Hybrid/Commuting Bike

benjo plz. · 2 Mar 2007 at 18:58

semi-pro waster said:
If you want the ultimate in flat pedals then Brooklyn Machine Works Shin Burgers

triple traps are cheaper and will do just as much shin damage

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semi-pro waster · 2 Mar 2007 at 19:07

Phnom_Penh said:
triple traps are cheaper and will do just as much shin damage .

True but they don't look as cool and more importantly don't include a bottle opener.

I've got a pair of bear traps myself, I could never justify spending 1/6th of the price of my full bike on a set of pedals.

squiffy · 2 Mar 2007 at 19:15

Redman said:
Looking for a hybrid myself, which is geared more to road use for about the same price range. I'll be stalking this thread I think

How about the Kona Dew range? Although I find the reach bit too short seat tube short also, even with the much larger framesize (frame feels too small- with my legs very slightly bent when sitting on the saddle, my knees are basically hitting bars) Go and have a test ride.

weescott · 2 Mar 2007 at 19:35

Phnom_Penh said:
pfft old tech. Get clipless tbh, although you don't need clipless/pedal straps to bunny hop... do you? :\

Off Topic/

Reminds me of the time I did a bunny hop, then 10 seconds later I heard my mate crash behind me. He tried to bunny hop by applying the front brake! DOH!!!!

On Topic/

A small amount of suspension is good for commuting, sure you don't need it but it helps for comfort, much like carbon forks do I suspect.

squiffy · 2 Mar 2007 at 19:52

A small amount of suspension is good for commuting, sure you don't need it but it helps for comfort

No you don't, I've ridden 40+ miles in one afternoon on Giant OCR roadbike no sore wrists at all. So a 10 mile commute to work on a rigid MTB with slicks or a rigid 700x30 hybrid is not a hard drive.

Suspension makes the riding less efficient and the bike heavier.

weescott · 2 Mar 2007 at 21:29

I'm not surprised you don't have sore wrists on a carbon fibre road bike but it's not a typical commuting bike is it?

I used to commute on a rigid Trek 820 (Chromoly steel), it wasn't as bad as some but when I added some Judy S' (63mm travel IIRC) it made a difference to my commute in terms of comfort. Suspenion is a bit heavier granted but not less efficient as the bobbing action is partly due to a poor cycling style / cheap or old suspension design.

Example: My Fox DHX 5.0 coil is a platform shock. There is an initial sag, the travel sits part the way through the stroke and is unnefected by pedaling forces and only moves further with impact.

benjo plz. · 2 Mar 2007 at 22:06

weescott said:
I'm not surprised you don't have sore wrists on a carbon fibre road bike but it's not a typical commuting bike is it?

Judy S'...the bobbing action is partly due to cheap or old suspension design.

afaik ocr's are 6061. As for Judy's. Well seeing as they're cheap I'd be suprised if they didn't bob

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squiffy · 2 Mar 2007 at 22:11

weescott said:
I'm not surprised you don't have sore wrists on a carbon fibre road bike but it's not a typical commuting bike is it?

I used to commute on a rigid Trek 820 (Chromoly steel), it wasn't as bad as some but when I added some Judy S' (63mm travel IIRC) it made a difference to my commute in terms of comfort. Suspenion is a bit heavier granted but not less efficient as the bobbing action is partly due to a poor cycling style / cheap or old suspension design.

Example: My Fox DHX 5.0 coil is a platform shock. There is an initial sag, the travel sits part the way through the stroke and is unnefected by pedaling forces and only moves further with impact.

As the previous poster stated, OCR is alu frame with CF fork. A FS bike will bob when climbing, thus losing power. Unless you set to lock-out, in which case you might as well just buy rigid.

Suspension is totally unneccasary for road riding, unless you do miles on cobble stone roads.

I can cruise without effort 18-22 mph, and reach 35 easily and keep that up for a few miles. Can you do that on a MTB/bike with suspension?

A flat bar roadbike with slightly wider rims, with full-length guards is a ideal commuter. Nice and fast with wet weather protection.

benjo plz. · 2 Mar 2007 at 22:19

squiffy said:
I can cruise without effort 18-22 mph, and reach 35 easily and keep that up for a few miles. Can you do that on a MTB/bike with suspension?

I can happily do >40 mph on my mtb (that's going down a hill mind)

. Going along it's not too bad doing ~20, but not quite the same as using a rigid road bike

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weescott · 2 Mar 2007 at 22:29

squiffy said:
As the previous poster stated, OCR is alu frame with CF fork. A FS bike will bob when climbing, thus losing power. Unless you set to lock-out, in which case you might as well just buy rigid.

Suspension is totally unneccasary for road riding, unless you do miles on cobble stone roads.

I can cruise without effort 18-22 mph, and reach 35 easily and keep that up for a few miles. Can you do that on a MTB/bike with suspension?

A flat bar roadbike with slightly wider rims, with full-length guards is a ideal commuter. Nice and fast with wet weather protection.

I agree that a road bike is quicker than a hybrid/MTB on the road but that is not what I am saying. It's partly down to the material used. e.g. CF, CrMo, Alu...etc, and design that effects comfort. After all you aren't racing on your way to work but you dont want to be slow either...hence hybrid - a compromise between all out speed and comfort.

