I am a complete beginner looking to buy a decent bike which I would use on the roads to get fit and to also commute to work. There is the odd occasion where I might take it onto mud tracks, but not often. I like the Claud Butler Chinook or Levante (both road bikes) or a Claud Butler Urban 100 (a hybrid bike).
Apart from the obvious (road bikes being faster and unsuitable for off-roading and hybrids being abit of everything) whats the difference? And which would you reccommend??
Any advice on this would be really really appreciated! Thanks!!
I started the same way, and went for a hybrid with smooth tires (slicks). They have much less rolling resistance than knobbies. Your bike shop should do the switch, or you can do it yourself for not much $. I used by hybrid for several distance rides (Boston to New York) and did just fine. Hybrids are a good way to start.
I strongly dislike using my road bike for commuting. Road bikes get beat up on city streets with pot holes and debris. Sooner or later, a rim gets bent. Of course, they can’t do mud or trails.
That having been said, once I tried a road bike for distance rides, I never went back. The road bikes are lighter, faster, and require less work per mile. I recently gave away that 7 year old hybrid, it served me well, but got forced out of the garage by my four road bikes. (That’s another story.)
I have a Giant Boulder SE 26inch mountain bike that I currently use ocassionally, however I would like to start using it on my 5 mile commute to college. Is it possible to make this bike more road friendly by changing it into a hybrid bike and if so how would I go about doing that?
Just put a smoother narrower tire on your bike. You’ll be amazed at the result.
Also, try not to go smaller than a 26×1.3 – you still need enough tire under you so you can hit a pothole or hop a curb.
Enjoy!
What brand do you recommend for a hybrid bike- Raleigh, Cannondale, Giant, Trek, Bianchii, Specialized. All priced between 300-400. Cannondale is at 400 while all the other hover around 300. Please rank in order from best to worst (any any ties in-between) as well as any other input you have. Of course I need to test ride them all, I know that.
Thanks so much
"Which is a better bike, a Trek or a Specialized?
Or Cannondale or Orbea or Scott or Schwinn or Cervelo. We’re asked "Which brand is better?" almost daily. While each brand has its diehard fans, we can’t answer the question. It’s not because of any political reason, but because it’s not the right question to ask–you’re buying a bicycle, not a brand. .."
Bike Buying Tips: Buyer Be Wise;…Here we answer 10 of the most common queries to help you find the right bike.
By Bicycling Staff
http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s-3-12-16913-1,00.html
Bicycling & Mountain Bike reviews
http://www.bicycling.com/gear/channel/0,7992,s1-16-0-0-0,00.html
I’ve been a road rider for several years on a classic 10 speed Bianchi. The tires are much too narrow for dirt/woods trails where my 10 yr old son likes to ride, so I’m looking for a more appropriate ride. Considering a used mountain or hybrid bike for less than $150. Any suggestions on where to start? Features? Brands?
Why draw the line @ $150? If you were to pay 150 for a used bike it would probably make sense to get it tuned up by a bike shop (to make sure it is safe) which would probably cost around $45. So you’d end up paying $200 for a used bike when you could probably buy a brand new one (trek, specialized, giant) for about $230. Especially this time of year, the bike shops are dead! That’s not to say you couldn’t find a deal @ 150 if you were to look for a while. Maybe try cragslist.
I just want to spend a several hours a week to shed a few pounds. I visited couple stores in my area and they offered hybrid bikes made by Giant or Fuji. Also I saw bike on line made by Gazelle (Dutch compamy). I would appretiate any advise from experianced person who rides and or sell this tipe of bikes.
Thank you!
Buy the bike, not the brand name. Go to your local bike shop and tell them where and how you want to ride as well as how much you have to spend. The business is so competitive today that any two bikes at the same price point are very likely to be equivalent values. Let the bike shop match you up with the bike that best meets your needs. Then test ride the bike. Go to other bike shops and test what they have to offer. One bike will fit you and feel better than the others. You’ll be able to tell that quickly after sitting on the bike and test riding for just a few minutes. Buy that bike regardless of the name on it. A properly fitting bike is a joy to ride.
HTH
I have bought a front rack suitable for a touring bike and am trying to fit this to a hybrid bike (short of time, no time to get another rack before I set off). Normally I’d attach the rack in two places – near the axle and to the front fork. However in a hybrid bike the front fork is of course thicker so I can’t use the normal U-Shaped clamp to attach rack to front fork. Is there any way round this? Thanks
you should be able to get similar clamps, in various sizes, at your local hardware store.
