best bike for me

[SkipdiverJohn]

If you look at how bikes have developed over the years, hybrids are essentially long-wheelbase traditional steel 27"/700c road bikes with fairly relaxed geometry and enough frame clearance to allow decent width tyres and mudguards.
MTB's, in their original fully-rigid format, evolved from 26" wide-tyred US utility type frames minus the mudguards and anything else that was not deemed essential and so could be left off.
Until the advent of oversized tubing for bike frames, pretty much every bike built to Inch standards, employed a frame with a 1" diameter top tube and 1 1/8" diameter seat and down tubes, irrespective of it's geometry and intended use. If you look at a conventional horizontal top tube "hybrid" frame, such as a Raleigh Pioneer, there is no significant difference between it's silhouette, and that of any number of non-racing, general purpose drop bar club riding or touring bikes. A 700c hybrid frame could easily be fitted with drop bars and ultra-light wheels and drivetrain components and you'd end up with - a lightweight road bike, with maybe a little extra BB height clearance.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I built my hybrid from a donated (hybrid) frame to 'fast flat bar' spec, makes a fantastic touring bike.

View attachment 405242

Although those 28mm Marathons look a bit 'lost' in there

A bit of air would plump them nicely

 

[Ticktockmy]

hey I started to learn bike as an adult, I practiced on a mountain bike and did alot of off road practice then went to try camel trails where if you hire a bike it's a comfortable seat hybrid and that was a very smooth ride on different surfaces. I would like to ask would a hybrid be ok for wheeler groups where they cycle for miles, ive seen it on strava where there's lots of elevation and good 30 plus miles, it's like they make an afternoon out of it. I see where people say hybrid not good for many miles but better at shorter distances on any surface. what would be your advice here and would £300 hybrid work well for cycling group rides? I'm new to this so just getting the ideas at the moment yeah.

Well Dart180, if you thought buying a suitable bike was confusing before joining this forum, I guess you are even more confused now, from the wealth of good information you have been given. For my two penny worth, I would suggest you check out youtube for cycling videos, and see and think about what use the cycle would be used for, I would also suggest you find out which cyclinng groups/clubs that are in your area, go to there meeting point and talk to some of the members, also go to your local bike shop and chat to them, there will see a range of bikes for different disciplines, hands on is the best way and a LBS owner will bee more than happy to give advice if he thinks it will lead to a sell.

 

[raleighnut]

A bit of air would plump them nicely