so why do i want a hybrid anyway?

[lph]

Help.

I need a new bike. My beloved old Trek 6000 is going to be my winter bike with studded tires, then once the snow is gone, my romp around in the woods bike. Can't do that now she has skinny tires on, som I'm looking forward to that I borrow my dhs bike for that now but it doesn't fit me well.

So I want something light and fast for commuting, on the road with the occasional pot hole and kerb, you know what it's like, and was going to start looking for a hybrid with skinny tires on - but what's the point of a versatile hybrid if you already have a mountain bike?

Did I just talk myself into a road bike?

I should point out that I already have my saddle considerably higher than my handlebars, and I like to bend my elbows and tuck myself in when going downhill. So I'm pretty comfortable bent over.

And I have to admit that I'm mildly considering going for a longer rides too...

heeelllp....

[KnottedYet]

I don't generally think of my bikes as "hybrid". I think of them as "utility" and "road". So I have a "utility" bike (Kona hybrid) and a "road" bike (Waterford cyclocross).

Sounds like your mtb is going to be your utility bike, and now you're in the mood for a roadie!

[michelem]

I've been switching out my tires on my mountain bike now that I understand that the slick tires are better on the road. The first few times are a bit difficult when the tires are new and stiff, but after that it's not a big deal. You may want to try that for a while until you decide what kind of bike you really want. I've decided I want to go for a road bike since I'm aiming to do centuries and the like. I'll just switch the tires out on my mountain bike to suit the terrain (road or off-road) if I'm going to be doing "utility" rides (good terminology KnottedYet!); can't do that with a road bike.

[lph]

I've been switching out my tires on my mountain bike now that I understand that the slick tires are better on the road. The first few times are a bit difficult when the tires are new and stiff, but after that it's not a big deal. You may want to try that for a while until you decide what kind of bike you really want. I've decided I want to go for a road bike since I'm aiming to do centuries and the like. I'll just switch the tires out on my mountain bike to suit the terrain (road or off-road) if I'm going to be doing "utility" rides (good terminology KnottedYet!); can't do that with a road bike.

Oh I have slick tires! They're wonderful

But I don't really have the time to go switching tires all the time (commute on the road daily, ride on gravel roads in the woods 1-3 times a week) or the money to buy a new wheel set.

Well, that's not true, really, I've decided I'd rather have a new bike than a new wheel set

[lph]

Sounds like your mtb is going to be your utility bike, and now you're in the mood for a roadie!

I thought a "roadie" was the person on top of the road bike.

Considering the recent thread on hot male riders, that sounds about right.

[uk elephant]

How about going for a cyclocross bike? Fast as a road bike, but seems a bit tougher. That's what I did. I needed a bike that could handle rain and sleet in the winter (no proper winter here in England, more like a Norwegian spring), the occasional trail (dirt and gravel) to Uni yet was speedy enough for longer road-rides. I went with the Specialized Tricross, but I'm sure there is a wide selection out there.

[lph]

Thanks for the tip! I'd never heard of cyclocross bikes before, but once I started reading up they sounded perfect for my use. Fast and light but just a bit more robust.

Only problem is the market for cyclocross bikes is small here, so they're all for enthusiasts, and just out of my price range...

In the meantime - woo hoo! I've arranged to borrow a real road bike that should fit me reasonably well! I'm REALLY pleased with this, because it gives me a chance to try out a completely different type of bike in peace and quiet for several long rides.

I'm thrilled