Originally Posted by
SnareSide
This is really helpful. Generally, when or why would there be an advantage to use a road bike / city bike vs. a mountain bike or hybrid? It sounds like, considering my the climb home, a hybrid or mountain bike may be better suited for my needs due to the gearing. So in what situation would someone choose a road bike over a mountain bike? Are road bikes generally more comfortable? Faster?
Short answer: I'd recommend a hybrid for commutes shorter than 10 km. Rigid fork hybrid with room for 42 mm wide (studded
) tyres, mudguards and rack mounts.
Road bike VS a hybrid:
More prone position - so you are more aero. That means faster on flats.
A wee bit lighter - if you are fit and don't carry much stuff on the bike, road bike will climb a few percent faster than a hybrid. Gains are measurable with a stopwatch.
Less room for mudguards, usually no mounting points for racks.
A bit more expensive groupset - STIs especially, in case they get broken/damaged.
My favourite bike is a hybrid with drop bars added (like a road bike handlebar), but I often travel 30 km in a day. For city riding and shorter commutes and as a winter hack I have an old rigid MTB (though a hybrid would be better).