After the Hybrid ...

[Rebeccah]

Then, you've got someone like me -- I rode a Raleigh 3-speed converted into a 15-speed (through the addition of a 5-speed rear derailer) by my dad as a kid, and then when I entered college got a road bike (10-speed Viscount Gran Sport). That was my only bike for 25+ years. As recently as 7 years ago I was still riding it, although 20-30 miles in a day has always been my limit. But then I moved from flat, semi-rural central Illinois to Crazy Driver Central, Oakland CA. I had gotten fat, to boot, and lived on the second floor of a building on a steep hill, so I had TWO flights of stairs plus the hill itself and traffic to deal with if I wanted to do any riding. Once was enough.

About a month ago, my work moved from San Francisco to Redwood City, and the new office is surrounded by bike paths, running/walking paths and roads with normal, not excessive and not crazy, traffic. I brought my old road bike to work and I've ridden it there once. But my butt hurt for two weeks afterward, my shoulders are out of shape, and I couldn't really enjoy the ride because I couldn't see past a foot in front of my front wheel. So, I searched for a hybrid bike so I can SIT UP, ride at a leisurely pace with my fiance on our neighborhood streets, sidewalks, and parks, and actually enjoy myself again. I no longer live in the apartment on the hill, so that part isn't an issue any more.

My fiance rides a beat-up old coaster-brake bike and has no interest in anything fancier. I had to replace his chain because it was so rusty one of the links was broken on one side (!), and swapped out his rear tire with one from another junker he had acquired (with a bent frame), because it had a bald spot the size of a kiwi fruit, all the way down to the fabric.

The bike I got (off Craig's list) is a Trek 7100 that was built up by a guy who's been working in bike shops for the last 5 years, found the frame at a swap meet, and was hoping to build himself a commuter bike. Only problem being, the frame he got is a women's size XS (14" seat tube), and he's 6' tall, so he couldn't build it up large enough for himself. From my standpoint, it means a) the frame *does* fit me; b) the handlebar stem is long enough that the handlebars are actually higher than the seat, which is what I want for this bike; and c) it has a rear rack, so it was easy to add baskets. This is my first bike with an indexed shifter (rear only), and I really like it. I also think the choice of a friction shifter for the front was smart. I ordered a Brooks b.67S saddle online (wallbike.com) to replace the gel saddle (too skinny) and suspension post (too much side-to-side motion) he had put on it, and so far am quite happy with it.

So, I've gone from road bike to hybrid/comfort for the time being. Once I get in a little better shape, I'll go out on my Viscount again, and I know I'll have to make seat adjustments, but the Trek is what is allowing me to actually get out and ride again.

Rebeccah

[JamamaSpoke]

Just this year I started riding. My husband has been riding for 2 or 3 years. We both have hybrids mine is a Trek 7300 and his is a Giant (not sure of the model). We both like our hybrids but we also have a strong curiosity for road bikes. We keep saying that we won't get on one until we have the funds to actually buy one for each of us. For now the hybrids are great. Longest ride has been 40 miles. Hard but not overwhelming. We also did the PA Summer Soujurn with Rails to Trails conservancy in July and our hybrids were perfect for that. Some asphalt, some loose gravel, some hard packed rocky trails.

For now the hybrids are good. We'll see what the future brings...or santa

[mimitabby]

But my butt hurt for two weeks afterward, my shoulders are out of shape, and I couldn't really enjoy the ride because I couldn't see past a foot in front of my front wheel. So, I searched for a hybrid bike so I can SIT UP, ride at a leisurely pace with my fiance on our neighborhood streets, sidewalks, and parks, and actually enjoy myself again. I no longer live in the apartment on the hill, so that part isn't an issue any more.


The bike I got (off Craig's list) is a Trek 7100 that was built up by a guy who's been working in bike shops for the last 5 years, found the frame at a swap meet, and was hoping to build himself a commuter bike. Only problem being, the frame he got is a women's size XS (14" seat tube), and he's 6' tall, so he couldn't build it up large enough for himself.

So, I've gone from road bike to hybrid/comfort for the time being. Once I get in a little better shape, I'll go out on my Viscount again, and I know I'll have to make seat adjustments, but the Trek is what is allowing me to actually get out and ride again.

Rebeccah

Hey Rebeccah, how come you couldn't see a foot ahead of your bike?

and that trek you got sounds like a good find, but i wonder about a 6' tall guy who works in a bike shop who bought a XS frame for himself!
that really cracks me up!

Enjoy your new bike!

[Rebeccah]

Hey Rebeccah, how come you couldn't see a foot ahead of your bike?

and that trek you got sounds like a good find, but i wonder about a 6' tall guy who works in a bike shop who bought a XS frame for himself!
that really cracks me up!

Enjoy your new bike!

Hi, Mimitabby.

