alhedges

This is a *much* better idea. I went from a road bikes to a hybridized mountain bike to a better road bike to a folding touring bike with H bars. I really got tired of the road bike and was happy to have a bike with a more upright position that could take fenders and racks and wider tires. This is very much a matter of personal preference...and until you've figured out what your preference is, precisely, you should be leery of spending too much on a particular style of bike.

RatedZeroHero

as far as walking the dog i agree it looks gimicky!

I use a 10 ft lead with a slip end (think Dog Whisperer)

IMHO i need the lead to control him there are times I have to reel him in....

and there are times I need to show him the turn... the fun part has been teaching my 7 year old how to steer a French Bulldog... he can do it but the dog often has ideas of his own... Vinny's (the Frenchie) favourite is a midnight run... no lead nothing he just follows...

as far as the bike get what you want...

i think you have set your initial price TOO HIGH... get something cheaper so when you do get bit it doesnt cost another 3 grand to get road bikes...

Timber_8

you will actually get a more unbiased opinion in the commuter forum on the types of bikes your looking at then you will here. I would rather see you on something you really want then pushed 1 way or the other by some of the prejudicial opinions I see displayed here on your question. The commuter forum uses a wider range of bicycles with great success & doesn't hold to any specific kind of bike. The opinions will be more accurate without the attitude.

stapfam

I rode Mountain bikes for 16years and so a similar upright position to a road bike.

However 3 years ago I went road and got an OCR3 to see what riding with my head between my knees was all about. I admit that I bought too cheap and had to upgrade the wheels fairly quickly to be able to get a decent ride. I had no problems in changing over to the road bike- but did have a problem in getting down into the drops. Top of the flats and on the hoods was comfortable and offered a few different hand positions but getting into the drop position hurt after about 20 seconds. So 6 months after getting the bike and I practiced getting low. Just a few occasions on each ride but longer each time. Still took a month or so before I was comfortable and I still do not use the drop position that often. Downhills- into a headwind or if I require a bit of speed to catch the riders in front.

But That drop position no longer feels awkward- no longer hurts and definitely has its uses.

Only you can tell if a hybrid is the bike for you- but from my experience- the bike that works on the road is a road bike with drop handlebars. There are too many occasions when riding upright- as you would be with flat bars- does not work well enough.

stapfam

Plenty of "Racers" ride on the hoods aswell. And my favourite bike for my 40 mile rides up hills is a race geometry road bike so perhaps I am biased

mijome07

^Nice bike.^

Timber_8

to be honest you can buy a performance Hybrid from $500 to $1500 or more if you want to go carbon. The advantage over Hybrids is the ability to use fenders, racks, Painers, trunk bags The advantage of a flat bar is stability. I personal run areo bars with great success maxing out my speed & maintain the ability to power up hills. Ultimately you really have to ask yourself what the entire field of use your asking out of your bike. Personal I would go for 2 $600 bikes and drag your wife with you & bike together. Your more likely to stick with it if you do it together.

mr,grumpy 

I just started riding a road bike this year. I started road riding to build stamina for mountian biking which I wanted to do for fun and exercise. Where I live, I was pedaling like a mad-man to get up the hills but would run out of gears on the flats and downhills using the MTB on the road. Coasting along provides no exercise, so I initialy wanted the roadbike for the higher gears. I knew that this would make humping UP the hills harder, but I was looking to get in better shape any way, right? I also was prety intimidated by dropped bar bikes but when one came along at the right price of free+parts and labor I had a "racing" bike. Now, I find that I ride "in the drops" and "on the hoods" a lot. It get's weight off my wrists and but and into my legs, which helps me pedal. On longish rides, which for me max out at 10 or 12 miles, I use all the surfaces of the bar to shift my weight around and increase comfort. I find that the MTB bars make my hands numb and my wrists sore after a while BUT bicycle bars are low! I contrast this with motorcycle bars which, on all but the sportiest of bikes, are above the level of the seat, usualy by 4-12 inches on "regular" motorcycles. I have never really had comfort issues with these "flat" bars, so the hybred might be similar in position to that. Of course, that will put almost 100% of your weight on your but and THAT is a BIG topic of conversation amongst morocyclists! Flat bars are fine, IMHO, if you are puttering around town or standing a lot when off-roading but for any kind of distance, like 20-30 miles, I would go with dropped bars if I were you.


