Question
 

Hi all,
So recently had a post asking advice on restoring vs buying a new cheaper bike and I appreciate the input. Now I drove 3 hours yesterday to a bike shop and really started looking around originally looking for a cheap bike. However a bike is something you keep for years so I decided to extend my low budget from 300.00 to 800.00 and it opened up a few more options I narrowed down to two bikes but ended up going with a giant roam 2 which was around 700.00 but I got a better deal than that. Anyway I know it's a hybrid and that's what I was wanting after some research since I'm planning to use it to commute to and from work plus just general joy rides. The reason I got a hybrid is the fact I plan on mostly roads but there are some pretty nice dirt and gravel roads as well around that I might hit. My question is how much off road can those bikes take without damage?

The Roam 2 would do fine on cinder running/hiking trails. I would probably do fine on double track fire road and well maintained trails. I would not take jumps with it, drops of greater than a few inches, or rocky terrain. The fork isn't made to handle the impacts or track the ground changes on much more than relatively smooth surfaces.

The gearing is functional, but won't work well under load or otherwise repeatedly harsh shifts. It's a light trail recreational bike. Use it for the purpose that was in the mind of the designer...

I'd say you can ride it pretty much anywhere ... speed dependent on terrain, of course.

The original mountain bikes were old cruisers with fat tires ... just cheap steel-framed trash bikes that a few enterprising Marin County residents decided would work just as well and be more fun out in the woods.

For that matter, how many of the older posters didn't venture into the woods at least a few times on their old steel tanks back in the day?

Gearing and traction (tire width and design) will limit your climbing ability; bouncing around will limit your descending speed. Roots and rocks---the shock of hitting them---will slow you down on the flats.

Otherwise, you could ride full-on mountain bike trails ...

I sometimes photograph local MTB events, and there are guys riding rigid-framed single-speeds for 8- and 12-hour races. I am sure they use stronger and heavier wheels, but otherwise they are just riding bicycles. If you plan to ride serious trails, I'd recommend saving your road wheels and buying a wider set to swap in.

Only way to tell what you can ride is to go out and try it. You won't break the bike unless you crash.

Congratulations on your new bike!

I'd agree with this ^ in principle 100% You never know what a bike can do until you try, and this one will probably do more than the OP is capable of handling with any level of skill.

But, in practice, that bike isn't really meant to be beaten too hard. I've looked at that Roam fork, and I wouldn't trust it on a very demanding course. I have broken two different low-end forks through simple use, not crashing. They were, maybe, a bit lower than the one on the Roam, but not by much. One, a cracked stanchion at the fork crown, and another an elongated/distorted lower from repeated front impacts (I'm guessing) made the front wheel feel "wobbly".

I have to agree with Phil_gretz. My answer was a bit extreme---fine In Principle but maybe less satisfying if you did manage to crack the frame hucking off some ten-foot drop (or maybe a ten-inch drop.) I'd say his first answer (post #2 ) is a more circumspect, sensible answer.

The girlfriend has a hybrid similar to that, and short of dedicated single track MTB trails, she hasn't found a trail that has stopped her on it yet.

If you're just talking gravel roads and rail trail type stuff, I ride my road bike on them more than my mountain bike, I wouldn't worry.

that is a great bike for all around casual riding, congrats.

Thanks for all the great replies! Yeah I don't plan on jumping the bike or going down very technical trails lol. I'm just riding for fun fitness and commuting to work. I just ask the above question bc going to and from work or whatever if I see a nice little trail I wanted to know that I wasn't destroying the bikes components or fork. But mainly it will be a road with the occasional trail. While we're on the subject lol are there any good upgrades I should do to it. I bought a bike computer rack more comfortable seat bags for luggage side mirrors tools air pump and lights

I wouldn't upgrade a thing right now. It all looks good. You have an aluminum frame, front shock, double-wall rims, 40mm tires and 27 speeds. It'll get you anywhere. If you find you are doing primarily roads, you might want to bring that tire width down to 32 or so, but just enjoy for now.
Tektro (the makers of your brakes) makes brakes for other companies like SRAM.
You got that light blue color? Nice!