Hybrid for Adventuring
 

Hi everyone,

I have a quick question about bikes recommended for adventuring. I am relatively new to the cycling world and am looking for a good bike for adventuring on paved roads, dirt paths, and gravel. So are there any bikes recommended for this use? Also, what should I look for in a bike for this purpose as well?

Thank you everyone, for your help!

Hi. Get a Trek FX new or used (from Craigslist).

Also check out the Trek Dual Sport line.

Visit your local bike shops and see what they have. Report back here after your survey.

Nearly any hybrid style bike will be suitable for road/dirt/gravel riding. Some hybrids are definitely oriented more towards road only, but basically any model that comes with 700x32 tires or larger will work fine for those purposes, with suspension or without. Depending on your fitness, and whether you think you will be encountering a lot of steep grades would be factors I would use to determine if you want a triple up front, or if the standard 50/34 crank is going to be enough. Some of the more road oriented hybrid come with a narrower range of gears behind, which may be fine, just something to keep in mind. My hybrid commuter has a 24-34-42 triple up front and 11-28 behind. I typically ride it in the 42 ring all the time, as I have virtually no real grades to climb on my commute. I keep a trek fx bike for crappy weather gravel rides. Came with 700x35 tires which have worked fine on gravel, and also a triple. I probably would have been fine with a compact double, as I've seldom been out of the big ring on it either. Will just depend on your terrain. I've used the middle ring doing some single track on it though (non-technical).

My opinion fwiw.

For many, maybe most uses except mountain biking, any bike that can fit at least 32mm tires is going to do okay, and it's just up to you how you want to sit. Lots of hybrids come with 35-38mm tires so they do okay too. Pay at least enough to get away from Tourney components and 7-speed freewheels. You can have a suspension fork if you want but it's heavy and probably not necessary and the ones on cheap hybrids aren't great.

If you intend to run over anything suddenly or leave the ground at all, buy a hard-tail mountain bike with sturdy components and a real suspension fork with oil damping.

Yea, pick a Bike Shop you like , then Buy a Bike there .

you should read thru this thread, you will find some relevant posts therein:
http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...omponents.html

Since you said "adventure on paved roads, dirt paths and gravel", I would say get a Trek DS or Specialized Crosstrail with suspension lockout. If you don't like Trek or Specialized, get similar bikes from other brands, like the Cannondale Quick CX, etc... Just make sure it has the suspension lockout.

Hmm. Adventuring? What do you mean by that? Are you looking just for something to ride? Or are you picturing some loaded off road touring? How far are you looking to ride? And how fast? And how much of each surface do you anticipate riding? And when you say dirt and gravel roads, are they fairly even and groomed or fairly rugged?

These things matter. Some people say they want to do some off roading but find in practice, 95% or more of their riding is paved trails or roads. Others might want to do some aggressive single track, but also plan to use their mountain bike for riding around town or to the trail.

For me it would be mostly gravel and roads more than anything else, with most of the gravel being fairly groomed to slightly rugged. I will be putting panniers on the bike too as I'm looking to do 30-60 mile day rides with hopefully a few two day trips.

Ok then. Surly Ogre, Kona Rove, Kona Sutra, Fairdale Weekender Drop, Salsa Vaya, Salsa Fargo, Jamis Renegade, Giant any Road, or Specialized AWOL.

This is not an exhaustive list. I am sure other bikes might work, but any of these will fit the bill if they fit.

Any hybrid bike will work for what you want to do. Don't take the brand-specific recommendations too seriously as the bikes are all made by the same contract manufacturers in Asia until you start looking at some seriously expensive rides.

The primary difference between the various models of bikes is fit - some have a very upright seating position and some have a more stretched out position and some are in the middle. You decide how you want the bike to fit. Stems and handlebars and seatposts can be swapped out if the bike you get needs fine-tuning after you ride it for a while.

Within the different model lineups there are usually quality levels such that the more expensive ones have components that last a little longer and stay in adjustment a little better. Find a shop you like that sells a bike that fits you, then select the one that fits your budget.

Personally I think you should avoid suspension forks for the type of riding you are doing as it is just another moving part that can fail while adding weight and cost but providing little benefit (especially on roads), but many people disagree with me.

Thank you for the list! So I have a specialized crossroads cruz at home from the early 90s and was thinking about converting that into a gravel bike, any thoughts?

It's probably perfect for the task, if it fits you well. I can't think of what you would need to do to 'convert' it - just pump the tires and ride!

Well I was considering putting drop bars on and changing out the tires, the bike currently has a flat bar and wider tires that would not be useful for both road and gravel. However, I know putting on drop bars would be a lot of work since the gears are not self trimming and I would have to install new braking levers.

I mostly use Jamis, they have some nice hybrids, I went back to steel with a Coda elite for the 400 mile Erie trip this Year, great all around. Allegro for a more livelier feel etc, every body has Treks, they must be good...

If you want a drop bar (which IMO are superior for longer rides on paved or gravel roads, maybe not as good on rough trails, but still generaly totally acceptable) then you shouldn't be looking at hybrids - the modern classifications of bikes that are designed for the riding you described are called (depending on the specific bike and the manufacturer's marketing plan) 'gravel bikes', 'adventure bikes', 'cyclocross (CX) bikes, 'new road' or 'anyroad' or 'touring bikes', all of which are usually specced with drop bars.

It would cost more than your old bike is worth.

Ok, I was starting to figure out the classifications of the bike I was looking for but that helps a lot!

That's true that it would cost more than the bike...

If you plan riding 80% on paved roads you might find suspension a drawback, especially if you like to ride fast. I say might because some people hate the loose feeling, the bobbing (even with a lockout) that is continual. Others don't mind this. If in doubt get a rigid fork like the Giant Toughroad or ROAM would be my suggestion. If you have pockets full get two.

I do like to go fast on both pavement and gravel, and I think it will be about 50 50 for gravel and paved.

What is your idea of fast?

Fast on the road would be about 20-25mph and fast on gravel would be about 15-20mph, however I need to build up my stamina in order to keep that pace for longer distances.

If you can go 25 mph for 60 miles on an old Cross Trail, you should consider turning pro. Seriously.