Hybrid bicycle recommendation?

92degrees

92degrees

Joined
Jun 21, 2001
Messages
924
I'm shopping for a bicycle for myself. There are tons of bike paths around my house, decent roads, and my wife and I go to the Cape most weekends and find the same type of riding available. This will be for recreation but also to replace indoor exercise for the good weather months. I expect to ride most every day.

I went to my local shop, which is very good, and explained that I wasn't going to be road racing or doing mountain or downhill. As a result I think the bikes they were recommending might have been too low-end. Maybe not.

I'll probably attach a kid carrier on occasion.

I need advice from folks that understand that I'll wish I bought something with more features quickly if I buy too basic now. I tend to get into hobbies passionately and get competent relatively quickly -- I know you guys understand that!

The shop was pushing the Specialized Expedition ($299) and the Trek 7100 ($299). That wasn't the price point I set or expected. I would like to keep it below $600. Any advice? Thanks!
 
I ride a Kona myself, and I love it. 7300 miles in 2 years and counting. IMO they have the best matching of component quality for the most reasonable prices. Some companies are overpriced (Gary Fischer, Specialized), or have goofy compent matching (ie: excellent rear derailleur but crummy front one). Do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with Shimano and SRAM componente. Write down the models in order of quality and compare them to the bikes you're looking at.

My personal reccomendation would be a Kona Blast. It's a xross-country mountain bike, which might be overkill for your purpose, but IMO it's better to have something overbuilt than something barely built enough. You might want to swap the knobby tires with something with more road traction. Another excellent choice is the Raleigh M80 (which I've owned in the past). The Giant, Trek, and Specialized in your price range all have goofy component matching.

Both the Kona and the Raleigh have front suspension, which you might be thinking "I don't need that". Well, you don't. But if you give it a try, you'll be astounded at the difference it makes. Especially after you've been riding it for a while, then try a solid forked bike. HUGE difference. Even on a normal road there's a big difference. Plus, if you ever feel like hitting the dirt, you won't feel underequipped.

I don't know why, but there's very little in the way of good hybrid bikes. I guess the manufacturers figure that someone buying a "recreational" bike won't be wanting high-quality components and only offer basic models. It's best to make your own hybrid with a good trail bike and road-oriented tires.

And I don't know how you'd feel about locking your feet in, but I'd reccomend clipless pedals and shoes. They are hard to get used to, and they can be dangerous during the training period (you fall over a lot), but after using them for a while, I feel they're the only way to go. I ride my Kona Kahuna 10-20 miles every day as my daily transportation (but nothing really "serious"--only occasionally). The difference clipless sholes/pedals make is huge. But they aren't for everybody. Something to look into.

Good luck and happy cycling.
 
Thanks for the Kona rec! I checked and there's a dealer within driving range of here. I'll scope them out! Keep it coming. Thanks
 
I'm a fairly serious rider (not a fast or good one, I just ride nearly every day) and I normally ride a road bike. On occasion I ride a hybrid and I always ride it when I go into town or ride with my wife or go on slow club rides. It's nice and comfortable for slow speed cruising thanks to the upright riding position and the lower gearing. Mine is a Jamis Tangier which, If I remember was around $600. It is a smooth ride and a sure shifter. If it were 10 lbs. lighter and geared a little higher, I would ride it, or something like it, every day. I like the derailleurs and the brakes and the seat. I find it easier to operate than the more sophisticated road bike. I've left it stock other than to put some Shimano pedals on it to work with my MTB shoes. I recommend it.

But, truthfully, if you're going to ride on pavement outside a city, you might prefer a road bike. I live in the country and have miles and miles of country roads just outside my driveway so that's my venue and my Bianchi road bike is the nearly universal ride for my morning forees. If I ride out of my driveway on a bike it will always be the the Bianchi unless I'm going into town which is only 4 miles away. Good luck with the shopping.
 
I ride everyday (weather permitting) and love my Kona Kapu..also I feel for the money Cannondale makes a great bike..also check out Co-Motion all are excellent bikes..Kona I think would serve you very welll.
 
All respect to Knife Outlet, but I don't know if I'd reccomend a road bike for just recreation. But I guess that depends on 92degrees' definition of recreation. A road bike will jar the hair out of your folicles and the tires aren't the most durable. If you want to go like a bat out hell and never look back, a road bike is the way to do it. If you just want a leisurely ride with the wife (and kid), you'll need something with a smoother ride.

I'd love to get a road bike myself, but on the roads here in Tucson, I'd be stopping every half mile replacing the tube because of thorns, and in the shop every week getting the wheels trued.
 
Second trip to another shop today. Looked at the Trek 7500s, some Giants, and a bunch of Cannondales. I liked the 7500 better than the hybrid Cannondales at the same price range. I was pretty smitten with the Cannondale Bad Boy (rigid). Beefy frame, light, fast wheelset easily swapped for knobbies. I don't have shocks now so I wouldn't miss them but bikes didn't even have them when I last shopped. Anyone with a Bad Boy?
 
I frequently reccomend hybrids to casual riders. The full-bore mountain bikes are really set up for cross-country riding, and as a result tend to be a bit uncomfortable for more upright, causal tooling around.

Hehe- our "police bikes" all start out as agressive MTBs, and gradually they get converted (by means of bigger seats, more upright handlebars, etc.) to resembling hybrids....

In most cases, you're looking at a road-bike frame with MTB components, and in-between tires. These bikes will serve admirably for commuting, tooling around the bike bath, or just cruising around. They will also handle a big percentage of off-road "trails" such as the Rails-to-Trails sort of thing.
You just wouldn't want to go charging into the deep woods.

