Hybrids. Best of both worlds or master of none?

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As much as I love the speed and lightness of a road bike, I'm also

aware of

Quoted message said:

their limitations in terms of terrain. I expect that I'll want to go

riding

Quoted message said:

on off road bike paths and the like as well as using it on the road. I

don't

Quoted message said:

see my wife pounding out miles along Beach Road with me on a Sunday

morning,

Quoted message said:

more likely a sedate trip along the Yarra Trail.

Buy a mountain bike and if you find you are on the road lots,
fit it with slick tyres. Mountain bikes are where a lot of the
development dollars are being spent these days and they
are generally tougher and more versatile, but possibly heavier,
unless you get a pure-bred cross-country (xc) machine.

Quoted message said:

Can anyone offer an informed opinion of so called hybrid machines. I'm
looking at the Avanti Blade Comp and Blade Pro machines as a good

example of

Quoted message said:

the type. I'd very much like to get involved in a club too. To what

extent

Quoted message said:

will I struggle with a bike like this, it appears that most road club

riders

Quoted message said:

use a pure road machine.

If it was a road racing club you wanted to join, i.e. Blackburn CC or
Carnegie-Caulfield you'd be wanting a road bike.
http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/
http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/

There are other possibilities like, perhaps the Middle Distance CC
which I see a lot out at Croydon (though most of them seem to be
on road bikes) and the "slower but longer"?? guys
at http://www.audax.org.au. Try: www.ftf.com.au for a mountain
biking club. Oh, all these links assume you're in Melbourne.
Sorry if that's not the case! :-S

Personally I wouldn't be caught dead on a hybrid. Just bear
that in mind when reading any of my posts :-)
I commuted daily, raced tri's, rode council trails, rode "real"
off-road and it was all on an Avanti hard-tail mountain bike.
Love it!

hippy

Hippy's beaten me to the punch. Hybrids: not good on the road, not good
off the road.

You'll never come across anyone who does lots of miles on a hybrid, but
you'll always be able to find plenty of them second hand in excellent
condition, most with big comfy seats.

If you're going off road a lot then a MTB would be ideal, with some
slicks for your day to day usage (unless you live near some dirt trails
and will be getting out every day, in which case the knobbies would be
better). If you're going to be riding on bike path, go with a road bike,
they are a lot more durable than people think they are.

A lot of it is in the technique - you can ride a full suspension
mountain bike straight over a gutter without to much bother, but it's
still better to jump the gutter regardless of what type of bike
you're on.

Might be worth clarifying exactly the type of riding you'll be
doing -(distance, number of days per week, terrain etc..) for some
better advice??

--

"Shabby" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A lot of it is in the technique - you can ride a full suspension
mountain bike straight over a gutter without to much bother, but it's
still better to jump the gutter regardless of what type of bike
you're on.

Yeah, too true. I'm often taking shortcuts that'll see me
hopping my road bike up stuff. On my race bike though,
I try and avoid it - just to prolong the life of the more
expensive wheels. On ATBIAD this year had to hop a
few times while in a bunch belting along at 45+kph.
There was a bunch of junk all over the road in a few
places. Just a little bit of height can save a lot of time
fixing a puncture.

hippy

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I'm seriously looking at investing in a bike to get back into the sport at
least at a recreational level. Historically I've always been a road bike
guy, but it's been a good ten years since I last rode seriously (I'm 34).

As much as I love the speed and lightness of a road bike, I'm also aware

of

Quoted message said:

their limitations in terms of terrain. I expect that I'll want to go

riding

Quoted message said:

on off road bike paths and the like as well as using it on the road. I

don't

Quoted message said:

see my wife pounding out miles along Beach Road with me on a Sunday

morning,

Quoted message said:

more likely a sedate trip along the Yarra Trail.

Can anyone offer an informed opinion of so called hybrid machines. I'm
looking at the Avanti Blade Comp and Blade Pro machines as a good example

of

Quoted message said:

the type. I'd very much like to get involved in a club too. To what extent
will I struggle with a bike like this, it appears that most road club

riders

Quoted message said:

use a pure road machine.

Hybrids are also known as "Comfort bikes" - they are quite comfortable for
short distances as far as the geometery goes.

If you will be riding with kids, they are a good choice as they are easy to
ride and comfortable at that pace.

For mainly trail riding, I would suggest that you can get a decent mountain
bike at the moment quite cheap, and if you put slicks (tyres made for roads
and pavement rather than having knobbles) and a regular fork (suspension
forks on cheap bikes aren't worth the effort).

There's nothing really wrong with the Hybrid option however - you just can't
go fast and you can't do more off-road than gravel.

hth

Tim

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Can anyone offer an informed opinion of so called hybrid machines. I'm
looking at the Avanti Blade Comp and Blade Pro machines as a good example

of

Quoted message said:

the type. I'd very much like to get involved in a club too.

