Please help ! $600 budjet for hybrid



markp1958

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Sep 27, 2018
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1st post . Looking to purchase I believe what is considered a hybrid . I'm considered a clydesdale at 6'3 250# and hoping to drop around 20# . I live near a nice paved 7 mile loop . I tried a road bike but just didn't stick with it . At 60years old I'm thinking more comfort might keep me in the game .
I looked locally and saw a nice specialized hybrid for about $500 I don't recall the model but I really liked it . The tires were not too fat ,the seat was not too skinny and seemed like good quality and was fairly light .
Can anyone recommend other brands and model to look at ? Thanks in advance for any and all help and opinions!
Mark
 
Then I read this Quote from Mr. Froze "I would stay away from any sub $800 bike that has a suspension fork" and realized I forgot to mention I am interested in front and rear seat post suspension .If I plan on staying at the novice level should I still consider upping my budjet? I realize you loose a little momentum but with all the aches and pains I deal with it's worth it to me .
 
If there is one in your vicinity, then check REI's selection of bikes for comparison-or-purchase...

Froze & I are both in the camp which believes that a cheap front suspension is dead weight and an unnecessary added expense ...

It's better to avoid potholes & other road hazards ...
Whether or not you should add a suspension seat post DEPENDS on your riding style ...

It's generally easier to unweight your butt when going over bumps than to rely on a suspension seatpost ...

If you opt for a suspension seatpost then the type which uses a parallelogram mechanism is better than the pogo-stick type.
A sprung seat like on a BROOKS 67 (i.e., double coil springs in the back) may-or-may-not be a better option than a suspension seatpost ... I can't say one way or another other than to note that many long distance touring cyclist often equip their bikes with that TYPE of saddle.
 
I agree with Alfeng that a suspension seat post is the way to go; I think the Brooks 67 is an interesting idea but it weighs more then the seatpost and with a seatpost you can put any saddle you want and not stuck to one seat that you may not like.

There is also on the market a suspension handlebar stem made by Redshift Shockstop Suspension stem, as well as Stafast Suspension stem, either of those will take out quite a bit of jarring off your hands, arms and shoulders.

The other thing you can do is to put on the largest tires that will fit your bike, this in turn means you can run lower psi which will help the tires to absorb shock. There are also certain tires that are more comfortable like the Continental tires due to their ultra thin sidewalls which flex more then a lot of other brands, and that flexing is absorbing shock, but be forewarned the benefit of paper thin sidewalls comes with the risk of increased sidewall damage and thus tire failure. Also latex tubes ride a tad softer than butyl tubes, but again the risk is cost, plus you need to put air into them everyday as they naturally "leak" about 30% of it's air in 24 hours, also they are more difficult to install with the chance of ripping the tube high if your not careful.
 
Very helpful folks ! I'm going to look into the parallelogram mechanism ,the suspension stems and the largest tires .
I was at a local shop yesterday that has the Trek Verve II . The guy priced a package with upgraded grips a kick stand / computer and handle bar risers for 600 out the door .
I think I'll ask about swapping out the tires for the largest and then try to find the other components online and do myself ( seat post and stem ) . What do you think about the deal on this bike? THANKS!
 
I did some research and I'm sold on the shocktop for sure .Leaving for work but assuming I'm sold on the seat post as well that puts me in the 900 range .I'm willing to stretch to get the extra comfort .
But at 900$ should I be looking at another level of hybrid/comfort bikes ?
I will probably always be a casual rider maybe logging 21 miles per week on a paved and sometimes ripely 7 mile loop . Don't want to overkill on the $ .In other words if I spend for a nicer bike with better components maybe I'll still be wanting these add ons?
 
I did some research and I'm sold on the shocktop for sure .Leaving for work but assuming I'm sold on the seat post as well that puts me in the 900 range .I'm willing to stretch to get the extra comfort .
But at 900$ should I be looking at another level of hybrid/comfort bikes ?
I will probably always be a casual rider maybe logging 21 miles per week on a paved and sometimes ripely 7 mile loop . Don't want to overkill on the $ .In other words if I spend for a nicer bike with better components maybe I'll still be wanting these add ons?
Try to get a test ride on a hardtail 29er which has a rigid front fork ...