Look for a good component mix in terms of brakes, shifters, and so forth. Hard to go wrong with Shimano, even the low-price stuff works well.
 
Cannondale is my brand of choice. Expensive, though. Trek has the 800 MTB, which is a pretty nice bike
 
I have been on a few bike forums for a while and ride around 40k a day (25 miles) to work and back

The 'Ultimate' commuter was usually made of

Steel frame with braze on's for seats, racks etc. (Surly Crosscheck came out with great reviews)

Internal hub gear (Rohloff being the Mercedes but too expensive @ $1000) so SRAM (USA)or $himaNO (JP) 8 speed. You can get a hub brake or coaster brake too (a bit heavy but great in the wet and will not wear your rims) This way you get a single gear at the front (Chainwheel) as there is only 1 gear at the front your chain line is perfect i.e. its straight. When you change gear on a deurallier gear and you are on the biggest chain ring and you are either side of the back gears (Casette) the chain is forced at a funny angle and you get a loss of efficiency. A Hub is a little less efficicnt that a casette can be but they last forever and keep your hands and pants clean if fixing a flat. Fixing a puncture though is more time consuming due to the set up of a hub, but if you get 3D Kevlar you should be pretty resistant to flats.

26" MTB wheels with 1.25 slicks on them (double or tripple butted spokes and rim eyelets) 27" wheels are a lot weaker.

A Dyno hub on the front for winter lighting (resistance of the SON Dynohub from Germany is 5 feet in the mile, meaning it will feel like you have climber 5 feet in elevation for every mile, basically you cant feel it). This is arguably the best system on the market and will really give you some serious illumination. Maintainane is about every 50,000 KM, basically its maintainance free.

Front brake Avid (USA) BBDB (Ball Bearing Disk Brake) it grips like $hit on a blanket :) check out the reviews of this on mtbreview.com I have it and its the cats meow. There are Hydraulic but they are more complex and the Avid is as good as many of the hydraulic brakes out there.

Seat: Brookes B17 from the UK


Hope this helps.
 
Not all bikes are created equal in the "fits you" area. Whatever you buy (do
a LOT of web searching to see what's out there) make sure it fits your
inseam stride length or you'll never be comfortable on it.

Some links to help...........
http://www.business.com/directory/r...g_equipment/recumbent_and_specialty_bicycles/

this site has a great inseam sizing chart & nice fairly priced bikes......
http://www.sunbicycles.com/03/html_04/recumbents/recumbents_home.htm

this site is a kick to read and will explain a lot..........
http://www.easyracers.com/

this site is one of the best bike forums I've found that covers bike everything.
http://www.bikeforums.net/

Best of luck on your choice..... :D :D
 
I used to be a "serious" rider. I'd do centuries on my MTB and love it. 20-30 miles in the mountains was a fun ride. Now, I'm not. I'm a casual rider. A few miles here and there is about all I do. I still have my old bike and I get out and ride it but it's not suited for the casual rider. The geometry is too steep and it's twitchyThe point is, get the bike that suits your riding. If you're going to be casual get the hybrid. The amount of money you spend is moot, get the bike that fits your needs. When you need to upgrade, upgrade then. FWIW I hear a lot of good things about the K2 hybrids.

Later,

Rob
 
If you like the Cannondale Bad Boy go for it. I love my Cannondale road bike. I just did 100 miles on Saturday and another 67 on Sunday. I have a R500. That is a fairly serious road bike. Cannondale is made in Penn. USA and they use good parts.

Get a bike from a real shop not a Department store. Most shops will give you a couple years free tuneups with the bike. Things like cable stretching and wheels setting in will give you trouble if you don't know how to tune it.

I also have/had a Giant Iguana Disc. This is a Hardtail MTB. I can't say I love it. The tires wore out on dirt in the first couple of rides. I also tore up the bottom bracket and the Crank arm. I may just be too big for it. I am convinced that most bikes are made for 165lb Bicyclists not 220 lb Peddal Mashers. I say had because I just got a Gary Fisher Sugar frame and swaped several of the parts from my Giant onto the Gary Fisher. It has been raining here and the trails are sloppy so I have only fgone around the house.

If you want an 'around town' bike at least get a front suspension and set it stiff. Hardtails are fine as you won't be pushing peddal power out the shock.

Gadget54
 
Is there a reason you have decided on a hybrid? Something you may want to consider is more of a touring bike, Like a Trek 520 or Cannondale T800. These bikes will do better than a hybrid for longer trips, and are more versitile in my opinion. Their wider tires will handle pavement and rough roads as well, but be alot more efficient that a MTB.

You might check out a Jamis Aurora, as it is in your price range. I set up one for my wife as a tourer (upgraded some of the components) and she loves it.

Shopping for a bike is alot of fun in and of itself. Don't let the shop guys push you into something you aren't comfortable with, and don't get a MTB unless you are going to ride it on off road trails. Right tool for the right job and all...

Good hunting!

Greg
 
Hey guys, thanks! I didn't know this thread was still kicking. I stopped at a shop out of town and spent some time talking to the folks there. Already leaning away from a hybrid and towards more of a road bike, they convinced me to take a ride on a Specialized Sequoia (base). Loved the bike but a little pricey. Liked the ride, the bars, and found it much quicker than anything I had tried. Here at home I went back to the local shop, and there in the corner was an '03 Sequoia -- one model level up and for a much better price (even less than a Bad Boy) -- it occasionally pays to be a short guy! So that's what I've got. I've been out every morning for a week doing 1-1.5 hrs and having a blast.

Thanks again!
 
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