Hybrids are nothing but a poor compromise. They are not as fast or agile as a road bike and not as strong as a mountain bike. Hybrids are nothing but a marketing gimmick. Cyclists should decide what type of riding they will do the most and buy that kind of bike. For fast road riding and road racing, a road bike. For city riding and off-road riding, a mountain bike. A good pair of slick, skinny tires will make any mountain bike a better and stronger machine than a hybrid. It’s a simple decision, really. The marketing machine of the bicycle industry makes it more complicated than it should be.
They are not as fast or agile as a road bike and not as strong as a mountain bike. Hybrids are nothing but a marketing gimmick. Cyclists should decide what type of riding they will do the most and buy that kind of bike. For fast road riding and road racing, a road bike. For city riding and off-road riding, a mountain bike. A good pair of slick, skinny tires will make any mountain bike a better and stronger machine than a hybrid. It’s a simple decision, really. The marketing machine of the bicycle industry makes it more complicated than it should be. Another incorrect believer in the “marketing controls our lives” theory. I’m an avid roadie, owning several and riding a lot. My son is a mountain biker.
When my wife decided she wanted a new bicycle, we both marketed her heavily as to why our preferences were right for her. But what she did was to ride a number of bikes from the LBSs. She ended up selecting a Trek 730, because the geometry, position and ride felt best to her. Maybe she will “outgrow” the hybrid someday and adopt either a road or MTB, or maybe she will continue to like the 730 as much as she does now. But even though they aren’t for me (or my son), I’m convinced that hybrids do fill a legitimate need and are not just a marketing gimmick. have been watching this with some amusement. I have 2 road bikes, a touring bike with drop handlebars, a mountain bike (My fifth in 8 years) and recently got an aluminium peugeot hybrid bike with coathanger handlebars on holiday in France. I put a Brooke’s Conquest saddle on it and a Girvin Flexstem (I love them) and it is unquestionably THE BEST BIKE I HAVE EVER OWNED. We have bad roads here and it laughs at them. The mountain bike style gearshifting is great and it is a lot faster and more forgiving than my mountain bike. I don’t need new arms after a long ride.