jmls1994

I have a Giant Escape 3 and recently my wife got a Trek FX 7.2. We are enjoying riding bikes and are looking for some different scenery. We thought about taking some long weekends and doing a couple of the charity rides. Looking to do nothing too crazy, maybe 15 -30 mile type rides. We are currently doing 10 - 12 mile rides on fairly flat ground. Anybody else do these on hybrid bikes? Thanks.

1nterceptor

I've done plenty of charity rides; ranging in mileage from 20 miles to 100 miles.
I see a lot of people on hybrids; so you guys should be ok. Usually the limiting
factor is the rider's behind; legs want to go on - but(t) the rear wants to quit. Gradual
increase in mileage should fix that.

You can see from last year's 40 mile Five Boro Bike Tour(USA's largest bike event
at over 30,000 riders); hybrids are the most popular;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmFU...aIoDLA&index=9

RocTurk

There is nothing wrong about a hybrid bike that should stop you from riding a 15-30 mile charity ride. Actually a 15-30 mile ride is not that bad, you'll find a good mixture of road, hybrid, and mountain bikes riding in these kind of distances. When it comes to +50 mile rides, most will be riding a road bike but I've done many 50+ miles rides with my hybrid Giant Escape 1. So don't be discouraged. Have a nice cycling short with decent padding for your long rides, that's the part that hurts the most, bring enough water, Gatorade, energy bars for the +2-3 hr long rides but don't be scared to ride long distances with a hybrid.

You can change couple things with your bike to make you more comfortable on longer rides. 1) Saddle (a quality saddle always helps no matter what distance you ride), 2) Thinner tires (I've changed the stock 32mm threaded tires to 28mm Gatorskins -- helped reduce rolling resistance significantly), 3) clipless pedals (helps use your power more efficiently), 4) Grips (comfier the better).

Good luck!

Pompiere

I have seen a lot of hybrids on the 50-75 mile charity rides, but I suspect that was because a hybrid was the only bike they owned when they got talked into the ride. The hybrid category has gotten segmented so much that it's hard to make a blanket statement. A more upright bike with suspension fork and wider tires would make for a long day if you have to fight a headwind. The Escape 3 and the FX2 are almost like road bikes with flat handlebars, so they should be good for as long as your hands and butt are good for. Fitting some ergonomic grips and/or bar ends can be a solution to hand or wrist pain.

Like hybrids, the road bike category is segmented, which is good because not everyone has aspirations to race. There is a road bike segment generally called "endurance bikes" that have a more forgiving geometry for comfort on long rides versus the aero tuck of the pure racing bikes. The key is to raise the bar up to where you can make use of the bottom positions. You would probably find the riding position my Jamis Quest very similar to your hybrids. I like a flat bar for short rides, but I get hand and wrist pain if I don't change positions frequently, so I use a drop bar bike for longer rides.

Little Darwin

I rode my hybrid (a giant Sedona DX) on a couple of metric centuries several years ago. I was about 50 and weighed about 320. If speed is not a concern, you should do fine with some preparation. One thing you should do is to get in some hill riding and/or adopt my view that there is no shame in walking up big hills.

My latest charity rides (early last year) were both in the 30 mile range, and I did fine on my Trek 7.3 FX.

If you are concerned, you can increase your ability to do well on a charity ride by varying your riding now... I don't follow a specific training plan, but I have looked at some grids for training for centuries, and I have adopted some of their techniques... like throwing in periods of higher exertion (either moderate or high intensity) along with my normal casual pace for most of the ride. I find it does make the longer distances easier for me over time, and also helps me feel more fit.

FYI - It seems to me that many charity rides tend to stick to relatively flat ground for 15 miles and under, but throw in some hills to increase the challenge for anything longer.

jmls1994

Great! Just the answers I was looking for. I did already install bar ends on my bike because of the issue of my hands getting numb. We are both thinking about clipless pedals. I do see a drop bar road bike in my future though. Thanks everyone!

cncspinner

I do a few different group rides twice a week, 14-20 miles each on my 7.3

Pompiere

If you are not yet convinced to switch to clipless pedals, you might want to try half clips. They position your foot without locking it in.

Like these: https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...94_-1___204720

yashinon

I am doing a 30 mile charity ride this summer.