LAwor

Hi Folks: AS you can tell, I am new to the forum. My question is simple and please pardon me if this question has been addressed before ( please direct me to that thread): What's the best carbon hybrid out there for 2016? I just got back into riding and presently have a Trex 8.3 DS that I have been riding for 2 months now . I am riding to get and stay into shape. But becasue I am an older rider I can't adjust to the rough roads here in So Cal. I have tried lowering the tire pressure to 60psi ( the most noticable adjustment), changing the seat, using s suspension post, but still feel the roughness in the roads. So I was about to upgrade my tire to something wider but am concerned about loosing speed and dexterity. (Those road bike boys like to pass me with a grin on their faces as it is). So I thought I would just upgrade to a carbon BUT don't want to upgrade every year so I want to buy the best possible that would last me a while. I have read some reviews like Trek 7.9 fx and the Sirrus Pro but am more interetsed in user reviews. Thanks in advance.

Grey.

Carbon is more effective than aluminium or steel, yes, but if you're buying a full carbon bike expecting comfort to be the primary benefit I think you're going to be dissapointed. Wider tires and a front suspension fork give you more comfort than a carbon frame will, many of which are built to accept much skinnier tires than what your 8.3 DS currently has. Honestly if you're uncomfortable on the 8.3 which has all of those things I don't know what to recommend, I just know that a full carbon Sirrus with a rigid fork and skinny tires would be a step in the opposite direction.

I don't know if you can have total comfort and speed, maybe you should be looking at something like a cruiser or city bike with bigger tires and a bigger saddle.

LAwor

Oh no...that's not what I wanted to hear. Although I fear you may be right. Just as an experiment, I took a full suspension MTB with 3.5 inch tires on my normal morning route and oh boy was I in heaven. I could have ridden for 20 miles. I didn't want to come home. Of course, I couldn't ride any faster than 18mph downhill and the hill climbing was miserable. I dont expect to find that type of comfort but at least approach it. I went to my local bike shop and the rep there suggested a Cannondale Slate which isn't a hybrid but had larger tires. But I think there must be something out there for me. Speed and comfort can't be diametrically opposed in all road or hybrid bikes. Am I the only one what wants both? The search continues...PS the cruiser is not an option.

Grey.

I've got no experience with the Slate (never seen one much less ridden one) but looking at the product page it dosen't appear all that dissimilar to your 8.3. Much better components of course, but strip it down and it's an aluminium frame with a front suspension fork just like your current bike. Interesting fork design though, could offer more travel than what your 8.3 has. All I can say is find a local dealer and try one, Cannondale makes nice bikes.

You might not find the kind of balance you're after in a bike straight off the rack.

fietsbob

Taiwan Makes most below and even some at the Professional User Level..


Trek upper end Hybrids are Carbon framed ..You like the DS ?

you can get an FX instead made around Not using a Suspension fork. so It's Lighter

7.9 FX | FX | Fitness bikes | City bikes | Bikes | Trek Bikes

Search the Blogs for user revues of that ^^ not every one reads this forum to revue things for your convenience.


For 'Keepers' I buy steel framed Bikes , I bought a Cane creek Thudbuster seat Post .

My drivetrain choice Is The Rohloff Hub , Unlike the one-ups-manship in the derailleur parts manufacturers

it was well designed in the 1st place.. and has a 10+ year reliability track record.

avidone1

I would take exception with this statement. Carbon is lighter than steel yes, but as with all things there are trade offs.
IMHO unless you are a weight weenie or a competitive racer a steel or aluminum bike will probably be better

PedalingWalrus

The tangible differences of a hybrid bike between steel/aluminium or carbon are so slight that they are not worth the consideration when it comes to comfort. Don't.

Seems that a recumbent bike is worth trying in this instance.

Grey.

Fair enough, but you cherry picked that statement without the follow up. "..but if you're buying a full carbon bike expecting comfort to be the primary benefit I think you're going to be dissapointed."

