I love my Hybrid and I don't care what people say.
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I love my Hybrid and I don't care what people say.
Let's just say that I been bashed a few times on group rides. Last week was bad, they said I will be left behind on my bike.
I bought my bike earlier this year and I'm still new to cycling. I'm no pro and I'm not trying to be one, I'm just enjoying the sport. For each ride I have done (30-50 miles), I was always able to keep up and always came up in the middle of the group. I'm not even in cycling gear so I did stick out.
Don't get me wrong a road bike is great but for me, I love being able to do trails too.
I don't know what the big deal is, it seems that some (not all) cyclists are judging fellow riders by their bike.
I bought my bike earlier this year and I'm still new to cycling. I'm no pro and I'm not trying to be one, I'm just enjoying the sport. For each ride I have done (30-50 miles), I was always able to keep up and always came up in the middle of the group. I'm not even in cycling gear so I did stick out.
Don't get me wrong a road bike is great but for me, I love being able to do trails too.
I don't know what the big deal is, it seems that some (not all) cyclists are judging fellow riders by their bike.
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Same here, although I rarely ride with anyone else. I've been snickered at by guys that I've stopped and talked to.
I don't really care. I love to bike and it is a healthy activity that I really enjoy so I'm sticking with a comfortable, easy to ride bike with a suspension fork, spring seat and wider tires. If I try any harder it will become something that I DON'T enjoy, so I am satisfied with just putzing around on my hybrid seeing the sites and enjoying my time.
I don't really care. I love to bike and it is a healthy activity that I really enjoy so I'm sticking with a comfortable, easy to ride bike with a suspension fork, spring seat and wider tires. If I try any harder it will become something that I DON'T enjoy, so I am satisfied with just putzing around on my hybrid seeing the sites and enjoying my time.
Last edited by Rootman; 09-16-13 at 05:18 PM.
#4
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Let's just say that I been bashed a few times on group rides. Last week was bad, they said I will be left behind on my bike.
I bought my bike earlier this year and I'm still new to cycling. I'm no pro and I'm not trying to be one, I'm just enjoying the sport. For each ride I have done (30-50 miles), I was always able to keep up and always came up in the middle of the group. I'm not even in cycling gear so I did stick out.
Don't get me wrong a road bike is great but for me, I love being able to do trails too.
I don't know what the big deal is, it seems that some (not all) cyclists are judging fellow riders by their bike.
I bought my bike earlier this year and I'm still new to cycling. I'm no pro and I'm not trying to be one, I'm just enjoying the sport. For each ride I have done (30-50 miles), I was always able to keep up and always came up in the middle of the group. I'm not even in cycling gear so I did stick out.
Don't get me wrong a road bike is great but for me, I love being able to do trails too.
I don't know what the big deal is, it seems that some (not all) cyclists are judging fellow riders by their bike.
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Their are defenintly elitists in cycling. If you do ride a xxx style your a noob and you should just quit riding. Gets old, but nothing you can do about it other than riding with a different group.
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I have noticed the same thing. On the local rail trails around here all the other cyclists will either say hi or give a head nod, but not the roadies, they just seam to stare straight ahead and ignore the gesture. A couple of weeks ago I was by myself and at the end of the twelve mile trail I was sitting down eating a banana and drinking some water. This guy on a road bike turns right in front of me and ignores the hi I just gave him (I thought how typical). A few minutes later I am back on the trail and about two miles in I pass the same guy (I'm not trying to beat any records here just cruising along). Well I notice he picked up his speed to stay with me, ten miles later when we get back to the parking lot he paid me what I felt was one hell of a complement. The other rider said "wow you keep one hell of a pace" and he looked like he was going to pass out. I bet he won't be telling his buddies he had a hard time keeping up with a guy on a hybrid.
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I guess that showing up in street clothes on a non-road bike tells these guys that you're not serious. Try to remember that riding a bike is not a sport - it's an activity. Racing a bike is a sport.
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Too many people think they're Lance frickin Armstrong. They buy all the expensive gear and quabble about everything in terms of weight and efficiency. It's a little sad tbh. They will never realize that people out in the real world could give two $hits if they're riding the best of the best. Our bikes aren't crippled because they don't do any one thing well, rather, their bikes are crippled because they only do one thing. We can take to the dirt and the streets should we want. Roadies are limited to just the street.
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It doesn't take a bike jersey or a road bike to be a serious rider, whether racing, training or working out. I have a hybrid bike, and I don't race it. I wear a generic wicking shirt and cargo shorts when I ride. OTOH, I intend to improve my riding skills so I can ride faster and further. I enjoy cycling as an aerobic (i.e. cardio) workout as well as a fun means of transportation. If those "roadies" don't consider me serious because of those activities I do, well, what can I say?
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#13
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As a part time road bike rider (I've got a road bike, a cruiser and now a hybrid) I can say that some road bike riders are jerks, but don't read too much into a failure to return a "hi". I try to be friendly to everyone, but sometimes I'm so scared up on that thing I'm afraid nodding my head could send me ass over tea kettle. And other times I do get very focused on avoiding pebbles, cracks, sand, leaves, twigs and any other miniscule obstruction that could send me sprawling.
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You're new to cycling, as you say, and so a hybrid is perfect to start off.
I started off with my hybrid 3 years ago, too.
It allows you to ride and see what you like.
It's the perfect "in between".
Some people like to ride mountain bikes through mud for fun.
Other people like to ride TT bikes in races.
Most end up somewhere in between.
Ride your hybrid as long as it's good enough for what you do with it.
If you ride with roadies a lot you'll eventually get a full kit and a roadbike.
