Bonjes 'flat bar road bike'

[mickle]

Just a quiet word before you embarrass yourself again. 'Road bikes' are categorised as having drop handlebars. If it doesn't have drop bars its not a 'road bike', it doesn't qualify. Fitting flat bars to a 'road bike' instantly disqualifies it from being called a road bike because removing the drop bars removes one of its defining features. If someone were to walk in to a bike shop asking for a 'road bike' and be presented with a skinny tyred bike with flat bars they would have good cause to suspect that the sales person didn't know their arse from their elbow.

Therefore, you are the proud owner of a HYBRID (or City bike if you'd prefer).

There's nothing to be ashamed of, that you got the category of your bike wrong or that you ride a Hybrid. I just thought you would like to know.

Tour de France riders ride road bikes, not hybrids.





See also; track bikes, triathlon bikes, touring bikes, time trial bikes, cyclocross bikes, pedant bikes, audax bikes, crit bikes.

 

[bonj2]

Right. Whatever you say mate.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_bike
road bikes in general have drop handlebars. Not 'all' have drop handlebars.
It then also goes on to say, that racing bikes, touring bikes, and utility bicycles are types of road bike.

But obviously you know better than wikipedia don't you, so why don't you go in and edit it to say road bikes MUST have drop handlebars otherwise they're not a road bike, and see how long it takes to get edited back. My guess is on minutes rather than hours.

 

[Membrane]

Just a quiet word before you embarrass yourself again. 'Road bikes' are categorised as having drop handlebars. If it doesn't have drop bars its not a 'road bike', it doesn't qualify. Fitting flat bars to a 'road bike' instantly disqualifies it from being called a road bike because removing the drop bars removes one of its defining features. If someone were to walk in to a bike shop asking for a 'road bike' and be presented with a skinny tyred bike with flat bars they would have good cause to suspect that the sales person didn't know their arse from their elbow.

Therefore, you are the proud owner of a HYBRID (or City bike if you'd prefer).

There is no definitive or commonly agreed upon way of defining bicycle categories.

"Hybrid" means a cross between a road bike and an MTB, there are (stock) bikes out there that share all the features of a road bike, minus the drop bars. I prefer to reserve the title "hybrid" for bikes that use at least one other aspect of MTBs, like low MTB style gearing, higher ground clearance, v-brakes, front suspension.

The phrase "flatbar roadbike" is a good way of introducing more granularity into bike categories, and it perfectly fits the type I described.

The phrase "roadie" however does have a more precise meaning, it refers to the snottyness regularly demonstrated by riders of drop bar road bikes. Much like you seem to be demonstrating with your comment.

 

[Peyote]

Some companies call flat-barred, lightweight, 700c X 23c tyred with dual pivot brakes 'fitness bikes'.

Hope that helps!

 

[John Ponting]

I'd have gone along with mickle in Chat but cannot accept it in KnowHow. I believe that KnowHow show be factually correct, for the benefit of other forumers.

Of course, mickle could just have been in the wrong section - it was 02:04 for goodness sake. I suspect we all become over opinionated in the middle of the night - my worst time is before breakfast.

 

[Cab]

Just a quiet word before you embarrass yourself again. 'Road bikes' are categorised as having drop handlebars. If it doesn't have drop bars its not a 'road bike', it doesn't qualify. Fitting flat bars to a 'road bike' instantly disqualifies it from being called a road bike because removing the drop bars removes one of its defining features.

(cut)

Therefore, you are the proud owner of a HYBRID (or City bike if you'd prefer).

These are not universally accepted definitions. I've come across 'road bike' used to describe what you're calling a 'hybrid' so often that I rekon you're missing the point if you're sticking with a strict definition based on whether or not there are drop bars!

When I first encountered the term 'hybrid' I said to the chap who had one 'but its just a road bike' and he seemed shocked. When I encountered a bike with fatter tyres and drop bars I called it a road bike and got told off 'cos it was a hybrid. Bike naming afficionados need to get over it.

 

[monnet]

I'm not getting into the discussion but you'll have to do better than quote wikipedia a source not widely regarded for it's factual accuracy.

 

[mickle]

I dont actually ride a road bike but I do know what one is.
A Hybrid is a 700c bike with flat bars.
Bonjees bike might be a Fast Hybrid or a Sporty Hybrid but it is a Hybrid not a road bike. The definitions were laid out a long time ago and they dont change just because some cycle co. marketeer thinks of a 'new' way to bolt bike parts together.

 

[mickle]

What's a Marin Muirwoods then?

The Muirwoods is a mountain bike with street tyres.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Good grief, Mickle. It Doesn't Matter.

 

[domtyler]

Wouldn't a road bike be a bike designed primarily to ride on the roads?

A hybrid, a bike designed to be able to be ridden both on the roads and off road.

An MTB, a bike designed primarily to be ridden off road.

Or have I got my wires crossed again?

 

[Tim Bennet.]

A hybrid, a bike designed to be able to be ridden both on the roads and off road.

You mean like a cyclo cross bike? Oh hang on, they have drop handle bars.

 

[User482]

I think "flat-barred road bike" is perfectly correct - a bike designed for pure road riding that has flat bars.

I think this is the first time ever that I've agreed with Bonj.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think "flat-barred road bike" is perfectly correct - a bike designed for pure road riding that has flat bars.

I think this is the first time ever that I've agreed with Bonj.

I agree, it's pretty clear. A Flat-barred road bike to me is a bike that is identical to a drop-bar racing bike except the bars are straight!

i.e has 23c tyres close clearances, lightweight wheels, lightweight close tolerance racing frame, dual-pivots road double/compact/triple.
It's a term that helps to sub-segment different types of hybrids.

 

[zimzum42]

I know Bonj winds some people up, but isn't this just being picky?

At least just accuse him of wearing girlie pants or something, that would be funny, this is just circular and dull