The 'smallest' 29er tire is 700-53 ... a few years ago a 700-48 was available, but I don't know if it still is ...

You can mount narrower tires in a bike which can handle 29er tires ... in some cases, you may want to use a different wheelset which has narrower rims (e.g., if you want to run 700-28 or smaller tires on a 29er since the rims for the fatter Hybrid-and/or-29er tires are usually wider than the rims used for "regular" road tires)
.
When I figured out that my mid-90s vintage "touring" frame-and-fork could handle 700-53 tires when the fenders were not mounted, I sold my 29er frame.

Some current Hybrid frames may be able to handle 700-53 tires, but most probably won't ...
As Froze noted, when you use lower tire pressure, the ride will be inherently softer ... and, that will be the case with 29er tires.

For pavement-and-gravel-road riding you probablyh won't need a suspension seatpost or any other type of suspension if you are running 29er tires.
The NEGATIVE with larger tires is that the combined weight of the wheels & tires will be more ... possibly, a lot more.

I think the combined weight of just the cheap 700-53 tires + butyl tubes which I have is easily in the 800+ gram range ... possibly, closer to 1000+ grams!?!
There are lighter tire-tube combinations.

Again, you can use smaller tires in a 29er frameset than 700-53 if you deem that a smaller size works better for the type of riding you can do.

I think the largest tire the Trek Verve 2 can accommodate will probably be just over 700-42.

700-42 tires are typical on a Hybrid, AFAIK. The 700-48 tires probably won't in the Verve's frame AND almost certainly won't fit in the suspension fork which you should try to avoid.

A 2018 bike is technically a year old & should cost at least 20% less than the MSRP.

A 2017 bike is two years old ... figure ~30% off of MSRP.

A 2016 bike is currently three years old (
when I did a search, the TREK site showed me a 2016 version of the bike), and should only cost about 60% of the MSRP ... or, less!?!
The specs on the Verve 2 suggest bottom-of-the-line Shimano/SRAM components which will require more maintenance or replacement sooner than Shimano's better-than-Tourney components.

Again, head for an REI and see what they have & how much they may want for what you deem to be comparable OR which they (
if they are knowledgeable and/or anxious to help you) can show you which is comparable-or-better.
IMO, the current asking price of this 2018 Trek FX LTD should be closer to $600 ...


I reckon that a bike like the TREK FX LTD might be a better choice for you in the long run, BTW.
 
I did some research and I'm sold on the shocktop for sure .Leaving for work but assuming I'm sold on the seat post as well that puts me in the 900 range .I'm willing to stretch to get the extra comfort .
But at 900$ should I be looking at another level of hybrid/comfort bikes ?
I will probably always be a casual rider maybe logging 21 miles per week on a paved and sometimes ripely 7 mile loop . Don't want to overkill on the $ .In other words if I spend for a nicer bike with better components maybe I'll still be wanting these add ons?

I'm confused, Shocktop makes both a suspension seat post and a stem, and the combined price for the both would only be $300 including tax, tires if you get them on sale online would only cost less than $100 for the pair and you could probably get them for closer to $75 for the pair, so at the most you would spend is $400 for all of it, not $900 you quoted, am I missing something? You don't need new wheels just the widest tires that will fit your current rims. And you could do this whole thing a lot cheaper by doing one thing at a time till you found the comfort you're looking for, if you do that I would start with the tires, then move to the seat post, then move to the stem, giving each step adequate time to make a decision if you need to move on or not.
 
Well...here's my two cents.

I am older than you and much lighter, but then if you start riding and watch your diet and alcohol intake you will shrink. I have been riding for many years both as a commuter on my hybrid and as a roadie on my other bikes.

If you are riding on the road, I think suspension seats and shocks are a waste of money and energy. After you get more used to riding you will want to go faster and further, and you will end up regretting the extra weight and energy loss.