I could only see a foot or two in front of the bike because I've gotten heavy and stiff, and my neck and shoulders have gotten weak -- it was too tiring to pick my head up for the whole ride, and if I tried to pick it up *and* look to the side, I'd turn my whole body and wouldn't steer straight. My drop bars are about an inch or two below the seat. Plus my butt hurt for 3/4 of the 10 mile ride, so I was constantly thinking about that and how to keep weight on my hands without my wrists getting tired and my hands getting numb.

Yeah, I had to wonder about the frame size but I guess he got the frame for cheap and just wanted to try building it up. I only knew it's an XS because I happened to have a Trek catalog (since I was shopping around), and he had posted the top tube and seat tube lengths. You're right, he should have known a 21" top tube would never be confortable for him.

But there's no question he's the one who built up the bike; he knew what components he had installed, the wrench sizes he had used (including a 3/16" rather than metric hex key for the seat post), had extra pieces for stuff he had mixed and matched (like the indexed front shifter and one quick-release and one non-quick-release skewer for the hubs, and the third chainring that wouldn't fit on the bottom bracket he installed). The bike has its limitations, but it was easy to know what I was getting, and for what I got, the price couldn't be beat.

Rebeccah

P.S. I took my longest ride in 6 years on it Saturday - 14 1/2 miles, with no butt pain on the B.67S saddle. Yay! Tired quads, gluts, and to a lesser degree shoulders, yes. But no sore butt.

[mimitabby]

Hi, Mimitabby.

I could only see a foot or two in front of the bike because I've gotten heavy and stiff, and my neck and shoulders have gotten weak -- it was too tiring to pick my head up for the whole ride, and if I tried to pick it up *and* look to the side, I'd turn my whole body and wouldn't steer straight. My drop bars are about an inch or two below the seat. Plus my butt hurt for 3/4 of the 10 mile ride, so I was constantly thinking about that and how to keep weight on my hands without my wrists getting tired and my hands getting numb.


Rebeccah

P.S. I took my longest ride in 6 years on it Saturday - 14 1/2 miles, with no butt pain on the B.67S saddle. Yay! Tired quads, gluts, and to a lesser degree shoulders, yes. But no sore butt.

Rebeccah,
sounds like you are making great progress. But please don't ride when you
are too tired to hold your head up! that sounds really scary!
glad your seat issues are taken care of. Any way you can raise those handlebars?
I guess that's a really personal thing. I'm 54 and a little stiffer and There's no way I could have the handlebars that low (the tops of them i mean)

m

[Thistle]

Last fri i got my beautiful new bike. I got a Giant CRX4.... a flat bar road bike. I was sooooo nervous about the "skinny" tyres after my hybrid spent the whole day saying to DH "maybe i should ring and get them to put wider tyres on". He just patiently told me i'd be fine. eep eep... i was so scared.

Well i got her late fri arvo...after a hectic week with midterm reviews and coming down with the flu. Even though i was sick Sat i insisted on going for a ride with friends DH was kinda resigned... but i said "wouldnt you want to ride her".

and omg... she is beautiful. She rolls beautifully and i was fine on skinny tyres. I am so in love with this bike! Then i got even sicker after the ride and havent been able to ride since. Have been off with the flu and doing a course which also involved nightly homework, so she's been waiting patiently in the garage (i would prefer she was in the living room but you cant have everything).

Cant wait to go riding again tomorrow now that i'm no longer dying with this dreaded bug. Just wanted to share a piccie of her (with me) cos i know all you girls totally understand my obsession Isnt she beauuuuuuuutiful?

[Geonz]

Ain't she beautiful!!! Nice bike, too!

[pooks]

Gorgeous! And I'll be she's fast!

[Trekhawk]

Last fri i got my beautiful new bike. I got a Giant CRX4.... a flat bar road bike. I was sooooo nervous about the "skinny" tyres after my hybrid spent the whole day saying to DH "maybe i should ring and get them to put wider tyres on". He just patiently told me i'd be fine. eep eep... i was so scared.

Theav - sweeeeeet bike.

Happy riding.

[Rebeccah]

Rebeccah,
sounds like you are making great progress. But please don't ride when you
are too tired to hold your head up! that sounds really scary!
glad your seat issues are taken care of. Any way you can raise those handlebars?
I guess that's a really personal thing. I'm 54 and a little stiffer and There's no way I could have the handlebars that low (the tops of them i mean)

m

Hi, Mimitabby -
I'm sure I can raise the handlebars some, but I can already feel changes to my preferred riding position on the hybrid just with the small amount of riding I've done so far. So, I'm going to hold off for now. I need to get back on the road bike again with my latest changes to the seat position and see how that feels. I think a big part of the problem was that was my first ride in 6 years and my butt hurt so much after just a couple of miles that that was pretty much all I could think of.

As for scarey, it really wasn't. I *could* pick up my head, I just noticed towards the end of the ride that I *wasn't* doing so. Now, trying to ride in my old neighborhood without really being able to easily look around, *that* was scarey (and is why I hadn't ridden in 6 years). Steep hills, heavy city traffic, and angle parking with lots of trunover.

Rebeccah