're planning on riding long distances on pavement, nothing beats drop bars. There are drop bar bikes that are more upright than you Lotus, so you may want to give one of them a test ride if you're planning on covering much distance. As far as riding dirt goes, for me that stopped being fun and started being painful at about age 40. YMMV, of course.

edsall78

It's a small world--I'm in Brooklyn..just off Coney Island Avenue and rode in Prospect Park today..I own a few Lotuses (Lotii?)..and thought the 86/87 Excelle's were similar--but, it seems that they did changed them to 700c rims in 1987. I have 28's on my 87 Excelle and i'm sure I can get 32's in there as well.

You could probably get at least $180 for that bike in NYC today..(use it for more accessories)..

Good luck with whatever you get.