mobi
Well-Known Member
- Location
- S E England
In the shops, I find that hybrid bikes look same as mountain bike but with slightly sleeker tyres.
So is that all?
So is that all?
What exactly is hybrid bike?
- Thread starter mobi
- Start date
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they are the middle ground between a mountain bike and a road bike. The tyres are usually "city" tyres, not as chunky as a mountain bike but not too skinny, so you can go on things like tow paths. Wheels are bigger like a road bike for speed. Handlebars are flat for comfort. Gearing is more like a road bike so good for getting some speed up. Basically if you like the comfort of a mountain bike but want to a faster, easier ride, you get a hybrid.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Personally I very much dislike the term hybrid as it's just lazy marketing speak for any bike that has straight handlebars but isn't a mountain bike. The problem I have with it is that there are actually several distinct types of bike lumped in together under this term and if you just go into a shop and ask for a "hybrid" you could end up with one that doesn't meet your needs.
The types I see are these:
City bike/roadster - these are the classic old fashioned looking bikes, usually with a hub gear. Since they pre date almost all other styles of bike they are hardly hybrids.
Urban/leisure - mountain bike style frame, touring tyres and gearing, usually 700c wheels, no mudguards/rack.
Trekking - flat bar tourers with mudguards and rack.
Fitness/fast commuters - basically a road bike with straight bars.
The types I see are these:
City bike/roadster - these are the classic old fashioned looking bikes, usually with a hub gear. Since they pre date almost all other styles of bike they are hardly hybrids.
Urban/leisure - mountain bike style frame, touring tyres and gearing, usually 700c wheels, no mudguards/rack.
Trekking - flat bar tourers with mudguards and rack.
Fitness/fast commuters - basically a road bike with straight bars.
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HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Its a marketing term it covers the broad spectrum between a mtb and a drop bar road bike, the spesh globe for instance is closer to the mtb end but the giant rapid or spesh sirrus are basically flat bar road bikes.
Mr Haematocrit
msg me on kik for android
- Location
- Out of the saddle
Hybrid..... Bike that does not excell at anything.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Mine excels at getting me from A to B, usually via C, D E, and F.
I view my hybrid as a do-it-all bike, it gets me across countries with luggage, does trail/track/towpath riding in West Yorks with my family, it's also used to transport the weekly shopping home and is used daily for commuting all weathers in all road conditions, it does everything apart from provide fast fun, for that I have a road bike which is useless at any of the former.
Bobby Mhor
Legendary Member
- Location
- Behind You
I came back to cycling after 40 years and looked at the options and where I intended to cycle.
I chose a hybrid as it lets me use the nearby green tracks, cycle track and on the black stuff.
It works for me...
Sit down with a bit of paper and write down what you want to do...then balance it all out.
That sums it all...
Buy what you want..decide yourself...
I chose a hybrid as it lets me use the nearby green tracks, cycle track and on the black stuff.
It works for me...
Sit down with a bit of paper and write down what you want to do...then balance it all out.
That sums it all...
Buy what you want..decide yourself...
ScotiaLass
Guru
- Location
- Middle Earth
I'm still trying to decide whether my new bike should be a hybrid or a mountain bike...
midliferider
Guru
- Location
- Northampton
Are you looking for a new bike or just asking the question?
If it is just a question, there are as many answers as variety of hybrid bikes you see.
If you are actually looking for a new bike, starting point will be to define or clear about why you need a bike.
Just to warn you, standard answer to these type question in these forums is that you simply can not live with one bike.
If it is just a question, there are as many answers as variety of hybrid bikes you see.
If you are actually looking for a new bike, starting point will be to define or clear about why you need a bike.
Just to warn you, standard answer to these type question in these forums is that you simply can not live with one bike.
OP
OP
mobi
Well-Known Member
- Location
- S E England
I already have a mountain bike as well as a folding bike (for occasional commute). Rather than buying a third bike, I was wondering if I change the tyres of my mountain bike, will that become a hybrid bike?
vickster
Squire
Not really as it will have 26" wheels rather than 700c (which are 29" ish). It'll be a mountain bike with mountain bike geometry, albeit with slick tyres. Bit is that a problem. It should roll much better on the roads, as will locking the suspension on the forks if you can
midliferider
Guru
- Location
- Northampton
Ha ha. We need to start again, as I and others have said before, there are different bikes for different purposes. It is not a question of what you call it.
Where do you want to ride your bike that you want to change the tyres?
Or I can ask this question this way, what do you currently use your mountain bike for?
What size tyres and what ratio of gears does it have?
OP
OP
mobi
Well-Known Member
- Location
- S E England
My MTB has 24 inch wheels with 3x5 gears. I never went to mountains with it :-)
I want something which is good on road as well as comfortable ride on off road like grass fields or muddy tracks. I am never going to ride over rocks or too difficult terrains.
I want something which is good on road as well as comfortable ride on off road like grass fields or muddy tracks. I am never going to ride over rocks or too difficult terrains.
