Hybrid or road bike?

cojomo2

Hi ,


I currently commute to work on a cheap mountain bike. last week I decided to get my own bike and ordered a 22" carerra subway one from halfords which I'm due to collect at the end of the week :
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_551221_langId_-1_categoryId_212377



But since using the mountain bike, I have notices guys fly by me with such ease on their road bikes! It got me thinking, should I be going for a road bike instead of the above hybrid?

Can't afford to pay much more so this would be the road bike I would be thinking of:
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_787351_langId_-1_categoryId_212536

niceonetom

Road bike!

Lumen

Very cheap road bikes can be problematic. Integrated shifters are expensive, which means compromising on other components.

Much of the road bike speed comes from running narrow high pressure tyres.

I've done the Wicklow 200 on a road bike alongside someone on a hybrid, and I was suffering more. It's not about the bike.

Raam

If possible, increase budget*, buy better road bike

* Drink less beer, eat less food, keep the heating off.

drunkmonkey

I need a bike as well, some ass robbed my mountain bike, looking at a road bike it's about time I got back in the saddle properly.

I don't want to spend a lot either as the mountain bike was standing me close to a grand and has vanished, Just want something quick and reliable, would the cheap racer in halfords that op posted to really be that bad?

drunkmonkey

Any opinions on this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/claud-butler/chinook-2010-road-bike-ec022485#reviews any Irish shops stoking them?

manwithaplan

The default answer around these parts to the hybrid or road bike question is "road bike". That would be my answer to the stock "something to commute on with longer spins at weekends, might get more serious later" question. However, if it's only for commuting and you want something that needs minimal maintenance, I would go for a hybrid. Less faffing around overall and less care needed on the ravaged surfaces of our city streets. A decent hybrid beats a very low end road bike for similar money too.

Of course the real answer is "both".

victorcarrera

manwithaplan wrote: »

Of course the real answer is "both".

I have both and its a case of different tools for different jobs.
A few things to keep in mind.
I can average 3 to 5 kph faster on a road bike than hybrid.
The hybrid I bought had mudguards, sprung seat post and rear rack fitted as standard, not so with road bike and they cost about 30Euro each + fitting if you can,t do it yourself.
The hybrid is more comfortable as you can sit up straighter, usually has greater shock absorbtion and puncture resistance due to fatter tyres and has a wider, softer saddle.
The hybrid is better on rough roads and can be used on gravel or rough ground wheras the road bike would be better for longer trips on smooth roads.

ThisRegard

manwithaplan wrote: »

Of course the real answer is "both".

Tell me about it.

mc1303

I had all three
started on a mountain bike had the standard m/bike tyres and went to 1.3 slick tyres that got me more speed

then bought a hybrid which had 700c 23mm tyres got even faster

then used the b2w scheme and got a road bike which got even faster and less stress on the legs and shoulders( better fit ) although if you have been away from cycling it will take a while for you to get used to the road bike postion

but i would suggest a road bike , i commute 30 miles a day round trip and find the road bike less effort to push around , also using the drops will help with wind resistance

buy the most expensive bike you can afford and enjoy ..... then all you have to worry about is the quality of the bike lanes

Kav0777

you can get a giant defy 4 on wiggle for about €450:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Giant_Defy_4_2010/5360054823/

i'd go for that over the ventura from halfords.

BostonB

manwithaplan wrote: »

...However, if it's only for commuting and you want something that needs minimal maintenance, I would go for a hybrid. ...

Why would a hybrid take maintenance? Unless you get something with hub gears, and disk brakes, or hub brakes, the maintenance is going to be the same no?

cojomo2

Kav0777 wrote: »

you can get a giant defy 4 on wiggle for about €450:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Giant_Defy_4_2010/5360054823/

i'd go for that over the ventura from halfords.

ok, just to update people, after doing more research, I'm definitely not going ahead with the Carera subway 1(I'll loose my 10eu deposit though:(), or the ventura.

I called into a local bike shop yesterday, sat on a racer, and I have to say it felt weird, wasn't really loving the drop bars to be honest.

After upping the budget,I've narrowed down my selection to 4 bikes.

1. The above mentioned Giant defy 4(thanks for the link, good price there).Lovely bike but still not sure about the drop bars.

