# Should my road bike be as comfortable as my hybrid?



## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

Don’t get me wrong, I like my traditional road bike but my hybrid has always been so much more comfortable. 

I know, after blah blah miles, a road bike will be more comfortable because of ABC. But is that really true? Should I feel as good on the road bike as the hybrid when I go just around the block? 

I have some neck soreness and pain (depending on how long I ride) on the road bike. Maybe it’s just too big for me. But if I get a new bike that fits well, how comfortable will it really be?

Thanks.


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## dgeesaman (Jun 9, 2010)

The road bike will put your upper body closer to horizontal and typically has a smaller saddle. Those two factors make comfort more sensitive to bike fit and fitness than a bike with very relaxed geometry such as a hybrid.

There are varying degrees of "comfort" in a road bike: you can buy road bikes with drop bars that have more relaxed geometry than a performance road bike.

Regardless of the type of road bike, fit is very important. A racing geometry that fits well is likely to be more comfortable than a not-well-fitted bike with relaxed geometry.

It's entirely possible that you'll never find a road bike that gets as comfortable as your hybrid, after all a road bike is about generating power efficiently and not everyone's body is comfortable doing that. But if comfort on the road is your aim then you should give a well fitted road bike with relaxed geometry a try.

David


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

BostonG said:


> Don’t get me wrong, I like my traditional road bike but my hybrid has always been so much more comfortable.
> 
> I know, after blah blah miles, a road bike will be more comfortable because of ABC. But is that really true? Should I feel as good on the road bike as the hybrid when I go just around the block?
> 
> ...


My first impression from reading your post is that you clearly have some fit issues with your road bike. If so, that certainly would explain your questioning the statements made here (on the forum) re: road bike versus hybrid comfort on longer rides.

Generally speaking, a properly set up/ fitted drop bar bike will balance your weight better than a hybrid, with a plus being more options for hand positions. Obviously, for a variety of reasons, any general statement doesn't hold true for all riders, but neck soreness/ pain are classic symptoms of fit issues. Without knowing more, I'll just offer that excessive saddle to bar drop is usually the cause, but in your case there could be other factors, so as a first step I'd suggest (at least) a standard fitting if you've never had one.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Here's my take on it. I'm saying this with a huge neon sign behind me that's flashing: *GENERALLY SPEAKING.*
Hybrid bikes are geared more toward short distances and comfort. Rides of 25 miles or less at leisurely speeds are their forte'. They have wider seats, larger, softer tires, and a more comfortable reach to the bars. You sit more upright on them and that's a more natural position for many people.

Road bikes are designed to cover long distances at faster speeds. Smaller tires, a more streamlined position, faster or "twitchier" handling than hybrids is the norm. The saddles are smaller & harder because if they were wide like hybrids they'd chafe the hell out of your inner thighs on long rides. The seats are harder because on longer rides seats that have foam padding will just kill you. After awhile your butt will sink the padding leaving you seated on what is probably a metal surface. The sitting surface on road seats will flex & bend to conform to your body.

It's for these reasons that new riders are often uncomfortable on road bikes. If I always used my bike to ride to the park & back or on the bike path with my wife, I'd never own a road bike. They're uncomfortable when used like that. Think about having a Ferrari as your only car. Might be fun at 1st, but I'd bet it would be pretty uncomfortable if you had to use it for running errands to the library or the grocery store. 

Comfort is a subjective judgment. There are road bikes slanted to wards touring, carrying loads, etc. And some bikes are almost strictly race bikes and, of course, some are made for sport and general use. For riding around 10-15 miles or less at a leisurely pace the hybrid is probably your best choice. Long distances or 25+ miles you're probably better off with some kind of road bike. I hope this answers some of your questions.


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## Optimus (Jun 18, 2010)

Got some good advice here, so let me put in my 2 cents. This worked for me, so it's my opinion, maybe not work for you and/or others. Anyhow, many say a hybrid is not comfortable on longer rides, I find that to be not true. I've used my hybrid on much longer rides, 60-70 miles multiple times, and I find it extremely comfortable! I know that it may not give you the optimal speed, but as for comfort, it's quite relaxing!


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I think unless you add some restrictive caveats to a definition of "road bike," they can be as comfortable as hybrids for short rides too. For the sake of having a definition that's at least usable, I'm going to say that I think a road bike has drop bars and no suspension, and it's not a recumbent, semi-recumbent, or crank-forward design.

There are plenty of rigid, drop-bar bikes with the handlebars well above the saddle. You can put them wherever you want. And you can use any saddle you want. Which saddle I would use and where I would put my handlebars are certainly more conducive to more athletic riding than a cruise around the block or around the lake near me that runners and stroller-mommies use, so, for me, it's less comfortable to ride my road bike that way than it might be to ride my roommate's cruiser. But if I wanted a cruisier feel, I could put the handlebars higher, get a wider saddle, etc. It would murder my back if I tried to ride hard, though...

I think that part of making a road bike comfortable is being realistic about how you ride it, how you want to ride it, what your power output is, and how you're built. I'm with PJ on the pain issue - the bike doesn't fit right. It might fit you if you were in better shape, but you can always lower the bars later if you want to. Fit it to the rider you are today.

The Late, Great Sheldon Brown, who owned his preference for a more leisurely style of riding, btw, has great articles on his site, including this one.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/pain.html


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## kykr13 (Apr 12, 2008)

Mr. Versatile said:


> Here's my take on it.


Very well put, Mr. V. :thumbsup: 

Core strength (back, etc) is very important, and it will take time to get used to riding this way. Once this happens and you're on a road bike that has properly fitted to you, it's a world of difference.


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks Y'all.


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