# The best first hybrid



## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Ok. This is my first foray into the world of bike forums. Don't hurt me too bad if I ask a question that has probably been asked a thousand times. What is a good hybrid bike for under 500 bucks. I am thinking Trek 7.2 or Giant Cypress. Maybe even a Forge. Or should I just go out to the LBS and get educated. I know all of you guys have an opinion. Let me have them. As a point of reference I have not been on a bike for at least 10 years. The last one was a Columbia road bike.


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## krustyone (Apr 13, 2010)

Definitely go to a LBS, find a good one and tell them what you want to do with the bike. If you stay in a price range they are all pretty equal as far as quality so see what feels good and find a shop that will help you out.

Have fun!!


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## askmass (Sep 28, 2009)

I would pick the Trek myself if given a straight up choice between the two.

I bought a Cypress as my first bike when getting back into riding, and promptly traded it six months later for a Giant FCR.

Don't get me wrong, the Cypress is very well made for the money. But, the FCR has a much more friendly and full package of hybrid qualities. It is relatively light and in the ballpark of roadies at this price point. Good geometry and a tight drivetrain for the $$$.

If you have an inclination towards riding seriously, I'd suggest comparing the FCR to the 7.2 on test rides. Ride the Cypress too, for reference, and several others.

Welcome back to the fold!


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

I have helped move several people from true hybrids to the Trek 7.2 FX. They all love them.


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## turtle14 (Jul 21, 2009)

I just sold my Trek 7.2, but got 3 great years out of it. Excellent bike, wonderful for commutes, I definitely recommend it!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

krustyone said:


> Definitely go to a LBS, find a good one and tell them what you want to do with the bike. If you stay in a price range they are all pretty equal as far as quality so see what feels good and find a shop that will help you out.
> 
> Have fun!!


+1. No one bike is right for everyone, so visit reputable LBS's, chat about your intended uses/ goals, get set up (sized/ fitted) to some bikes and head out for test rides (out on the roads).

Fit/ feel, ride and handling will be slightly different on some, feel of controls different on others, but exposing yourself to what's available will help you sort out your preferences. 

Because you'll likely need the post purchase services LBS's provide, shop for shops _along with _bikes.


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks for all the good advise. Anyone know of other comparable brands at this pricepoint?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

rodboy said:


> Thanks for all the good advise. Anyone know of other comparable brands at this pricepoint?


Specialized Sirrus, Marin Olema/ Larkspur, Cannondale Quick 5 (equipped with OEM tires, tilts towards a CX bike).


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Okay. In my travels I come to quite a jump in price if I want disc brakes. I have never had them but they seem like the way to go. Are they worth the extra price. If so what is the best hybrid around the 500 dollar mark with disc's?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

rodboy said:


> Okay. In my travels I come to quite a jump in price if I want disc brakes. I have never had them but they seem like the way to go. Are they worth the extra price. If so what is the best hybrid around the 500 dollar mark with disc's?


Unless you go used, the only hybrid I know of with disc's is this:
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/cafe_latte_x_disc.htm

Either way, you're on your own with sizing, along with other LBS services, so I wouldn't advise it. 

Why do you think you need (or maybe want is a better word) discs??


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Discounted, this one will still be about $200 above your budget, but you'd still get the LBS services.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=52894&scid=1001&scname=Road


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I have discs and love them... on my mountain bike. They're a huge improvement... in the mud.

For on-road performance, there's still a big difference in feel between hydraulic discs and well set up V or dual-pivot brakes. Mechanicals don't feel all that different. And, as long as you're not riding in circumstances that will get mud or oil all over your rims, the performance difference is quite minor, as long as you're comparing to good, properly-tuned rim brakes. Like Vs or dual-pivot sidepulls (almost all of them) with a decent brake pad. You also don't tie yourself to funny hubs and a funny dropout size with rim brakes.

I'd want disc brakes for a commuter, and maybe a heavy touring bike that I only used in places where I could get parts, but I'm generally quite happy with the rim brakes on my fun road bike.

EDIT: Disc brakes on $500 bikes are typically garbage. Much better just to have the basic forged alloy V brakes typical to those bikes - with a $20 pad and shoe set, you've got a brake that performs just as well as the most expensive Vs. The only rim brakes that are really inferior are some of the old single-pivot sidepulls, and the ones that are stamped out of sheet metal.


