Searay

Hi. I am looking to get a new bike. I ride mainly on pavement, rarely anything else. Once in a while, I will ride on a gravel fire road. No riding in rain or snow. This is more for recreation and exercise than any commuting, and I am thinking of a hybrid bike. I stand 6' and weigh about 180-185 pounds. I have looked at Trek Dual Sport and Specialized Sirrus in the the $600-$900 range. I would like to stay in that range, closer to 6 than 9. Realistically, all maintenance will be done at my LBS. Most rides I have done in the recent past (on my aprox 27 year old Univega Alpina Uno) have been up to 15 or so miles, but I may go up to 30 soon. Any thoughts?


Thank you!

Synmag

I know the three big go to names are the Specialized/Giant/Trek. The dual sport I believe is the one with the minimal travel shock (50/60mm). If you care about performance on pavement I would go with a carbon fork instead even if the shock can be locked out. I used to have a Cannondale Quick with a carbon fork which was a great bike and I now have a Devinci Oslo also with a carbon fork. I was so impressed with a Devinci I tried out that I ended up getting one. I'm am now considering upgrading to the Hex which is more of a fitness-oriented lighter version of it. With Trek the FX line is also great I believe the 5 is the fitness model with the carbon fork.

Your main choice will be between a shock or a rigid fork. After that, you have to decide which groupset you want. I would go with Acera at a minimum and go up from there depending on how you like it. I really like the Deore shifters. Then the question is if you need disc brakes or v-brakes will do. I do about 95% of my riding on paved bike paths with minimal hills and I don't ride in the rain so I'm good with the lighter v-brakes. If you go with disc brakes I have read that the Shimano hydraulic brakes are much easier to maintain vs the popular tektro ones but that might be a moot point for you if your LBS is doing the work.

Test drive as many as you can to get a feel for them. If you find that stores don't have stock you might want to look at used bikes in which case you might want to look at some "special edition" performance hybrid versions. I have seen some really nice hybrid bikes with high-end groupsets and nice light wheelsets in previous years. Good luck with the search.

prime winner

I'd suggest thinking ahead to after you've been riding your new bike. Will you enjoy it and want to ride farther and farther? I bought a MTB late last year with the intent to use it on easy going dirt trails at camp sites and pavement on local neighborhood rides. Covid came along and encouraged me to become active so I started riding 3 times a week in my neighborhood. I'd do two 10 mile rides during the week, then a little longer on the weekend. I rode 30 a few weeks ago and I want to go farther. About 11 days ago a put a deposit on a new Trek FX 3 ($800 went up $50 next day). I looked at the Trek Dual Sport but since I know I'll be riding on pavement and want to go farther and farther I went with the FX 3 with its carbon fork over the DS shock that can be looked out. The FX line can be used on gravel and packed dirt as well. I picked the FX because I shop I prefer sells Trek, but almost went with the Giant Escape. I would also suggest going closer to $900 since you will get better components.

Searay

Thank you for the help!

Searay

Thank you!

altondavis2

Sounds like you have made 2 excellent choices. Now its just a matter of riding each of them and
working on the pricing. Important decision will be which LBS you prefer. You'll enjoy
either of the choices.

freeranger

As stated, you want to not only buy the bike you like, but you'll want a good LBS for service. If there are dealers in your area, you may also wish to check out some brands outside of the "main" ones. Such as Marin, Jamis, Fuji, Cannondale (tho I rank it as "main"). Since they don't seem to have the name recognition of Trek, Specialized, or Giant, you may be able to get the equivalent bike at a better price point. With Covid, now is a tough time to be bike shopping-our LBS's are low if not completely out of many models.

katsup

I'd vote adding nice tires to your Univega Alpina Uno (1993?) and keep riding / enjoying that.

What is your reason for wanting a new bike?

Synmag

His stated goal is fitness riding 30+ miles on pavement. I do the same type of riding and IMHO if he can afford it he's going to really appreciate a nice light bike with current technology. I recently picked up a ~30 year old Trek to make due until I could find a replacement bike for my stolen one and while it was a nice bike I quickly realized it was not a suitable replacement for a fitness bike.

