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*raises hand*
So when I bought my Charge Plug 3 gravel bike back in 2014, I sold the Bianchi Cameleonte Sport 2 that I'd bought in 2010.
Why?, well I figured that I'd made the transition from a mountain bike that I rode mostly on the road, to a drop bar'd bike that I could chuck across the odd bit of Single track and enjoy the odd bridleway that I didn't really need it anymore.
Luckily, I sold it to my brother, who used it to commute for a bit and then last week decided to sell back to me.
Thing is, I never really wanted another hybrid, but as soon as I threw a leg over the cross bar and went for a quick raz, I realised that I actually quite enjoyed this bike, and shouldn't really have sold it. Yes, it's got narrow flat bars and comfort grips, and yes it's got slightly rubbish components, but it really does seem to make me smile, and makes me want to go for a ride.
It's also very easy.. I don't have to wrestle it out every time I want a ride, its light, it's quick, and for just getting from A to B around town, or doing a post work ride, it really is ideal.
Makes me wonder why so few of them seem to actually make it into the hands of punters, compared to totally unsuitable mountain bikes, road bikes that spend their life in the garage or back room being used to dry clothes.
I'm not entirely sure of the 'exact' definition of a hybrid, but I consider my Singular Swift to be one (then again I suppose it could be considered a flat bar gravel bike); it does a mix of road and off-road. It's rather portly but I like it.
Yes a boardman hybrid team and it's very nice as it goes
Me too with a Boardman Hybrid Team.
arent all 29ers hybrids?
I guess that my genesis Croix de Fer probably fits into this category. Light wheels that work with anything from about 28mm road slicks up to 40mm semi-slicks for off road; narrow flat bars, 3x10, discs. Last big ride I did on it was the 150 miles from home in Angus to Kyle of Lochalsh, including the Corrieyairick pass. That was quite a fun day out and I reckon this sort of bike copes really well with such a mixed route, with everything you can think of from long road miles to sustrans route to lumpy off-road.. The climb up the pass was do-able, the descent tough going on a wet day but the bike coped fine. The simple addition of a flat bar and bar ends I find makes it handle so much better than an uncomfortable drop bar setup. The ergonomics of road brake lever hoods is, to be blunt, laughable compared with proper levers on a flat bar and the wee stubby ends are fine on a long ride or sustained climb. Works for me...
arent all 29ers hybrids?
I'm sure Gary Fisher would have something to say about that. 😀
My Kona Unit is 27+ but currently rocking a 29er wheel set, it's still got wide bars, the geometry doesn't lend itself well to being ridden on the road, the 1x11 certainly doesn't.
it's fine, but it's happier on trails than it is on the roads, and it's not the one I'd grab if I just wanted to pop into town, get a few things done, and pop back.
Yes a boardman hybrid team and it’s very nice as it goes
Me too, for my daily work commute. Really like it.
Pinnacle Neon 3, road gearing, cheap hydraulic brakes, stable flat bar, quick comfortable tyres and great for commuting.
Cube 29er fat tyres hub gears dynamo front belt drive rack and guards. Weighs a ton but very comfy.
Does my Voodoo Wazoo fatbike count, given it spends a vast majority of its time with 29er wheels fitted?
I think my commuter may count as a hybrid now... Poor thing. 2008 Merlin Malt 2 hardtail that's been gradually changed to make it into a city bike. The slicks make it fly, but I really need to sort out the gearing; having a triple up front means that the small ring is never used.
Makes me wonder why so few of them seem to actually make it into the hands of punters, compared to totally unsuitable mountain bikes, road bikes that spend their life in the garage or back room being used to dry clothes.
Fashion, mainly. People generally buy (and are often encouraged to buy) the bike equivalent of a Land Rover Defender or a Lotus Elise, when what they need is Ford Focus.
“...but it really does seem to make me smile, and makes me want to go for a ride”
That’s the only important bit isn’t it? Forget bike snobs, forget categories, forget purists - if you enjoy riding it then you’ve got the right bike.
I’ve been riding an Arkose 3 recently. I think of it as a drop bar hybrid rather than a gravel bike.
compared to totally unsuitable mountain bikes
That’s me commuting occasionally on a Cotic Flare. It’s my only bike and therefore only choice. End up pissing about and arriving at work filthy.
Me. I commute on it And then take benefit of the huge clearance to fit gravel tyres. SS and belt drive winner full of secondhand joy.
specialized sirrus comp here, v brakes and full guards and rear rack.
Bought second hand on a whim and its turned into a keeper. Just tickles along nicely to work or into town, nice.
Oh, can I mention what I assume is a typo in the thread title?
Fowl.
Wouldn't be without one. 🙂
Surly Straggler here. My only bike. Purchased second hand. Set up with H bar and 1×10 29er. Bought as a stop gap to keep me pedalling as circumstances didn’t allow for me to have a lot of money invested into a bike. Found now though that I have no need to buy another. Anything I do on it it just gets on with it. Honestly no niggles and no desire to replace it.
Another Boardman rider here! X7 that I got for £180 but weighs more than my FS. It's handy when the local bridleways are shitey & I can't be arsed washing a bike after use.
Which is just about always.
I have a Kona Dew, except I fitted drops to it for a great drop bar commuter. It's also had flats and grandad bars on it too, and it once had a coffee cup holder.
My rigid 29er is what I'd call a true hybrid, in that it's good on roads, trails and technical stuff. It really can do nearly everything, even get air if you are very careful. Which was I think the aim of the bikes originally branded hybrid.
Whyte shoreditch for commuting duties. Spot on
I have my official hybrid, a Boardman Hybrid, which I've made light and fast and basically brilliant, though more road focused than a hybrid should be normally, it's basically a flat barred roadie 28mm tyres and that. But I've got fat slicks on my mk2 Soul just now and it's ace as a more traditional do-anything hybrid
Yep, Cotic Roadrat with Alfine hub gears. Next to no maintenance required. Faster than my mountain bike on the road and no need to wear Lycra! Perfect for the 5mile round trip to work and back.
I'd correct the typo, (fowl, not foul) except I can't seem to find a way to do it. 😅
Good to read it's not just me though.
My opinion is a hybrid is the proto-gravel bike.
Then many of the manufacturers spoiled them by sticking crappy heavy components on them, eg skinny stanchioned suspension forks, cheap groupsets, so the bikes ended up overweight and over-featured.
Take any of the better hybrids, get rid of the garbage, and replace with decent componentry, wheels and a carbon fork, and the end result is likely a good gravel bike (IMO).