[Bikes] Hybrid
- Thread starter TF_Grungir
- Start date
If you're just riding around town and "maybe some light trails," don't bother with a shock. It's just extra weight, more cost, and something else to break. I don't know where you live but if it's reasonably flat, a single-speed is often fine (my around-town bike(s) are SS, but I'm a strong rider and it's not ideal for everyone). But seriously, you don't need a shock, wide tires absorb far, far more than you would expect.
Since the bike shop you're at has Jamis bikes (which are great, fyi), consider the following models:
Commuter (1 or 2)
Coda (whatever one is in your budget, although disc brakes are awesome)
Allegro (whichever, but not the X ones)
If your shop sells Kona bikes, look at the Worldbike, Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (aka just the 'Humu'), or the Africabike. They're all very solid bikes for ~$400, the World and Africa come with fenders, and the Africa has rack+basket as well as a built in lock. World + Africa are three-speed, Humu is SS. In fact I would consider finding a shop that carries them if the one you're looking at doesn't have them, you at least owe it to yourself to check them out.
Since the bike shop you're at has Jamis bikes (which are great, fyi), consider the following models:
Commuter (1 or 2)
Coda (whatever one is in your budget, although disc brakes are awesome)
Allegro (whichever, but not the X ones)
If your shop sells Kona bikes, look at the Worldbike, Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (aka just the 'Humu'), or the Africabike. They're all very solid bikes for ~$400, the World and Africa come with fenders, and the Africa has rack+basket as well as a built in lock. World + Africa are three-speed, Humu is SS. In fact I would consider finding a shop that carries them if the one you're looking at doesn't have them, you at least owe it to yourself to check them out.
MaxxCarnage
Veteran XX
Jamis is a great value for sure, I remember when they were more up and coming and I was in with this bike shop...
I love my Specialized though.
I love my Specialized though.
Yep, because sooner or later you'll want to try it on the dirt, and a hybrid will fail you.
Pirate Steve
Veteran XX
that much for a bike is absurd
some of those jamis you guys posted look nice though
some of those jamis you guys posted look nice though
lol
$200 bikes like what you find at walmart are total trash. The wheels won't hold a true, the components fall out of adjustment frequently, they're heavy, often assembled incorrectly, and have horrible frames (that means if you try to take one mountain biking, there's a good chance you'll break the frame in half).
For my purposes I can't see ever even considering spending three grand on a road bike, but $700 for a good around town bike is entirely reasonable. My commuter is like $800 new, picked it up off craigslist for $400 a couple years ago. I've since put somewhere in the range of 4000 miles on it with only a couple hundred in tires (the tires it came with were unacceptable), maintenance, replacement parts, etc. And I'll probably put a few thousand more miles on it in the next couple years, because I love it.
I'll be under $0.10 a mile all-in, and I'll have enjoyable exercise too.
For the most part, putting shocks on hybrids is mostly a gimmick. They're almost totally impractical. When you put suspension on a bike, you do so at the cost of speed, as a lot of the energy you are putting to the pedals is lost in the compression before it hits the ground. This is all well-and-good for mountain bikes, where you're trying to smooth out your ride and keep your bike from shattering due to vibration and shock. But on a hybrid? What's the point? Due to the geometry of these bikes, you're already losing a lot of power (compared to road bikes) because of the posture they demand. Slap on some treaded tires and you're losing even more power. And, on top of that, they want to put suspension on the damn thing? Why? For all the asphalt and cement you'll be riding on? Because you won't be doing any dirt road or trail riding. Not with the rims and tires that come on most of these bikes. You'll destroy the tread on your first couple of rides, and damage the rims in a couple more.
Of course, if you get on the things and you really like them, then go for it. But, like others, I recommend a mountain bike if you want suspension. Hybrids are really only good for asphalt/cement. That's why I think sticking shocks on the things is just a gimmick: they look impressive, but are good only for slowing you down (unless you have a bad back or something like that, in which case I still recommend a dual-suspended mountain bike).
Edit: Don't get a single speed. You haven't a ridden a bike in so long that a single speed would likely be unbearable even at a 2% grade.
Of course, if you get on the things and you really like them, then go for it. But, like others, I recommend a mountain bike if you want suspension. Hybrids are really only good for asphalt/cement. That's why I think sticking shocks on the things is just a gimmick: they look impressive, but are good only for slowing you down (unless you have a bad back or something like that, in which case I still recommend a dual-suspended mountain bike).
Edit: Don't get a single speed. You haven't a ridden a bike in so long that a single speed would likely be unbearable even at a 2% grade.
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TF_Grungir
Veteran XV
One of the reasons I was leaning towards shocks (front only) is that the sidewalks around here are pretty bumpy. Like I said, its not a performance thing for me... it is mostly about comfort.
The craziest I would get with this bike is doing a sprint tri.
edit: and i can lock out the shock for that.
The craziest I would get with this bike is doing a sprint tri.
edit: and i can lock out the shock for that.
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I don't buy bikes anywhere besides craigslist... i get them for 1/4th their actual value because bikes sell so cheap around here and i shop them doggedly till i find the price i'm willing to pay... just don't buy a bike that's been sitting outside or has complicated parts (ie cannondale unishocks)
Mountain bikes are for mountain biking, especially full-sussers. Riding a mountain bike on the roads is pointless. I don't think OP is going to be actually mountain biking, if so then he needs to demo some real mountain bikes.
You're probably right about the SS for him in this case, a 3-sp IGH is going to be good though. A 26er town bike w/ fat tires is going to be perfect.
You'll be amazed at what a 2.2" wide tire can soak up. Also as you get riding more, you'll naturally pick smoother lines. I've got 1-1/4" tires on my commuter and have no problem dropping curbs or flying across rough train tracks.
Also, bikes go in the road. Riding on the sidewalks is dangerous and, in most places, illegal.
he wants a bike to ride around with his little kid, not for mountain trails.
could easily find a decent bike on craigslist for around 200
And carry that extra weight? Go for a regular hybrid, buy set of shocked forks, and change them out as needed.
I recommend a Trek 7.x bike. My daily rider is a 2007 7.3 FX. It's a great bike, is pretty inexpensive, and the geometry is at a really good place between mountain bike and road bike. Every Saturday morning I go on a 30 mile ride that is put on by the Bike Barn down the road. Sometimes I pass on taking my Trek 1.5 and go for the 7.3 for the exercise. I'm always at the back of the pack, but I'm still keeping up.
TF_Grungir
Veteran XV
TF_Grungir
Veteran XV
I rode one of those on friday... it was nice.
