My wife and Me bought flat bar road bikes (specialized sirrus comp) how many other people ride these, we always rode Mountain bikes and these seem more normal to us. I've read these are getting more popular, anyone try a flat bar bike?

They're generally known as "hybrids" -- MTB controls on a road bike, get it? -- and the style is very popular. In fact, I think hybrids are one of the few bike types whose market is growing. I saw some Sirruses [Sirri?] at my LBS recently. They looked like very well-made, well-specced machines.

I noticed they are in road bike catagory in Specialized website and they were in road bike section where we bought them along with the Bianchi stratus, they have 700 x 26 tires too narrow for a hybrid? Its a good crossover for us from Mtb

Yes, 26mm tyres sound a bit narrow by hybrid standards. The concept is nothing new -- in 1971, I set up my old Bianchi 10-speed with the same flat handlebars that Peugeot used on their UO-18 mixtes for my then-future wife, who never has liked drop bars. For myself, I still prefer drops, because I like the variety of hand positions.

For a long time, I had flat handlebars on my Trek 1200 "road bike." I guess it was a "homemade hybrid."



Are 700 x 26c too narrow for a hybrid? Mine are 700 x 28c, not very different, in fact, I've had some "28c" tires that were the same width as "25c" tires of a different brand.

The Sirrius received a good write up in a bike rag over here due to it being fairly well specd and being pretty light. They are called speed bikes here - having narrower tyres than a hybrid - sometimes even as low as 20. They are basically built around a racing frame anyway - check out the gap between the rear wheel and the seat tube.

The only difference is the flat handlebars. A good tip for anyone who cannot make their minds up between a MTB and a Hybrid. Go out and buy a 29' MTB (Gary Fisher or Nishiki) with fairly good spec (LX or XT) then buy an extra set of 27' wheels with narrow road tyres for road training. Hey presto! Two bikes in one.!

the problem with flat bars is that they only offer 1 hand position, not the 3 or 4 that drop bars offer. With a higher stem and a 50cm drop bar, you can get all that a flat bar offers, as well as having more hand position choices.

I didnt see the comp but i did see the pro. That's pretty much a cyclecross bike. Throw some knobbies on there and your good to go.

Whilst flat-bar "road bikes" may be rare, flat-bar touring bikes have a long history. These are usually custom builds, but have a trad lightweight touring frame with city bars (rather than the straight MTB flats). A friend of mine has one in Reynolds 531 c, with shimano nexus.

Some people prefer flat bars with a more upright riding position, but you can use them just as well down lower. In France they commonly come with randonee bars, ie drop bars without the drops.

Compared to a hybrid, they have a lower bottom bracket, and lighter weight.

I think giving these bikes their own name is a bit of marketing hype.

Actually, a Radonne bar has drops, it just has an upward sweep on the flats. These were also called 'noodle bars', and i have one on my touring bike. The flats are narrower, but the drops stick out more. this will allow you to ride out of the saddle while in the drops, if you wish to.

Ive heard the French term applied to both types, and I ride with your kind.What is the term for those racy bars, like upturned drops with the curve sawn off ? Sometimes used with conventional drop bar brakes and bar-end gear levers. There are special brakes which go into the end plugs.

MichaelW,
Are you referring to mustache bars? They look like road bars with the curves that would normally be the drops out level. Looked at from the side they look almost flat.
Raymond

moustache bars are a purely japanese invention. the french equivalent would likely be priest bars.

I maybe coming into to this a little late, but I recently bought a Sirrus Comp and love it. They are not hybrids for several reasons but the biggest 2 are frame and tires. My wife has a hybrid and it probably weighs 10lbs more than my sirrus and there is a huge difference between a 26c and a 29c tire.

Specialized calls them a road terrain bike and I think they are geared towards touring and event rides.

pf

I have the Sirrus Pro. Definitely not a hybrid. Basicaly a road bike with flat bars. Very light and geared for speed if one has the legs.
I am already noticing the limited hand positioning. Would tri-athlon bars be a good addition? I was considering tri-athlons as when there is a decent head wind, I turn into a big parachute. Any opinions on this? I bet other Sirrus riders would like to know.

When I used to have a hybrid. I put flat bars on it and then mounted bar ends, which gave me some alternate hand positions and a way to get a little bit aero if needed.

I don't see any reason you couldn't mount aero bars on a flat-bar bike.

Starts to beg the question of why not buy a bike with drop bars to begin with, though.

RichC

According to the latest CTC mag, the Sirius sufferes from toe-clip overlap, because its top tube it too short. Is this correct for your model ?

They tried fitting aerobars to make it for aerodynamic, and it sort of worked, but its a kludge.

The frame/tyre clearance is also a bit mean for a bike which will never be raced.

The general view was, interesting concept, but needs more work.

I got it more for comfort AND speed. If you've got the legs (I don't), this bike could certainly produce the speed. Top tube is shorter, to give a more upright position. I like the riding position but would like the option to stretch out or crouch into the wind which is where the tri-athlon or aero bars would be handy.
MichaelW - what is a "kludge"? :confused:

If I could afford to buy a second bike for the road it'd likely be this one https://www.cannondale.com/bikes/02/c...del-2FSBB.html
for the road. Its got a Caad4 mountain frame, big wheels with skinny tires and the headshok up front.

That's basically the same type of bike as the Sirrus Pro but probably a bit more money. The Sirrus Pro is pretty light, very skinny tires and geared for top end if needed.

I have ridden the Sirrus for 4 years, I am actually on my 2nd one. The black sirrus comp; These are not hybrids, as some think, I put 700-23c on mine, and it rides very good. I ride between200-300 a week, and I am on my 3rd set of tires on the new bike.

I had a big problem with my 1st sirrus, and had a bad fall from the toeclip catching. On my new sirrus I put on a smaller clip, and have no problem.

I ride a Felt SR91, it is a road bike with flat bars and that is where the difference ends. It is not considered a hybrid bike. Hybrids generally have either a comfort or mtb style frame with slimmer tires and usually have suspension seats and mtb brakes.

North road( the type used on english 3 speeds) style bars also offer a variety of hand positions as do moustache bars.

A kludge is like a hack. A fix not found in the manual.

Like " Suprise, it worked".