Show us your hybrid!

[GuyBoden]

I've got what I believe was the original Raleigh Hybrid, the Gemini from 1988.

Lightweight 531 Reynolds frame, same as a tourer frame. IMHO, an excellent bike.

 

[Cycleops]

I've got what I believe was the original Raleigh Hybrid, the Gemini from 1988

Which begs the question, does anyone know of an earlier one?

 

[ruffers]

Mine is a 2003 Marin Kentfield, getting it tomorrow.
If it rides well etc then over time wouldn't mind adding to it to boost the performance and look

 

[Gravity Aided]

Which begs the question, does anyone know of an earlier one?

Kind of hard to pin that one down. Many tourers were modified with flat bars in the 70's and eighties by their owners. It's kind of like the city bike, which sort of grew out of the mountain bike by personal modification. I think the hybrid grew out of people looking for the same riding position as a utility bicycle, but with more speeds and a more modern frame. But as a catalog offering, many seemed to crop up about that time.

 

[GuyBoden]

Kind of hard to pin that one down. Many tourers were modified with flat bars in the 70's and eighties by their owners. It's kind of like the city bike, which sort of grew out of the mountain bike by personal modification. I think the hybrid grew out of people looking for the same riding position as a utility bicycle, but with more speeds and a more modern frame. But as a catalog offering, many seemed to crop up about that time.

Which begs the question, does anyone know of an earlier one?

Raleigh's 1974 Super Tourer is interesting in a discussion about early hybrids, it had flat handle bars and dérailleur gears as standard. In retrospect, it's a Road Bike/Roadster hybrid.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I might submit the Schwinn Suburban, from the 19 60's .

 

[GuyBoden]

I might submit the Schwinn Suburban, from the 19 60's .

Yes, I think you could.

1960 Schwinn Continental Tourist.

 

[Salar]

Never mind the Raleigh Tourer, where's that blokes left hand

 

[Gravity Aided]

Right where it should be. He's a cyclist , you know.
(ed. It does rather look like he's yanking the shorts off of the girl with the humorous socks.)

 

[ruffers]

Mine is a 2003 Marin Kentfield, getting it tomorrow.
If it rides well etc then over time wouldn't mind adding to it to boost the performance and look

Just took it for a first spin,very happy with the money I paid. May need a few tweaks but overall a lovely ride.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

[QUOTE 4533900, member: 43827"]I just bought this 1976 Viscount Aerospace Victor. Does it come into the hybrid class? 27" wheels, lightweight steel frame[/QUOTE]

For me, the difference between a flat bar Lightweight Tourist and a true Hybrid, is that the hybrid should have sufficient BB/pedal clearance and suitable wheels & tyres to be able to cope with slightly rougher terrain without suffering nuisance pedal strikes, wheel damage or frequent punctures. A beefed-up flat bar road bike. So in effect they are a halfway house between a road-oriented machine and a rigid 26" MTB, where road performance is only a secondary concern to the ability to cope with rough surfaces. Very much a compromise and really rather like an old-school light roadster - but with a much wider range of gears to choose from.

 

[Blue Hills]

[QUOTE 4533900, member: 43827"]I just bought this 1976 Viscount Aerospace Victor. Does it come into the hybrid class? 27" wheels, lightweight steel frame, 5 speed using Shimano Positron gears, one of the earliest indexed gears I believe. Not quite flat bars, more touring style. View attachment 149626 [/QUOTE]
Nice but I wouldn't be too much of a purist - I'd change the saddle. Were those things ever comfortable?

 

[Blue Hills]

ah just noticed that your post and pic were seriously old