Your legs are shock absorbers and you can steer around potholes. Spend your money on some good shorts and a good helmet. Whatever you do, don't go without a helmet. I've broken three of them so far and I really hope there are no more crashes or car collisions for me.

About the tires...you don't need really fat tires. I have 33 or 35 mm on my commuter - not skinny but not fat either. And don't get knobbies - more wasted energy.

Good riding and be careful.
 
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I'm confused, Shocktop makes both a suspension seat post and a stem, and the combined price for the both would only be $300 including tax, tires if you get them on sale online would only cost less than $100 for the pair and you could probably get them for closer to $75 for the pair, so at the most you would spend is $400 for all of it, not $900 you quoted, am I missing something? You don't need new wheels just the widest tires that will fit your current rims. And you could do this whole thing a lot cheaper by doing one thing at a time till you found the comfort you're looking for, if you do that I would start with the tires, then move to the seat post, then move to the stem, giving each step adequate time to make a decision if you need to move on or not.
Thanks for caring Mr. Froze !
I can see where I didn't make myself clear . What I was meaning is the initial cost of the bike being 600 then to add the suspension parts would make 900 .Maybe I would've been better off buying a 900$ out the door bike instead of $600 and then add aftermarket parts .
That being said I bit the bullet and got a 2019 Trek Verve 2 put a cloud 9 seat a basic cpu and some comfort grips .I really like the geometry I guess is what you call it It's really comfortable for me at 6'3" 245 (already dropped about 5#)
Ordered a cell phone holder and next I'm going to order the shock stop . Need to dig around on the forum for some lighting ideas since the time change is coming soon . Any advice on some good led for under 50$ ? Or is that not possible .
 
Congrats on getting your new bike, and it came with a suspension seatpost, that's great!

I read that the bike came with 45 mm wide tires, that means you don't need a lot of PSI in them since you weigh about 185 pounds plus another roughly 30 pounds of bike and gear so I think you would be good with 55 psi in the front tire and 70 on the rear, but play around a bit to get the ride you want.

Light wise I would stay clear of generic lights if at all possible. I'm not sure if by $50 you mean total for both front and rear lights? If so, you're right, you can't get much, which means you'll have to look at generics on Amazon, and the only sure fire way of getting a decent one is buying one that has a high number of positive reviews like this one: https://www.amazon.com/BLITZU-Recha...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G5A2WHCTFNP8KGNAVG8S You do have to be careful with Chinese lumen ratings, typically whatever lumens they say are at least 50% over blown, probably not so much on the lower lumen lights like the one above, but those that say they put out 1000 lumens plus for $20...NO WAY! Those will be lucky to run at 400 lumens! The other issue with Chinese generics is they usually have non-existent customer service so anything goes bad...well you're screwed! The other thing about the above light combo is that there is no rating on the tail light so we have no idea what that light can do.

Here is another light that got high Amazon reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Anti-glare-D...538361337&sr=8-12&keywords=bicycle+headlights

And this one that claims it's tail light puts out 100 lumens, even if it puts out just 50 lumens that's probably better then those others; https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable...538361556&sr=8-42&keywords=bicycle+headlights

Then with the money you have left over from your $50 light budget get a set of leg bands like these: https://www.amazon.com/iotrevor-fit...8&qid=1538362109&sr=1-4&keywords=led+leg+band The up and down motion of lighted bands attract attention very well and for some reason older drivers see those better than non moving lights according to studies I've read.

Then I would save up some money and next year start out by buying either a nicer name brand headlight or tail light, which every you decide you need the most, and then regulate the old one to the helmet. A headlight on a helmet is useful for flashing car drivers at intersections or to see street signs with, or flashing to attract attention, but you always put your brightest light on the bars. The tail light on the helmet just adds more rear exposure; and since I think rear accidents are more prevalent at night that would be my first improvement, but you have to decide that especially if the generic headlight is pretty dim you will need a better headlight first.

If you decide to up your light budget you can get a really nice set up for around $160 that would have a nice see the road light rather than a to be seen only light, and a hugely bright tail light, let us know and we can point you in the right direction.
 