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks to all for the advise. I am learning fast. Thanks PJ352. You are all over this one. I did some surfing for the Giant FCR3 ( I think that's right). One site says that Giant doesn't allow sale of this bike over the web. Is that right? All of the reviews for this bike look very good. I even looked at some local Giant dealers. They do not list this bike. Is this an old one? On the disc brake part of this, after reading the replys I don't think I really need them. I am not going in the mud on a hybrid. Not on purpose anyway. Speaking of hybrid versus mountain, wouldn't the latter be more rugged and hense last longer than a hybrid? Are they really that much harder on paths and roads? Don't they have better components?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

rodboy said:


> Thanks to all for the advise. I am learning fast. Thanks PJ352. You are all over this one. I did some surfing for the Giant FCR3 ( I think that's right). One site says that Giant doesn't allow sale of this bike over the web. Is that right? All of the reviews for this bike look very good. I even looked at some local Giant dealers. They do not list this bike. Is this an old one? On the disc brake part of this, after reading the replys I don't think I really need them. I am not going in the mud on a hybrid. Not on purpose anyway. Speaking of hybrid versus mountain, wouldn't the latter be more rugged and hense last longer than a hybrid? Are they really that much harder on paths and roads? Don't they have better components?


Giant, Trek, C'dale, Specialized and a number of other manufacturers allow sales only at authorized dealers (LBS's). This is done to support the brick and mortar stores, ensure the cyclist is properly sized and fitted to their chosen bike and is provided the LBS services. FWIW, I agree with this philosophy.

I don't believe the FCR's have been made since around '09. Giant's current comparable model would be the Rapid:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/model/rapid.3/7298/44052/

To answer your MTB versus hybrid question... there are two things to consider when making a bike purchase. First, intended uses and second, fit. If you're looking to basically do some recreational road riding/ commuting/ errands, I think the hybrid is the way to go. Generally speaking, their geo is close to that of a road (drop bar) bike, they're geared for the road, OEM'd with tires better suited for road riding, and many have eyelets/ pick up points for racks/ fenders. Sure, you can (and many do) road ride on a MTB, but it won't be as efficient as a bike made to ride on the road. 

As far as durability or component quality, don't fret about either. A decent hybrid given minimal care will likely last you 10+ years. Long before then, if you stick with cycling, you'll be looking for that 'next bike'.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

rodboy said:


> Thanks to all for the advise. I am learning fast. Thanks PJ352. You are all over this one. I did some surfing for the Giant FCR3 ( I think that's right). One site says that Giant doesn't allow sale of this bike over the web. Is that right? All of the reviews for this bike look very good. I even looked at some local Giant dealers. They do not list this bike. Is this an old one? On the disc brake part of this, after reading the replys I don't think I really need them. I am not going in the mud on a hybrid. Not on purpose anyway. Speaking of hybrid versus mountain, wouldn't the latter be more rugged and hense last longer than a hybrid? Are they really that much harder on paths and roads? Don't they have better components?


I love my mountain bike, for what it's good for. I've commuted, at different times, on a badly converted flat-bar road bike, on a hybrid, an MTB, two sport touring bikes, and a crappy ten-speed I converted to single during my ownership of it.

Historically, bike companies haven't taken hybrids very seriously. Based on current catalogs, that seems to be changing, but I haven't actually ridden a hybrid since a Cypress I borrowed for a couple of weeks in 2008. Hybrids have also gotten a lot more diverse. They used to all be flat-bar bikes with handling a little quicker than a MTB and a little slower than a road bike, with MTB components, but gearing in between MTB and road, and with 700C wheels. Now, they seem to come in fat-tired 26" wheels and both skinny and fat 700C wheels, and with component groups from either side of the fence. So it would be hard for me to say anything really general.

The biggest differences between a mountain bike at your pricepoint and a hybrid at your pricepoint are going to be the geometry, a little bit, the gearing, a little bit, and the presence or absence of a suspension fork. The suspension forks on $500 mountain bikes don't actually improve the ride over a rigid fork - they're stiff in the direction they should flex, flex in the direction they should be stiff, not tunable (very important on a vehicle whose main source of mass is the rider,) shockingly heavy, bounce, and sometimes pieces blow off of them if you hit something a little hard. I think the bike companies would do a better service to consumers if they just stuck a suspension-corrected rigid fork on the front of those bikes, and spent the little extra money on better hubs. However, forks sell bikes, and hubs don't. So you may find a marginally better grade of components on a rigid hybrid than a suspension mountain bike if both cost the same.

I think both mountain bikes and hybrids are inferior to road bikes for pretty much all on-pavement functions. But you didn't ask that.


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

I get more confused the more I read. What kind of bike do I want? Back in the day the choices were few. What I want to do is get a good all around bike that I can ride on semi-rough paths as well as smooth bike paths. I thought the hybrid was the obvious choice for that. Of course comfort is important too. Is there such a bike? I like the idea of a mountain bike just because of the more robust build. Or is this a misconception? For me I can't afford a specialty bike for each type of riding. What about a mountain with changed out nobby tires to something less agressive? I would think that a mtn has to be built more rugged due to the pounding it needs to take on rough terrain. Is that true? I want a bike that will last and that I will not regret two months after I ride it for awhile. So, bottom line I need a bike that I can ride on a variety of surfaces. I'll take all the advice I can get and then go to the LBS. Being a perfectionist is a hindrance sometimes. I research to the point of confusion. Help me out!


