Recommendation for hybrid bike
07-06-19, 05:01 AM
#1
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Recommendation for hybrid bike
Hello,
Could any one recommend a good brand/model of a hybrid city bike. I have a back problem so I need an upright bike that also has really good front suspension/shock absorbers for bumpy surfaces and pavements. Im consideing Gazelle c7 and also VanTuyl Terra S27 2019 but I have read that Dutch bikes are not great quality these days ? Im willing to pay what I need to for the right bike because of my back but Imwant to make sure Im getting the best build quality and effective front shocks for the money.
Thanks a lot!
Could any one recommend a good brand/model of a hybrid city bike. I have a back problem so I need an upright bike that also has really good front suspension/shock absorbers for bumpy surfaces and pavements. Im consideing Gazelle c7 and also VanTuyl Terra S27 2019 but I have read that Dutch bikes are not great quality these days ? Im willing to pay what I need to for the right bike because of my back but Imwant to make sure Im getting the best build quality and effective front shocks for the money.
Thanks a lot!
07-06-19, 06:12 AM
#3
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Welcome to the asylum!
Re, your question: there are several inter-related nuances that will come into play in terms of your getting what you need and want. Stand by to read lots of feedback.
First, the critical issue in terms of comfort is fit, as in, "does the bike fit your body (height, inseam length, and reach)?" There are online bike fit calculators that can get you to within cm's or quarter-inches of what you need in terms of geometry for a proper fit. Also, most of the big-name bike brands offer charts at their web site that can give you an idea of how your physique matches what they produce to assure a proper fit.
After that, quality is paradoxically a hard fact seen in frame construction and componentry, and an elusive concept because branding and marketing can be misleading.
For example, I have a Cannondale hybrid police bike (bought at auction) and a WalMart MTB bought new. Dollar-wise I paid more for the low-brow MTB than I did for the high-brow hybrid... And I have a Giant road-bike, and my wife has a Specialized MTB. (RE, the Dave Ramsey rule; "the wife always gets the best car" - which in my case, includes both the best car and the best mountain bike...)
If I put all of them on a bench and do a close examination, the construction quality of the frames is similar. They were all were done on assembly lines with robots and automated welding; the only difference at the frame-level is weight of the materials and the cuts that lead to the geometry of the particular bicycle. However, the components bolted to the frames to make them a functioning bicycle are very different. Speaking specifically of my Schwinn MTB and the Cannondale PD components (front and rear gears/drive-train, shifters, brakes, etc.), the Schwinn stuff is one step above junk; the Cannondale components however are durable, long-lasting equipment engineered to perform in harsh environments. Yet they both work. The Giant and Specialized components are on par with or better than those of the Cannondale.
At the bottom line on quality, you will get opinions that tell you flee from any of the BBB's (big-box bikes, such as found at Walmart, Dicks, etc) and go straight to a local bike shop (LBS). Yes, you will get personalized service at an LBS, but at the physical properties of quality, the screeching about the high-quality of LBS bikes (with the implication that all BBB bikes are trash) is simply status conscious posturing. With that noted, the personalized nature of service at an LBS can help assure you get what you need in terms of fit, but you still need to know your general needs before you walk into the door - lest you encounter an over-zealous salesman who overlooks the importance of fit to your physical needs.
Features, that is, shocks and suspension: someone else will need to school you on the details of how to identify a quality shock, but I can tell you that they are helpful to people like me who have lasting effects from early in life injuries. I like the suspension fork on my cheapo MTB. I hardly ride the Giant any more because it aggravates an old injury to my neck.
So what to make of all this?
Fit first
Quality next
Features last
As you compile and mull all of that info, you'll begin to get a picture of where to land in terms of a bike that works for you.
If you'll add a bit of info (height and inseam, geographic location) there are others on here regularly who can provide more helpful insight on specific paths to your answer.
Again, welcome to the community, and best of luck in the search.
Re, your question: there are several inter-related nuances that will come into play in terms of your getting what you need and want. Stand by to read lots of feedback.
First, the critical issue in terms of comfort is fit, as in, "does the bike fit your body (height, inseam length, and reach)?" There are online bike fit calculators that can get you to within cm's or quarter-inches of what you need in terms of geometry for a proper fit. Also, most of the big-name bike brands offer charts at their web site that can give you an idea of how your physique matches what they produce to assure a proper fit.