Thanks again Mr. Froze I got the anti glare light on order . I wish I had it tonight could have extended my ride!Yes the tires on the Verve are pretty wide and tall ,I can see where that helps on the bumps . Need to ride more to justify the Shock stop !!!
 
I hope it works out for you; like I said if later you get a much brighter front and rear light then put those lights you got on your helmet.

Give us a review of your lights when you get them and after you've used it for little bit.
 
Ended up with these lights they are down to 23$ now .Not as bright as they look in the pictures but fine for my application . So far so good!
amazon.com/Anti-glare-DB-DEGBIT-Waterproof-Rechargeable/dp/B07CXMN5FF/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1538361337&sr=8-12&keywords=bicycle+headlights
 
Then I read this Quote from Mr. Froze "I would stay away from any sub $800 bike that has a suspension fork" and realized I forgot to mention I am interested in front and rear seat post suspension .If I plan on staying at the novice level should I still consider upping my budjet? I realize you loose a little momentum but with all the aches and pains I deal with it's worth it to me .
If you're talking front and rear suspension you probably should stay FAR away from anything new for $500. Craigslists generally can offer good used full suspension or hardtails on which you can mount a suspension seatpost (which I detest).

Maybe as a beginner you should buy a good used full suspension bike. These things are HEAVY but with their gearing you can usually climb most things. And then WHOOPIE you get to go downhill.

A surprisingly large number of people in the San Francisco bay area buy good full suspension bikes, ride them once and fall off and never ride again. After a couple of years they sell off these perfect condition bikes for next to nothing (I bought a 29er FS with one ride on it for $800 that was a BIG name builder.)
 
While it is true you can get a lot of bike for the money in the used marketplace, but some people just shy away from stuff that's used, I don't understand that since most used bikes have very little miles on due to over blown aspirations that faded to going back to the sofa and watch TV. But if a new bike is what you want then take a look at the Diamondback Haanjo 1, see: https://www.diamondback.com/haanjo-1-41 REI has a house brand bike called the Co-Op; see: https://www.rei.com/product/121596/co-op-cycles-cty-11-bike Though the Co-Op bike is $100 cheaper than the Diamondback it also weighs about 3 pounds more than the Diamondback; so if the weight isn't a concern and money is then look at the Co-Op, but in the long run as you pile on miles the lighter bike will be more comfortable due to less fatigue. Another good choice is the Tommaso La Forma found on Amazon for $600, it's the same weight as the DiamondBack but the Tommaso boasts of having more brand name parts on it, plus it has a much wider assortment of gears vs the Diamondback; see: https://www.amazon.com/Tommaso-Ligh...vy-20&linkId=018f0af79ef066eafc0708c8d927b1b5

Those are the only ones I would recommend and I would lean towards the Tommaso.
 
In case you missed it, stay away from any bike that has a suspension to it at that price point, they don't work as advertised or as they seem they should work. They will not make you go any faster down hill then a non suspended bike, and due to the weight of the cheap suspension parts you won't be able to climb as fast up hill regardless of the gearing vs a rigid bike with mountain gearing that's lighter. Obviously if you can find a former $2,000 or so when new suspension bike that was lightly used for around $500 well then that's a different story. Even then most people, if they're not doing DH racing, don't need a suspension bike; like I said before I did just fine going down fast mountain trails on a rigid bike, remember your arms and legs can act like a suspension by keeping them bent and loose and off the seat.
 
Froze is right. Low priced suspension forks do not work correctly in the first place. Cheap one's normally use a spring suspension with a hydraulic shock mechanism. The ones that actually are air/oil usually are cheaply made and if there is one thing you do not want to collapse under you it is a fork.
 
Froze is right. Low priced suspension forks do not work correctly in the first place. Cheap one's normally use a spring suspension with a hydraulic shock mechanism. The ones that actually are air/oil usually are cheaply made and if there is one thing you do not want to collapse under you it is a fork.

Does this mean we're kissing cousins now?