The difference in performance between normal clothing and pro cycling clothing is fenomenal.
The difference between a sporty hybrid and a roadbike isn't that big, but after a few hours those little differences add up and make a lot of difference.
I started off with my hybrid 3 years ago, too.
It allows you to ride and see what you like.
It's the perfect "in between".
Some people like to ride mountain bikes through mud for fun.
Other people like to ride TT bikes in races.
Most end up somewhere in between.
Ride your hybrid as long as it's good enough for what you do with it.
If you ride with roadies a lot you'll eventually get a full kit and a roadbike.
The difference in performance between normal clothing and pro cycling clothing is fenomenal.
The difference between a sporty hybrid and a roadbike isn't that big, but after a few hours those little differences add up and make a lot of difference.
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You're new to cycling, as you say, and so a hybrid is perfect to start off.
I started off with my hybrid 3 years ago, too.
It allows you to ride and see what you like.
It's the perfect "in between".
Some people like to ride mountain bikes through mud for fun.
Other people like to ride TT bikes in races.
Most end up somewhere in between.
Ride your hybrid as long as it's good enough for what you do with it.
If you ride with roadies a lot you'll eventually get a full kit and a roadbike.
The difference in performance between normal clothing and pro cycling clothing is fenomenal.
The difference between a sporty hybrid and a roadbike isn't that big, but after a few hours those little differences add up and make a lot of difference.
I started off with my hybrid 3 years ago, too.
It allows you to ride and see what you like.
It's the perfect "in between".
Some people like to ride mountain bikes through mud for fun.
Other people like to ride TT bikes in races.
Most end up somewhere in between.
Ride your hybrid as long as it's good enough for what you do with it.
If you ride with roadies a lot you'll eventually get a full kit and a roadbike.
The difference in performance between normal clothing and pro cycling clothing is fenomenal.
The difference between a sporty hybrid and a roadbike isn't that big, but after a few hours those little differences add up and make a lot of difference.
#17
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I had a hybrid bike for many years and even did all 250 miles of the KATY Trail on it a couple of times. I recently sold it as I bought a touring bike. However the hybrid was great. Sure my road bike is faster; however, if you are going the same speed on a hybrid, you are getting more exercise and burning more calories. Also it isn't always about speed. Sometimes it's fun just to cruise and enjoy the ride.
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I said: "Ride your hybrid as long as it's good enough for what you do with it."
It's a good bike to start out on, exactly because it's somewhere in the middle of all bikes.
It gives a new rider the chance to experiment with a bit of off road and a bit of getting to speed.
Then, after a few years, one may find out that he or she wants an additional bike to do specific things.
Me, for instance ... I started out on my hybrid and I still love that bike for general riding and family use.
However ... after a while I found myself to specifically like speed riding.
I also found myself to have a specifically large power output over time and so I became a TT'er and bought a TT bike and accompanying gear.
Then ... after some more time ... I found myself to become a triathlete.
Not that I'm specifically good at that, but I love to do it anyway.
Does all of that mean that a hybrid isn't a great bike? Certainly not, but for specific types of sport a more specific kind of bike is more suited.
#19
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I also wonder about the definition of a "road bike." Some road bikes have flat handlebars (like the Trex 7.7 FX), and all the Cyclocross bikes have drop handlebars.
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Let's just say that I been bashed a few times on group rides. Last week was bad, they said I will be left behind on my bike.
I bought my bike earlier this year and I'm still new to cycling. I'm no pro and I'm not trying to be one, I'm just enjoying the sport. For each ride I have done (30-50 miles), I was always able to keep up and always came up in the middle of the group. I'm not even in cycling gear so I did stick out.
Don't get me wrong a road bike is great but for me, I love being able to do trails too.
I don't know what the big deal is, it seems that some (not all) cyclists are judging fellow riders by their bike.
I bought my bike earlier this year and I'm still new to cycling. I'm no pro and I'm not trying to be one, I'm just enjoying the sport. For each ride I have done (30-50 miles), I was always able to keep up and always came up in the middle of the group. I'm not even in cycling gear so I did stick out.
Don't get me wrong a road bike is great but for me, I love being able to do trails too.
I don't know what the big deal is, it seems that some (not all) cyclists are judging fellow riders by their bike.
Try not to sit at the cool kid's table with your pocket protector.
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I'm going to bet you two things - first is that these roadies didn't go knocking on your door begging you to come out and ride. My bet is that you went to them. The second thing is that if they're a club may of them were not only dressed in their cycling clothes - I bet they had the same "team" cycling clothes on.
Try not to sit at the cool kid's table with your pocket protector.
Try not to sit at the cool kid's table with your pocket protector.
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I did go with them, my apologizes if I didn't know about this cyclist pack mentality. I come from a fitness background and I have always had positive experience in making your physical life better. I'm using cycling as a means of cross training and didn't know there was more to it then burning calories.
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#24
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OTOH, it looks as though the OP, despite being "not serious," was able to keep up with those serious road cyclists in full kit. The OP should probably just be happy about it. I long for the day when I will be able to do that on my hybrid bike, although I know it's going to take a LONG time (maybe forever).
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The value of your life doesn't change based on the way you travel. - Dawn Schellenberg (SDOT)
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Last edited by daihard; 09-17-13 at 04:06 PM.
#25
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I'm going to bet you two things - first is that these roadies didn't go knocking on your door begging you to come out and ride. My bet is that you went to them. The second thing is that if they're a club may of them were not only dressed in their cycling clothes - I bet they had the same "team" cycling clothes on.
Try not to sit at the cool kid's table with your pocket protector.
Try not to sit at the cool kid's table with your pocket protector.