2. The Giant rapid 4. Looks to be similar to the Defy, but with straight handlebars which I think is more comfortable for a commuting bike/odd weekend cycles.
http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/giant/rapid-4-2010

3.Careera Gryphon Disc spec. performance hybrid: This is tempting for the price, currently 480, but I believe it will be on sale soon, and I have a 15% discount in halfords, so I think I could pick it up for in the region of 320 euro(plus I wouldn't loose my 10 eu deposit:p)
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_273257_langId_-1_categoryId_212377

4.Boardman performance hybrid comp. bike: Pushing the budget, currently 625 Euro, but again, I believe if I wait for a sale, plus my 15% discount, I think I could pick this up for around the 500 mark.
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_502571_langId_-1_categoryId_212377

Opinions wanted ! I'm guessing most people here will point me in the direction of the Defy 4 though! Also keep in mind, my financial situation sucks, so I'd really like to spend the bear minimum to get an entry level, decent bike.


Thanks:D

droidus

The Rapid 4 is a road bike with straight bars and makes for a pretty good commuter. Its reasonably nimble.

The Boardman looks like a classic hybrid commuter. Disc brakes will mean less maintenance but add a bit of weight.

Ive got a flat bar hybrid and I would have had a similar attitude towards drop bars, but if you plan on doing anything other than commuting it might be worth going for the defy.

Jk_Eire

I've had a Giant Rapid 4 since April.
Wonderful for my city commute and the odd weekend spin.
Very fast, nimble, light and I really enjoy cycling it.

In hindsight I would have bought a drop bar since I competed in a few duathlons and found myself wanting a dropbar for more speed and comfort in a race situation.
Otherwise, as a commuter bike, mostly used around the city, it's been perfect.
I've been on a couple of long spins too and it was very comfortable. Anytime I went out with friends with drop bar frames though, I'd have killed for one too.

Gears and components are entry level spec which you notice the odd time changing gears and things need tightening from time to time. Not much though.

All in all, I love this bike and it's served me well so far
The Boardman you listed looks like a much better spec'd bike though...

tomasrojo

I really like my touring bike. I think it's a nice compromise between a hybrid and a road bike. In fact, it's better for hauling stuff than either. But they really are expensive.

cojomo2

guys,

would this bike:Raleigh airlite f1
http://www.eurocycles.ie/Road_Bikes/Raleigh_AIRLite_SF1-dt-0/3878_p.aspx#

be up there with the likes of the Giant Rapid 4?
its on offer at the moment and am tempted to grab it.

Thanks.

mc1303

i have the boardman comp hybrid this is a good bike and is fast.. will take mud gaurds too .

i have a large size frame and am looking to sell it 1 year old if you are interested

you can get used to the drops on a road bike..

manwithaplan

BostonB wrote: »

Why would a hybrid take maintenance? Unless you get something with hub gears, and disk brakes, or hub brakes, the maintenance is going to be the same no?

Assuming you mean why would a hybrid take less maintenance, I suppose it wouldn't as such. However, I like the bike I use for leisure/training to run super smooth, whereas I am not so bothered about my commuting workhorse. If I used the same machine for both, I would be cleaning the and lubing the thing all the time. The hybrid stands up a bit better to general abuse too.

BostonB

The usual line of thought is that if a road bike is strong enough for the Wicklow 200, its not going to have a problem with a commute. So I don't really get why a hybrid with 700c wheels is stronger. If it was a MTB I could understand.

I ask because I'm thinking of buying a road bike for commuting, I'm currently using a MTB with slicks. Originally I was thinking of getting a good hybrid like the charge tap or mixer.

manwithaplan

I find the wheels on my hybrid continue to run true where my road bike has needed occasional attention. That says more about the wheels in question than hybrid vs. road bike though. I do very little maintenance on my hybrid but again, it's more because i'm not that pushed about a bike I use on a short commute. It runs absolutely fine though.

I have ridden my road bike around town on occasion and find the ride a bit stiff for city streets. I am not gone on clipless pedals for stop/start riding also. If I was to use it for commuting, I would probably set it up a bit differently though. I am just a bit overly precious about my road bike - cleaning, lubing, keeping tyre pressures spot on etc. - I couldn't be arsed doing that on a commuter.

On the whole, you are right. It's not that a road bike needs more maintenance per se but that people tend to be a bit more protective of them. Maybe buy two road bikes and don't obsess over the one you use for commuting!