After that, quality is paradoxically a hard fact seen in frame construction and componentry, and an elusive concept because branding and marketing can be misleading.
For example, I have a Cannondale hybrid police bike (bought at auction) and a WalMart MTB bought new. Dollar-wise I paid more for the low-brow MTB than I did for the high-brow hybrid... And I have a Giant road-bike, and my wife has a Specialized MTB. (RE, the Dave Ramsey rule; "the wife always gets the best car" - which in my case, includes both the best car and the best mountain bike...)
If I put all of them on a bench and do a close examination, the construction quality of the frames is similar. They were all were done on assembly lines with robots and automated welding; the only difference at the frame-level is weight of the materials and the cuts that lead to the geometry of the particular bicycle. However, the components bolted to the frames to make them a functioning bicycle are very different. Speaking specifically of my Schwinn MTB and the Cannondale PD components (front and rear gears/drive-train, shifters, brakes, etc.), the Schwinn stuff is one step above junk; the Cannondale components however are durable, long-lasting equipment engineered to perform in harsh environments. Yet they both work. The Giant and Specialized components are on par with or better than those of the Cannondale.
At the bottom line on quality, you will get opinions that tell you flee from any of the BBB's (big-box bikes, such as found at Walmart, Dicks, etc) and go straight to a local bike shop (LBS). Yes, you will get personalized service at an LBS, but at the physical properties of quality, the screeching about the high-quality of LBS bikes (with the implication that all BBB bikes are trash) is simply status conscious posturing. With that noted, the personalized nature of service at an LBS can help assure you get what you need in terms of fit, but you still need to know your general needs before you walk into the door - lest you encounter an over-zealous salesman who overlooks the importance of fit to your physical needs.
Features, that is, shocks and suspension: someone else will need to school you on the details of how to identify a quality shock, but I can tell you that they are helpful to people like me who have lasting effects from early in life injuries. I like the suspension fork on my cheapo MTB. I hardly ride the Giant any more because it aggravates an old injury to my neck.
So what to make of all this?
Fit first
Quality next
Features last
As you compile and mull all of that info, you'll begin to get a picture of where to land in terms of a bike that works for you.
If you'll add a bit of info (height and inseam, geographic location) there are others on here regularly who can provide more helpful insight on specific paths to your answer.
Again, welcome to the community, and best of luck in the search.
__________________
Current bikes: Unknown year Specialized (rigid F & R) Hardrock, '80's era Cannondale police bike; '03 Schwinn mongrel MTB; '03 Specialized Hard Rock (the wife's)
Gone away: '97 Diamondback Topanga SE, '97 Giant ATX 840 project bike; '01 Giant TCR1 SL; and a truckload of miscellaneous bikes used up by the kids and grand-kids
Status quo is the mental bastion of the intellectually lethargic...
Current bikes: Unknown year Specialized (rigid F & R) Hardrock, '80's era Cannondale police bike; '03 Schwinn mongrel MTB; '03 Specialized Hard Rock (the wife's)
Gone away: '97 Diamondback Topanga SE, '97 Giant ATX 840 project bike; '01 Giant TCR1 SL; and a truckload of miscellaneous bikes used up by the kids and grand-kids
Status quo is the mental bastion of the intellectually lethargic...
07-06-19, 06:42 AM
#4
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The much-maligned comfort bike category is really a good urban bike. I'd urge you to try out a variety of bikes to see what posture works best for your back. I'm curious if you might actually get better protection from big tires rather than front end suspension. If you get slicks, these can be surprisingly fast and easily ridden.
Raleigh is making some decent bikes in this category at very good prices. My son just got one and he's loving it in the Boston area.
Raleigh is making some decent bikes in this category at very good prices. My son just got one and he's loving it in the Boston area.
07-06-19, 11:36 AM
#5
Member
I also have back issues and was in the same situation 2 years when looking for a bike. I took test rides of Giant and Trek hybrids. I narrowed it down to the Trek FX and Verve and test rode both of them two more times months apart before I chose the FX3. It just felt better and was quicker than the Verve which offered a more upright position.
After the first season of riding I swapped out the Bontrager Hardcase 700x32 tires for Schwalbe 700x35 G-1All Arounds which had slightly more cushion for pavement riding and better grip for limestone bike paths.
