Another question about choosing a bike

[ladyfish]

Mickchick: Sounds like a plan. I'll email you and discuss details. Thanks for the offer!

[cyclingnewbie]

I started as a brand new rider with a hybrid because I intended to just toodle around my neighborhood in the evenings. The first time I went to the bike path, I was hooked. I am still overweight and very slow by most standards, but I still advanced beyond the hybrid very quickly and bought a Trek road bike last spring. If you want to do group rides, almost everyone will be on a road bike and you will be at the back of the group, struggling to keep up. Even if you aren't Super Cyclist, you will soon discover that the hybrid will only get you so far and aren't intended for longer rides. I would recommend that you look for an entry-level road bike. If you love riding, you will eventually want to upgrade to a better road bike, but you will be able to skip the additional expense of a hybrid-to-road upgrade. And work very hard to buy a bike that fits well. A poor fit will make you uncomfortable on the bike and discourage you from riding. Good luck on the hunt!

[Geonz]

I'm a devoted hybrid rider - but have 25 cm tires on my 7500FX. IT is as fast as a road bike, as comfortable as ... a hybrid :-) I do a lot of group rides. So if a hybrid is a lot more comfy for you, get the skinny tires. When we get new riders in our club, that's the most common 'quick and easy upgrade.'

However, I'm not normal If the reason you're leaning towards a hybrid is because there are paths... they're paved paths, right? Hybrids are nice on dirt roads - but unless you really expect to be doing a lot of dirt road riding (say, heading west to Madison County or something) I can't think of a real advantage. The road bike has *lots* of advantages, especially if you're going to be group riding.

I think one of the more common reasons for people not to stick with cycling in our club is that they have a slower bike and don't realize just how much of a disadvantage it is. It widens the gap between them and the experienced cyclists, and even as they start to get stronger, that gap is still there... only it's the bike, not their skills & strength. (Then there are the ones with what we call "Scottish legs" - there are a couple every year - who just get strong FAST on WHATEVER they're riding :-))


I think the***most*** important factor is how it feels. I've never gotten comfy with drop handlebars, though I kn ow a lot of people who weren't comfortable at first, and then adjusted fine because they'd gotten the bikes at a shop with folks who knew waht they were doing and got them onto bikes that fit. (My LBS knows I like power more than speed anyway~!)