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Is there something wrong with owning a Hybrid?

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Is there something wrong with owning a Hybrid?

Old 06-08-13, 04:51 AM
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Originally Posted by seat_boy
It's funny, I've been biking for many years, and I've always looked down on hybrids. I think because when they first came out (early 90s), they were pretty bad: mountain bike geometry, road sized wheels, limited tire clearance, and semi knobby tires. Now, as I use my cyclocross bike with flat bars, flat pedals, fenders, etc for riding around town... a hybrid might really do the job better. I'm thinking about heading out to test ride some, but I need some way to announce, "I'm looking at hybrids but I'm not a rookie!" Insecure, I guess.
What is a hybrid... the never ending question. Whatever you call your bike now, maybe you've always had a hybrid but preferred to identify yourself with another category ?
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Old 06-08-13, 06:26 AM
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When you look at the position of a guy who isn't in the drops attacking and somebody on a hybrid, they look pretty similar to me so i'm not surprised by that guys post ^^^
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Old 06-08-13, 09:20 AM
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Nothing wrong at all. I have thought many times about a road bike but I always go back to my hybrid I can ride it all around town. It is alot more practical. On the same token I can ride it 30 miles and avg 18 miles an hour. I could not go trail riding with it so I went ahead and also bought me a 29er now I can do it all.

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Old 06-08-13, 09:35 AM
  #54  
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For what it is worth, I was not saying that every hybrid is as capable of efficient speed as every road bike. But I am saying that a hybrid can be set up to be a fast, efficient, and comfortable bike. I own both, ride both, and do not think one is superior to the other. Unfortunately, when someone says that a hybrid can never be ridden more than 30 miles comfortably, I invariably seem to cry BS.
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Old 06-08-13, 01:18 PM
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No doubt, doesn't a "flat bar 'cross bike" sound like it has a lot more street cred than a "hybrid"?

Originally Posted by jbchybridrider
What is a hybrid... the never ending question. Whatever you call your bike now, maybe you've always had a hybrid but preferred to identify yourself with another category ?
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Old 06-08-13, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by RollCNY
Unfortunately, when someone says that a hybrid can never be ridden more than 30 miles comfortably, I invariably seem to cry BS.
So open-minded of you to dismiss anyone who finds drop bars more comfortable than flat bars over long(er) distances.
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Old 06-08-13, 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by seat_boy
No doubt, doesn't a "flat bar 'cross bike" sound like it has a lot more street cred than a "hybrid"?
And what is my bike if not a "flat bar road bike"? Put drop bars on it and it would look just like a "road" bike. I think the on people giving "street cred" are those who are too insecure of their own "street cred" to ride flat bars. Kind of like a man who won't drink a pina colada. They are damn good but they think men who drink them are sissys so they won't drink them themselves.

Not to mention only people who are really into the biking community would have any idea what a cross bike is. To the average joe it's just another road bike.
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Old 06-08-13, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Dunbar
So open-minded of you to dismiss anyone who finds drop bars more comfortable than flat bars over long(er) distances.
He did not say that at all. He said hybrids can be comfortable for long distances - and I agree having rode long distances on mine.
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Old 06-08-13, 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Dunbar
So open-minded of you to dismiss anyone who finds drop bars more comfortable than flat bars over long(er) distances.
I have not done any such thing. I do dismiss folks with poor reading comprehension.
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Old 06-08-13, 08:19 PM
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Originally Posted by RollCNY
Non-sense. Have you done centuries on both a hybrid and a road bike? I have, and there is little or no difference in comfort or speed. Most organized centuries end up in a pack ride, and aero becomes less important in a pack. You have the same speed as the group, regardless of bike, provided you can hang in the group.

The fastest I have ever gone on a bike, 51.2 mph, was on a Specialized Sirrus. The fastest I have hit on any of my road bikes is 49.6 mph. It was entirely a function of the hill that I encountered on the Sirrus, and have never ridden again.

The fastest flat land sprint I have ever done hit 41.0 mph (for about a second ), and was on a flat bar road bike. I have hit 39.4 mph on a drop bar bike, same section of road. I had a tail wind on my peak day with the flat bar.

