Did you change from Hybrid to Drop Bar Bike

[Flanker37]

I a sick and tired of reading about people loosing weight through cycling. Cycling Active has been full of them. I ride more/further than these people, so why am i not loosing weight. The doctor tells me its because my body is conditioned to it. Maybe it is because i have been riding a hybrid since 2001, and all these "so called" weight losers are riding roadies. Nevertheless i am buying my first £525 road bike on the 14th July. So fingers crossed

 

[rovers1875]

Not swapped but added. I purchased a basic Claud Butler Urban 100 a few months ago after a short thirty odd year break from cycling, and suddenly remembered what great fun it is. But as much as I love the hybrid I have just orded a new drop (Speialized Sectuer)bar bike as thats what I was brought up on. And sorry to mention this Flanker37 but I've dropped over half a stone in the last three months and I'm basically a pig and can't diet to save my life

 

[crankyhorse]

Got a Hybrid in April after not owning a bike for 16 years. I'm getting a Boardman Road Bike Comp now on Cycle 2 Work. I'm hoping it will get my speed up a bit.

 

[lesley_x]

I bought a hybrid bike on advice of Evan's Cycles and a few other people. I think I needed this to get my confidence up on the bike before I wrestle with drop bars and skinny wheels. I will be purchasing a road bike in September as the hybrid already feels cumbersome and inefficient, even though it's only 14kg. It has thick, knobbly tyres (700c x 38!)

I also stupidly at the time thought I needed front suspension. Now it's locked out all the time as climbing is too inefficient.

An expensive mistake

 

[Alembicbassman]

I got back into cycling in 2008 after a 10 year layoff, bought an old used Spesh Allez off ebay, then bought a new Marin Hybrid. That lasted 4 months when I sold it in favour of a new 105 equiped alu-carbon roadie.

No contest, 40mph on the roadie feels good.

 

[JNR]

I always had a bike as a kid, and I kept on cycling at university when my dad bought a BSO for me at Uni. You think you've had a bad bike but this was something else. It was bought off a European truck driver for £10 after it was ran over by a stacker truck and fixed up by cyclists at work. It was awful. Terrible tyes, awful frame, borked front fork suspension, the list would be endless. I had limited knoweldge of fettling and managed to fix it up as it broke but it got to the stage where everything was failing and it wouldn't change gear. Still rode it to the student union and laboraties every day once I got it to a decent flat terrain gear!

Three years went past, change of jobs and location, and realised I wanted to do it properley.

Bought a Pinarello FP2 three weeks ago along with necessary cycling gear and have put in about 200 miles. I didn't skimp on any of the basic bits, got good kit, good shoes etc. Did 35 miles yesterday according to cheap computer I bought and I'm feeling it in my legs, but I can finally feel myself getting fitter. It literally is the best thing I've bought and the best fitness and lifestyle thing I've done next to giving up smoking 6 weeks ago. Wouldn't change anything and love going out on the bike, despite the constant racing from other roadies! Putting it in for the free service mid week and going to use the six week summer holiday to train like mad ready for winter training.

This is my first drop bar bike and the luxury of changing hand position is excellent, my hands ache after 15 or so miles on the hoods so it is nice to switch to the drops or top handle bar bit and have the choice. A superb hobby to adopt, an incredibly relaxing thing to do of a weekend and evening and if it rains I just don't care if I don't have mud guards.

 

[judee12]

My story is that after only riding as a kid, bought a Raleigh hybrid after 40 year absence. Loved it, very comfortable, then decided a better bike would be great and bought a Jamis Coda flat bar. Great bike but the riding position doesn't agree with me at all. Thinking of going back to a hybrid like a Trek 7.0.

 

[Jak]

I bought a hybrid 2 months ago...liked it but my commute to work is a 31 mile round trip...so I recently changed to series 3 GT drop bar...

It's much faster and more efficient...especially with racing pedals. You feel much more motivated to ride especially the longer commutes

 

[BinBag]

I bought a hybrid Claude Butler Urban 400 in January 2010 after riding a no name MTB for 6 months - I've just added a Specialized Allez 16 from Evans Cycles in Manchester (Chill Factor) and it's the best thing I've done. The drop handlebars take some getting used to, but hurtling downhill at 35mph is a great feeling.

