Modify my Hybrid or get a Road bike?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 15
Bikes: 2009 Trek FX 7.1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Modify my Hybrid or get a Road bike?
I am fairly new to riding, I bought a Trek FX 7.1, as an entry level starter bike to decide if I would enjoy biking for pleasure and fitness. I was immediately hooked and while I don't get to ride as often as I would like I do try to make the most of it.
About 6 months ago my wife started riding and she enjoyed it so much that she is training for her first sprint tri. She has a roadie her sister in law gave her, it's a 4 year old LeMond. She and I went on our first ride together yesterday, about 20 miles on roads with a good amount of elevation change. She smoked me, I couldn't keep up. Now I will admit that she is in better shape than I am, but I also have to think the bikes had something to do with it.
Now I know my bike is much heavier, I sit upright, and my tires have much more friction, but can I change anything, like the tires, that will make it easier to keep up with a roadie? I was looking at some 700x28 slicks as a start. Or should I just bite the bullet and step up to a roadie?
About 6 months ago my wife started riding and she enjoyed it so much that she is training for her first sprint tri. She has a roadie her sister in law gave her, it's a 4 year old LeMond. She and I went on our first ride together yesterday, about 20 miles on roads with a good amount of elevation change. She smoked me, I couldn't keep up. Now I will admit that she is in better shape than I am, but I also have to think the bikes had something to do with it.
Now I know my bike is much heavier, I sit upright, and my tires have much more friction, but can I change anything, like the tires, that will make it easier to keep up with a roadie? I was looking at some 700x28 slicks as a start. Or should I just bite the bullet and step up to a roadie?
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 190
Bikes: Trek 5200 and Trek D.S. 8.6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
^ what Mike said
read this thread, it should give you some insights
My awesome but absurd <20lb hybrid / flat bar road bike
read this thread, it should give you some insights
My awesome but absurd <20lb hybrid / flat bar road bike
#4
Pro Paper Plane Pilot
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,645
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Maybe you need to get fit first.
Having said that, it is prolly cheaper and easier to just sell your Trek and buy a road bike. But if you like to wrench it up and welcome the challenge, go the conversion way. I don't know if your Trek has road geometry or not.
Having said that, it is prolly cheaper and easier to just sell your Trek and buy a road bike. But if you like to wrench it up and welcome the challenge, go the conversion way. I don't know if your Trek has road geometry or not.
#5
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155
Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
^ what Mike said
read this thread, it should give you some insights
My awesome but absurd <20lb hybrid / flat bar road bike
read this thread, it should give you some insights
My awesome but absurd <20lb hybrid / flat bar road bike
#6
Newbie
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 62
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
1 Post
[QUOTE=miller1029;10891787] ...but I also have to think the bikes had something to do with it.QUOTE]
Perhaps before you take the plunge,
you and your wife could switch rides to make sure what made the difference.
If you, riding the LeMond, can smoke your wife on that 20mile road then
getting a faster bike is a viable option.
If your wife smokes you again then, you need to work on the engine.
Just ride more. Training on a slower(?) bike will make you get fit faster anyway.
Perhaps before you take the plunge,
you and your wife could switch rides to make sure what made the difference.
If you, riding the LeMond, can smoke your wife on that 20mile road then
getting a faster bike is a viable option.
If your wife smokes you again then, you need to work on the engine.
Just ride more. Training on a slower(?) bike will make you get fit faster anyway.
Last edited by Eprobungs; 05-31-10 at 10:03 PM. Reason: can't spell...
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 15
Bikes: 2009 Trek FX 7.1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Perfect, not looking to drop a bunch of dough and make my hybrid into a road bike, just looking for a few tweaks to speed it up. Put new tires on and picked up the speed a ton, more than I expected, about 2 to 3 mph on my average 20 - 30 mile ride so that's what I needed. Combination of less tread and higher psi works like a charm. I'll probably break down and buy a road bike at some stage.
#8
Specialized Secteur Sport
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 143
Bikes: Specialized Secteur Sport
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Perfect, not looking to drop a bunch of dough and make my hybrid into a road bike, just looking for a few tweaks to speed it up. Put new tires on and picked up the speed a ton, more than I expected, about 2 to 3 mph on my average 20 - 30 mile ride so that's what I needed. Combination of less tread and higher psi works like a charm. I'll probably break down and buy a road bike at some stage.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
new biker girl
General Cycling Discussion
28
03-02-15 09:39 PM
gbiker
General Cycling Discussion
8
08-22-10 07:45 PM