How many of you ride a HYBRID bicycle?

[TWOCHOICEStom]

If so, which one? Happy with it?

Thinking of getting one for the 10mile trip to work (and also to do the London to Brighton)

I've got a budget of around £500 and am on the hunt.. any suggestions?

 

[Curious Orange]

You could always buy a mountain bike and fit hybrid tyres for road usage. Then you can always put the nobbly ones back on when you fancy some proper off road shenanigans

 

[ozzygull]

I have a Boardman. Great bike, very fast almost like a roadbike but without the drop handle bars which I find more comfortable. Very good value as well

 

[Notters]

I have a Specialised Sirrus - mine is nearly ten years old now but still great.

 

[Stat Brother]

Hybrid - go f**k yourself, and stick it up your arse!

If only there was some kind of thread already on this forum, full of bicyclists ready and egger to help with any cycling questions!

 

[Was not Was]

I got a Whyte Portobello last summer for about £700 and highly recommend. Used for commuting plus occasional long (40-70 mile) rides. Whyte is a mountain bike company recently entering the hybrid market to pick up on commuter cycling. As the thread full of cyclists would no doubt say, try before you buy.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Yep, I have a Giant hybrid. It was only about £300 from memory, about 8 years ago, and has been good as gold.

 

[teaboy]

Before you buy anything ask yourself some simple questions.
1. What do you actually want from a bike?
2. Will you be riding on roads only, trails, or off-road muddy stuff?
3. Why do you think a hybrid will be best for you?
4. Will you EVER want to take part in ANY form of race involving a bike, or ride long distances regularly?

 

[sharpey38]

I have a Scott sportster hybrid bike, love it paid around £350 for it

 

[BHA Benny]

You could always buy a mountain bike and fit hybrid tyres for road usage. Then you can always put the nobbly ones back on when you fancy some proper off road shenanigans

Very clever indeed

 

[grubbyhands]

You could always buy a mountain bike and fit hybrid tyres for road usage. Then you can always put the nobbly ones back on when you fancy some proper off road shenanigans

Only problem I encountered with this idea is that quite a lot of the pedalling energy gets absorbed by the suspension IF it.s got rear suspension and traditionally mountain bike rims are much wider than road bike rims and as a consequence you end up with wider than ideal road tyres .This causes more drag and requires more effort to propel yourself.A second set of (narrower) rims with skinny high pressure road tyres did it for me but I'm dammed if I can get up Ditchling Beacon even then. Hope this helps.

 

[Kumquat]

I thought this was gonna be about being bisexual.

 

[Cosmic Joker]

Yes, have a Specialised Crossroads, about ten years old. Use it every day for commuting but only a couple of miles, plus some longer rides at weekends but not as many as used to. Still very pleased with it, although have replaced so many worn out components over the years its a bit like Triggers Broom, with pretty much only the frame and bars being original. Have a hub dynamo fitted with much brighter lights for cycling out of streetlit areas.

 

[Bognor Bystander]

Bought a hybrid Specialized Crosstrail Sport for about your budget from South Downs Bikes in Storrington at Christmas and it's been great ... not done any long rides yet but it's much better than my old Mountain Bike !

 

[TotallyFreaked]

I have a Scott Sportster and really hate it. Nothing to do with the specific bike just really hate hybrid type bikes. Much prefer a road bike for the road and a mountain bike for off road. I find it difficult to get any decent speed and good cycling position when on my Hybrid (too upright for me) Some people hate being leant over on a road bike but before you part with your hard earned cash have a ride on one as well as a hybrid and see which one you prefer.

 

[perseus]

I would get hub gears and disc brakes. This puts the price up, but I reckon they are more practical for town riding.

Ten mile trip each way and I would think about a motor bike.

 

[Gwylan]

I have a Ridgeback; been fantastic value for me - still going strong after 8 years.

 

[wolfie]

Have had a Raleigh Pioneer for 15 years - been the equivilant of round the World on it - brilliant bike. Have now lashed out on a Boardman Team as well - rides like a dream.

 

[Broadwater_seagull]

I've had a Cannondale Quick CX4 (a replacement for a mountain bike that got nicked) for six months and love it. Think they cost about £500.

 

[Curious Orange]

Only problem I encountered with this idea is that quite a lot of the pedalling energy gets absorbed by the suspension IF it.s got rear suspension and traditionally mountain bike rims are much wider than road bike rims and as a consequence you end up with wider than ideal road tyres .This causes more drag and requires more effort to propel yourself.A second set of (narrower) rims with skinny high pressure road tyres did it for me but I'm dammed if I can get up Ditchling Beacon even then. Hope this helps.

Quite true, but I think you should buy the bike for what you actually need rather than what it looks like... and you'll only ever need full suspension if you are only doing down hill off road riding in really rough terrain, so for serious riders only. My bike is my daily commute, with the occasional trip in the countryside, so I chose one with a hard tail and lockable front suspension - Specialized Hardrock Sport.