I mean, it could make sense to fix it up and use it for the "recreation" part of his use case.

katsup

A bike in the $6-900 range will be around the same weight as his current. I've done 30+ mile rides on rigid mountain bikes with no problem. I'm even more comfortable on them compared to a 2010 Trek FX 7.2 I use to do that mileage on when I took up cycling. I use a drop bar bike now, but the OP's Alpina bike may just need a tune up and slick tires to make it the hybrid he is looking for. You can always replace the shifters with modern.

This Fuji weighs in at 26.8lbs (w/ pedals & cages). That is similar to what you'll find on bikes in the $700 range. If I updated the drive train, it'd drop more.

DeadGrandpa

First, you don't need or want suspension. You should prioritize the ability to accommodate wider tires, like 700x50 at a minimum. At your height, I don't think 27.5 inch tires are in your favor.

It's been said that hybrid bikes are adequate for most riding, but excel at nothing. As an extra kick in the butt, the entry level frames are kinda heavy. To get the most out of your next bike purchase, figure out what surfaces you are likely to ride most of the time, and buy a bike for that. Jamis gives good value, IMHO. My main ride is 700x40 max, and good for most pavement and occasional gravel. For 100% forest service roads, I ride 29x3. Your solution may be somewhere in between.

Synmag

Modern bike frames are excellent at isolating road vibrations which I didn't fully appreciate until I rode the same trail on an old rigid frame bike. No doubt it can be done, I have done it, you have done it, the question is how does it feel. For me, I didn't like the feel so much that I went searching for a replacement after a few rides. I don't think there is anything you can do to compensate for this on an old rigid frame, and it's not only the weight. It's like saying your VCR broke down and instead of buying a bluray player you're going to fix and keep the VCR. If you like working on bikes by all means do the best you can. Mind you if he's going to let his LBS do his maintenance work I'm going to assume he's not prepared to take on a project you're proposing. My bike is 24.5lb and well within his price range. Sometimes it's nice to start with a blank sleight and get a new bike with current technology you know is going to run smoothly and work well.

katsup

You keep mentioning rigid frame, you must have a suspension hybrid. I've tried those as as well, hated them. They had a heavy pogo stick feel to them. My more expensive mountain bike with Fox suspension was great.

Manufactures weigh their bikes without pedals and bottle cages. Make sure you are getting your complete weight and not the weight the manufacture lists.

Bad analogy with the VCR. An old bike can be ridden the same places as a new bike. You can't play new movies on a VCR.

I'd disagree that modern frames in the OP's price range ride nicer than the nicer rigid mountain bikes of old, but to each their own. I was only pointing out that OP has a good rigid mountain bike (unless changed to suspension) that can be made into a nice hybrid with very little cost. Anyway, I will stop replying about this topic as I don't think it is benefiting the OP.

hokiefyd 

There are many old bikes that have wonderful ride qualities, but '80s and '90s rigid mountain bikes are often not part of that group! Depending on the bike, it could have a heavy and thick high-tensile steel frame and ride like a dump truck. Of course, a high quality chro-moly steel frame generally rides better, but the market was flooded then with less expensive mountain bikes and that could be a factor. So, too, with tires. Nice tires generally ride well. Inexpensive tires are generally heavy and dull-feeling. Tires and a frame together can really make or break the feel of a bike.

My daughter's 2016 Raleigh Alysa (like a Trek FX) rides really nicely. It has an alloy frame, and a steel fork...but something about it just "clicks". I'd say the same about my cheap MTB that I've sort of "hybridized" -- a Redline Zander (like a Trek Marlin). It has an alloy frame, but it just has the right feel for me. Both bikes feel similar to my '97 Trek 750 (a high quality cro-moly steel bike) in terms of how they ride. Other modern bikes I've owned didn't, and I've sold or traded them off.

