Hi all,
So a few weeks back I purchased a hybrid bike. Having not ridden a bike since high school (I'm 30 now), I really was out of touch with what to look for in a bike, and really relied on recommendations from the local bike shop. I settled on a
Cannondale Quick CX 4, except for some reason this one came with hydraulic instead of mechanical brakes.
The primary purpose was to commute to work, which is a 11 mile trip one-way on mostly packed surface and pavement. However I also take the bike on light trails as well (some dirt, gravel, etc...). So I wanted something that would allow me to do both.
I've been commuting for a few weeks now (2-3 days a week) and I've noticed that most of my riding is really on asphalt or some hard packed road or trail. I've begun wondering what I can do to make my commute more efficient.
Firstly, did I pick the "wrong" bike?
From all my reading it seems maybe I should have gone with something more road oriented? This bike is not really high end so I'm not sure it would make a huge difference if I had gotten a straight road bike.
That said, it appears tire choice also is more a factor on efficiency of the ride. The stock tires are
700x35 Kenda Happy Mediums. They are kind of an all-around tire and to my surprise they actually got some very good reviews.
Would I see a significant increase in speed / efficiency if I switched to a lighter slick?
It seems choices are limited at a 35mm width.
The rims are Maddux DC 3.0 (for which I cannot find any specs on the Maddux website). What ranges of tire widths would fit on these? From my understanding ideally matching the tire width to the rim (to be seamless) is the most efficient, and I am assuming here that the 35's are the ideal width for that rim.
Any other recommendations (upgrades or modifications)? Am I way out to left field here? Please tell me if I am grossly misinformed, I'm trying to get more knowledgeable about biking in general.
Thanks!