The MTB is collecting rust in the back garden (under a large sheet), the Claude Butler 400 is sat in my house awaiting it's next outing, probably a family ride.

 

[lesley_x]

I bought a hybrid Claude Butler Urban 400 in January 2010 after riding a no name MTB for 6 months - I've just added a Specialized Allez 16 from Evans Cycles in Manchester (Chill Factor) and it's the best thing I've done. The drop handlebars take some getting used to, but hurtling downhill at 35mph is a great feeling.

The MTB is collecting rust in the back garden (under a large sheet), the Claude Butler 400 is sat in my house awaiting it's next outing, probably a family ride.

Did you find your speed increased with the road bike?

I struggle to get a decent speed up on my hybrid. If I thought it would help I would definitely buy a road bike.

 

[HLaB]

Did you find your speed increased with the road bike?

I struggle to get a decent speed up on my hybrid. If I thought it would help I would definitely buy a road bike.

On my heavy wide tyred hybrid I'm cruising in traffic at only about 13-14mph on average if I really work I can get it up to around 14.5-15mph. On the former flat Bar Road Bike I was cruising around the 14.5-15 mph bracket and if I really worked I'd go 15.5mph plus on average. Once it was converted to drops I found my self cruising at 15.5mph and with my dedicated road bikes on a hilly ride I'd be averaging 15.5-16.5mph but I can work it and take it to the high teens on my own, low 20's in a group.

IME I would say the drop bars definitely help increase speed, especially in winds and downhill and along with the speed I feel comfortable about longer distances. The option of changing your hand position etc is also good B)

 

[Jak]

I agree with Hlab. I wouldn't consider myself in peak physical fitness but with the drop bar road bikes you can cruise on the flat in the high teens without much difficulty. Much much more difficult on a hybrid.

Whatever you manage on a hybrid you'll manage more on a proper road bike especially with racing pedals which you clip your footwear too (can't emphasise this enough).

It gives me much more confidence to do longer rides.

Last Saturday I did 12.5 miles which was the furthest I had ever been. On Monday I did 31 miles ... amazingly I still feel I can do more.

 

[BinBag]

Did you find your speed increased with the road bike?

I struggle to get a decent speed up on my hybrid. If I thought it would help I would definitely buy a road bike.

It has made a massive difference to me - I was averaging around 15 to 16 mph on my hybrid, but now it's more like 17 to 18 - and the downhills are a lot lot faster. I've only just started on my new 'entry level' road bike so I'm expecting the averages to increase, especially on the evening and weekend runs where I have less traffic lights.

If you need any advice when going for your new bike let me know, as I've just done a load of homework and been through it all as recently as the past 2 weeks.

 

[lesley_x]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I didn't realise it would make such a big difference. My hybrid feels so inefficient, despite it being a damn good model imo. It has 700c x 38 tyres!

It has made a massive difference to me - I was averaging around 15 to 16 mph on my hybrid, but now it's more like 17 to 18 - and the downhills are a lot lot faster. I've only just started on my new 'entry level' road bike so I'm expecting the averages to increase, especially on the evening and weekend runs where I have less traffic lights.

If you need any advice when going for your new bike let me know, as I've just done a load of homework and been through it all as recently as the past 2 weeks.

I will take you up on that when I come to get it, probably end of August. The first piece of advice I need is how to convince my non-cycling fiance that I need two bikes

 

[BinBag]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I didn't realise it would make such a big difference. My hybrid feels so inefficient, despite it being a damn good model imo. It has 700c x 38 tyres!

I will take you up on that when I come to get it, probably end of August. The first piece of advice I need is how to convince my non-cycling fiance that I need two bikes

I had that issue too - expect my g/f wants me to become her fiance in exchange for the bike......eeeek - it's something I'm working on. Do they do 'how to get engaged elaborately forums on the web?

Still, I got my second bike!