AdelaaR

That could have been me saying that.
I own 3 bikes:
a sporty cross hybrid with aerobar and cyclocross tires
a road/tri race bike with aerobar and 160TPI race tires
a TT bike with rear disc wheel, 404 front, 320TPI tubulars and full skin suit with TT helmet ... even shoe covers
The difference is definitely there, but it's not as much as many people want to believe.
Riding at anaerobic threshold my typical fast cruising speeds are somewhere in the range of:
hybrid: 21 mph
road bike: 22 mph
TT bike: 23 mph
In a race ... that difference is like night and day.
In general everyday riding it is only a small difference especially considering that the wind direction's influence is many times greater.

tim24k

Number One. I ride what I like to ride and don't really care what anybody thinks. I buy my rides for me and not for my neighbor or neighbors. If someone else like it fine, if not fine to, because I bought it for me not for them.

I've logged over million miles on motorcycles in my lifetime and I do own and ride two Harley Davidsons. I also own 15 Moto Guzzis, two BMWs, two Royal Enfields, one Yamaha, one MuZ, one Jawa, one Sacks, and one Honda. And I wave to everyone. Like you said "every activity has its clicks and snobs" I have found Honda Goldwingers and BMW riders are the worst in being snobs. (Not the old air head BMW riders though.) And yes I've owned two Goldwings a 1998 se and a 2001 GL1800. Two of the most unreliable motorcycles I have ever owned by the way.

Some years back I rode with the local Vancouver Bike Club there in town three times and got snubbed because I rode my then commuter bike a Trek 520 with fenders, even though I staid up in the top 15 to 20% of the riders. Some of them just didn't like steel bikes and if it had fenders that was really bad. Or someone that didn't ride with a kit, that just was not done.

So I ride alone with or without my family on my steel bike my Hybrid or whatever I feel like ridding with a smile and I like it. Bottom line I'm just to old to worry about anybody els thinks of what I'm ridding.

daihard 

Agreed, whether it's a road bike ovetaking a hybrid, or the other way 'round.

niuoka

agree 100%

RollCNY

I haven't poked my nose in Hybrid subforum in a while but I saw this thread and had some thoughts:

I rode my hybrid on group rides for 2+ years, and got nothing but compliments for doing it. Yes, the first ride I heard the question, "Who's the kid on the mountain bike?", but that went away after one ride. The only negative that ever happened is that I locked my bar ends into someone else's drop bars, which was scarey until we untangled. Others on the ride didn't even notice.

I use cycling clothes on my hybrid, and on my single speed, and on my road bike, for the same reason I wear a swim suit in the pool. Clothing designed for an activity tends to perform well at that activity.

And on waving, when I hike, I wave and say hello to everyone. On my bike, I have failed to wave to good friends riding or driving the other direction. Why? Because I am focused on the workout I am doing, and not paying attention. When I am at the gym, I don't wave to the person next to me, even if they are doing the same activity. If I am on a leisure ride, I wave to everyone.

Of course there are snobs in cycling, just like there are snobs in golf, football, and quilting. Why would that impact anyone's enjoyment of the sport?

AdelaaR

Good point!
While cycling I try to pay 100% attention to the road, traffic and other possible dangers around me.
"Waving" or any other social activity distracts and is dangerous.

aubiecat

Waving is dangerous? LoL
Is it more dangerous than giving hand signals when you are turning or getting a squirt from your water bottle while moving?

Planemaker

I have ridden my hybrid almost 3,000 miles this year, I don't wear a kit, I love it and I don't care what anybody thinks. The LBS and clubs around here have always been accepting and when I go to a shop and ask about ride I am welcomed.

In Kansas we don't have a lot of hills but, we do have wind. I have ridden on some group rides and been able to keep up just fine except when going against the wind because I am riding in a less aerodynamic position then those with rode bikes.

I recently purchased a rode bike to ride longer distances and with groups in a more aerodynamic position. I plan on riding my hybrid the majority of miles and my rode bike in group rides and centuries.

RaikageZero

That, my dear sir, is golden.

ps249

I have been hooked on hybrid bikes for the past 4 years. With a hybrid, I can enjoy the scenery. I ride the rail trails and those are some of the best scenic rides anyone can enjoy. (At least in my home state of Michigan). I see alot of roadies on the rail trails but they zoom by so fast their head is always looking at the ground or so it seems. Most roadies are friendly around here but they go so fast, its hard to get eye contact to say "hello".
Roadies are an entirely different culture of bicyclist. I am only one category of bike away from becomming a roadie myself, but not sure if I want to really go there or not. They all dress like professional racers or like they are in an exclusive club. (Which they are by the way). Roadies are the kings of the sport, no doubt about it.