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Your budget is more than enough for a nice used bike. It's not very good for a new bike, though. I don't know if there are any in your area, but you might be well-served by visiting a shop that specializes in used bikes and hopping on a few. Even if you can't find a used shop, at least visit a bike shop and try the different bikes, so you get a better sense of the distinctions.

I'd say if you're not planning to ride singletrack or really poorly maintained dirt roads, you don't need a mountain bike. See what's available in your area, try some hybrids and some road bikes, and make up your mind. With the variety of bikes and volume of marketing available, trying to make up your mind via people's opinions on the 'net isn't going to be very easy, and you may not arrive at the right choice for you.

The only parts on a mountain bike that are more rugged are the frame fork, and maybe wheels and you'd need to get into an accident (that might also damage a MTB frame) to damage a road frame and fork. The wheels should be fine too unless you're very, very abusive - like jumping off stairsets or riding up curbs at full speed abusive. Until you start getting into specialty MTBs, that's it.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

I could be mistaken, but reading between the lines of your last two posts, I'm getting the impression that there's a disconnect between what you may_ need _and what you _want_. 

There's nothing you've offered that suggests the need for a MTB, yet you've mentioned it in two posts, pointedly remarking about it being more durable and asking how viable it would be to road ride if less aggressive tires were installed. It might not be a very good analogy, but if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig (apologies to all you MTB'ers out there but this is, after all, a road bike forum ) 

Take a step back and try to be objective in deciding the type(s) of riding that are a priority to you. Next, go ride some bikes that are best suited to those purposes. As I mentioned in a previous post, first is to define intended use, next is fit. All else follows.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> It might not be a very good analogy, but if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig (apologies to all you MTB'ers out there but this is, after all, a road bike forum )


LOL.

I love my mountain bike, but I have to admit that on the road it does take on a somewhat porcine character.


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Ok. This is what I have determined from all this. Forget the MTB and go with a road bike. The only other question I would have is this: What is the real (not marketing) difference between a road and a hybrid from riders with experience with both? From what I read a road is faster with most of them having drop handlebars. I can't live with drops. Does that push me into a hybrid? 
To be truthful most of my riding will be on roads and paths with an occasional dirt/gravel road thrown in. I don't care much about speed. I want a good shifter. I want it to be comfortable. Is all this hybrid stuff more marketing than anything else? Is the fact that they are trying to do both road and mountain make them not very good at either?
I like the PJ352 analysis. I really don't know what I'm looking for. That's one reason I am on this forum. To boil it down and not look like a D.A. when I go to the LBS.


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## krustyone (Apr 13, 2010)

I started with one of the big heavy hybrids, Trek 7200, front suspension and all. It got me in shape, it was slow but so was I{not that I'm fast now, just a lot faster than I was}and I didn't care then. I convinced myself that I wouldn't like drops then noticed I was adding bar ends so I had more places to put my hands when the ride got long. Now most of my bikes have drop bars. Some of the hybrids, like the 7.x, are really close to{or are} a road bike with a flat bar, so...
For some of us things need to be done in stages, it seems I am one. As long as you are going to ride, get what you like. If it changes later, get something else. But I still suggest the LBS to make sure you get the right size and fit.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

rodboy said:


> Ok. This is what I have determined from all this. Forget the MTB and go with a road bike. The only other question I would have is this: What is the real (not marketing) difference between a road and a hybrid from riders with experience with both? From what I read a road is faster with most of them having drop handlebars. I can't live with drops. Does that push me into a hybrid?
> To be truthful most of my riding will be on roads and paths with an occasional dirt/gravel road thrown in. I don't care much about speed. I want a good shifter. I want it to be comfortable. Is all this hybrid stuff more marketing than anything else? Is the fact that they are trying to do both road and mountain make them not very good at either?
> I like the PJ352 analysis. I really don't know what I'm looking for. That's one reason I am on this forum. To boil it down and not look like a D.A. when I go to the LBS.


It's cool that you don't know what you're looking for, and if my post clarified that for you I'm glad, because (hopefully) it'll lead you to the right bike.

You're right that forums are a good resource to prep you for bike shopping, and I think that krustyone's post offers some valuable advice. Together with what you've just offered, my advice is (to get you out and riding) go with the ~$500 hybrid for now. They meet all of your requirements, and to answer your questions, no it's not all marketing and no they aren't compromises in MTB and road bikes, doing nothing well (IMO/E). They've progressively gotten closer to road bikes in geo/ handling, OEM tires, thus use (generally speaking).