The longest single day ride I have done on a hybrid was 152 miles. The longest single day ride on a drop bar bike is 136 miles. Both of them were equally uncomfortable by the time I finished. Both were solo rides, and with meals, and stops, and visiting company on the way, 10 hour cycling days are fatiguing no matter what you ride.

There is no magical speed or distance gift given by a road bike.
There must be something ... Why are there road bikes ? I would love to see the above examples with some power meter #'s attached ...

If your correct, all the "pro's" on "the tour" , would be on nybrids ... O.o

... and yes, you could, hang on the back of a paceline with a hybrid and go *fast*... until its your turn to rotate to the front. O.O : o)

Last edited by martinus; 06-08-13 at 08:26 PM.
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Old 06-08-13, 08:24 PM
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Why can't you just accept different strokes for different folks? Everyone doesn't love only road bikes. MHO
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Old 06-08-13, 09:56 PM
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Originally Posted by RollCNY
I have not done any such thing. I do dismiss folks with poor reading comprehension.
You said:

Unfortunately, when someone says that a hybrid can never be ridden more than 30 miles comfortably, I invariably seem to cry BS.
I guess you dismiss people like me then because I do not find flat bar bikes comfortable on longer rides. I actually find them uncomfortable and I have plenty of experience riding them. I've tried bar-ends and the extra hand position they offer is not useable to me. But since we're all created equal I guess everybody can, and should, be able to ride a hybrid "comfortably" on rides over 30 miles according to your logic.

Last edited by Dunbar; 06-08-13 at 10:03 PM.
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Old 06-09-13, 06:51 AM
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Maybe the only thing wrong with riding a hybrid is having to ask if there is something wrong with owning a hybrid.

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Old 06-09-13, 07:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Dunbar
I guess you dismiss people like me then because I do not find flat bar bikes comfortable on longer rides. I actually find them uncomfortable and I have plenty of experience riding them. I've tried bar-ends and the extra hand position they offer is not useable to me. But since we're all created equal I guess everybody can, and should, be able to ride a hybrid "comfortably" on rides over 30 miles according to your logic.
I said that I react when people say that a hybrid can NEVER be comfortable over 30 miles. You have falsely stretched that to me saying that a hybrid is ALWAYS more comfortable than a road bike. I said no such thing.

My post was in no way a response to your initial post. You said "IMO" regarding drops and comfort, and gave input specific to yourself. It was a wonderful post. It was posts prior, by others, that stated a hybrid can never be comfortable, and one should never get one if they plan to go more than a few miles.

As a further note, I think many stock hybrids are uncomfortable as sold, with round, cheap rubber grips and silly handlebar shapes. If one spends the time, and of course money, to get good grips, and figures out what they want in a bar shape, they can be just as comfortable as drops.
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Old 06-09-13, 07:17 AM
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Originally Posted by martinus
There must be something ... Why are there road bikes ? I would love to see the above examples with some power meter #'s attached ...

If your correct, all the "pro's" on "the tour" , would be on nybrids ... O.o

... and yes, you could, hang on the back of a paceline with a hybrid and go *fast*... until its your turn to rotate to the front. O.O : o)
I should have said "For a recreational rider". Of course you are putting out more wattage at a given speed if you are less aerodynamic, but at the speeds of my local group ride, in general, I can put out the wattage needed on either bike. I am not speaking for pros, nor pretending to be one.

Also, not all hybrids are set up equally. My flatbars are typically set lower than the hoods on my drop bar bikes, and the bars are cut to the minimum width to allow grips and controls, so the aero impact is not as significant as if I were sitting bolt upright. I take my turn on the front in a paceline, just as everyone else does. I tuck into a position similar to my drops to do it. None of this is rocket science.
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Old 06-09-13, 10:23 AM
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I think my favorite thing about my hybrid (mtb made to be road friendly), is that I can run stuff over. Tree branch on the road, no need to swerve into traffic to avoid it, just run that sucker over. Pot hole, run it over. Storm sewer, run it over. Pile of sand, well you get the point
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Old 06-10-13, 12:27 AM
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Wow..I didn't realize this was still going.

