Hybrids, they don't exist!

[mickle]

Anyway, there's something very creative about starting a thread about something you don't believe exists, well done.

No more bizarre than starting a thread about God surely?

 

[MartinC]

No more bizarre than starting a thread about God surely?

Oh, it's way less bizarre than that. It could even be relevant!

It's been an entertaining thread.

 

[gbb]

I suspect average joe public hybrid buyer isnt confused at all...there's just a lot of different types to choose from.
Ive never met anyone that said ..i just dont know what to get....or ..i got the wrong bike, damn hybrid confusion

Strikes me that average joe public doesnt give a monkeys...its cycling enthusiasts that draw the distinction ...the very people who shouldnt be confused

 

[Norm]

Ive never met anyone that said ..i just dont know what to get....or ..i got the wrong bike, damn hybrid confusion

Really? You know no-one who has something big and heavy with off-road tyres stuck in the back of their garage or shed because it's so slow and painful to ride it anywhere on the tarmac? I can think of a few I know.

 

[GrasB]

Really? You know no-one who has something big and heavy with off-road tyres stuck in the back of their garage or shed because it's so slow and painful to ride it anywhere on the tarmac? I can think of a few I know.

I now people like this, they all got MTB(SO)s not 'hybrids'.

 

[gbb]

Really? You know no-one who has something big and heavy with off-road tyres stuck in the back of their garage or shed because it's so slow and painful to ride it anywhere on the tarmac? I can think of a few I know.

Oh yes. I know a lot of people who've brought MTBs that are heavy, painful to ride...against my advice.
Yes' there are heavy hybrids, i know, i fix plenty of all sorts of bikes at work, the weight or quality is not the issue here.
Heavy MTBs, heavy hybrids...the people at work who ride them don't really care. Its a mode of transport. They're just not interested in the same way we are. It gets them from A to B...hybrid or MTB. They're not interested if its quality, they're not interested if its heavy...they dont care what its called. And thats the whole point...its a generic term . MTB, hybrid, roadbike, BMX, they're just four major categories most people understand.
Thats just keeping it simple for the masses who are'nt bothered with the distinction between 16 different types of bike.

Personally i'm half way...i agree (FWIW) that hybrid is a hugely wide ranging term. But is it a big issue for me...not really.

 

[mickle]

We can't possibly know how many people are riding around on the wrong bikes.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Perhaps we are getting a little closer to the crux of the matter.

I think the question is, do the unsuspecting public end up buying heavy bikes with unsuitable offroad tyres for their needs because too many bikes are categorised as hybrids, or for some other reasons?

If I put myself in the position of someone who wants to buy a light, nice hybrid for £X00, I would want to do a bit of research and comparison between potential candidates' weights, tyre details and range of gears as a minimum. Lo and behold the first challenge is how many buyers would consider these parameters important, secondly we will quickly find that bike weights are usually NOT easy to find even if one knows how, and similarly for detailed tyre specs (bearing in mind most people don't know what 700x28c means). Try it yourself if you like, then ask how many buyers would jump through those hoops. Finally as we all know, asking the spotty teenager behind the counter in Halfords, the average LBS or Argos/Asda is not going to give you a reliable answer either. So what chance does the average buyer has?

I suspect many people buy the wrong bike because:
1) They have a preconception of what they want which is not what they need (e.g. one with suspension, including rear suspension)
2) They can't assess the benefits of paying more (for lightness, or quality, which might not be obvious even with a quick test ride)
3) Even if they ask for help to decide, sound information and advice is not readily available reliably
4) There are one hell of a lot more lousy cheap bikes than good cheap bikes for sale out there.

I then ask myself if hybrids or their subsets are given other labels as those already proposed in this thread, would it help such buyers much? My feeling is that it would not.

If we want to help the unsuspecting buyers buy better bikes, something else is needed.

 

[gbb]

We can't possibly know how many people are riding around on the wrong bikes.

