Converting a road bike to hybrid

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livpoksoc

Guru
Location
Basingstoke
The LOH has decided she wants a bike to go out and enjoy the countryside, so will likely look at a hybrid for her. My only bikes are roadies, but just wondering if fitting hybrid wheels is possible?

My current bikes are
Spesh Secteur elitle (2010)
Trek Madone 3.1 (2014)
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
I don't think there is such a thing as Hybrid wheels, they generally just have a bit fatter tyre on them so the limiting factor is the frame clearance on your bikes.
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
What are hybrid wheels? Do you mean fatter tyres? Depends on the frame clearance, but suspect you may have problems over 25mm. Straight handlebars define 'hybrid' for me, and changing the bars, shifters (and probably stem) on those bikes is likely to cost. Why assume she wants a hybrid? If the bikes fit her show her how one rides on the tops. (edit: just beat me to it raleighnut :okay:)
 

lpretro1

Guest
I have never heard of needing a special bike to go out and enjoy the countryside on! Never mind. It would be best to take the proposed bikes and your OH along for a proper bike fit - you are presuming your bikes will fit her - ladies and gents anatomy is quite different. If the bikes are just 'wrong' then her enjoyment of riding will be impaired from the start. I strongly suggest you fit a ladies saddle first off - she may well have a need for narrower drop bars, different stem length. If she is planning on going off-road then that is a different ball game.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
How I did this was to get some flat bar brake levers - ones designed for cantilevers have the right cable pull, V-brake ones don't.
Appropriate gear levers - 10-speed MTB ones won't work with road mechs, but road flat bar shifters are available.
A flat or riser bar, and I'd try flipping the existing stem and see how that goes. Bar ends?

As for tyres - see what'll fit. 28mm should go, I'd have thought.
 
They're not marketed as hybrid wheels but for example, the rim width on a Cannondale hybrid I had was significantly wider than a road bike rim. (note: this was a few years ago; nowadays road rims can be had a bit wider.) so yes, it is possible to get "hybrid" wheels Inasmuch as they are fit for that purpose.

All that is irrelevant in this case because you won't get tyres into either of those frames other than road slicks or very narrow treaded tyres (and what would be the point?)

Cheap hybrids are plentiful!
 
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livpoksoc

livpoksoc

Guru
Location
Basingstoke
Apologies...I probably should have been clearer. The conversion thought was for one of my bikes (preferably the spesh), so it is suitable for taking off road (gravel tracks/paths etc).

The LOH will be getting a new hybrid herself, but space is a limitation here so would prefer to convert my existing one with wider/more rugged tyres. Not massively fussed about flat bars as I have plenty of spacers to make the seating position less racy.
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Apologies...I probably should have been clearer. The conversion thought was for one of my bikes (preferably the spesh), so it is suitable for taking off road (gravel tracks/paths etc).

The LOH will be getting a new hybrid herself, but space is a limitation here so would prefer to convert my existing one with wider/more rugged tyres. Not massively fussed about flat bars as I have plenty of spacers to make the seating position less racy.
- it all depends on the frame clearance then. BTW Before I 'knew better' I rode disused railway Sustrans routes on 20mm tyres - it can be done, but not too comfortable!
 

KneesUp

Guru
It's all about clearance - if you're going on trails and so on you'll probably want guards as well, unless you like having a wet and gritty backside. My 1970s Peugeot road frame will take 37mm tyres with no guards (I checked with the wheels off a hybrid - the rims were definitely wider) so I'd guess it's take 28mm and guards comfortably. My not-exactly-modern Ribble Winter/Audax (it's on old one which with down tube bosses) isn't happy with anything over 23mm with guards.
 

Tim Hall

Guest
Location
Crawley
- it all depends on the frame clearance then. BTW Before I 'knew better' I rode disused railway Sustrans routes on 20mm tyres - it can be done, but not too comfortable!
While 20mm is bit on the narrow side, I regularly take my 25mm shod, drop bar, steel frame bikes on the same kind of surface.
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
While 20mm is bit on the narrow side, I regularly take my 25mm shod, drop bar, steel frame bikes on the same kind of surface.
I'm quite happy to ride the occasional rough stretch on my usual road bikes - alloy or carbon, 23 or 25 mm. I'm surprised by many 'new' riders who appear to think that you can only ride a bike on tarmac unless it's called something like 'xx cross', 'xx gravel', 'xx CX', and dismount rather than ride on grass, but then I'm of the generation that only ever had one bike to do it all ............
 

Tim Hall

Guest
Location
Crawley
I'm quite happy to ride the occasional rough stretch on my usual road bikes - alloy or carbon, 23 or 25 mm. I'm surprised by many 'new' riders who appear to think that you can only ride a bike on tarmac unless it's called something like 'xx cross', 'xx gravel', 'xx CX', and dismount rather than ride on grass, but then I'm of the generation that only ever had one bike to do it all ............
Are you me?
 
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livpoksoc

livpoksoc

Guru
Location
Basingstoke
Thanks - I do have to cross the occasional few hundred yds of gravel/loose surface, but given my weight, I'd prefer to not risk the punctures etc.

I'll get hold of a friend's hybrid to see of I can get the rim/tyres into the frame. I can always use an ass saver if it's not got clearance for full guards too.
 
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