When you guys say "comfortable" does that mean you don't feel any pain on your bottom or legs?

I did 30 miles with slight inclines feeling great, averaged 14mph (don't know if that's good or not) I can't say if a road bike will feel better since I don't own one.
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Old 06-10-13, 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver
Maybe the only thing wrong with riding a hybrid is having to ask if there is something wrong with owning a hybrid.

This.
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Old 06-12-13, 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Bravin Neff
I own a really nice carbon fiber road bike. I love it.

I also own a pretty cheesy, mediocre-at-best hybrid that just happens to currently be in a very good state of tune. The hybrid is unequivocally the more practical bike. It can go far more places the road bike can. For the surfaces shared by the road bike, it can travel them almost as fast. It is fun. It can go slow without having to apologize. It feels right at home in a caravan of family and friends. It can go on the grass, the dirt, the gravel and the pavement. Its great for going to the park. It can pull a kid trailer. It is comfortable. It holds a ton of cargo very well.

I could go on but I think you get my point.
This.

+1.
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Old 06-12-13, 01:53 PM
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I picked up a Univega hybrid for cheap on CL, but it was pretty large (21"). My road bike size is 21", so I put a drop bar and stem shifters on it. I brought it to Block Island and it was perfect. It carried all my beach stuff without a problem, the wider tires were good for riding in sand, and it was fast enough to be fun without feeling twitchy. If you decide that flat bars aren't for you, there are other options like converting to drops or trekking (butterfly) bars.
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Old 06-12-13, 01:53 PM
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a Hybrid of what and what combined?


Perhaps the problem is the Peer Group that thinks you should be riding something else ..

Either N+1 or ignore the critics.
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Old 06-16-13, 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Wanderer
Why can't you just accept different strokes for different folks? Everyone doesn't love only road bikes. MHO
My post count is waaaaaayyy to low ...
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Old 06-16-13, 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Oldhead
I think my favorite thing about my hybrid (mtb made to be road friendly), is that I can run stuff over. Tree branch on the road, no need to swerve into traffic to avoid it, just run that sucker over. Pot hole, run it over. Storm sewer, run it over. Pile of sand, well you get the point
Yup.

Speed down the sidewalk then leap over the curb? Check. Bunny hop in the middle of the street? Check. Swerve off the road, on to the grass, up that hill that looks way out of place in the city neighborhood and probably is some kind of man-made civic sledding thing for the kids in the winter?

Check.
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Old 02-25-14, 08:44 PM
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Originally Posted by hybridbike
I know a lot of people with road bikes and it seems like I'm the only one with a Hybrid. Is it looked down upon? The main reason I bought it was so I can ride in both on the road and trails. I'm a runner (training for my first marathon) and thought it would be nice to own a bike to change up my work outs. But for some reason I feel limited on my hybrid.

Does anyone feel this way or maybe since I'm still a newbie on cycling. (<2months)
Hey, people riding hybrids are much cooler than people riding road bikes. We talk, we laugh, we look around and even have time to stop and take a picture here and there on each and every ride. Road bikers are more like mad, caged beasts. All they see is their front wheel and average speed on their cycling computer. Try to take their attention away for a second and they may bite ;-) As I see it Road bikes are for speed and racing, while Hybrid bikes are for fun, going places and with pretty good speed if you need it.
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Old 02-25-14, 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted by lopek77
Hey, people riding hybrids are much cooler than people riding road bikes. We talk, we laugh, we look around and even have time to stop and take a picture here and there on each and every ride. Road bikers are more like mad, caged beasts. All they see is their front wheel and average speed on their cycling computer. Try to take their attention away for a second and they may bite ;-) As I see it Road bikes are for speed and racing, while Hybrid bikes are for fun, going places and with pretty good speed if you need it.
I've no idea why you here, and elsewhere on this board, feel compelled to resurrect threads that have long since run their course, but since you do ... in this instance your characterization of 'road bikers' (whatever they are; I can only assume you meant 'road cyclists' or 'roadies') is utter nonsense, as is your characterization of those who prefer (as I do) to do their cycling on what are referred to as 'hybrid' bicycles.
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