What Next

[ReCYCLE]

I recently did 10 hilly miles for non-timed charity ride followed the next weekend by a relay triathlon where I only did the cycling part (9.3 very flat miles). I am new to cycling and these were my first two events. I currently ride a Trek Navigator Hybrid and on hilly rides average 10 mph and on flat 12.5 mph. I'm anxious for more distance and more speed, but am plus sized on a hybrid. What steps do I take to gain the greater speed and distance? Should I be averaging a higher speed before trying to move on to a road bike? Will a road bike even give me greater speed and more ease for longer distance. I would like to be able to do longer rides around 30 miles as my next step. Looking for any guidance anyone might have out there.

[Owlie]

Heh, I have a road bike and my average is 13-14mph on flat ground--after two years of riding it. (We won't discuss hills.)

The biggest thing, I'd say, is to just keep riding. Speed will come, and distances will get increasingly easier. A road bike is lighter and will give you some of those "zoom" gears for flat ground that a hybrid probably won't have. It will probably be a little more distance-friendly, though YMMV. But you can do 30 miles on a hybrid.

I remember some threads on here about a similar topic. While you're waiting for others with more experience in these matters, you might want to try a quick search.

[OakLeaf]

You can absolutely ride 30 miles on a hybrid. My max on mine is probably 25, but that's mostly because I don't have any place farther to go on it. If it fit me better, it would be even better.

I hate to say it, but there are two women in my club who've gone from hybrids to their first road bikes, and they've been very disappointed. I think they were counting on the bikes to "make them faster."

The bottom line is you need strength, you need endurance, and you need technique. When you have those, you'll be able to take advantage of the weight and power advantages that a well-fitting road bike offers. Find a good training plan - there are plenty of basic ones free online, though unfortunately I don't have any to recommend - and stick with it. You'll get faster.

[marni]

I did my first two cross country rides on a hybrid. Not easy but it can be done even at 13 mph. All the road bike has done has given me more endurance, but it only added 2 mph an hour to my general speed although at times, with the rare tailwind I can get an average of 16.5 mph level and even higher going downhill.

I will say that the road bike is easier to get in and out of the car because of its weight.

marni

[PamNY]

I do rides longer than 30 miles on a hybrid all the time (not hilly). I never knew you weren't supposed to.

[pll]

I agree with what Marni, Owlie and OakLeaf have said -- your endurance and strength, even skills, come from riding more time, in whatever bike you have.

However, I will add one confounding, psychological, factor: fun. If you like your bike and it is fun to ride, you will ride more. If you decide to go the road bike route, I would suggest you don't go overboard. As you ride more and develop as a cyclist, you may outgrow your first bike.

Welcome to the fellowship of cyclists!

[pinsonp2]

I applaud you doing so many miles on a Trek Navigator. I have a Navigator 2.0 for cruising the neighborhood. I have tried longer rides, but would definitely need a different saddle and DH along if to put it on a bike rack!! I consider the Navigator more of a comfort bike rather than a hybrid (my hybrid is a Trek FX), but for longer rides, one of the road bikes would be my choice. I think if you want a different bike, look at lots of styles, including performance hybrids (flat bar road bike) and road bikes. Buy the one that makes you want to smile and ride, and comes from a great LBS that you click with.

Enjoy the rode,
P2

[ReCYCLE]

Thanks for all the input ladies. I have signed up for another relay triathlon - this time its 14 miles. I think I'm going to take the average of all of your advice - keep riding my bike and get better endurance and technique for a little while longer, then get a road bike. I saw the Trek Madone 4.7 and I swear angels sang and a glowing light came from it. Why do I have the champagne taste?!?! Perhaps I'll start with a road bike not quite so expensive - maybe an aluminum body with just a carbon fork. We have a bike shop near our house that rents out bikes. The hybrid they rent is also a Trek FX. I'll try some of their rentals as well. Will wait and see in about 6 months. As for now, I'm addicted!

[Owlie]

Yes, it's addicting. (And I hear you on the champagne taste/beer budget thing...I've managed to fall in love with the Specialized Ruby Expert. Oh dear...)
Have fun!

[Catrin]

Yes, it's addicting. (And I hear you on the champagne taste/beer budget thing...I've managed to fall in love with the Specialized Ruby Expert. Oh dear...)
Have fun!

Tell me about it - I went from 0 bikes to 3 (one of which is full custom) in about 1.5 years. NO MORE BIKE STUFF until my finances recover - but as it turns out I don't need anything more and as long as I can avoid more over-use injuries have nothing preventing me from riding to my hearts content

[grey]

Before I got my roadie, I was riding 45 miles on a mountain bike a few times a week. It had nicer gears for hills - I'd pass everyone then, but those big tires make downhills slow & everyone would pass me.

Anyway - you definitely can ride a hybrid on long rides- and you have the hill advantage!

Oh yes, champagne tastes here also. *I will not look at other bikes... I will not look at other bikes*

[luv2climb]

I take long rides on my hybrid all the time. I did get rid of the heavy power-robbing suspension seatpost though. I also swapped the uncomfortable "comfort" saddle for a regular women's road saddle with the cutout in the middle (a Serfas Terazzo Select). Because the original riding position was too upright, I lowered the adjustable stem as far as it would go. I put bar ends on for additional hand positions, especially while climbing, and I always keep the tires inflated to the max pressure of 80 psi.

[Catrin]

You can always put skinnier tires on the hybrid which would help - or try a lighter wheelset? My assumption is the wheels on that bike are pretty heavy, though you may not want to go this route.

Others have already mentioned that the weight of the bike is only one component in speed and climbing. There are just so many dynamic factors contributing to this. For example, I am slower downhill on my beloved Gunnar - for the very reason why it is a little easier climbing hills on her. She is 10.5 pounds lighter than my LHT, which helps going uphill but hurts on the fun side - less weight pushing me down that hill.

As far as my overall speed is concerned, my average speed really hasn't changed much. It is a little higher, but not significantly different. What IS different is my quads burn less when climbing, and I am a little slower on the other side - but I can go longer before I start getting tired.

[ReCYCLE]

So I went shopping around the local bike shop last weekend. Just to get some ideas and see more variety, check out some of the ideas you lovely ladies have given me. . . and I left with a new bike. . . : ) I ended up getting a men's bike Trek 1.5. I rode it on Sat, Sun, and Mon and am now on a 2 day break before a Thursday ride to let some of my saddle soreness go away. I *love* this bike. I do miss the granny gears going up hills of my Navigator. They are going to have to shorten the stem about an inch, but overall its a great fit. It took me a hot minute to figure out how on earth to mount and dismount this skinny little bike. Also took me a day to feel comfortable standing up on it (briefly to give my bottom a rest). Being a large, plus-sized woman on a teeeeeeny tinnnny bike is a little intimidating. Going down hills on my Navigator I would go fast, even peddle to go faster. I brake all the way down hill on the 1.5 bike because its so fast it scares me! My first time down a hill I hit 28 mph before I started to freak out. LOL. Thanks to all of you for your excellent advice.

[girlsubobscura]

Congrats on the new bike. I just switched from a Trek Navigator (nicknamed Almira Gulch (the wicked witch of the west from Oz)) to a raleigh alysa last October. I rode the navigator for 8 years, and commuted for almost 2 before the switch. I just sold it to a coworker, and when I rode it in to work (a short but horrible 3.5 miles) for the first time in 6 months, I couldn't believe I had ridden it for so long. I am so impressed that you did a triathlon on a navigator.