Road bike or hybrid?

Chris L · Post by **Chris L** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 8:55 pm

Wondering if I should go road bike or hybrid? Thinking Trek of some sort. New are around $700 either way and I'm not seeing anything used local worth buying besides crappy mountain bikes. I already have a crappy mountain bike. I enjoy going fast, more my style, but I'm not going to turn into a skinny short wearing dude either who takes long bike rides just to get exercise. Looking more from A to B. Don't mind spending a bit of money either since I figure it's going to last for the rest of my life. I doubt I'll every upgrade and usually follow a pattern whereby I use something long enough to know if I need something good - and I do.
So far I've stayed out of a vehicle for 4 months (saved $400 on car insurance alone) on the mountain bike (save for some trips with the car to move big things) and to bring my son and wife around.
Any opinions? I'm thinking Trek 7.5FX

http://speedriverbicycle.com/product/tr ... 3312-1.htm
or Trek 1.1

http://speedriverbicycle.com/product/tr ... 3923-1.htm
Any thoughts?

Post by **jacob** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 9:45 pm

Yes. At that price range I'd get a Trek520. Steel frame, braze ons (in case you ever want to transport something bigger than a saddlebag), drop bars (flat handlebars are no good for longer distances), clearance for fenders. It's a classic that hasn't changed for decades. You can get models used with little fear. And you have a good chance of selling it again if you want something different.
Trek seems to cater more to the road warrior demographics. Check out Surly and Salsa to see if anything there is appealing.

S · Post by S » Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:27 pm

Both of those look ok, though I'd go with the road bike simply because I prefer the drop handle bars (my hands get numb if I don't change positions occasionally). I noticed both of those bikes have aluminum frames. Would you consider steel instead? Steel frames are a little more "springy" and thus more comfortable over little bumps. Aluminum makes the bike a little lighter, but that's not as important in a daily rider. You do want to make sure you buy something that has braze-ons for at least a rear rack. Fenders will make riding in the rain much more pleasant. If I was buying a bike today specifically for daily commuting, I'd buy a used touring bike. Jacob's suggestion seems like a good one.
FWIW I have a pure racing bike without fenders or a rack that's a blast to ride everywhere really fast (spandexless), but I have an appreciation for what I'm missing in practicality.

Freedom_2018 · Post by **Freedom_2018** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:09 pm

"but I'm not going to turn into a skinny short wearing dude either who takes long bike rides just to get exercise"...ahem that would be me sometimes.
I had major bike fever some years ago and was gobbling up bike magazines at a rate faster than an 18 yr old goes through Playboy magazines!..Anyways, the end result was that I got myself a Trek Madone 5.2..carbon fiber and all. It is a pretty stiff and responsive bike and I've gone climbing all sorts of local hills on that.
Looking back though, if I had to do it again I probably would get something more on the lines of a touring bike..since at heart I am more of a touring person versus being a Lance wannabe (I guess after the doping scandal nobody wants to be like Lance

Before this bike I had a $170 schwinn that was built like a tank (weighed like one too at 45 pounds)..and I even climbed a few respectable hills with that. Also I didn't have to worry about it getting scratched/stolen...not so with the carbon fiber bike.
My friend has a Trek 7.5 currently (women's version) and no real complaints in the 3 yrs she has been using it.
Have heard good things about Surly Long Haul Trucker..but no personal experience on it.

rachels · Post by **rachels** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:56 pm

If it were me, I'd put street tires on your crappy mountain bike and keep on riding it. I think that a lot of people wouldn't find a significant difference between a mountainbike with city tires and a hybrid. They are ubiquitous, cheap, and have usually have plenty of room for fenders and racks. Best of all, you already have one. Some people might enjoy having really nice, expensive bikes and maybe it makes a big difference in their lives if they have a long commute. But I've been riding mountain bikes for some carless years now, including touring (currently in Pac. NW) with no complaints. If you have a bike coop especially, you can swap handlebars, tires, seats, accessories and you may find its just one component of your current bike that's making it unacceptable.

Post by **jacob** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:39 am

@rachels - This is actually what my setup looks like for the touring I'm planning. I got a late 1980s Trek830 hardtail MTB from back when "mountain biking" meant trail touring. I put butterfly handlebars on it and conti travel/contact tires (slick in the middle with a row of knobs on each side). (Pictures to come.) The new handlebars allow for more hand positions and it's sized for MTB components (switching to dropbars would require getting new shifters and brakes are not the same size for road and MTB). Before getting the butterfly bars, I went on a 60M ride and my left palm was semi-numb for the next few days (this has never happened on my roadbike), hence new bars.
I would call my setup "fast enough" but not "fast". To wit, I also get passed by recreational spandex bikers now. This doesn't happen on the road bike.

KevinW · Post by **KevinW** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:57 am

I agree that the optimal setup is a steel road/touring bike with drop handles, fenders, and a rear rack.
I prefer road-style gearing over the mountain-style gearing that touring bikes tend to have, so I ended up buying an old road bike with brazeons and decking it out with fenders and racks. If I were buying new I'd probably build up a Surly Long Haul Trucker with 1x10 gears out of Shimano 105 or SRAM Apex components. If price were no object I'd use a Rohloff hub.
Jamis and Raleigh make steel road/touring bikes, along with Trek, Surly, and Salsa which Jacob already mentioned.