Yes you will. Skill+quality of tools = ability. If both are low you will have trouble achieving the results you want and are more likely to give up. Whatever activities you try, you should get mid-level tools to start out with. You have a better shot at making them work right, enjoying yourself and improving your skills and if you DON'T take to your new activity, they will still have some resale value so you can get rid of them and move on to your next hobby!

Boudicca

So your 20 hours are just about up.

What did you get?

Pat

I know a lady who does fine riding 70 miles on an inexpensive hybrid.

The thing about the handle bars is that, most of the time, most people ride, on the "hoods" and not in the "drops". So having drop handle bars is not as big a deal was it appears to be. A drop handle bar gives you several different hand positions and on long rides it is good to move your hands around to keep from cramping.

The road bike has a lighter build, it is quicker and more responsive than a hybrid. I ride a road bike.

But as I have said, some people really like their hybrids.

Having said that, when I started cycling, hybrids did not exist. It was road bikes or pretty much nothin. Like you, I was intimidated by the drop handle bars but I adjusted to them very fast. It only takes about one ride to do so.

Little Darwin

Sounds like some people have too strict of a definition of hybrid.

A definition based on what the sales literature says rather than the historic "in between a mountain bike and a racing bike"

If you define too tightly, then we need to know:

What width of tires is the cutoff between flat bar road bike and hybrid?

How much rise is allowed on the bar?

Is there a difference in stems? Other components?

What characteristics of the frame are required for each category?

And I could keep going...

In my opinion, stopping the narrowing of the definition of hybrid makes sense... but I know many will continue to drink the marketing kool-aid.

And to the OP... I agree with many here, it really comes down to your intended usage. However, if you have made the decision by how the bikes look on paper, do yourself a favor and test ride a variety of bikes. That will tell you more than any features list.

Also, you should get marginally better components on a hybrid because one of the things that makes a drop bar road bike expensive is the brifters... Since you won't have that issue on a flat bar road bike, you should get better components elsewhere on the bike and/or a better frame.

And for the gearing, I didn't check the specific tire size on that bike, but a 48x11 at 80 rpm with 700x28 tires should get you to almost 28 miles per hour... If you can ride that fast on flat roads, then you are doing real well... If you go faster than that down hill, then stop pedaling get tucked into a somewhat aero position and coast.

chipcom 

Dude, in case you haven't noticed, this is General Cycling, not Road Cycling and many of the people who have posted here DO post in the commuting forum. Has the 'man' been holding you down long?

chipcom 

Totally...this is better than 24!

njkayaker

You may or may not need multiple bicycles. People who say that you do either have too much money or a bicycle problem!

Truthfully, there no reason you can't find one bike that will suit your needs and one that you will be happy to ride for quite a while (since you aren't taking about riding on rough paths).

I have two bicycles. One is a touring bicycle that works for gravel roads, (fairly fast) day rides, (fairly fast) centuries, and touring. The other one is a mountain bicycle for rough paths.

The position he'd have on the Quick would not be that different than riding on the hoods of a "relaxed geometry" bicycle. The dropped bars do allow for a more aerodynamic posture and they do allow for more hand positions.

This is a good point. It really might not make much sense to select a $1200 bicycle based walking your dog. For this purpose, it might be better to get a $50 garage sale bike.

Yes. Most people ("racers" or not) mostly ride on the hoods (it seems).