Carbon is more effective at damping road vibrations but the primary benefit is weight. I don't mind if you disagree with me but please quote my sentence in its entirety if you're going to.

LAwor

I am going to jump....I am going to probably go with the Sirrus Pro Carbon 2016 as it seems to have the most innovation for comfort. Unless you guys can suggest a better bike. I need to step up my fitness game and get a faster bike. I am getting hammered on the hills with my 8.3 DS. Does anybody know where I can find a good butt implant surgeon?

Grey.

The Pro Carbon is an awesome bike, just don't expect it to be as "soft" as your 8.3 and you won't be dissapointed. You could to look into padded bike shorts, maybe do a search in the General Cycling forum or start a new thread. Also make sure you get fitted for your bike so you're getting the correct frame size and seat/stem adjustment.

Lt Stonez

Speeder 5000 - Road & Fitness - Merida Bikes International
full carbon with ultegra. Same type off bike like the sirrus.

AU Tiger

But wouldn't a bike that makes you work harder actually improve your fitness more?

prj71

Diamondback Bicycles - Interval Carbon

Weighs 20 lbs which is 3 lbs lighter than the Specialized Sirrus Carbon.

Grey.

20lbs in what frame size? The Sirrus Pro Carbon weighs 9.3kg (20.5lbs) in Large.

Good question.

prj71

I weighed a medium Sirrus Carbon at the bike shop 2 weeks ago. It was 23 lbs.

REI website says the Diamondback weighs 20lbs 8 oz.

https://www.rei.com/product/896420/d...l-carbon-mens#

Grey.

He's interested in the Pro Carbon, not the regular Carbon. I'd be surprised if the Diamondback weighs less, but I don't have any personal experience with it.

prj71

My mistake. I weighed a Sirrus Comp Carbon.

LAwor

Hmm this looks like an option. Thanks

LAwor

If you think about it quickly then yes but then ask yourself the question would I become more fit ( increase my heart rate more by) lifting 50lbs 10 times or 500lbs once or 100lbs or 5 times? Fitness is built through repetition. So if I have a lighter bike I can "spin" the crank faster, complete more repetitions which will increase my heart rate which by definition would increase my fitness. That's what the "spin classes" at the gym are predicated on.

PedalingWalrus

LAwor - are you absorbing the facts here ? Everyone is explaining to you that going 'pure carbon' will not give you the comfort you seek.


FWIW - my 2015 Sirrus Pro Carbon with tubeless setup, carbon rims, carbon handlebars and carbon stem is a a bit under 19 lbs. Stock when I bought it was about 20 lbs - I think I posted the weight here somewhere when I bought it.

LAwor

Maybe I used the wrong word because I test drove a carbon race bike yesterday and I the ride was definitely SMOOTHER.....yeah maybe that's the word

AU Tiger

I would guess there is a limit to that line of thinking, though, but in all fairness I am not a physiologist.

Here's why I say that. If we carry it (the idea that repetition is the only thing that matters) out to its logical extent, then we should remove all resistance from the equation because that would allow for the maximum number of repetitions. It seems to me that the time the bike's weight would hold back the spin rate would be when climbing hills. And I see climbing as an excellent time to build muscle strength (another aspect of fitness in my opinion). In my experience, I've never had trouble elevating my heart rate while climbing.

Not looking to start a debate or anything. Just explaining my thinking. More than any of this, I think people should get the bike that makes them enjoy riding, as they are more likely to keep riding it.

Grey.

Did you ride it around a smooth parking lot, or on the rough roads you described in your first post? I mean, my bike is all aluminium (typically described as the most unforgiving material to use) and yet I regularly do ~25 miles in total comfort, because we have nicely paved trails here. It's all relative.

LAwor

No not the same route but over terrain that I would consider more uneven, rough and bumpy...

LAwor

Any principle taken to either extreme will fail ( and I didn't say repetition is the only thing that matters) but this is not my original thought but that of the fitness experts. Agree to agree, however that if it is not fun then whatever you choose will be money wasted because you won't use it for long....