For recreational riding with the wife? www.mbtc.org.au

Quoted message said:

To what extent
will I struggle with a bike like this, it appears that most road club

riders

Quoted message said:

use a pure road machine.

Not in our club. Whatever bike you feel comfortable in covering the
distance. Hybrid is fine for around town bike trails and day tours. Like
hippy said, MTB may be better due to more development pressure, stronger and
more versatile for bush track touring, and easily converted with high
pressure slick tyres for road riding.

Cheers
Peter

"Andrew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I'm seriously looking at investing in a bike to get back into the sport at
least at a recreational level. Historically I've always been a road bike
guy, but it's been a good ten years since I last rode seriously (I'm 34).

As much as I love the speed and lightness of a road bike, I'm also aware of
their limitations in terms of terrain. I expect that I'll want to go riding
on off road bike paths and the like as well as using it on the road. I don't
see my wife pounding out miles along Beach Road with me on a Sunday morning,
more likely a sedate trip along the Yarra Trail.

Can anyone offer an informed opinion of so called hybrid machines. I'm
looking at the Avanti Blade Comp and Blade Pro machines as a good example of
the type. I'd very much like to get involved in a club too. To what extent
will I struggle with a bike like this, it appears that most road club riders
use a pure road machine.

Any thoughts appreciated.
Cheers
Andrew

I used a cheap hybrid for commuting. It lasted about 5 years without
any real maintenance, but I ran it into the ground. Cheap ones are
good value for money - $300 goes a long way if you don't abuse the
machine.

Why not look at a cyclocross bike? - road-type handlebars, beefer
frame, fatter tyres than a road bike. The downside is that they can
sometimes be a little expensive.

Ritch

I'd suggest flat bar 'road bikes'. Specialised and Avanti both make a
number of such bikes. positives: versatile - suitable for both on and
off road (low impact); low weight - no superflous suspension forks,
suspension seat posts, etc, light frames. I can't think of any positives
of the hybrid bike. to my mind, hybrid bikes as a general product were
alot better 7-10 years ago. in more recent years manufacturers have
over-capitalised adding front suspension forks and heavy frames.

--

As far as clubs go, for recreational riding there are several around, most
with links on the BV website. I'm involved in Manningham BUG which has a
range of riders and rides, from easy doddles along paths to longer faster
rides and occasional weekend trips. You can look us up at
www.vicnet.net.au/~mannbug

Andrew, i'm not sure how much you want to spend but here are a few bikes
I think you should consider:

Trek 520 (http://www.trekbikes.com.au/catalogue.cgi?rm=product&product_-
id=16&subcategory_id=1) A tough but heavy road/touring bike.

Specialized Sequioa http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=6001-
&JServSessionIdroot=uy755qirtu.j27002 Comfortable and upright riding
position on a fast road bike. Comes with a suspension seatpost and
adjustable handlebar (angle) stem.

Cannondale Bad Boy Rigid 🙂
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/04/cusa/model-4MRBB.html A 26" wheel
rigid (non-suspension) mtb.

IMO flat-bar road bikes are no big deal. A handlebar height that
-you're- comfortable riding with is more important.

For frame sizing this is worth a read :
http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/bikes_framesize.html

--

gescom said:

For frame sizing this is worth a read :
http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/bikes_framesize.html

Just reading their webpage makes me want to get one of their bikes. Talk
about traditionalists and a labour of love.

Cheers
Greg

I'm really greg dot walton at swissonline dot ch

Shabby said:

You'll never come across anyone who does lots of miles on a
hybrid

I thought I wasn't doing *too* bad at 5,600 km in the last 12
months.

John

John Henderson said:

Shabby said:

You'll never come across anyone who does lots of miles on a hybrid

I thought I wasn't doing *too* bad at 5,600 km in the last 12 months.
John

and I've put 3,400 km on my Trek 7200 in the past 18 months, including
one 50 mile ride. It's my bike of choice as a commuter. I choose the
roadie for longer rides on the weekends.

--

Andrew said:

Hi,
I'm seriously looking at investing in a bike to get back into the
sport at least at a recreational level. Historically I've always been
a road bike guy, but it's been a good ten years since I last rode
seriously (I'm 34).
As much as I love the speed and lightness of a road bike, I'm also aware
of their limitations in terms of terrain. I expect that I'll want to go
riding on off road bike paths and the like as well as using it on the
road. I don't see my wife pounding out miles along Beach Road with me on
a Sunday morning, more likely a sedate trip along the Yarra Trail.
Can anyone offer an informed opinion of so called hybrid machines. I'm
looking at the Avanti Blade Comp and Blade Pro machines as a good
example of the type. I'd very much like to get involved in a club too.
To what extent will I struggle with a bike like this, it appears that
most road club riders use a pure road machine.
Any thoughts appreciated. Cheers Andrew

In my humble opinion, "hybrid bike" is a case of lost, or at least
confused identity. Firstly, the name is very misleading, resulting in
unfair expectations from this sort of bike. Names such as "comfort" or
"city" are a lot more appropriate.