WC89

^The above is from ps249^

WC89

Been riding for many yrs. Primarily a roadie; however, love to ride my hybrid on the MUPs. In my observations, other riders on hybrids and MTBs on the MUP and at the parking lots and rest stops of the MUPs are generally less friendly than roadies out on the road. Not that all roadies are very friendly or will wave back. Very little conversation, small-talk, or just speaking, from others on hybrids or MTBs. Usually a few words exchanged, at least a "wazup dude," is uttered as another roadie passes me or I pass him/her. Usually (not 100% of the time) mutual waves take place if we pass each other from opposite sides of the road. Could be b/c there are typically many more people on the MUPs and it's just not reasonable to speak/wave to every person you see - no problem with that. But, many, many, many days I've been out when there are just a couple or few people nearby or even right next to me on the pkng lot, rest stop, etc without even a "wazup." Just an observation from one person. Not looking for a best bud or a hug. Not going to adversely affect my ride. Just my experience between the roadie and hybrid worlds where I live.

SLazz

When I ride my local trails I spend the majority of my time looking a few yards ahead and not at other riders. All I care about is steering clear of "you know what".

ps249

And your point is?

WC89

[QUOTE=ps249;16207873]And your point is?[/QUOTE

I just found your post quite funny. Since I forgot to include your name in the reply, that's how I chose to acknowledge who it came from.

BHOFM

I read a lot of this thread. I ride a lot, streets, trails, sidewalks, what ever is in front of me. Our side walks are all classed as multi-use.

I have stopped and visited with many cyclist along the way. No one has ever had a negative comment about my bike. I have had a
range and still do, from $10 Salvation Army Thrift Store to multi thousand $ custom built. I often comment on others bikes, positive
comments. One of my bikes, the $10 one, I get comments like, "Hey, neat, don't see many of those any more", "That looks new, where
did you pick that up?".

I have an old Trek, many times people have told me if it is ever for sale, let them know.

My feelings and many others, if you own a bike, and ride it.. that is what matters.. Not what
the bike is. Or what others think about it.

From:



To:



Bottom line, enjoy your bike, the rest of the world, can take a leap. They ain't paying the bills.

I just finished an old time trial bike and some one commented on the forum, "Looks like it was
made from left over parts". It was, that was the plan all along the way. Use what we had on hand.

It rides nice and didn't cost an arm, leg and other parts..

It ain't an everyday bike, it may not be a once a year bike, but is gets a lot of looks along the way.



Maybe it is really a hybrid in it's own way. I know it is neat to ride. And the frame builder was impressed with the
end product. It is from about 1988/9. The next generation didn't have the tube shifters. It has no serial number as
it is a new, left over frame.

mrtuttle04

I rode m Trek Verve on an 80-mile ride with a couple friends that had road bikes. They spent most of the time drafting me (at 6' 2", 210 pounds siting up I made great windbreak). At the end of he ride my friends were complaining about their sore neck and back while I had no problems (other than the usual soreness in the legs) at all. You can have your rode bike, I will keep my hybrid.
Mark

mrtuttle04

Check the internet to find local rides. Pittsburgh has an organization that keeps a calendar (https://bikepgh.org/calendar/). They also rate the rides from "A" (19+ mph) to "E" (10-12 mph) (https://wpwbikeclub.org/?page_id=34). A and B are speed rides while C though E are no rider left behind.

I hope this helps.
Mark

autowood

After reading all these posts I know why nobody said Welcome when I listed my bikes:
My BikesGary Fischer Level Betty, Marin B-17, Giant Attraction, Scwhinn Beach cruiser, Trek 700, Currie 450w,

Sasquatch.

I find it very funny, I ride my bike to work and I pass the same 2 people on the other side of the road every day. One person is on a road bike the other on a Hybrid. If I am riding my Hybrid the guy on the Hybrid always waves (he ignores me on my road bike). If I am on my road bike the other road bike guy waves but ignores me if I am on my Hybrid.

I think it is very funny and childish at the same time. I would of thought that by now they would recognize me and not my bike.

mrodgers

Sounds like my experience when I rode a motorcycle. I rode a cruiser style bike and my brother-in-law rode a sport bike. Every bike that we passed when by him ignoring him and waved to me.

I live in the middle of nowhere and ride a trail in the woods. I don't see many people, but when I see folks on hybrids, they all give me a good morning or hello as I ride past as do I. There are a handful of folks I see now and then on road bikes and only 1 of those that I see throughout my week will give a passing greeting to me. I'm not on a hybrid though, I'm on a cheap POS Walmart mountain bike.

blue_cheese

I don't have any noise making bell/horn what not, when I ride in the local trails I holler out a loud "Hello, good day" to any walkers/hikers I am rapidly approaching.... so i guess that makes me friendly?

Dustygirl01

I love my hybrid too. I can take that bike anywhere, and it's so comfortable that I WANT to ride it! I do more riding on my hybrid than some of my friends do who have "fancy" road bikes. I'm even riding it during our horrid winter...upper 20's with 10 - 15 mph winds. I love my bike, and actually have nightmares about it being stolen!

fietsbob

In a country that does not consider the bicycle a sports toy, what you use for a transportation bicycle
to get places does not matter.

daihard 

There are two sides to bicycles, just like cars. Bicycles can be a means of transport. They can also be "sports toy." Look at all the bicycle races that take place in the world.