# Those who switched from hybrid to road bikes...



## RickRandhawa (Jul 26, 2011)

*Those who switched from hybrid to road bike...*

Did you keep your hybrid? Why?

Since I got my CAAD10 last week, I haven't touched my hybrid...I can't decide if I should hold on to it or sell it. I mean, I really enjoyed riding it before I got my new bike, but I also don't want to keep it and tell myself "one day" i'll start riding it again, if it's likely that I won't.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

yes.

To ride to work. Several reasons a hybrid is better for that for me who lives in a city.
I don't mind locking it on the street
I can hop curbs without concern
full time fenders are fine
much less worry about flats with big tough tires
I can carry stuff on a rack
I like the upright position and platform pedals for constant stop/start in city traffic.


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## El Literato Loco (Apr 14, 2010)

RickRandhawa said:


> Did you keep your hybrid? Why?
> 
> Since I got my CAAD10 last week, I haven't touched my hybrid...I can't decide if I should hold on to it or sell it. I mean, I really enjoyed riding it before I got my new bike, but I also don't want to keep it and tell myself "one day" i'll start riding it again, if it's likely that I won't.


I beat a bent cyclist to death with it.


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## smankow (Jul 24, 2011)

it doesn't hurt to have a spare ride in case your CAAD needs some repairs, gets a flat tire, etc. Also, you might just want a change every so often. I'm in the same boat after just buying a new road bike.


Steve


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## glowrocks (Aug 23, 2011)

I returned to biking on a hybrid. I plan to keep it for running to the store (it has a rack), riding in bad weather (it has fenders) and so on, keeping the road bike fast & lean!


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

Hybrid was given drops bars and a remote location for the shifter for indoor trainer use. And then now it's all incomplete after parting out some stuff (cables, pads and tires namely). I've gotten the drive to suck up against harsh weather with the road bike too. 

Kinda sad and wanna kick myself over neglecting it. With that bike, I was always pushing myself to stay with some "roadies" and make an impression, and realized how much I want to commit road cycling.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

What Jay said is true. However, if (when) I get a new, better road bike, I will keep my current road bike for commuting and rainy days, and sell the hybrid instead.


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## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

Yes, I kept mine as well.

I'm usually on one my road bikes but I do occasionally tool around the neighborhood with it. When the kids were younger (read: slow) it was much easier to ride the hybrid with them than try to mess with one of the road bikes. The hybrid is also great for using as a loner for friends when they want to try cycling on the MUT with us. And finally....it's a heck of a lot of fun in the snow!


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

I kept mine intending to use it when riding with more casual types or as a loaner for visiting friends. Less intimidating. Unfortunately, it was stolen.


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## glowrocks (Aug 23, 2011)

qatarbhoy said:


> What Jay said is true. However, if (when) I get a new, better road bike, I will keep my current road bike for commuting and rainy days, and sell the hybrid instead.


Hmmm, yes. I could see that happening ...


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## eschummer (Jul 29, 2011)

I was on a different approach path to a "real" road bike. I started on a hybrid (Specialized Globe Vienna), then moved up to a more "roadie" type hybrid (Specialized Cirrus Comp) and finally ended up on a Specialized Roubaix Expert SL3. So what to do with the old ones? After some consideration I decided to keep the Vienna, dump the Cirrus, and ride mostly the Roubaix in nice weather on paved surfaces, etc. 

I now use the Vienna (admittedly not very often) when I know I'll have a section of trail that is not paved, or when I need to carry something, or when the general conditions are less favorable to road bikes.

The Cirrus was a better bike than the Vienna, but (except for the straight handle bar and the components) not THAT much different from the Roubaix in usage. The Roubaix in and of itself is of course orders of magnitude better than either of them (full carbon, Ultegra components, etc.). 

So, to cut to the chase, I decided to keep the Vienna as a "spare" for all the reasons already mentioned, and have the Roubaix be my primary bike for the 100 odd miles I put on it every week.

Ed

PS: My wife is showing some interest in the Vienna as a step up from her "ladies" Raleigh, so it would seem a good decision...


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## winphoto1 (Aug 29, 2010)

Better keep it. We've found it much easier to ride with our young boys on the city MUP with our older mountain bikes. We've actually thought of purchasing new hybrids for this purpose - we'll continue to use our road bikes on the road. 

When the boys are older, hopefully, we'll all be on the road with road bikes. Plus, an extra bike or two in the garage is great for when company comes over and you all want to ride!


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## ddimick (Aug 9, 2011)

On my to-do list today is to clean up my Specialized Sirrus and get it on craigslist to sell. I'm screwing around on the Internet instead.


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## beeristasty (Jan 1, 1970)

New bikes get ridden more, older bikes get neglected. I just built up a aluminum Nashbar xcross frame for a beater. I haven't ridden my carbon-tubulared-dura-ace-equipped-titanium-wonder-bike since. Which means I need to find something to upgrade on that bike to get back on it. 

And I'll echo the arguments on keeping the hybrid: for backup, bad weather & loaner rides.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

I keep my hybrid for riding with the kids or on bike paths or maybe with the wife. 