The hybrid bike is not supposed to provide the best of both road and
MTB. That's why people comment that it is a failure in that respect.
This sort of bike is aimed for relatively short rides that may involve
frequent stoppings. That's where "city bike" is coming from. Equally
such a bike is suitable for funful commuting. It's not really designed
for off road. Due to its weight and character, it will be generally slow
on the road, too. Use it on walk and cycle paths and it will shine.

The components are also designed for non-hardcore use. Shimano even went
out of their way to design the rapid rise rear derailleurs just for
them. These Shimano sell automatic gears or internal hub gears (some as
few as three speeds) for comfort bikes, does that mean anything? From
this product, I gather that a "comfort" bike is created for soft-core
riders around town. If one expects more, then one is destined to be
disappointed.

I used my Avanti Pioneer over 6000 km for commuting over almost two
years. Now I use a road bike for commuting, and use the Avanti as a
back-up or for casual rides with my family. My Avanti has served my
purpose immaculately and I have no regrets hanging on to it.

I have been doing a bit of road rides and that's why I have two road
bikes. I am planning on some serious mountain biking, and hence, am
planning to get a bike for that purpose.

In automotive equivalent, hybrid bikes are like most of new soft
off-roaders. They fail to serve for heavy off-roading, and their road
manners/performance is too compromised. But a large group of people use
them. I'm sure some are pleased because they bought what they needed,
and the rest who wanted to have the best of the two worlds are somewhat
disappointed on both fronts.

--

there's nothing wrong w/ the concept of the hybrid, its the execution,
specifically there tends to be an "over capitalisation" by
manufacturers in relation to frame strength and accessories, namely
front suspension forks both of which add considerably to the total
weight of the bike and detract from its general usefulness. Must recent
model hybrids weigh an absolute ton. Depending on your style of
intended riding, i can absolutely no benefits in this bikes over flat
bar road bikes or comfort bikes.

--

John Henderson said:

Shabby said:

You'll never come across anyone who does lots of miles on a hybrid

I thought I wasn't doing *too* bad at 5,600 km in the last 12 months.
John

I'm not sure if you're being ironic or not, but 107km per week isn't
really considered lots of miles. I'm not being a snob, but my initial
comment still stands.

--

Quoted message said:

From: Shabby <[email hidden]>

John Henderson said:

Shabby said:

You'll never come across anyone who does lots of miles on a hybrid

I thought I wasn't doing *too* bad at 5,600 km in the last 12 months.
John

I'm not sure if you're being ironic or not, but 107km per week isn't
really considered lots of miles. I'm not being a snob, but my initial
comment still stands.

My oath you're being snobbish. 5,600km per year is not a bad haul. It's
thousands more km's than many cyclists do.

What's your point? That only roadies who do 250+km per week are allowed to
say that they're doing "lots of miles"? Grow up.

Shabby said:

I'm not sure if you're being ironic or not, but 107km per week
isn't really considered lots of miles. I'm not being a snob,
but my initial comment still stands.

A bit of irony - I know that some of you do fantastic milages, as
you scream past me.

But I'm retired, and a hybrid is a great compromise for me.
Years ago, I did a lot of bicycle touring. And I reckon I still
would if I didn't have a disabled son to look after.

John

John Henderson:

Quoted message said:

Shabby said:

I'm not sure if you're being ironic or not, but 107km per week
isn't really considered lots of miles. I'm not being a snob,
but my initial comment still stands.

A bit of irony - I know that some of you do fantastic milages, as
you scream past me.

But I'm retired, and a hybrid is a great compromise for me.
Years ago, I did a lot of bicycle touring. And I reckon I still
would if I didn't have a disabled son to look after.

Comments like the one before yours shouldn't make you feel inferior in
any way. People have opinions on many things, none more so than on bike
geometries and perceived differences, these often being related to the
commentators' own cycling style which are often touted as superior in
respects. You only have to look at posts which reek of disdain for
certain bicycle types or components, and the other poster's use of "lots
of miles" is indicative of this.

Gg said:

My oath you're being snobbish. 5,600km per year is not a bad haul. It's
thousands more km's than many cyclists do.
What's your point? That only roadies who do 250+km per week are allowed
to say that they're doing "lots of miles"? Grow up.

No, my point is that as people get into cycling, they often increase
their mileages. And once they do that, the hybrid goes to the back of
the shed to gather dust. All I'm doing is attempting to save this bloke
from buying a bike he'll regret.

The majority of people who have posted also suggested exactly what I
did, getting an MTB with slicks instead of a hybrid.

Perhaps I'll start a separate thread asking people to define "Lots of
miles", "A fair few miles", "Not enough miles" and the ever popular
"Haven't had a chance to get out". ("Haven't had a chance to get out" is
roadie speak for "I've been training my ass off and I'm going to attack
off the line".)

--