Helderberg

Has anyone here ever rode a 100 mile century on a Hybrid flat bar bike? I am training towards my first 100 for this October but of my two bikes, the flat bar seems to be the most comfortable. That said, my drop bar gravel bike is a little lighter and has the potential, as a drop bar, to be better in the wind which seems to be relentless here. Also, any other advice for a 71 year old would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Frank.

Iride01 

Have you ever ridden a long ride on them? I don't use flat bars because they limit your hand position. But comfort is a personal thing. I see plenty of flat bar hybrids and even heavy mountain bikes on all the rides I've been on. Not certain which did the 100 mile route, but certainly they were on the 50 and 100km routes.

If you have ridden both over 40 maybe 50 miles, then that probably should tell you which one. Usually things that are going to bother me a lot on long rides will begin to show about then.

The lighter bike will probably leave you feeling better at the end, provided it is comfortable. If the heavier bike is more comfortable, you might perceive it as tremendously more tiring, yet still finish the ride.

But if the heavier bike is not as comfortable for long rides, then that will be a double whammy against you.

DiabloScott

I've ridden a lot of centuries, and I don't remember ever seeing a hybrid. Maybe they were farther back. I've seen a few folks who looked like they might've been in their '70s but they were usually hard core, experienced roadies.
I've ridden organized events up to about 40 miles on my flat bar fixed gear urban bike - not terrible, but it was not comfortable.

RonE

I have over 26K miles on my straight-bar hybrid. Until Covid-19, I used it primarily to do a 34-mile round trip commute twice a week, and it has served me very well. For me, the issue that I have with drop bars is that I cannot comfortably angle my head up very long to maintain good situational awareness. If I just move my eyes to look up, then I end up looking over my glasses and I cannot see anything.

I have not yet attempted a 100-mile ride, but I have done several 75-mile rides. Like you, I plan to do a century this winter when the temperature cools down a little here. On longer rides, seat time has been my biggest issue. My bike has end bars, and I have never felt like there was a lack of hand positions.

As was suggested in another reply, go with the bike that feels the best on your longer rides. Be safe and good luck on your upcoming ride!

Cyclist0100

Sure. I ride centuries on a flat bar hybrid/comfort bike all the time. Last month I did six... in flip-flops.

257 roberts

Most I've done on my hybrid was 49 miles and that's with 1.95x26 tires, I think you would be fine just take your time and enjoy the ride
I'm impressed that you are considering a century

caloso

I can't imaging riding for 5 hours plus with a single hand position.

zacster

I couldn't do a century on a flat bar bike, but my riding partner did two with me. It wasn't a light bike either. She was at least 30 years younger than I am so maybe that matters?

downtube42

On a flat bar rigid MTB with slicks, which is pretty hybridish. I was with a good buddy, we chatted the whole way. After a while we rolled into town and we're like, seriously, that's it? It was a Specialized Hardrock, steel, and a tank.

Helderberg

I would have other hand positions for the ride on the Quick.
Frank.

big john

Whenever I spend any time on the road on my mtb I start wishing it had drop bars. On the dirt it's very different.

Years ago I did the Solvang Century and a guy in my club who was a great climber rode his rigid mtb with knobbies just to taunt people. I was in a small paceline when I heard the knobbies singing. He came up and started talking smack to our group so one rider pulled out of line and the chase was on. I could hear the knobbies change tune as he sped away. The foolish chaser soon dropped back into line.Fun times!

OldTryGuy

Can also clamp aerobars on.

Thomas15

In Friday I did a 75 mile ride on my flat bar hybrid on a MUP. I'm planning on doing a century over the 4th of July weekend on the same MUP and the same bike. I will say this, after 75 miles my hands ached but there is more than one hand position and things you can do to mitigate hand pain.

Allow me to say this, first I'm only doing this one time and it's simply to say I did it and second it will be my first century except I did one on a fluid trainer using Zwift a few months ago. Besides the 75 mile ride I did this week, I completed four (4) metric centuries in May on this bike and i plan on doing at least 10 more metric centuries on this bike/trail this season. I'm fyi 62 yrs old. I don't think I would use this bike to do a century on the road.

reverborama

I've done a few week-long tours in Europe on rented flat bar bikes. The days are pretty short - 20 to 40 miles - because you're stopping at all kinds of places to sight-see. But by the end of it I'm pretty sick of those bars. I wouldn't enjoy a century like that unless I had some good bar-ends.

Helderberg

Thanks for the information. Please excuse my ignorance but what is a MUP?
Frank.

Thomas15

A MUP is a Multi-Use Path. In my case the Delaware and Lehigh Trail (D&L) a 140 mile Rail Trail in eastern PA

Helderberg

140 mile trail. That sounds amazing. We have short segments in this area a 26 mile being the longest leg without taking side branches that dead end. Our daughter and family live in Bethlehem and have told me about some of the trails there that I have to ride as soon as we can travel again. Be safe and thanks.

Thomas15

The D&L is nice, very nice but there are a few gaps, the biggest is between Allentown and Northampton Boro 7 miles. While the Heritage Corridor LLC wants to give the impression that this gap will be closed soon even relaying on detours that are rideable, I don't think that is the case. The issue being the never ending construction on Rt 22 and the 9th street bridge in Coplay which is done except for rebuilding the trail which was basically destroyed building the new bridge. I was just down there last week (in Northampton) and rode about for miles of city roads looking to for a way to get on the trail which was the canal towpath, at least for some of the gap and i simply gave up, I don't think there is a way short of riding all 7 miles + on city roads. This is not an enjoyable ride, that is on the streets.

From just north of Northampton (Cementon) to the northern end is about 55 miles mostly uninterrupted to just south or Wilkes-Barre. This part of the trail is nice. In the Bethlehem area you can go to Easton then south along the Delaware River canal path which currently has a few obstructions. Also in Lehigh county area is the Nor-Bath Trail and the Ironton Rail Trail, the Nor-Bath connects to the D&L but the Ironton really doesn't (but could). I'm a huge critic BTW of the Heritage Corridor LLC mainly for two reasons, the first is they have a 2.5 million dollar annual budget and for that money one would think they would provide reliable information on trail conditions but it turns out they are the least informed people in the state. The second is they take credit for everything good but none of the heat when they stumble, which is just about everyday. In my opinion they have elevated stepping on a rake to an art form. But I digress.

Heavy on my mind as I write this is my upcoming D&L Century which i intend to do Friday if the weather is acceptable. For this I will start in Weissport in Carbon County (mile 102), ride north to the Black Diamond Trailhead (mile 139), turn around back to Weissport which will be 74 miles. Then south 14 miles (when my computer says I've ridden 88 miles total) this will be in the area of Treichlers, turn around then back to Weissport. Should be just over 100 miles, 1500 feet of ascent.

TampaBayBoater

Funny I saw that term on another thread and googled "bike what is an mup" and the algorithm determined that "MUP Master Update Processor. AdrianFly , 08-26-08 05:52 AM. The area between the testicles and the anus.Aug 26, 2008" was the most likely answer from an earlier bikeforums.net post (can't post the link as I don't have 10 posts)