OTOH I have not sold my two prior road bikes yet, but that is a different reason. 

Sometimes you don't get much for used. I don't use the hybrid much but I like having it to spend time with the kids.


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## bellbrass (Aug 28, 2011)

Very informative...I am eyeing a road bike for next season (my 1st); I currently have a Trek 7.2 FX. I have every intention of keeping it - it has sentimental value (my 1st "real" bike).


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## shokhead (Dec 17, 2002)

When I switched I wished I had not wasted money on a hybrid and gotten a roadbike. I only keep the bike I use.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I don't have the hybrid I rode in high school in my possession. It ended up in my Mom's garage for a while, and then in her house in the mountains. Now and then someone tools around in the neighborhood on it. My brother's, purchased for about the same purpose, gets used as a loaner and commuter more regularly.

They don't resell for much, but make good utility bikes.


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## ocean-ro (Nov 23, 2009)

i`m keeping mine because I`m riding it from time to time. It`s not a designated rain bike yet because is still new and with quality components,so the bad weather bike is my old mtb.


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## smoothie7 (Apr 11, 2011)

my fiance and I keep our hybrid bikes and ride them in town and on bike paths. I don't want to have to mess with a road bike in town


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I'm more of a mountain biker, so for me to have a hybrid, when I also have a couple road bikes and a mountain bike, would be kind of redundant. The mountain bike is okay for hybrid duties.

I guess if I got to ride with my girlfriend more, I might want my hybrid back so I could set it up for less athletic riding. But I'm holding out hope that my girlfriend will develop more interest in cycling now that she lives someplace where it's not terrifying, and I won't need a less athletic setup to ride with her.


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## emiliobadillio (Sep 26, 2010)

I started biking on a Specialized Sirrus last year in June. After 6 months I sold it and got a road bike, and rode it all winter indoors and out. I then bought a cheap steel fixed gear bike in February to take care of the commuting and short rides to minimize the wear and tear of the road bike. It was a great learning bike, but I can't say that I miss the hybrid one bit. I'm very content with my two bikes now with the riding that I do.


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## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

I kept my hybrid, there is a dirt trail near our house and I ride with the Boy Scouts once a year on the C&O canal. Ater this year's ride on the trail with the Boy Scouts, I realize how much more comfortable my road bike is, so my son is 14, which means 3 or 4 more years with the Boy Scouts and then I probably won't ride the hybrid again.

Before I got the road bike, I loved the hybrid (it's a Bianchi Project 1). I just brought my son a similar Bianchi this year, he loves the bike, can't get him to ride road with me yet.


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## IcemanYVR (Jul 27, 2006)

I don't have a hybrid, but actually on the way out to the LBS this afternoon to look at some... I think they're perfect for commuting, with the ability to put on wider tires, fenders, and maybe even panniers. 

I think a good hybrid is would also be good for winter training, when you don't want to take out the "good bike".


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## IcemanYVR (Jul 27, 2006)

AndrwSwitch said:


> IMO, road bikes are better for commuting, winter training, etc. The old light touring class was awesome for this stuff - clearance for fenders and a little more tire, but still a road bike. Kind of the station wagon or 5-door of bicycles, maybe. They still exist. Check out some "endurance" road bikes, and some steel road bikes - while I don't think there's anything magic about steel, Surly and other brands making them are interested in keeping things a little more functional than a lot of the racing/training bikes with narrow clearances and no eyelets that other brands make.
> 
> Not that I'm objecting to stricter race bikes. They're fun.  But commuting and grocery shopping are somewhat different tasks.


I totally agree, and my first choice for commuting would be a CX bike, and the older style are hard to find, at least around here... sellers on CL seem to think the bike is worth more than new and new "touring class" or CX bikes cost far more than a hybrid.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

IMO, road bikes are better for commuting, winter training, etc. The old light touring class was awesome for this stuff - clearance for fenders and a little more tire, but still a road bike. Kind of the station wagon or 5-door of bicycles, maybe. They still exist. Check out some "endurance" road bikes, and some steel road bikes - while I don't think there's anything magic about steel, Surly and other brands making them are interested in keeping things a little more functional than a lot of the racing/training bikes with narrow clearances and no eyelets that other brands make.

Not that I'm objecting to stricter race bikes. They're fun.  But commuting and grocery shopping are somewhat different tasks.


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## inthesticks (Oct 27, 2010)

I hadn't rode my hybrid since I got my road bike until yesterday, I blew my rear derailer on Sat and the shop fixed it on Mon as I waited (great service, from shop and SRAM), however I said I need to ride that more and since I have been riding with the slower folks on our group rides (folks that drop, I lead them back so no one is left out lost) I think it will help me (think it will). I did a training ride on it last night that I normally do on my road bike, I went about 2mph slower. The downfall is the riding position is different for sure, I feel more ontop of the peddles, but the ride is so much more comfortable with the wider bigger tires!


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## parkway (Jun 1, 2009)

try changing the front rings to a 50/39 and the rear to an 11/28 type set-up and add some 28cc tires and it'll ride like a new bike.


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