This is exactly what happened with me when I started riding in the mid-90's, pretty much down to the 6 month time frame. I went out and bought a road bike that cost twice what I paid for my hybrid and within a year I sold the road bike and have been riding hybrids since. I think I was an exception and that most people who make the switch stick with the road bike. It seems to be a natural progression for many people.

Thanks for this great input. I think I may end up getting a road bike next yearb. I'm sure a lot of people own more than 1 bike. But from what I'm reading here it does serve me a purpose. :thumb: and this makes me enjoy my new bike more

I', sorta in that category. Bought a hybrid for commuting and it's been great. Now I also want a road bike for group road rides. I'm not looking to replace the hybrid though. Just to have each for different purposes.

I bought a Trek 7.1FX a few years ago for fitness, but gradually added stuff to it (racks, baskets, trunk, powerful headlight etc.) until it became so useful I could ride it every day (commuting, grocery hauling). The only drawback for me is that it is a little nerdy and lacks personality. Since buying the Trek, I have acquired two other bikes, both with much more style and looks (3-speed city bike, vintage 10-speed road bike). Even though it is my least beautiful bike, I still ride the Trek 90-95% of the time.

nothing wrong with owning it, just riding it ... only kidding. get a road bike so you have both! seriously!

Worst of both worlds.

Can you please explain why? Is it really bad to have a little bit of both?

I pass road bikes all the time on my hybrid on the paved trails all over SoCal. I was much fatter when I bought my bike...i was trying to get more fit. Why would I want to pretend I'm some hard core, uncomfortable, bent over refugee from "Breaking Away"? There are definitely more road bikes on the trails, and honestly, I wouldn't mind trying a road bike to go faster, but it is completely unnecessary for the goals I had (losing weight, getting out of the house more often). When I first started riding I did feel like the black sheep because most people have road bikes and all the colorful jerseys and what not, but i realized I didn't need to show anyone what a hard core bicyclist I was.

Not bad at all. I have an old Specialized Hardrock with a rack and flat pedals, which serves as something of a hybrid. It's great for around town, or for toting the kids on a 10 or 15 mile ride. But for fitness and fun, a road bike is way better on paved surfaces, and a mountain bike is way better on dirt.

don't let all that put you off. you can wear what you want.

Yes, but the "engine" would be handicaped a little ...

Not just you, the whole industry... thats why, there is some effort made to further (re-)catagorize them. Ex : fittness bikes, dual-sports, etc ... so we all stay sane.

Half the summer, if they get out enough ...

Is that based on miles, or trips ?

I still stand by my statement. If the engine can do a century on a road bike it can do it on a hybrid. You have to have a certain physical ability to complete a century. the hybrid isn't going to "handicap" you enough to keep you from completing it.

... and I, by mine.

Yes. You are correct, about a certain min amount of fitness level needed, to complete it ... however, you skip over the part on how much longer, it will take... AND how one will feel afterwards.

Non-sense. Have you done centuries on both a hybrid and a road bike? I have, and there is little or no difference in comfort or speed. Most organized centuries end up in a pack ride, and aero becomes less important in a pack. You have the same speed as the group, regardless of bike, provided you can hang in the group.

The fastest I have ever gone on a bike, 51.2 mph, was on a Specialized Sirrus. The fastest I have hit on any of my road bikes is 49.6 mph. It was entirely a function of the hill that I encountered on the Sirrus, and have never ridden again.

The fastest flat land sprint I have ever done hit 41.0 mph (for about a second :D), and was on a flat bar road bike. I have hit 39.4 mph on a drop bar bike, same section of road. I had a tail wind on my peak day with the flat bar.

The longest single day ride I have done on a hybrid was 152 miles. The longest single day ride on a drop bar bike is 136 miles. Both of them were equally uncomfortable by the time I finished. Both were solo rides, and with meals, and stops, and visiting company on the way, 10 hour cycling days are fatiguing no matter what you ride.

There is no magical speed or distance gift given by a road bike.

I get a couple guys telling me about aerodynamics of drop bars, the tighter ratios of a corn cob cassette compared my upright bars and 12-34 cassette and I just tell them I prefer it my way. Ride what you like.

The advantage of road bikes are the multiple hand positions they offer and the ability* to get into the drops. Also, generally speaking the riding position is more aerodynamic and they come with tires that have lower rolling resistance than what you'll find on a typical hybrid. For me, flat bars are not comfortable after about an hour (and bar-ends don't help me.) Could you setup a hybrid to be as efficient as a road bike? Sure, but then you'd have a flat bar bike that's less comfortable than a properly setup road bike (which sort of defeats the purpose of buying a hybrid IMO.) You could probably setup any bike to be nearly as efficient as a road bike but I'm not sure what that is supposed to prove?

*Drop bars are still more comfortable than flat bars even if you never use the drops IMO.

It's funny, I've been biking for many years, and I've always looked down on hybrids. I think because when they first came out (early 90s), they were pretty bad: mountain bike geometry, road sized wheels, limited tire clearance, and semi knobby tires. Now, as I use my cyclocross bike with flat bars, flat pedals, fenders, etc for riding around town... a hybrid might really do the job better. I'm thinking about heading out to test ride some, but I need some way to announce, "I'm looking at hybrids but I'm not a rookie!" Insecure, I guess.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K...2/IMG_5763.JPG

What is a hybrid... the never ending question. Whatever you call your bike now, maybe you've always had a hybrid but preferred to identify yourself with another category ?

When you look at the position of a guy who isn't in the drops attacking and somebody on a hybrid, they look pretty similar to me so i'm not surprised by that guys post ^^^

Nothing wrong at all. I have thought many times about a road bike but I always go back to my hybrid I can ride it all around town. It is alot more practical. On the same token I can ride it 30 miles and avg 18 miles an hour. I could not go trail riding with it so I went ahead and also bought me a 29er now I can do it all.

Here are my two mistresses :D

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps816c40f0.jpg

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/l...pse6b14807.jpg

For what it is worth, I was not saying that every hybrid is as capable of efficient speed as every road bike. But I am saying that a hybrid can be set up to be a fast, efficient, and comfortable bike. I own both, ride both, and do not think one is superior to the other. Unfortunately, when someone says that a hybrid can never be ridden more than 30 miles comfortably, I invariably seem to cry BS.

No doubt, doesn't a "flat bar 'cross bike" sound like it has a lot more street cred than a "hybrid"? :)

So open-minded of you to dismiss anyone who finds drop bars more comfortable than flat bars over long(er) distances.

And what is my bike if not a "flat bar road bike"? Put drop bars on it and it would look just like a "road" bike. I think the on people giving "street cred" are those who are too insecure of their own "street cred" to ride flat bars. Kind of like a man who won't drink a pina colada. They are damn good but they think men who drink them are sissys so they won't drink them themselves.

Not to mention only people who are really into the biking community would have any idea what a cross bike is. To the average joe it's just another road bike.

He did not say that at all. He said hybrids can be comfortable for long distances - and I agree having rode long distances on mine.

I have not done any such thing. I do dismiss folks with poor reading comprehension.

There must be something ... Why are there road bikes ? I would love to see the above examples with some power meter #'s attached ...

If your correct, all the "pro's" on "the tour" , would be on nybrids ... O.o

... and yes, you could, hang on the back of a paceline with a hybrid and go *fast*... until its your turn to rotate to the front. O.O : o)