need advice on a new bike

[thecaroline]

i need a bike for mostly street driving, and from researching it seems like hybrids are the most appropriate

i ride mostly streets, and will be riding 50 miles in april.... till now i've been riding my dad's giant rincon mtb, which is really heavy, and since it needs to be tuned up, i'm looking to buying something more appropriate for me

concerns from other posters about hybrids are:
that they are too upright because of the shorter post from seat to handles,
that the suspension seat posts can wobble after regular use
and they are to fat and wobbly...

any thoughts on these comments?

also, money is a big big factor , i'm looking to spend less than $400

so far, it seems that the trek 7200 and the giant cypress dx are the best... but i would love to hear about different bikes, or if anyone has any experience with the above

i looked up the specialized on their website and their hybrids look extremely upright and uncomfortable... the trek and giant seem to have a more traditional setup...

i want something i am comfortable going uphill, downhill in, that will have good stock components (since it will be a while before i can improve my bike) and that will be good for someone who is looking to ride about 15-30 miles at a time, with a goal of that 50 mile ride in baja CA...

also, if anyone thinks that hybrid is totally the wrong way to go, i'm open to thoughts too. i'm a little hesitant on road bikes... i like the hybrids because they're wheels just look safer, but since this is just on my naive opinion i am sooo open to yours..

thank you!!

 

[M2cycler]

don't buy a hybrid, buy a road racing bike, even if you don't want to race

 

[thecaroline]

i can only afford to have one bike... and if i happened to go out just for fun with friends, wouldn't a hybrid be more versatile? i have one particular friend i'm getting ready to do a 50 mile ride with, but i also have a handful of friends that seem to just be getting back into cycling for fun (guess the joy of cars is dying down finally) ... not only do i want to be able to have a suitable ride for the more serious rides.. but i want somethng that i can just go out recreationally in with friends, when i'm not out just training...

would you still say that a road bike is more appropriate? i'm just curious.. i'm going out to a bike shop today.. I've heard they're helpful and i'm hoping to try out different bikes... so i'll give one a try

 

[MidBunchLurker]

M2cycler is right - a hybrid is a waste of time for most people. A hybrid is such a compromise that it usually isn't particularly good at anything (unless you spend a lot of money).

Get a proper road racing bike. If you want to "hybridise" it later just add fatter tyres.

Do a search for "hybrid" on this forum. You'll see that most people who've bought them have regretted it and upgraded soon thereafter.

 

[ohiojeff]

many new riders are under the misconception that dropped bars are uncmfortable, when in reality it is quite untrue. traditional road bars offer a whole range of hand placements, from the tops that mimic a straight bar, to the hoods to the drops. in longer rides it is much more comfortable to be able to vari those. each angle uses slightly different muscles and seat positions and can give tired aching places a break. i agree, ride road bikes on the road, and atb's off road for the best results. they are what they are for a reason. a bike able to ride 50+ miles comfortably will be able to cruize with your friends, but i am not sure a bike aimed at short cruizes will do the trick on long rides quite so well.

 

[Insight Driver]

Quote:i need a bike for mostly street driving, and from researching it seems like hybrids are the most appropriate[/]

I would recommend an inexpensive road bike for your purposes. Since you are at the bottom end of the price range, I suggest you go to every bike shop within a reasonable distance from you and see if you might find a bike on sale at that price.

The key for you is will be riding on pavement. For that purpose the road bike is ideal. As was explained the drop bar actually gives you many hand positions you can change to while riding.

What is most important is to realize that you are the "engine." Because of this, the lighter the bicycle, the easier it will be to pedal up a hill. A cheap hybrid bike in your price range would have heavier wheels and frame, which would make it harder to pedal on pavement than a road bike. A road bike in your price range would also be a stable bike to ride.

 

[brightgarden]

Originally posted by thecaroline
i need a bike for mostly street driving, and from researching it seems like hybrids are the most appropriate

i ride mostly streets, and will be riding 50 miles in april.... till now i've been riding my dad's giant rincon mtb, which is really heavy, and since it needs to be tuned up, i'm looking to buying something more appropriate for me

concerns from other posters about hybrids are:
that they are too upright because of the shorter post from seat to handles,
that the suspension seat posts can wobble after regular use
and they are to fat and wobbly...

any thoughts on these comments?

also, money is a big big factor , i'm looking to spend less than $400

so far, it seems that the trek 7200 and the giant cypress dx are the best... but i would love to hear about different bikes, or if anyone has any experience with the above

i looked up the specialized on their website and their hybrids look extremely upright and uncomfortable... the trek and giant seem to have a more traditional setup...

i want something i am comfortable going uphill, downhill in, that will have good stock components (since it will be a while before i can improve my bike) and that will be good for someone who is looking to ride about 15-30 miles at a time, with a goal of that 50 mile ride in baja CA...

