# I need help understanding why to go One way or the other.



## JamesF (Jul 11, 2014)

Hello. Hope I'm posting this to the right thread.

First of all, I'm 56 6'4" 225lbs. I am in decent shape. For years I was a basketball player, then was a runner. About 15 years ago, I started mixing in some biking. Since I was a runner, I figured I would prefer short distance biking and bought a Diamondback Response Mountain bike. I've enjoyed the hell out of the bike, and over the years, have gotten more use out of it, as running eventually led to an achilles bone spur. 

I'm in a suburban area, and really find that I ride paved streets and paths, and as I've trended away from jogging and toward more biking, I would like to get another bike. 

Considering my age, I'm not sure a traditional road bike is what I need. I don't see riding more than 20 miles happening that frequently, and would think most of the time I would ride under that distance. So, at first I thought a hybrid makes sense, but it seems that the classification system of bikes has gotten a little more complicated since my last purchase. 

If anyone could be so kind as to read this, what is the difference between the 'cafe' latte, which they describe as something different than a 'hybrid', 
Save up to 60% off new Cafe Bikes | Hybrid Bikes Cafe Latte 2014

and the Mirage SL that they call a 'flat bar' road bike.
Save Up To 60% Off Road Bikes - Motobecane Mirage Tour

How do these two compare? Which one would be better suited for someone my age and for my uses? Is the Cafe Latte just a little more comfortable, but a little less efficient? Is one better than the other?

Many thanks to anyone who can add clarity!


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## Dresden (May 26, 2009)

As much as anything, they're probably calling the Mirage a flat bar road bike and the Cafe Latte more hybrid-like/less flat bar roadbike-like because of the maximum size of tires that would fit on each. The Mirage has road caliper brakes which would limit that more than the V-brakes of the Cafe Latte. They look pretty similar to me other than that. Either one would be fine for your purposes, but the Cafe Latte would be a little more versatile in that you could put fatter tires on it which would make it do better on gravel if you wanted to do that.


Edit:

Looked at the geometry charts for each and the Mirage has more of a road bike geometry than the Cafe Latte. Your position on the Mirage might be a little less upright and the handling a bit quicker than with the Cafe Latte. Either one would still be fine for your uses.


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## JamesF (Jul 11, 2014)

*Thanks Much!*



Dresden said:


> Either one would still be fine for your uses.


Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I can see that the Tour has you less upright. Since I will keep my mountainbike, I can't see changing tires on the Latte for gravel.

Seems my answer is simply: do you want a little more comfort or do you want a little more handling. 

Thanks again!


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## Dresden (May 26, 2009)

If you don't want the ability to run wider tires, I'd say the Mirage is the way to go. The longer effective top tube on larger sizes of that bike seems to me like a better choice for someone of your height.


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