>Hybrid bikes are like the Honda SUV... its pretty much assumed that you
>will
>never see dirt with it, but you have that, "If I really wanted to go
>off-road, I could" feel-good feeling in the back of your mind. Because
>these bikes set you more upright, the frame geometry is quite different
>than
>a traditional mountain bike, and is more prone to breakage; not to mention
>that the quality is less than satisfactory. Couple this with the crappy
>parts usually used to build these, and you have... a disposable bike that
>is
>good for nothing more than cruising your neighborhood.
Agreed, totally. A hybrid isn't very good on either road or dirt. On the
road, you will be wishing you had the effortless rolling ability of a real
road bike. At 20 mph, the rolling resistance of a hybrid is probably 20-30%
greater than a road bike, on asphalt or concrete. On the dirt, you'll be
wishing you had a lighter frame, real dirt tires, and some essence of a
suspension.
The best hybrid I owned was a Schwinn Stingray, back in about 1973. We just
didn't know what to call it then. Mountain bikes didn't exist, then.
>A good rule of thumb is the $400 rule. If you actually plan to ride the
>bike on anything other than asphalt, you need to spend at least $400;
>otherwise, you will spend at least that much replacing all the cheap parts
>and constantly getting it tuned. As well, A front shock on any bike less
>than $400-500 is gonna be worthless. You would be better off buying a
>nicer
>bike without a front shock, and then putting a decent one on later when you
>feel you need it.
>
>If you honestly feel that you are gonna ride this bike off-road, and you
>will get your money's worth, take my advice and spend at least $700-1000.
>You will save money in the long run and have a much nicer riding bike.
Or buy one used. There's lots of folks that have $1000 coat hangers in their
apartments, with more disposable income than time or motivation.
Regards,
Rob
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