Hybrid Advice please.

[Dave7]

Having just had my lovely Ribble carbon nicked (together with my off road RockRider 8.1) I am thinking of going down the "hybrid" route..............getting older and had a few operations last year so the "get up & go" has to some extent "got up & gone".

Now.........I realise there is not really such a thing as "hybrid" as in it will really do both. However my off roading is now canal paths etc.........so I want comfort plus avoiding the hard work that true off roaders are when on the road (wide tyres & suspension etc.)

Budget not a problem as both bikes were fully insured.
Any advice on best makes etc??? as my knowledge is somewhat outdated.
Thanks

 

[Pale Rider]

A Cannondale Quick is a 'fast riding' hybrid:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/quick-4-2014-hybrid-bike-ec054940

Or for all day comfort, a German trekking bike.

They tend to be fully equipped - rack, mudguards, lights, prop stand, etc - and run on near-balloon tyres.

Can't beat Rose for quality, and they have lots of models to choose from:

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bikes/travel-trekking--city-bikes/

 

[vickster]

Whyte R7 series, job done.

 

[Yorksman]

If you like the trekking bikes, as well as looking at Rose above, try looking at the Radon Trekking bikes from germany:

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/trekking-bike

I built a trekking bike using and old Trek frame and put semi slick 700 x 35mm schwalbe land cruiser tyres on it. I also added an extension to the headset and butterfly handlebars.

The position is not as upright as a touring bike but not as far forward as a mountain bike and a lot better than a road bike. It feels good because it is nice and light but, 35 mm semi slick quickly meet their match on many off road surfaces, particularly where there are bigger loose stones. It is good on many cycleways but I don't feel safe on some tracks, especially where there are narrow ruts.

My MTB is also light and feels so much better on rougher surfaces. I dare go on sand with its 2 1/4 inch tyres. Some cycleways have bridleways running parallel and I feel I can go off the surface and onto the mud/sand to pass a pedestrian for example. On my 35mm tyres I am somewhat anxious. But, it does lean me forward and I have to grip the handlebars.

I also bought a tourer with 35mm schwalbe marathon tyres. This is a heavier bike with an upright position. I feel safer than my home built bike on rougher tracks even though the tyres are similar and I put this down to the weight. It isn't as jumpy as the lighter bike and half hidden stones don't push the wheel to the side so easily. It's also very comfortable, position wise. The remote lockout stops all that bouncing up and down when cycling uphill on the road.

The 35mm tyres are noticeably faster than the wider ones, 10 to 15 mins over an hour.