also, if anyone thinks that hybrid is totally the wrong way to go, i'm open to thoughts too. i'm a little hesitant on road bikes... i like the hybrids because they're wheels just look safer, but since this is just on my naive opinion i am sooo open to yours..

thank you!!

wow, same deal with me about two years ago (was looking at cyclocross bikes because of the wider tire). thank god i didn't break down and get a hybrid for myself (although i did pick one up for my daughter recently). she loved that bike for about two weeks, and now she huffs and puffs (k2/rosario). her aluminum bike is way lighter than my steel mtb, and she just can't keep up. i think it's because she's just too upgright.

my housemate has a giant cypress that has been collecting dust in the basement pretty nearly since she bought it. it was a cheap bike for her, but she doesn't have fun on it because she can't keep up with her friends.

another friend of mine is madly searching for a road bike because she used to have one, but got talked into a hybrid a couple of years back and she is so regretting now. she also can't keep up with her friends, and won't bike with me tho' i'm pokey as bikers go.

now that i have my road bike, except for the freakish feeling that i can't leave it around without risking it getting stolen, i love it. my advice, search out forums like craigs list for people who are just trying to clean out their garages and get a used road bike that fits you.

i was given this same advice. i didn't follow it only because my car up and died on me freeing up some maintenance money that i sunk into my new bike.

good luck, and whatever you do, remember, HAVE FUN! if it ain't fun, it ain't worth it.

 

[daveornee]

Originally posted by thecaroline
i need a bike for mostly street driving, and from researching it seems like hybrids are the most appropriate

i ride mostly streets, and will be riding 50 miles in april.... till now i've been riding my dad's giant rincon mtb, which is really heavy, and since it needs to be tuned up, i'm looking to buying something more appropriate for me

concerns from other posters about hybrids are:
that they are too upright because of the shorter post from seat to handles,
that the suspension seat posts can wobble after regular use
and they are to fat and wobbly...

any thoughts on these comments?

also, money is a big big factor , i'm looking to spend less than $400

so far, it seems that the trek 7200 and the giant cypress dx are the best... but i would love to hear about different bikes, or if anyone has any experience with the above

i looked up the specialized on their website and their hybrids look extremely upright and uncomfortable... the trek and giant seem to have a more traditional setup...

i want something i am comfortable going uphill, downhill in, that will have good stock components (since it will be a while before i can improve my bike) and that will be good for someone who is looking to ride about 15-30 miles at a time, with a goal of that 50 mile ride in baja CA...

also, if anyone thinks that hybrid is totally the wrong way to go, i'm open to thoughts too. i'm a little hesitant on road bikes... i like the hybrids because they're wheels just look safer, but since this is just on my naive opinion i am sooo open to yours..

thank you!!

Since you posted in Recreational and Touring area, I would suggest you look into a good used touring bicycle. Miyata, Trek, Fuji, Specialized, and others made good quality touring bicycles.
They are not quite as racy as a typical road bicycle, but they confortable, without much compromise in efficiency.
Wheels on touring bicycles are heavier but stronger than typical road bicycles. Touring bicycles provide for handlebar ergonomics closely equivalent of a typiclal road bicycle.
I strongly suggest you focus your attention on fit.
Component level, weight, brand, style, costs, and other factors will be quickly forgotten if your fit is dealt with properly.
I suggest:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm
&
http://www.cyclemetrics.com/
and get to their internal link that covers "Bike Fitting Basics"
Test ride whatever fits and meet your goals.

 

[Geonz]

I would ride what *feels* best, even if it is (shudder) a hybrid. For city riding I prefer the 1968 Schwinn I got from E-bay for $100 (including shipping) and had taken apart & lubed nicely. It's handled the 1500+ miles a year I've put on it nicely. However, there are no hills here.
I do like fatter tires for potholes and the odd muffler pipe that crosses my path. However, I put smaller tires on my newest hybrid and have found that when I get forced into riding in gravel or rough stuff, they are *fine.* (However, I'm not sure they'd have handled that muffler pipe.)
But I would also look hard at touring bikes... and save up the old dollars.

 

[Geonz]

Oh, and in my experience, it's not the upright that gets you until you're going 17+ mph -- it's those rough tires. When I switched from "38" to "28" on my first hybrid it was good for an instant 2 mph. The upright still makes for a challenge when I get going fast, but that 's usually in a group so I only have to work that hard when I'm in front.

 

[gescom]

Road (racing) bikes mostly have no braze ons for pannier racks while most hybrids and touring bikes do. Travelling/commuting long distances with a backpack is not too comfortable.


Shifting and braking are more convenient on flat bars. Braking with road bars means you have to be in the drops which could be a disadvantage to some (ie ex-mtb ppl). Most city bike couriers use flat bars for said reason.

