From: MEDELMA@cms.cc.wayne.edu (Michael Edelman)
Subject: Re: Hybrid Bikes?
Organization: Wayne State University, C&IT
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 18:06:59 GMT

In article <1992Aug28.171025.12647@cbfsb.cb.att.com>
weird@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (john.t.erhardt) writes:
 
>
>In article <1992Aug28.161526.20134@athena.mit.edu> stigmata@athena.mit.edu (???) writes:
>>In article <168517A3F.MEDELMA@cms.cc.wayne.edu> MEDELMA@cms.cc.wayne.edu (Michael Edelman) writes:
>>>>
>>>This sort of fits the idea that a hybrid is a road bike with flat bars and
>>>larger tires. I ride a road bike everywhere the road is paved, and used to
>>>commute regularly on one. I do have a "hybrid"- but it has drop bars, and
>>>I only use it for rough roads and mild off-road.
>>>
>>>                                --mike
>>
>>i don't know about other people, but i, unfortunately, ride my
>>racing bike over rough roads all the time.  i also ride through
>>grass and occassionaly(sp?) through gravel, and i have yet to
>>get a flat due to this reason, at least immediately evident.
>>so, at least by definition, my road bike is also an off-road
>>bike, and since i have ridden it up mountains, i guess it is
>>a mountain bike.  wow, i got more bike for my money than i
>>originally thought. :-)
>>
>>andy
>
>That's what cyclocross is.  IT's been around a lot longer than mountain
>bikes have been.  What do you think those guys ride on?  Road bikes.
>The frames are slightly different but esentially the same.  THe bottom
>bracket is going to be higher for clearance.  There may be braze ones
>for cantileaver brakes, and the geometry might be a little bit different.
>But it's a road bike through and through.  For wheels I think they use
>something like 400 gm rims like the Mavic GP4. (Yes that's a sew up
>rim) maybe 36 spokes, for some extra strength.
>
>If you think your road bike can only handle smooth roads, you should
>watch a USPRO race.  Those guys are fierce. They really know how to beat
>up a bike.  The equipment isn't really that much different from what
>most of us use.  Dura ace or Campy record and Columbus SLX bikes
>
>It really annoys me when people say they don't want a road bike because
>it won't handle the roads they ride on.  Cyclocross riders have been
>doing it all along.  If you can't handle some gravel or dirt with
>700x20 or 23 tires then you don't know how to ride your bike.
>
>P.S. I'm not sure what equipment cyclocross riders use, since I'm never
>done a cyclocross race, but I can find out and let you all know.
>
>John
>
I've ridden my road bike across fields, that sort of thing, but my
"hybrid" is in fact pretty close to a cyclocross bike- basically
a road frame in construction, but with a higher bottom bracket and
a more stretched out geometry and cantilever brakes. Drop bars, of
course, with bar-end shifters.
 
In fact, the only non-cyclocross aspect is that it has three chainwheels
and the 700x35s are a little bigger than traditional 'cross bike tires.
I suspect if I put 700x28 cross tires on it it'd be nearly as fast as my
road bike...
 
What I like it for is riding anything short of technical mountain bike
terrain- where most MTBs never venture anyhow ;-)
            --mike
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