From: chandler@wc.novell.com (Mark Chandler)
Subject: Re: HYBRID BIKES
Organization: Novell, Inc. - Walnut Creek
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 21:03:15 GMT

In article <BtnMw9.5At@news.cso.uiuc.edu> bsanders@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Barry Sanders) writes:
>mcr@meaddata.com (Mary Ries) writes:
>
>>I have considered getting a hybrid but I'm wondering how it will
>>impact my riding with others who use road bikes on long rides (e.g.,
>>20-50 miles).  I am a non-competetive rider and enjoy the country
>>routes, where sometimes the road is rough.  My riding companions
>>average around 15-17 mph, and I can just keep up.  If I switch to a
>>hybrid, will I notice a big difference in my ability to keep up?

It depends on what kind of hybrid you buy.  Many of the drop-barred
hybrids are quite capable on-road.  Some flar-bar bikes are coming
stock with bar-ends or multi-position (aka Scott-style) bars.  These
definitely help on the road.

Some hybrids are simply re-marketed "city bikes" -- too heavy/unwieldy
on the road and too weak for off-road use.  Avoid these.

Think about the types of riding that you want to do and pick a bike that
will let you do those things well AND others if you so desire.

>I, too, have been faced with this dilemma.  Here is my solution:
>I have a Sport/Touring road bike with tiny 700Cx20 racing tires -- thus, too
>small for any but smooth, paved roads.  I am going to buy an extra set of wheelsfor the bike, and mount 700Cx30, 90-110psi knobbies on them.  The Sport/Touring
>brakes and frame allow plenty of clearance for the larger tires (unlike many
>pure racing bikes).  Also,  I plan to buy a set of MTB/Cross straight handlebarsand mount them on their own stem, complete with brake cables.  To make the 
>switch from Sport/Touring to CrossBike, I just pop on the alternate wheels, pull
>out the brake cables and handlebar/stem assembly, install the new one, and 
>VOILA!  I'm ready for some light off-roading or rough road touring.  
>I shared this idea with a semi-pro racer friend of mine who said that he had 
>done just such a thing several times while on racing tours.  It worked great!
>(Estimated cost for used wheels, new tires and cables, used MTB bars: $135)

I've found that with the right stem, you can use a drop bar for on- AND
off-road use.  Just get one with less reach and more rise.  This way,
you don't have to spend time swapping bars (just wheels/tires) or
re-learn the idiosyncrasies associated wit the new bar/levers/etc.  For
my new hybrid, I had the builder construct a stem with 20 degrees of
rise and 13.5cm reach.  This, combined with a Nitto DirtDrop (original
design) bar, yields a system that works well on- and off-road.

You can also get a pair of Bruce Gordon's Quick-Switch cable connecters
for your derailleur cables.  These "splice-into" the derailleur cables
making it easier to switch between drop and flat bars.  The Quick-Switch
connecters are included with Gordon's Rock & Road hybrid and Ibis has been
using them on some of their tandems.

>Barry Sanders
>bsanders@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu


--
Mark Chandler               Novell, Inc.          510/975-4522
chandler@wc.novell.com      Walnut Creek, CA      510/938-2562 FAX
==================================================================
     The opinions expressed above are mine, not my employer's.