Indecision: Why Road over Hybrid?

[aces_up1504]

Basically i one of the indecisive people on this earth.

I had sort of settled on a road style hybrid, but was thinking last night, if 90-95% of my cycling will be on the road, why not get a road bike and use the old MTB for anything off road.

Does that make clear thinking? Or is spending £500 on a road bike bonkers for a total newbie?

Why should i go for a road bike over a say Specialized Sirrus?

 

[fossyant]

That's quite clear thinking.

Road bike handle much better and are more suitable for longer distances due to the handle bars (hybrids would need bar ends). Hybrids do come in various varieties, from those that are basically a flat bar road bike - i.e. quick, to those that are more like a MTB, so it can be as 'clear as mud' sometimes.

£500 would get you a good bike.

Personally, I have 1 MTB and three road bikes, just wouldn't have a need for a hybrid. The MTB can be fitted with slicks, and off road tyres.

 

[aces_up1504]

Why are Road bikes much more comfortable than a road style hybrid? I have seen this statement quite a bit but without much reason?

At what sort of distance does the road bike really overtake a hybrid?

 

[defy-one]

I have a fast road hybrid specialized sirrus ... good for road commuting,park rides and soft off roading, and two road bikes.
That covers all my needs.
If you only use roads and decent cycle paths get a a proper road bike

 

[Norm]

More comfort because there are more hand positions on the bars. The frame geometry is almost infinitely.variable.in different styles & designs so you can choose one to suit your expectations (fast, comfortable, multi-surface, tarmac.... etc) so its impossible to say road is better than 'hybrid' *spit* after xx miles, but drop bar bikes offer more hand positions.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I ride a road bike, but its got butterfly bars, front and rear racks, 32mm 700c and mudguards, so its a tourer. But I ride it on the road carrying my shopping so its now a shopper, except when I go offroad when its a slick equipped MTB. But that ride I did last month entirely on the road with just a saddle bag meant its now an audax bike.

Your bike is what you make of it, I prefer not to try to label mine anymore

 

[BrumJim]

Road bike will be fine for doing anything that a hybrid will, so go for the road bike. Only reason for the hybrid is if you just can't get on with the drops. Road bike gives you the flexibility of Audaxes and Sportives as well as social ridinng, commuting, shopping etc that a hybrid gives you.

 

[aces_up1504]

Cheers for the replies.

Am i right in thinking that if the bug bites and say i wanted to the the trans pennine trail a road bike would be ok for this?

 

[MisterStan]

I started with a flat bar road bike last year as i wasn't sure i'd get along with drop bars. I bought a drop bar bike this year and have subsequently converted the flat bar bike to drops as i like them so much. Comfortable as you can have various different places to put your hands depending on whether you're caning it or not.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Cheers for the replies.

Am i right in thinking that if the bug bites and say i wanted to the the trans pennine trail a road bike would be ok for this?

With the right tyres, yes, I've done parts on 28mm but am happier on 32mm. The difficulty with the TPT is the surface is so varied - it goes from on road to out and out muddy MTB territory and everthing in between.

There's other cross country trails that are entirely on road if thats what you'd prefer - Way of the Roses is a good one.

 

[Longshot]

One thing to note is the gearing. My Sirrus Elite has a wider range of gearing than many of the racers I've seen - including a faster top ratio and, far more importantly, far lower bottom ratio. I've been toying with a switch to a racer but can't justify the cost for the minimal benefit.

For the record, the Sirrus Elite comes with bar ends.

 

[helston90]

You can always look at something that blurs the boundaries- the Giant Rapid 4 is near on identical to the Defy 5 (literally wheels, tyres, gears, the works) with the main difference being drop/ flat bar. This will as Longshot mentions give you a much lower bottom ratio than the Sirrus as the Giant is at 53 x 11 instead of 48 x 11- and it has bar ends- and is £500.
(nothing like someone throwing another spanner in the works!

 

[Part time cyclist]

I have a specialized Sirrus which I have modified to have road bike gearing, I have done 100 mile + rides on it with no problems however it does give you a more upright stance than the drop bar bikes I believe, but I am over the moon with my sirrus

 

[HLaB]

Basically i one of the indecisive people on this earth.

I had sort of settled on a road style hybrid, but was thinking last night, if 90-95% of my cycling will be on the road, why not get a road bike and use the old MTB for anything off road.

Does that make clear thinking? Or is spending £500 on a road bike bonkers for a total newbie?

Why should i go for a road bike over a say Specialized Sirrus?

Its very clear thinking, IMO go for the best you can afford.

I have a sirrus sports in my parents garage, its a great bike but if you already have an inkling for a drop bad bike it'll only fester IME. I ended up converting mine to a drop bar winter bike to satisfy my inkling; its not ideal especially in the braking and when I bought a dedicated winter bike it was retired to the turbo trainer.

 

[billy1561]

Hlab is spot on with get the best you can afford. If you compromise then you will always wish you had took the better option as soon as it gets uncomfortable or hard on any hills.
On the tpt this time of year your tyres will struggle for grip on hybrid type tyres, so i wouldn't consider it personally.