This is reasonable advice. Though, aerobars (used on TT/Triathalon bikes) are probably not such a great plan.

https://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

https://www3.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/quick.html

Here are the gear numbers:

Quick 2 ($1300): 30/39/50 -> 11-26 cassette

High: 9.2 gain, 21.9 mph at 60rpm
Low: 2.3 gain, 5.6 mph

Quick 3 ($1100): 26/36/48 -> 11-26 cassette

High: 8.8 gain, 21.0mph at 60rpm
Low: 2.0 gain, 4.8mph

Quick 4 ($700): 28/38/48 -> 11-32 cassette

High: 8.8 gain, 21.0mph at 60rpm
Low: 1.8 gain, 4.2mph

My tourer: 30/39/50 -> 11-32 cassette

High: 9.5 gain, 22.8 mph at 60rpm
Next to Low: 2.2 gain, 5.2 mph
Low: 1.9 gain, 4.5 mph

The difference between the Quick 2 and the Quick 3 and 4 is one extra lower gear.

Timber_8

Oh look I touched a nerve, Relax dude it was just my opinion

chipcom 

Yes, of course, that's what the little laughing guy means.
Relax dude, this isn't the roadie forum, it's General Cycling.

HiYoSilver

I'd suggest two bikes. One a cheapy, garage sale type for $20 or $60 just for "walking" the dog. Then spend as planned on a road bike. The problem is after you spend a grand on a bike you hate to stop riding it just because you enjoy riding and it's laid back settings which at first seemed "more comfortable" are now a hinderance to enjoying riding. You can ride a road bike in "comfort mode" you can not ride a hybrid on road in fun riding mode. If I had a time machine, I'ld go back and redo my purchase.

chipcom 

You sir are a biased, elitist, roadie pig!
Drop bars mean pain and mutilation and scandal!

You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn't, Mr. Potter. In the whole vast configuration of things, I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider. And that goes for you too!

Oh crap, I think I just had a Frank Capra flashback. My bad.

Timber_8

LOL it's only general cycling as long as you don't ask the wrong question

agc1976

LOL, a new player just entered the game so I guess I'll need more time than the original 20 hours...

https://www.dahon.com/us/musl.htm

Reasoning: If there's a good chance that I may end up getting a road bike in the future, then a folding bike/drop bar combo makes more sense than a flat bar/drop bar combo.

Let the flaming begin!

DX Rider

No they're really not.

I have the following:

Mountain bike with flatbars.

Hybrid with flatbars.

A road bike with drop bars.

The road bike can turn circles around the other two while they're turning circles, it's easily the most manueverable bike I've ever ridden.

Timber_8

Actually a low racer recumbent makes the most sense of all to me but only because I really want 1 of these myself



Current price tag on this puppy is $1275 plus tax & free shipping in the lower 48, It is always the wife that is the biggest obstacle

Bheleu

Look at the bikes section of Craigslist.org, you'd be amazed at what you can find locally just by visiting thrift stores. You might find you prefer vintage cycles to newer ones, and try many different styles that others have decided they no longer wanted (and save a ton of $$$ towards what you eventually find you enjoy).

I <3 all my bikes, and always looking to add (despite the beating my wife wants to give me for every one I bring home).

P.S. I admit it I have a "bicycle problem." My problem is I do not have enough room, especially when I see a classic in need of some love. When I retire, I want to be a volunteer in a bicycle shop - not the new shops, but one of the older ones that has sew ups, cleats, and various parts from yesterday laying around for someone to walk in and ask if they've got an freewheel for an old 10 speed on hand. English, french, or italian I'd say as I drag out my calipers eager to see what they might have brought in to show me.

Condorita

The best bike for you is the one that will get you out and riding. I have a Giant Cypress comfort hybrid and a Bianchi Premio (from Beanz and Gina) that I've hybridized. I love 'em both and happily ride 'em both.

caloso

Anybody old enough to remember when Nike, adidas, et al. came out with "crosstrainers" in the 80s? It was supposed to be a do-it-all athletic shoe. Except that it was too heavy to run in, not enough support to play court sports, and too ugly to just walk around in.

Hybrid bikes remind me of crosstrainers.