True, so how do you know that many people are riding on the wrong bikes ?
I have made that mistake, but not because of any confusion over what subset of hybrid i was getting...no, i wanted a roadbike, went to the LBS, was dissapointed because i couldnt afford one, so got a hybrid. Big dissapointment, but that was because i compromised across a completely different type of bike.

TBF, the subset of bike IS important to 'enthusiasts' like 'us' (although apparently not as important to me as some) .

Based on my immediate knowledge.
One girl at work wanted a hybrid, dutch style. She didnt know it was called a dutch, but she soon found the bike that fitted her requirments. She loves it,
A guy at work wants to upgrade from a decent Y framed MTB/ATB. He knows exactly what he wants, but's not in a position to get one yet.
Another guy got himself a CB ...bugger i cant remember the name, skinny tyres, flat bar, 8 speed. It was specifically what he wanted.
Another guy wanted a standard 700 wheeled hybrid, nothing bad, nothing too good, just average. He's very happy with his choice. He saw it, it fitted his requirements, he's happy.
My wife wanted a step through hybrid although i wouldnt call it a dutch. Down the LBS, picked a Dawes...she's happy.


All of these people (and they're just the ones i can immediately remember) want/wanted a hybrid. They all had quite clear ideas what they wanted. The types of hybrid they chose are all pretty different...but they all got pretty much exactly what they wanted.
They dont need to or want to sub classify them. Theyre not enthusiasts, just average joe public bike buyers...and thats why the term hybrid is as good for them as anything else. I suspect 90% of bikes are sold to people who dont know or dont care exactly what subset they belong to.

In simple terms, it IS important to people like us, but isnt to the majority of people. (F'kit, JMO )

 

[gbb]

Perhaps we are getting a little closer to the crux of the matter.

I think the question is, do the unsuspecting public end up buying heavy bikes with unsuitable offroad tyres for their needs because too many bikes are categorised as hybrids, or for some other reasons?

If I put myself in the position of someone who wants to buy a light, nice hybrid for £X00, I would want to do a bit of research and comparison between potential candidates' weights, tyre details and range of gears as a minimum. Lo and behold the first challenge is how many buyers would consider these parameters important, secondly we will quickly find that bike weights are usually NOT easy to find even if one knows how, and similarly for detailed tyre specs (bearing in mind most people don't know what 700x28c means). Try it yourself if you like, then ask how many buyers would jump through those hoops. Finally as we all know, asking the spotty teenager behind the counter in Halfords, the average LBS or Argos/Asda is not going to give you a reliable answer either. So what chance does the average buyer has?

I suspect many people buy the wrong bike because:
1) They have a preconception of what they want which is not what they need (e.g. one with suspension, including rear suspension)
2) They can't assess the benefits of paying more (for lightness, or quality, which might not be obvious even with a quick test ride)
3) Even if they ask for help to decide, sound information and advice is not readily available reliably
4) There are one hell of a lot more lousy cheap bikes than good cheap bikes for sale out there.

I then ask myself if hybrids or their subsets are given other labels as those already proposed in this thread, would it help such buyers much? My feeling is that it would not.

If we want to help the unsuspecting buyers buy better bikes, something else is needed.

If only it was that easy. You've got to save them from themselves sadly
The times ive talked to prospective cycle buyers and tried to encourage them to consider weight, (a heavy bike is cumbersome), cost (dont buy too cheap, you'll regret it), suspension (what do you want suspension for, you want it to ride to work on the road, not across a field), tyres (dont get one with wide tyres, they'll sap your energy), ....and what do they do ? buy that heavy, cheap, front sus, heavy tyred BSO...because they 'like the look of it '
Feckless springs to mind. But the fact is...they're really not that bothered.

The girl in my previous post is just about the only one thats ever took onboard what i've suggested. She wanted a dutch style hybrid. We talked about all these factors. She stayed away from sus, despite earlier liking the idea of it, she got an alloy frame because it was lighter and understood the importance of tyre size, comfort vs speed.