Once you get some saddle time in and gain experience, then at some point in the future reassess your needs/ wants and how you're actually using the bike, and go from there. You may find that the hybrid still does all you require, or you may opt for a drop bar bike - albeit one with more relaxed geo. Time will tell....


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## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

I have a hybrid (Cannondale Quick 4) and a road bike (Cannondale Synapse 5). The one I take depends upon what my plans are. I prefer the road bike for longer distances (25 miles plus), as there are more positioning options with drop bars, so it’s more comfortable over longer distances. I’ll also take the road bike when I just want to ride, and not get off the bike.

I take the hybrid for shorter rides (30 miles or less) where I might be off the bike quite a bit, as it has platform pedals and I can ride with sneakers. I also take the hybrid when I ride with my wife or with friends who are slower riders (typically riding mountain bikes, which are much slower on the road than a hybrid).

I find I’m about two miles an hour faster on the road bike than I am on the hybrid. The hybrid is better on unpaved roads, as it has 32 mm tires while the road bike has 25 mm tires. I’ve never ridden anything that’s good on loose gravel.

Those are my experiences and opinions. Try them both and decide what’s better for your intentions. As other posters have said, make sure that whatever you get is properly fitted. A good LBS in invaluable in this regard.


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## macd55 (Mar 15, 2011)

I started riding after retiring in 2009. I hadn't ridden in over 30 years. I went to the LBS for advice and fit. I too wanted something that didn't have drops considering my age and condition. Price was also a factor. I settled on a Trek 7.3 FX which had flat bars but was suited for road riding. For me it was a good choice. Gave me a chance to see if riding was something I would enjoy again without breaking the bank. 

After 3000 miles of enjoyment I stepped up to a true road bike this week, a Specialized Roubaix. I enjoyed the Trek and it never failed me. It is one step up from the 7.2FX and a little more expensive but for me it was a good choice.

Macd55


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks for an affirmation on the trek bike. I am leaning toward that brand. In fact I will be going to the Trek store this weekend. What led you to upgrade from the 7.3? Why did you settle on a dedicated road bike? What I don't want to do is spend this much on a bike and grow out of it in a year. How was your experience at the LBS? I'm looking at the Cannondales also if anyone has a comment on those.


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## macd55 (Mar 15, 2011)

I started with a hybrid not knowing if my 65 year old body could take a road bike with drops but after two seasons of riding a hybrid I felt I was up to a road bike. I also know I will continue to ride as I put 2500 mile on last year and enjoyed every mile of it. Price also played a part of the reason for choosing a hybrid in the beginning. 

I must admit part of the reason for upgrading to a road bike was for the look of riding a true road bike.


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Point well taken. Sometimes pride takes over. That's why some people buy fancy cars I guess. I am about your age also so I will need to start slow and see where it goes. Sounds like a good way to get back on the road and see how much old muscle can be built up before graduating to something a little more glamorous/sexy/expensive.


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## tbsurf (Apr 15, 2010)

I have a 7.6 FX and love it. It's a perfect complement to my road bike, as I use them for different types of rides. The road bike is a little faster and better for long rides. The FX has wider (28 mm) tires and tougher wheels, and does well on poor quality roads. The FX is a well designed, do anything type bike, so I don't think you can go wrong buying one. TB


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

Well, after much research and soul searching I have chosen a Trek Navigator 2.0. Once all the comments were digested I came to the realization that this is the ideal bike for me. After I rode about 10 different bikes this one won the ride-off. I am "on the road again" but I'll never smoke weed with Willey again. Thanks to all for the help and advise. After a while I will be ready to graduate from the beginners corner. I feel like a ride. See you all on the road.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Congrats on the new bike!! 

Pics are _always_ welcome (when you take a break from riding)...


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## rodboy (Mar 11, 2011)

*No pix yet*

The bike is off the shelf right now. Trek website shows it. The grey one. I did add a rear rack and a bottle holder. Also a clip-in Trek interchange bag. 10% OFF! You probably gave some of the best advise along with a few others. Thanks a lot. Looks like you have been doing this forum thing for a while. I've read some of your other posts. Quite knowledgable. I am glad the pain of deciding is over. The bike pretty much sold its self once I got on it. Hope this helps a few others out there that are still in the head scratching stage. My suggestion for all of them is to just try this bike out if they are looking for a good comfortable bike of high quality.
Almost forgot. The price was a very reasonablre. 419 before tax, just the bike. Wound up spending 600 out the door with everything.

Later


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## krustyone (Apr 13, 2010)

Congrats!!

Have fun!!


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