Hybrid V Road Bike...

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smikeymikey

New Member
I currently own a specialized sirrus sport 2009 which is for those not familiar with, is a hybrid, 700X28 wheels, Sora gear, no carbon etc.

I am in a position to purchase a 2010 Bianchi Via Nerone, 105 gear, carbon fork and seatpost, road bike for a favourable price.

I currently ride either a 15 mile commute to the station or at least twice a week a 45 mile ride direct to work. Mostly essex countryside with around 8 miles of east london at the end (very early though so not much traffic).

What I want to know is will I improve from my current average speed of around 17mph over the 45 mile route and what sort of difference will I see...comfort, speed, ease etc if I go for the road bike. Also as reasonably new to this any advice re building up endurance for longer rides....some mornings I do lack a little power after 35 miles or so. I have probably been riding around 6 months now.

Cheers Mike

Read more: http://www.cyclingforums.com/road-c...oad-ish-hybrid.html#post3955148#ixzz0tUlyX1e4
 

accountantpete

Brexiteer
Going on the drops will save quite a bit of energy especially into a headwind and lead to greater speed once you get used to the position.

The carbon bits should be a bit more comfy but the narrower tyres will probably offset this.

Sorry but the only thing I can recommend re stamina is to practice at even longer distances - so for a 45min ride practice for 60mins.
 

Randochap

Senior hunter
I don't think a road bike is necessary for short commutes. Consider as well the the bike in question is not designed to fit racks, mudguards or wider tyres, so it is not suited to commuting in bad weather or carrying the gear most commuters require.

As a second "go-fast" bike it would probably be a lot of fun, but as an only bike, if you want to commute, it would be wholly unsatisfactory. If I was going to have one bike and needed it to serve both purposes, I'd be looking for an "audax" or "randonneur" bike that incorporates the options I referred to.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
Agree with Randochap.

If it's going to be your only bike, then you'll be better off considering an Audax / Randonneur or Tourer.
 
Agree with Randochap.

If it's going to be your only bike, then you'll be better off considering an Audax / Randonneur or Tourer.
Or is the OP keeping the Sirrus? If so another lighter faster like the Bianchi in my opinion will be perfect but I'd keep it for good conditions and use the sirrus on bad days. On a flatter run of 30 odd miles and in perfect conditions (no wind) on my Sirrus (Sports 06 but I changed to 700x25 tyres) I could get to around 17.5mph average with a lot of work. I've found that with my drop bar bikes I am cruising at this average (again on the flat) and with serious work I'd get into the high teens low twenties. On my more typical hilly rides the sirrus would be doing 14.5-15.5mph average but on the drops I'm doing 15.5-16.5mph average. The gap has got wider in recent times but I think thats because I hardly use the Sirrus and have got a lot fitter. With the club it really shows its worth in places where before I was having to pedal hard down hill to keep up the improved aerodynamics means I can freewheel like other road riders and recover. And whilst head winds are never easy, they are easier on the drops ;-)
 

Wobblers

Euthermic
Location
Minkowski Space
I find I'm at least 1-2 mph on the road bike compared to my admittedly rather heavy hybrid. For long rides, drop bars offer a variety of hand positions which helps prevent achy arms and hands.

If you're just planning on using the road bike on the commute, as Randochap says, an audax bike will be better - mine's almost as fast as my road bike, except can take larger tyres, so is more comfortable. It can take a rack, so I can fit panniers with ease - I wouldn't want to be wearing a rucksack over the sort of distances you're talking about because that becomes quite uncomfortable quite quickly. Much better to let the bike take the load. The other thing is that it's just as nimble and fun to ride as the the road bike!
 

CorsairC

Über Member
Use the specialized sirrus for carrying loads and wetdays, and the new road bike for other days when you've no load and its likely to be dry.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
Long commutes can be a strange beast, multiple hand positions are a must but also a bike that's comfy when you get tired. I started commuting on a 22lb hybrid with lots of carbon, laden it didn't handle so well and was less than comfy as I got tired. I switched to a 33lb steel hub gear(9 gears) bike and the ride was much improved. 40 mile commute but did include some private/unmade road and was mainly unlit lanes, pothole avoidance not always feasible. It also made my weekend riding, on the light bike, much more fun. I'd opt for two bikes:-

Commuter - steel(or if wealthy titanium but still steel forks), drop bars, crosstop levers, road disc brakes, 28-32mm tyres, 700c wheels, rack, guards, front dynamo hub and as few/simple gears as you can manage, maybe a 1x7 or 1x8, 3 speed hub gear or even SS/fixed.
Should be able to get all this around the 28lb mark.

Weekend - whatever you like

I would reckon that you can get faster times on the commuter described above, regularly, than you would on a flat bar hybrid.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
Commuter - steel(or if wealthy titanium but still steel forks), drop bars, crosstop levers, road disc brakes, 28-32mm tyres, 700c wheels, rack, guards, front dynamo hub and as few/simple gears as you can manage, maybe a 1x7 or 1x8, 3 speed hub gear or even SS/fixed.
Should be able to get all this around the 28lb mark


Spot on MacB - though I've flat bars with L shaped bar ends. Prefer upright position in urban traffic.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
Commuter - steel(or if wealthy titanium but still steel forks), drop bars, crosstop levers, road disc brakes, 28-32mm tyres, 700c wheels, rack, guards, front dynamo hub and as few/simple gears as you can manage, maybe a 1x7 or 1x8, 3 speed hub gear or even SS/fixed.
Should be able to get all this around the 28lb mark


Spot on MacB - though I've flat bars with L shaped bar ends. Prefer upright position in urban traffic.

Yep, I tried the L bends on flat bars and really like the position but, despite some ugly efforts, never managed to get brakes mounted on them. By adding the crosstops to the drop bars I've got three positions to brake from, it makes me feel more secure :biggrin: The drops I use are flared ones so the widest position is actually as wide as bar ends are on a flat bar, if not wider. I've not yet gotten on to the dynamo hub or the disc brakes, but it'll come.
 

Andrew_P

In between here and there
:smile:Posted in commuting but maybe better here

I commute 15 miles each way, I do it on a Marin Muirwoods 29er climb 285ft Descend 255ft vice versa on the way home it takes me 59 minutes (best time) average 1.02.

The steepest hill I use the middle front and 1st or 2nd on the back, I am starting to lust after a decent road bike with compact gears.

The upside to the Marin I would guess is that it can take the slings and arrow of riding near the kerb, and gearing.

So what would be the up and downsides of a road bike with compact gearing?

Oh and is 59 minutes a good time? Fairly unfit overweight 45
 
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