A FS bike will NOT bob when climbing! If anything it makes climbing easier when the ground is rough. Plus you get bikes like the FSR with the brain rear shock that DO NOT BOB, unless they come across an obsticle.

I am being pedantic now but how much slower would an S works FSR be to a road bike for commuting?

benjo plz. · 2 Mar 2007 at 22:32

weescott said:
A FS bike will NOT bob when climbing! If anything it makes climbing easier when the ground is rough. Plus you get bikes like the FSR with the brain rear shock that DO NOT BOB, unless they come across an obsticle.

I am being pedantic now but how much slower would an S works FSR be to a road bike for commuting?

I think he meant hardtail by FS (front suspension?) rather than full suspension (might be wrong though).

Not much, it'd just cost about twice the price.

squiffy · 2 Mar 2007 at 22:40

I am being pedantic now but how much slower would an S works FSR be to a road bike for commuting?

Much slower. Even compared to a Giant X-Speed hybrid with suspension locked the road bike has a MUCH lower rolling resistance. A mate who's got stamina (martial arts) couldn't even keep up with me, and I wasen't even trying. When he was in the lead I was basically freewheeling 50% of the time (and also braking otherwise I would slam into his back wheel) whilst he was constantly peddling. Even with him peddling down a incline with me freewheeling I was gaining the speed advantage.

A FS bike will NOT bob when climbing! If anything it makes climbing easier when the ground is rough.

A commuter bike is onroad, so why talk full suspension? :confused:

Of course a cycling athlete on a full suspension will still trash me when I'm on a road bike, but that's not the discussion.

No way is any knobbly MTB or hardtail or full suspension as smooth running as a road bike. Can you do 38 mph on the flat for several miles? (to be fair, as long as you're average fitness)

weescott · 2 Mar 2007 at 22:51

I wasn't talking about Full suspenion as such, but the efficiancy of suspenion as a whole as per my first post.

As I already stated a road bike IS quicker than a MTB / Hybrid. And as you say its down to the rider.

For example: I race with people to work on my 34lb Full sus bike (with NO bob) and knobbly tyres and I'm faster than some people on road bikes. But a fit person a road bike will wooop my butt!

tom_nieto · 3 Mar 2007 at 02:51

Great chat guys!

I think I'm sold on the CF front forks of the Specialised. I'm not sure I could do a lot better for my budget.

tom_nieto · 9 Mar 2007 at 16:15

Well, the bike shop that I was looking to purchase the Specialized bike from are being incredibly stingy about accessories. On a £500 bike they'll only throw in a hand pump and won't budge or even give a discount on other accessories. I wouldn't mind so much, but they're bang on the rrp.

I've had a test ride on this Genesis bike too:

http://www.awcycles.co.uk/category/Bikes/Sports_Hybrid_Bikes_70/Day_01/12257/index.aspx

I liked the feel of it, and honestly it was as good as the specialised. The only thing is that I'm losing the sexy forks (not that I'd notice a massive difference imo) and I'd be downgrading the shifters. I would however be getting absolutely everything I need in terms of accessories for £50 (rack, mudguards, lights, pump (hand+floor), spare inner tube, tyre levers).

I really can't decide on which one to go for. I'm happy with the ride of both bikes, and a £50 saving would be good.

sampo · 9 Mar 2007 at 16:26

Gary Fisher Mendota

£500, very light, Bontrager carbon forks, Avid disks, Bontrager 700c wheelset. The geo is more like an XC bike than a road bike, so it is an ideal commuter. Really fast, nips in and out of traffic and the carbon forks are ideal - take the sting out the ride but don't sap energy like a front sus fork (why would you ever want one on a road bike?)

I work in a (good - high end) bike shop and this is the best city bike for £500 I have ever tried. Frame is really impressive and the spec is amazing for the money. Infact, Gary Fisher hardtails are some of the most under-rated out there...really good kit. So much better than the generic trek/specialized junk you get for £500. Avoid their FS bikes though...

squiffy · 9 Mar 2007 at 16:50

Looks ok although you don't need discs for communting (but I guess you have braking when it's pouring it down, sometimes other brakes don't function that well) fitting panniers to the frame of disc bikes are a pain

The_Biggles · 13 Mar 2007 at 10:56

Any thoughts about the cheaper end hybrid bikes? Thinking about getting one for dry days but haven't got a Marin / Specialized budget.

Assembled low-end priced bike 5 years so i know to avoid them, but i've always had a MTB, so a bit nieve regarding forks and gears (seen as low as 3 gears listed!).

200 or so would be ideal. tia.

squiffy · 13 Mar 2007 at 11:08

Checkout Halfords Subway range, pretty much like a Ridgeback (forget which range) Don't like grip shifters though.

Jonny ///M · 13 Mar 2007 at 14:25

squiffy said:
Checkout Halfords Subway range, pretty much like a Ridgeback (forget which range) Don't like grip shifters though.

Unless you get the....subway 1 with disk brakes + rapidfire shifters. They are quite heavy btw....for what they are anyway.