As soon as I started getting serious about riding I jumped right into road cycling with the clubs. After a couple years I was in the 18-19mph range and riding was so serious that the fun was at the back of the list, until burnout hit. My wife hated her road bike so I bought her a “hybrid” and she loved it. It was actually more fun to ride so I bought one. It’s now been years since I touched my road bike. This bike feels so much more enjoyable to ride. What I don’t understand is how the clubs look at these bikes and those that ride them like amateurs. Maybe more people would ride if they didn’t feel like they had to be pushed into a road bike, training for a race that will never happen?
by customsound79
17 Comments
I had one experince on a ride where only one person rode a hybrid and he got dropped at every segment.
Maybe thats why?
Idk, he seemed like a real beginner so maybe it was just a fitness thing.
Cycling and elitism, name a more iconic duo.
Some group rides don’t allow flat bars because they are wider and *could* interfere when riding in a bunched up group, never been on a group ride so cannot attest to the veracity of that.
Ride whatever the hell you want, whilst wearing whatever the hell you want, as long as you are having a hell of a time enjoying yourself. That’s the only thing that matters
Me? I ride with SQLabs 780mm MTB handlebars with 16 degrees of backsweep and their Innerbarends on my bike that I use for everything from road / gravel / bikepacking, or even just chill rides around town, because they are fucking comfy and work for me. I also have a much smaller 2x chainring setup because a 48t or 50t is wasted on me.
Ride whatever you want.
Similar to my personal experience. I used to own a specialized road bike and pretty serious with speed until I realized that fun and speed most of the times don’t coexist.
My current hybrid is a trek, and it is plenty fast, but not at the level of my older road bike.
At the current base, I don’t think I went back to my old Riding is Interesting anymore.
I’m from Brazil, here there are some nasty potholes in the city streets and not too many bikeways, so i’m constantly jump up and down from sidewalks.
I use an MTB (as most city bikers here) without ever aspiring to ride trails, simply because the suspension absorbs the pot hole hits, so i worry less about them.
In Brazil’s bike reddit, lot’s of people are starting to criticize people who use MTB in the City, saying that the rigid fork is better for urban use. I tried one and did not like it, also i just ride as an exercise, i don’t commute, so i could’nt care less about speed.
What i’m trying to say is: people are gonna criticize whatever they feel like, specially if they can join a mob while doing it. Just ignoring them and doing your own thing is the best decision.
If it’s got two wheels, not from walmart, and not in a dangerous condition, go ride it. The bike doesn’t matter when commuting (well slightly, hybrid good) or cycling for fun.
I am a big dude 6’1” and about 330lb. Biking for me is about exercise and being outside and enjoying the ride. I built a heavy surly ogre to support my stature.
I’m finally getting out and riding every week now. I’m not in competition with anyone but myself. If I have a goal to improve that’s cool, I’ll work on it.
I used to be strong and in good shape and lifted weights because I was training. Every time I try to start lifting again I push too hard and quit after a week. Now I realized I’m not training for anything. It’s just for health, so I’ve been getting good workouts and not hating it.
They are often first bikes, and likely to become only bikes, rarely ridden. People think want a bike, the hybrid is comfortable, so they get it and may or may not ride much. I believe that may be the root of the stigma. Not saying it’s appropriate to apply broadly, but that could be it.
Enjoy your bike and ignore the snobs.
It’s somewhat ironic that you seem to be complaining about the stigma against hybrids when you also seem to be placing a stigma on road bikes that somehow riding drop bars means you have to be training to race.
My controversial opinion is that hybrid bikes are a poor choice of bike for almost anybody, and the only reason they enjoy such a large market share is for people who would really be better served with an endurance road bike but have a stigma against road bikes and think riding one will force them to be a “lycra clad tour de france wannabe”.
A hybrid bike is essentially taking an endurance road bike and removing the ability to have multiple hand positions.
For me, drop bars in a Merckx fit are far more comfortable than straight bars.
LBS seem to want to sell every road bike slammed though.
Most people buying their first bike go for a hybrid because they’re less intimidating, and many people who start with hybrids “graduate” to drop bars.
The issue is that they then can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t follow the same path they did, and the prejudice is born. It’s a lack of imagination on their part.
Joke’s on them – in my mind, anyone who judges or excludes people purely on the style of bike they choose are the real noobs.
Riding whatever gives you joy is true cycling enlightenment.
Because realistically a hybrid bike is not the correct tool for a race or a group ride, so you will naturally be viewed as an amateur who doesn’t know better – even if you actually aren’t.
Also it is completely subjective whether you find a hybrid more comfortable, I find flat bars way more uncomfortable compared to riding on the hoods on drop bars.
I used to ride one of these in college. And I used to drop tons of people on it and it bonus lines and single track on top of that. This style of bike is super fun. It’s certainly not as fast, but drop bars sure as hell don’t make you stronger. I rode drop bars for a long time, I know what they are like. I’ve seen many people on drop bar bikes who have no fucking clue what they are doing looking like a fish out of water, they should probably try one of these.
No judgment for hybrids from me, but does anyone else feel like drop bars are more ergonomic than flat bars? When I just extend my arms and don’t think about hand position, my wrists are not fully pronated. They are much closer to the position I have on the hoods of a drop bar. I also like having multiple significantly different hand positions (tops and drops) to keep from staying in one position all ride.
Love my hybrid but only flat bars are a bit uncomfortable for me. I find my left hand to start going numb if I’m not conscious about taking my hand off the bar every once in a while.
Another fun thing about hybrids is blasting it on a trail next to people on road bikes haha.
Yeah, the convention is that you ride drop bars on group rides. It’s focused on more intense riding with drafting, and drop bars positions you for maximum speed. I guess there could be a degree of intolerance and bias if you are riding a hybrid and are slowing down the overall group. However, I still say you should ride whatever you want, just make sure you aren’t over your head for whatever group ride you join. There are also slower group or even social ride clubs that may see a more even mix of other types of riders.
re: positioning
Riding on the tops or hoods IS really nice, but even since I got innerbarends for my flat bar, and narrowed my handlebar to a more sensible width, I don’t miss the hand positions of my road bike.
Hide your plates..
As long as you’re not in a car, what does it matter?