Different types of ride qualities will speak to each of us differently. Some like noodley and springey frames. Some like very firm. Others like somewhere in the middle. Fortunately for us, there's usually a good match out there...sometimes the hard part is finding it!

Aladin

All things being (components) equal.. depends on the steel frame being compared to the aluminum hybrids of today... usual scenario of owner going 'old' to 'new' bike. NON suspended rear triangles of al bikes are actually often stiffer than many older steelies. Many of the older steelies are limited per rear dropout width which many cold set to today's widths.

TIRES... psi level.. huge difference in rear shock felt. Light flexible rubber w all the width your frame can handle rear at the lowest psi recommended on the tire... even lower if our road patch is sufficient and your on the lower end of the scale readings.

"Name" brand hy-breads... the 'teeks' suck.. way heavy.. cheap tires that roll like a tank. No longer bike companies by miles.. just selling a name from a generation ago.

Katsup's Fuji gets it done.. just lacks the suspension fork. Nice pic.

DorkDisk

This subforum is so down on old bikes.

Aladin

True. Many of us able to do repairs understand and employ their value. But if the owner is unable to do work that is mostly costly to get it done
correctly. Then.. nowadays try and buy used parts for them.. go fish. *bay is a joke.. most often... getting hard to score older stuff at reasonable cost.

Then the nave pulls up to view a used bike.... after doing the online thing all shiny paint and online verbiage. Some of us can turn a decent bike.. I do
understand why some go buy the new... I even tell them where to go. But this yr.. no new bikes for the most part in shops.

Synmag

I don't have a suspension on my bike and while I was considering one I decided against it. Most of the benefits I would have from a suspension for cracks/small bumps on a paved path can be achieved by going with bigger tires and/or lower tire pressure. I'm not going to get into a cheap vs expensive debate as mostly expensive is better than cheap within reason.

My VCR analogy wasn't perfect I was simply trying to make the point that old technology is rarely better than new. I drive a 34 year old sports car that I love but I have no illusions thinking that it's technically better in any way than a current sports car. I love the design and the fact it's more reliable than current ones, but in terms of performance, a new one will be better in probably every measurable way.

I will concede that I haven't ridden every type of old bike frame, never mind all brands, and it's possible to find one with an ideal setup that might not feel bad as others have mentioned, but you do have to have the experience/knowledge/skill/luck to get it to that point but it still won't be better than a good new bike.

Unfortunately, all my previous bikes have been stolen so I never had to make this decision, however I do remember when I bought my first "expensive" bike 9 years ago I was extremely happy with how it felt/handled. I did like my older/cheaper bikes but having the earlier ones stolen was almost a good thing as I probably wouldn't have gone out and bought the new one that I was so happy with.

Synmag

I'm not down on old bikes, I'm up on new ones...

Anyone who is happy with their old bikes more power to them, I'm not trying to convince you to upgrade. The OP has decided to upgrade and I was simply trying to help out by providing my experience as we seem to be very similar how we use it.

Cheers

DorkDisk

I like new bikes also, but that is not relevant. Lets just say that my experience with old bikes does not agree with your opinions at all.

wilson_smyth

Id throw cube into the mix.
Got a 2019 Cube SL Road Race earlier this year and its just outstanding. very light, very comfortable and very capable on road and even rougher tracks with the larger tyres.
Spec wise, similar to the Giant fastroad in the same category, price wise, a little less expensive.
the 2020 SL road SL is my pick if i was buying today, but any of them with the 105 set or above is a great bike.

https://www.cube.eu/en/2021/bikes/ur...d-sl-greynred/

I went with cube because its what they had in stock, but really, there is little difference between it and most bikes in its category so try a few and pick the one you like the best, be it in comfort or looks.

Korina

My thought exactly. Big plush tires like my Maxxis DTHs to soak up road noise, and maybe a handlebar with some rise and sweep for comfort on longer rides. I put around $700 into my '92 RockHopper, which is a stoopid amount of money, but Pretty Purple Princess Penelope is a much better bike than I could get new for that amount. PS Half that money went to the mechanic, so DIY would be much cheaper.