Roadie to hybrid....bad idea or what?

[mikmurray]

been a roadie for 3 years, sold the bike(spesch secteur) had a year of but now wantin to commute by bike again.....but on what?
loved the road bike, but thinking more towards the hybrid as a little more comfy to ride, like the boardman hybrid comp for instance.
my ave speed on the roadie was 15/17 mph will i get that on the hybrid or is the gearring all wrong for speed?
i've tried asking shops, but they just seem to give me waffle lol.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Hi there!

I have just done exactly this - gone from a road bike to a hybrid!

I had a Giant Avail 3 I think it was and have just gone to a Trek 7.0.

I find it really really REALLY hard work now (after 10 years) but feel like it is good for the exercise.

My average speed is down to 9mph but I feel like I am building up my stamina again!

I was killing my road bike by taking it on the canal and such but the hybrid weighs sooo much it nearly kills me getting it down the steps to the canal!

I tell myself to grin a bear it and think of my waistline but I miss my road bike (plus I don't look as cool!)

However, losing the backpack was a bonus! : )

 

[Leaway2]

Come back from the dark side! I went from a hybid to roadie, Spesch Secteur (mikmurray in reverse!) but had to ride a slightly longer route.

 

[kedab]

i've tried asking shops, but they just seem to give me waffle lol.

i've just done the exact opposite i guess it depends on what hybrid you buy as to the gearing - mine has an Alfine 8 speed hub and i found that the gearing was fine for the commute - i live in the fen so it's fairly flat but there's a few 'rises' that required the use of lower gears while i was a complete newbie commuter and it was fine. By the end of the summer last year I was averaging about 17mph in good weather (i.e no freakin' head winds') on the flat between 20-25mph and down the 'slope' on the way home, i once hit 39mph - i was chuffed to bits that day as for comfort, again, depends on the bike - my hybrid is pretty stiff but not as stiff as the new roadie but i would never call it a 'comfort bike'...if you're interested, the hybrid is a Giant CitySpeed and i frikin love it - i would happily recommend it to anyone - i just felt the 'need' to buy a beautiful composite roadie

 

[Moodyman]

It depends on your distance, gradients of your route and what you need to carry.

Mine's a 12m commute and 600+ feet of climbing each way. I ride a fast hybrid - Charge Mixer - and it's great for this distance.

But I also have a road bike for weekends.

If I could only have one bike, I'd get an Audax/light tourer. I could carry all the gear for work, it'd be as fast enough and good for long weekend rides.

 

[mikmurray]

i did love my road bike, but the roads aint to clever, alot of vibration through the forks and bars.
thats why i'm thinking of the hybrid, been looking around and like the look of the boardman hybrid comp......but again i still want the speed of my roadie.......AAARRRRGGGHHHH should i just get a new road bike!!
KEDAB...i hit 37mph and i was boasting for months on the road bike lol

 

[mikmurray]

It depends on your distance, gradients of your route and what you need to carry.

Mine's a 12m commute and 600+ feet of climbing each way. I ride a fast hybrid - Charge Mixer - and it's great for this distance.

But I also have a road bike for weekends.

If I could only have one bike, I'd get an Audax/light tourer. I could carry all the gear for work, it'd be as fast enough and good for long weekend rides.

distance is 6 miles each way, but on the way back there are 2 steep hills, i just want to know if i can still achieve the speed that i used to get with the roadie, plus looking at panniers

 

[Moodyman]

distance is 6 miles each way, but on the way back there are 2 steep hills, i just want to know if i can still achieve the speed that i used to get with the roadie, plus looking at panniers

There are loads of factors when looking at speed. I reckon your hybrid speed will be very close to the road bike.

I've done my commutes on a rigid mtb, hardtail mtb, flat bar road bike and a proper road bike. The roadie was the quickest but the difference was negligible. In fact, some of my fastest times were on my hardtail with semi slicks.

Like I said...if you can only have one bike, get an Audax/Randonneur/CycloCross bike with 28-32 mm tyres. They're more upright, comfy and can carry pannniers.

Stick narrower tyres on and they double up as a good weekend road bike.

 

[Cubist]

I had a Boardman Hybrid for three years before I swapped it for a roadbike. It was every bit as fast and if anything I rode it harder because of the braking efficiency in all weathers. Go for it, mine held its own in some pretty esteemed company.

 

[lordloveaduck]

Have both. Depending on what hybrid you get, you can clock up some serious speeds plus it's a more upright position and more
comfy on roads and paths.
I would rather kick kittens than get rid of my Hybrid, he's my shire horse and my roadie is my stallion.

PS I think all the who'ha about Hybrid speed is all in the head. I have passed many a lycra bandit with my tesco shoping. Used to do 30miles per day 4 days a week delivering round birmingham.
You can go as fast or as slow as you want to.

 

[Cubist]

Oh, and they're strong enough to tour on, and could even enter a cross race with the right tyres.

 

[Drago]

I favour a slick shod MTB cos I'm a heifer, but have just acquired a sportive bike for good weather commuting, and have another MTB to fall back on for ice and slush. A good excuse to keep several bikes on the fleet

 

[PedalCat]

If I could only have one bike, I'd get an Audax/light tourer. I could carry all the gear for work, it'd be as fast enough and good for long weekend rides.

This is a conclusion i have come to recently. Or maybe a flat-bar road bike.