Post by **jacob** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 2:34 am

For handlebar setup, see this article on crazyguyonabike.
My setup is converging towards the first one (without the mirrors).

McTrex · Post by **McTrex** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 10:05 am

Pepperspray? On a bike? To repel bears or something?

Chris L · Post by **Chris L** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:34 pm

Reading and learning! The site I posted was from a local shop including prices. If I find a model I like, then I can move over to kijiji and try to track one down for half the price.
I can probably get away with using the bike 5 months of the year and cut the car off....just drive my wife's car if need be. Then put the insurance back on come winter time.
Here is the TREK 520 Jacob was referring to:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/ro ... ng/520/520#

Chris L · Post by **Chris L** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:45 pm

S: "FWIW I have a pure racing bike without fenders or a rack that's a blast to ride everywhere really fast (spandexless), but I have an appreciation for what I'm missing in practicality."
This is the key paragraph and you nailed it!
I'm not sure I'm super practical right now! lol I tend to just want to ride naked without carrying anything right now. I try to leave stuff where I'm going and can still fall back on the car when it rains. I plan to go no more than about 7 km because I live in the heart of the city and most everything either way is almost exactly that distance. The fenders and rack have given me something extra to think about!
Back pack? Not really sure what I'd really carry otherwise though! Mountain bike with a rear rack? Maybe a baby stroller? I do have a 2 year old, but a bit apprehensive taking him on the road with me right now. For that I can fall back on the mountain bike since I'd be going slow anyway.

Chris L · Post by **Chris L** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:35 pm

This a good deal (as an exercise). I'm about 5 hrs away so I would only be able to buy it and have it shipped.
http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell- ... Z293137874

SF · Post by SF » Sat Jul 02, 2011 6:23 am

Pepperspray? On a bike? To repel bears or something?

It could be, but based on my experience, black bears just run away. It's probably for aggressive dogs.
I used to have a 5 mile ride to the MTB trails. In this rural area, people let their BIG junkyard dogs off leash. There were always two or three that would try to chase down those newfangled, two wheeled deer.

hickchick · Post by **hickchick** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:13 am

I'm finding the hybrid has a lot in common with Neopolitan ice cream. Just another unsatisfying compromise.

masalawoman · Post by **masalawoman** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 6:17 am

I gave up my behemoth mountain bike for the Trek 7.5FX and LOVE my bike. I never cared for the bendover posture of road bike warriors (nor the fear of dropping and cracking a $3K+ carbon fiber frame), so the upright geometry suits me fine. I would recommend getting a professional fitting, though - if the seat and stem height are just right it can make all the difference in the comfort of your ride.
The only thing I really miss from my old bike is the kick stand!

Post by **jacob** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:06 am

A missing kickstand should be easy to remedy.

Piper · Post by **Piper** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:04 am

Another vote for putting smooth tires on your crappy mountain bike.
I have a Trek mountain bike I bought sometime around 1992. It cost $500 then. I have since:
- Put smooth tires on it. I never intended to ride on trails. The bike already felt responsive and the smooth tires only made it better.
- Put those silly bar extenders on the end of the handle bars. That gives me alternate hand positions to alleviate fatigue.
- Put a shorter neck on it so I didn't have to lean over and hurt my delicate sensitive parts. What a difference that made!
- Put a "female" bike seat with a hole in it. More happiness for my delicate sensitive parts.
- Put a rear rack and bolted on a grocery-bag panier. It won't fall off or get stuck in my spokes anymore and nobody will steal it if I leave it on my bike.
- Put a rear view mirror on it. I don't like the ones that go on your glasses or helmet.
I see poor Mexican guys riding the same model as mine, but because it is so well set up for commuting, I actually get compliments when I bring it in to the bike shop.
Someday I might give in to shopaholic-ism and purchase a bike with a belt drive. How awesome would it be to never ruin my pants on the chain again! Another thing I sometimes wish I had was a Bionix battery assist. But I keep reminding myself my trusty old bike is still a great bike.

dot_com_vet · Post by **dot_com_vet** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:46 am

I vote for doing some light mods on your existing bike. I pulled my vintage 2001 Diamond Back out of the basement, oiled the chain and bearings, and I'm in love this summer.
I forgot how much fun this thing is. It's not fancy, being a basic rigid mountain bike, but it's great for my purposes.
I'm amused at people that spend $1k - $2k on a bike.

Mirwen · Post by **Mirwen** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:19 am

I've always opted for hybrids for city travel. I can't seem to fold my frame up properly to fit on a road bike and I don't like the way they react to the least little bump. I feel very unstable, especially in high traffic areas with lots of stop lights. If you can tolerate a road bike, you can travel faster, with a hybrid or mtn bike you travel slower and with more comfort. I also like the ability to take a short cut through an empty lot when the mood takes me.

anastrophe · Post by **anastrophe** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:43 pm

I'm amused at people that spend $1k - $2k on a bike.

It's easier if you don't do it all at once;) I spent $1k-$2k on a bike...one component at a time.