Originally Posted by
coominya
I think for anyone buying a hybrid this is the key distinction they have to make, that between road and trail. It's not like buying a dedicated road bike, which are basically designed for one purpose and the major buying points come down to differing groupsets etc. Different hybrids cut across the whole spectrum between Road and Trail and if a potential buyer gets scope-locked on one type just because it has better gears and brakes than another, for example, they might find themselves being short changed on the bikes ability to efficiently navigate the terrain they ride on. And will ride on for thousands of kilometers.
Of course once we buy a bike our ego will bolster our choice and we won't think we have missed out on something better. I have experienced bad choices many times in my life and it was only after I moved onto the better choice that I looked back with hindsight to see what I had missed out on. That's why it's important to really investigate the bikes before we buy. It's not a matter of money, it's a matter of how comfortable your riding will be for years to come.
Very true. One of the realities about buying a new bike nowadays is there are so many categories to choose from and then further permutations within those categories, thus making a qualified decision can be quite difficult. This can easily lead to making bad choices.
Consider the first time buyer or somebody returning to cycling after a lengthy hiatus, they enter a bike shop and are faced with walls lined up with pretty new bikes and, unless they've done a bit of investigative online homework, don't really know where to start. Another issue with many LBS today is the "test drive" is often a quick spin around the parking lot which tells you nothing about how well the bike will work for you over a lengthy period of time.
One must find a store where the staff are willing to take the time to find out what your interests are, what type of rider you are and where you want to ride. After that has been determined then you can start working your way through the myriad selection process of what bike will work best for you - or the one you actually have your heart set on...in my case the Sirrus had always "spoken" to me from the start, I simply should have listened more carefully...