TheGMan

I have a Trek 750 that I got in the fall and was really enjoying riding around town until DST and cold weather began. The farthest I have ridden it at one time was ~ 28 miles and while I felt fine after that ride, I was wondering what is the extent I could expect to ride a hybrid.

Would it be unreasonable to expect to go on 50 or 100 mile rides on it, or would it be more reasonable to get a road bike for rides of that length? I'd like to do a century this summer on it if that is feasible. I'd imagine most people on rides of that length would be on road bikes and I would have trouble keeping up. Is there that much difference in speed of a road bike vs. hybrid?

Also, I have what I would think are medium tires on the bike and was wondering how my bike would handle off road. I don't mean mountain biking, but more of a dirt trail with a bit of loose gravel. TIA.

TakingMyTime

My "long" rides last summer on my Trek FX 7.4 were 30 miles. I plan on boosting that to 40 - 50 miles this coming summer. The only real limit I have regarding pushing long miles is just my age and condition. It has nothing to do with the bike.

RomansFiveEight

Curious too. I bought a hybrid to get into cycling and while I know the old addage is the "limits are the rider, not the bike"; I'm curious what sort of performance can be expected. How much MORE effort would it take a hybrid rider to ride a century than a rider on a road bike.

CliffordK

The best answer would be "it depends".

I like my road bike, but also have a beast of a homebuilt cargo bike that I've put a few miles on, and it rolls fine up to 40 miles RT, I suppose I could even go further on it. Many "touring" bikes are a bit heavier than the typical racing bikes.

Most organized bike rides will be for people with a variety bikes and skill levels. Don't overly stress out about your bike.

Your weight may be a factor. I wouldn't suggest someone over 250 lbs buy a skinny tire bike.

And, of course, there is the budget. A $100 road bike may not be any better than what you have. You should feel some improvement with $2000 bike. And, various ranges in between.

Are you riding with friends? What are they riding?

I wouldn't judge a bike based on a single 100 mile ride. What do you typically use it for? Intend to typically use it for? Is the 28 mile ride a typical ride or an extraordinary ride?

TheGMan

I just got into riding and have not had the chance to go on an organized ride. After swimming laps last summer I was in great shape and then began bike riding after Labor Day and was able to maintain. As soon as it warms up I'll be out riding and then when the pool opens up (M-Day) I will be riding and swimming laps. I can't wait to see how that combo will work. Hopefully they'll be calling me Ripped Van Winkle

Unfortunately in the meantime I've been limited to doing incline pushups in empty conference rooms at work, but I'll be starting up a hybrid round of P90X and cardio in the next week.

My usual jaunt after work is 12-15 miles and 28 miles was the furthest, but I expect to join up on some longer group rides this year.

On another note, do I need to do any maintenance on the bike every year? When I shift through some of the gears it sometimes does not actually change gears for a few hundred yards and sometimes squeaks. Does that mean the chain is stretched out and needs to be adjusted? TIA.

RomansFiveEight

Did you buy the bike new? Some places, when you buy a new bike from them; will do a yearly 'tune up' to address those sort of issues.

I'm a newbie but I've been learning and would suggest these two videos to help you figure out what maintenance needs to be done:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LqTmvuf6tw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbk5RcH0bbQ

fietsbob

A 50 mile trip in 6 hours is pretty casual pace, I crossed Europe to Warsaw PL and back, at that pace .. Its just time in the saddle Turning the pedals.

a1penguin

I won't go that much faster on a road bike, for the most part. Perhaps 1-2 mph or maybe 3 if you go from a 30+ lb hybrid to a 20 lb road bike. What is more important is that you get multiple riding positions and that can make a difference on longer rides. There are people who use their hybrid on long road rides. Road bikes generally don't take wide tires (not sure I have seen a drop bar road bike that will take tires as wide as 28s!) so a road bike isn't going to do well on rides that are off road. They are OK on hard packed level dirt, but anything like crushed gravel or lots of rocks and pot holes is going to be horrible on a road bike. Road bikes are better on steep hills because they are lighter and have ligher wheels/rims so it requires less energy going uphill.

Lots of people have multiple bikes for this reason. Hybrids can be good for commuting because hybrids have frames designed to accept panniers/racks and fenders.

I think you should keep riding your hybrid and take it on longer rides and see if it works for you. "Keeping up with other riders" will depend on what riders you are talking about. I bet Lance on the slowest hybrid could keep up with many people on road bikes, so it all depends. If you have a smartphone, you can download strava app and track your rides and see what your average speed is.

Pompiere

For me, the issue for riding any flat bar bike over a long distance is not the weight or tires, but the pain in my hands and wrists from having only one hand position. Road bike handle bars have multiple hand positions so that you can flex and move your hands and wrists over a long ride. Bar ends help to some extent, but are still not as versatile as road bars. A lot of people like trekking of butterfly bars for their hybrids because they get multiple hand positions but can still use their flat bar brake and shift levers.

If you are riding 28 miles and not having any discomfort in your hands, then you probably will be okay when you go further. You can only try it and see.

For the shifting, your cables probably need adjustment. As they are used, they stretch a little and need some of the slack taken out. Chain stretch shouldn't be an issue unless you have a lot of miles.

TheGMan

Thanks for the replies. RF8, those videos are great and even a non-handy guy like myself can do that.
When I first started riding this fall my butt was getting sore so I would sit up and ride with no hands to stretch out my back and reposition my butt to take the weight off it. Do people do that or will I look like a tool? I think this would also take the strain off my hands and wrists. I really like my hybrid but I'd like to ride a decent road bike to see what it's like.

Pompiere

I do that from time to time for a few minutes, get a drink, snack, etc. If I'm riding with a group, I do it at a place where the group is slowing down, like coming into a town or approaching an intersection.

practical

I ride my hybrid the same as if it were a road bike. I keep up with road bikers who are in the same relative condition as me. Hand fatigue is not much of a factor. I have ergon grips. I want to add "horns" as that would give me more positions, but the ergron grips are really good. I threw a gel seat pad on and it helps a lot on the butt. Looks a little dorky but I don't care. I routinely go for rides of over 25 miles which I do in 45-60 minutes. I have gone on further rides as well (50 miles) and on those I intentionally go slower and stop more frequently so my times (with stops included) is 10-12 mph. I will probably ride it on a self-designed century ride this summer. I must be different from most riders because I find drops very uncomfortable on my hands, actually quite painful.

RomansFiveEight

I LOVE those videos. I'm a total newbie and I feel like I'm getting such a headstart thanks to GCN. I've watched most of their videos; all of the How-To and Cycling 101 videos. I'd highly recommending thumbing through some of their videos. The hosts are all former pro cyclists at various levels. They are obviously Road-Bike focused but it seems much of the info pretty much translates well.

In a couple of their videos they actually suggest being able to ride no-handed as a skill you should have. The specific examples they use are for eating, drinking, and even changing clothes (adding, removing layers). They also have some videos with tips for stretching, bike fitting, and other ways to prevent pain.

That's encouraging because road bike riding is the kind of riding I want to do. The problem is I still have a gut to overcome and my body is just not that flexible. I tried a couple road bikes, it just wasn't a comfortable position. But the prospect of a hybrid, which is what I bought, seems like it would be a lot of fun.