You could always add an aero (time trial style) bar and bar-end bars (the later are popular on many flat bar touring bikes).


At least to narrow down your choice you may want to avoid bikes with suspension forks which would add uneccesary bulk for road cycling.


The base model Specialized Sirrus and Trek 7400 come to mind. The 7400's frame geometry and chromoly forks make this bike a perfect hybrid, too bad Trek don't have a non-hub gear version at a lower price. It would be interesting to read ppl's opinions on shimano hub gears though (moving the thread bias from anti-hybrid to anti-hub gear nicely ).


edit: Sorry, couldn't find the Trek 7400 on Treks US website, unavailable in the USA?
Here are some links for it anyway:

Trek 7400

Bikemag review

 

[brightgarden]

i sort of disagree with the idea that shifting braking is more difficult on a road bike--but have to admit, that the setup is very important, and easy shifting/braking on a road bike tends to mean more costly setup.

i think flat bars with badly placed brake levers encourage people to lean into their wrists in a damaging way (esp. when relaxing into that triangle formed by the handlebar and their two arms--it is virtually impossible (unless the handlebar is very narrow) to keep your wrists straight in this position, which could aggravate nerve damage there). if you have any carpel-tunnel sort of issues, i would stay away from the flat handle bars, unless you have a lot of self-discipline about your wrist/elbow positioning and learn how to properly position yourself with a flat handlebar.

a road bike handlebar that is properly fitted for you is as wide as your own shoulders, so unless you are just plain sloppy, or the hoods are not adjusted properly for you, you can't get into that sort of wrist-wrenching position when you're on the hoods with your 1st and/or 2nd fingers lightly on the brake levers.

whatever you get, it should meet at minimum what you want to do short term, and be up to the challenge of what you expect to be able to do (what you aspire to do). and i suggest you do not limit yourself unless you know you are of that type of disposition to live a plain and boring life. this is why i had suggested looking online for a cheaper used (but ultimately better) bike than what you can get for the same money new in a bike shop.

i rationalized my purchase this way: i expect my bike to last how long: 10 years. how much would i pay each year to have this bike:$60: that means i need a $600 bike (or a 2-year old bike for ~$450-500). i later re-rationalized that if i absolutely loved my bike, i'd pay up to $130 a year for it. if i didn't rationalize it this way, i'd end up paying less for a (lesser) bike that would ultimately irritate and annoy me because i had settled for less, yet had paid a significant purchase price.

blah blah blah--nothing irks me more than to hear people waste time, energy, money for less than they want under the impression that they can't afford what they really want. it all needs to be put into perspective. don't go into debt, but have a plan! if you don't love it, for heaven's sake, get it used for cheaper (and at the same time, relieve someone of their former regretted lesser purchase). and i only say this because it sounds like you want to buy a "keeper"--a make or break bike that will ultimately determine if you are going to keep on biking. *sigh*

well, back to work.... good luck.

 

[swimmeronwheels]

I don't know if you bought anything yet ... but here's my $0.02 ...

I am very happy on a Gary Fisher hybrid in your price range. I do alot of riding in city traffic or with my 6 yr old ... errands .. If I go for a ride for exercise it is about an hour long and I definately enjoy the scenery while I get an aerobic workout. I enjoy a good limestone trail.
That's it ....

When the wind picks up or I'm really into pedaling I start thinking about maybe someday I'll get a road bike. In those moments, my hands are going the wrong direction (not parallel so my elbows fall in line naturally) and quite bent b/c I'm bent over ... and I'm already set up with the handlebars at about the same ht as the seat (that's low bars for alot of hybrid riders).

My bike is good for me for now. I have a great rack on the back, can load on bags for errands ... ride to work ... stuff like that. Sure beats the car.

I did ride Trek 7100, 7200 and the Giant Cypress alot in my decision-making (just a few months ago) ... and I found the Gary Fisher felt alot better .. but that's each to her own!

good luck

 

[debubowman]

this reply is way late. for a really nice do-everything bike that's under $1,000 check out the surly cross check. http://www.surlybikes.com/bikes.html
you could change the handlebar to a scott design for a nice grip on uneven terain. http://sheldonbrown.com/scott.html
or check out a nitto moustache bar. http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/handlebars.html
you'd probably have to change the shifters with the scott.

 

[ceschall0]

for what its worth, i do the exact same type of biking as you.

I commute, 6 mi each way, on a daily basis. I do about 20 miles at least once a week, and then take day trips which are usually 40-50 miles on gently rolling hills maybe 1-2 times a month. I'm thinking about getting into 'real' touring and getting a new touring bike, but for right now, i love my hybrid. My hybrid is older (bought it used, for a song practically) so its a little longer than the newer ones which tend to be more upright. I don't get any back pain (which I used to get riding a road bike) and I find, while theres a bit of sacrifice when it comes to power (can't quite engage the quads fully), its worth it not to get the lower back pain (a constant struggle for me).

