Back Road Riding
 

i was wondering what kind of riding a hybrid is made for. I live in the country in indiana where there are many gravel roads and uneven paved roads. I ride a Schwinn Searcher. i was wondering what kind of riding i can do without having to worry about my tires.


So what kind of riding conditions can a hybrid take and where do you ride your hybrid?

Make sure you put bigger tires on- maybe even a front sluspension mountain bike would be good for you

I ride a Raleiegh Cadent on indiana roads, no problem. hybrids are good for roads and light trails. Not so good for hard off road riding.

The trouble with the designation "hybrid" is that it in actuality isn't a proper bike type, it more or less defines what the bike actually isn't, it's not a road bike, it's not a mountain bike it's not a true comfort bike, etc. Hybrids come in a lot of flavors, some tend to be more like mountain bikes, some more like road bikes.

As already pointing out wider tires will make travel on gravel a lot easier and more comfortable. Taking a gravel road on skinny road bike like tires will be uncomfortable and not offer much grip either and slide around a lot. A wide tire makes it easier on gravel but because of the increased contact patch and typical lower pressure mean a lot more friction and wasted energy in overcoming it. It's difficult to get a good compromise that can "do it all". You just have to try something that won't slow you down too much. Either that or you build up such large leg muscles that it doesn't make much difference :) Trial and error may be necessary to find what works for you.

I ride a lot of back roads on my hybrid with 40 mm tires and pass over patches of gravel and even grass not and then with little trouble. Gravel on the other hand is just too slippery for me and I can almost always find a paved road to bypass them. The county in which I live has done a pretty good job of paving most gravel roads around here too and a lot of repaving has been done over the last few years too - our tax dollars at work! Yeah for cyclists!

If there are a lot of dirt roads in your area, just put on fat tires and forget about it. I'm rather sure you'll be fine. Of course don't expect your bike to feel as it does on pavement. If your bike will accept 2" tires, great. You will likely be a bit slower but if you have the opportunity to ride a lot of back country dirt roads, you'll be glad you did.

If this is your bike, the video pretty much says you should be good to go. Schwinn Searcher Hybrid Comfort Bike Review from Performance Bicycle - YouTube
Enjoy your rides

It seems that any bike designed for the road that has a flat bar is given the moniker "hybrid" --although it might share every other characteristic with actual road bikes.

For rough roads, a mountain bike is a good choice when it is a hard-tail. For off-road, a mountain bike is the best tool for the job.

There used to be a classification of road bike that was not a comfort bike, not a racing bike, not a cruiser, but, was good for around town... cross-trainer. It was a forerunner to the hybrid with mid-sized tires (road) for better comfort. I bought my son a Raleigh cross-trainer years ago. Unfortunately, comfort bikes took that market-share and the cross-trainers have disappeared.

The Schwinn Searcher is designed for exactly the type of riding you want to do. Ride and enjoy!

And, coincidently, it is a nice bike for it , too!

is this your tire?
[h=1]Schwinn 700c X 38mm Comfort/Hybrid Tire With Kevlar[/h]http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-700c-Comfort-Hybrid-Kevlar/dp/B0030RSFQ6

The tires that you have on your bike will make determine that. Hybrids come in a variety of styles that put them between mountain and road bikes - the frame tends to be lighter than a mountain bike but heavier than a road bike, the fork can accommodate wider wheels than a road bike, and the geometry tends to be somewhat closer to a road bike (although I've seen some that resemble mountain bikes). It means your frame is versatile and can be adapted to different conditions and riding styles, but the tires on your bike will determine the types of terrain that you can actually go over.

sorry for the late response everyone. thanks for all the advice. I haven't had any problems so far. Sometimes become nervous riding down some gravel roads but good to go so far!