But everyone's body is different. So go try out lots of bikes till you find what you like!

(My husband, by the way, is equally happy with his Giant Cypress, though he switched out the handlebars for something that sat a bit lower so he wasn't so upright either)

 

[coolworx]

M2cycler is right - a hybrid is a waste of time for most people. A hybrid is such a compromise that it usually isn't particularly good at anything (unless you spend a lot of money).

I don't buy this at all.

I've ridden both, and am currently touring with a Giant Cypress running armadillo 28's. Now mind you, I changed out the rather upright stem with a long flat stem, and added bullhorn barends (also set at a near flat degree)


This allows me a myriad of hand positions - and one that is particularly comfortable, and unavailable on drops. I usually ride with heel of my palms on the flat bar, all along the pinky sides on the first part of the barends, and my fingers splayed across the curved in ends of the barsends. This spreads the weight across a very large surface area (comparatively speaking anyway) to any hand position you can find on the drops.

Now... this is the key... you need a 0 degree stem to keep yourself from being so upright that you're a piece of plywood in the wind.


Fully packed panniers, (60lbs) up and down the hills of New England, and I can average 15mph for 70 miles a day.

 

[jsirabella]

I would have to partially agree with most of the people who have posted here that a hybrid is really not very good at one thing. I would say go for a hybrid if you are sure you will never get very deep into riding but for only recreation and work.

From personal experience I bought a Cannondale F600 which is a type of hrbrid that can go easily from MTB tires to road tires. But as a road bike it can not keep up with other road bikes because of weight, gear ratios and many other issues and as an MTB it really is not good if you really want to go into some really hilly roads but it was a good first choice for me for touring and going back and forth to work. I put about 20 miles a day on it and it has a nice ride. I took it all the way from NYC to Boston on a two days tour and it held up like a champ but it can never really be used for any serioues racing or MTB riding.

I now am buying a Trek 5000 because I want to get a serious road bike to get into some races and really move on the road. I know it is a difficult decision but hope this gives you some info to make a decision.

-John Sirabella

i can only afford to have one bike... and if i happened to go out just for fun with friends, wouldn't a hybrid be more versatile? i have one particular friend i'm getting ready to do a 50 mile ride with, but i also have a handful of friends that seem to just be getting back into cycling for fun (guess the joy of cars is dying down finally) ... not only do i want to be able to have a suitable ride for the more serious rides.. but i want somethng that i can just go out recreationally in with friends, when i'm not out just training...

would you still say that a road bike is more appropriate? i'm just curious.. i'm going out to a bike shop today.. I've heard they're helpful and i'm hoping to try out different bikes... so i'll give one a try

 

[wrench]

i need a bike for mostly street driving, and from researching it seems like hybrids are the most appropriate

i ride mostly streets, and will be riding 50 miles in april.... till now i've been riding my dad's giant rincon mtb, which is really heavy, and since it needs to be tuned up, i'm looking to buying something more appropriate for me

concerns from other posters about hybrids are:
that they are too upright because of the shorter post from seat to handles,
that the suspension seat posts can wobble after regular use
and they are to fat and wobbly...

any thoughts on these comments?

also, money is a big big factor , i'm looking to spend less than $400

so far, it seems that the trek 7200 and the giant cypress dx are the best... but i would love to hear about different bikes, or if anyone has any experience with the above

i looked up the specialized on their website and their hybrids look extremely upright and uncomfortable... the trek and giant seem to have a more traditional setup...

i want something i am comfortable going uphill, downhill in, that will have good stock components (since it will be a while before i can improve my bike) and that will be good for someone who is looking to ride about 15-30 miles at a time, with a goal of that 50 mile ride in baja CA...

also, if anyone thinks that hybrid is totally the wrong way to go, i'm open to thoughts too. i'm a little hesitant on road bikes... i like the hybrids because they're wheels just look safer, but since this is just on my naive opinion i am sooo open to yours..

thank you!!

I've had a Trek 7300 for going on 4 years. I would say the 7200 is a great choice. Anyone who thinks a hybrid is junk is just silly. I keep a rack and panniers on mine and it's a 3 season commuter. I recently put some IRC 700 X 32s on it for kicks. It is faster but doesnt handle gravel as well as it did with the 38s. Unlike skinny tired road bikes, a hybrid can handle mild to medium singletrack as well as touring. You may not be as fast on pavement but you can whoop a Trek Madone on gravel, and you may not be real fast on real rough stuff, but a Trek Fuel doesn't stand a chance on pavement. Some say a hybrid is a compromise, compromise often means versatility. The 7200 would serve you well.