As has has already been mentioned, fit is most important and how the bike feels to you. With carbon forks on a lot of hybrids these days, Im not convinced that a suspension fork is necessary. Wider tires can smooth out your ride.
After the first season of riding I swapped out the Bontrager Hardcase 700x32 tires for Schwalbe 700x35 G-1All Arounds which had slightly more cushion for pavement riding and better grip for limestone bike paths.
As has has already been mentioned, fit is most important and how the bike feels to you. With carbon forks on a lot of hybrids these days, Im not convinced that a suspension fork is necessary. Wider tires can smooth out your ride.
07-06-19, 12:13 PM
#6
Banned
I'm consideing Gazelle c7 and also VanTuyl Terra S27 2019 but I have read that Dutch bikes are not great quality these days ?
I Own a 15 year old Koga WTR [R is for Rohloff ]World Tour , they are an excellent bicycle company https://www.koga.com/en/bikes/city-a...ing/collection
07-06-19, 12:21 PM
#7
Banned
And really good front shock/suspension forks will be an extra exchanged option you can buy at point of sale..
as the bike company may choose to keep the selling cost down with an adequate fork ,
since the best good ones can add another 500+
Koga Signature program lets you pick components the Heerenveen factory then builds the bike, & ships it to the dealer..
;;'''
as the bike company may choose to keep the selling cost down with an adequate fork ,
since the best good ones can add another 500+
Koga Signature program lets you pick components the Heerenveen factory then builds the bike, & ships it to the dealer..
;;'''
Last edited by fietsbob; 07-06-19 at 12:26 PM.
07-06-19, 12:26 PM
#8
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I also have back issues and was in the same situation 2 years when looking for a bike. I took test rides of Giant and Trek hybrids. I narrowed it down to the Trek FX and Verve and test rode both of them two more times months apart before I chose the FX3. It just felt better and was quicker than the Verve which offered a more upright position.
After the first season of riding I swapped out the Bontrager Hardcase 700x32 tires for Schwalbe 700x35 G-1All Arounds which had slightly more cushion for pavement riding and better grip for limestone bike paths.
As has has already been mentioned, fit is most important and how the bike feels to you. With carbon forks on a lot of hybrids these days, Im not convinced that a suspension fork is necessary. Wider tires can smooth out your ride.
After the first season of riding I swapped out the Bontrager Hardcase 700x32 tires for Schwalbe 700x35 G-1All Arounds which had slightly more cushion for pavement riding and better grip for limestone bike paths.
As has has already been mentioned, fit is most important and how the bike feels to you. With carbon forks on a lot of hybrids these days, Im not convinced that a suspension fork is necessary. Wider tires can smooth out your ride.
07-06-19, 07:50 PM
#9
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1. My experience with Gazelle is it is high quality. i can see they cut some corner in artistry and cosmetics, but bike is mechanically excellent. they just dont look as pretty as the old ones.
2. understand the nature of back pain. an upright ergo might hurt yur back even more...it is the road shock transmittef up yur spine. ibut upright ergo do strengthen yur core muscle group if u use good posture.
the lean forward ergo is stressful on lower back...but less road shock. so pick yur poison.
Dutch bike is very good for slow urban ride.
3. consider core exercise. core and back muscle work together....but if core is weak, then yur back muscle will be strained. however, there maybe other reason to back pain. check yur doctor first. also, walking/hiking will strengtyen yur core. make sure u use good posture. walking is a great exercise, but it requires alot of time.
2. understand the nature of back pain. an upright ergo might hurt yur back even more...it is the road shock transmittef up yur spine. ibut upright ergo do strengthen yur core muscle group if u use good posture.
the lean forward ergo is stressful on lower back...but less road shock. so pick yur poison.
Dutch bike is very good for slow urban ride.
3. consider core exercise. core and back muscle work together....but if core is weak, then yur back muscle will be strained. however, there maybe other reason to back pain. check yur doctor first. also, walking/hiking will strengtyen yur core. make sure u use good posture. walking is a great exercise, but it requires alot of time.
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07-14-19, 08:11 AM
#11
we be rollin'
You're asking for an upright position which makes me think you want a comfort bike. But comfort bikes don't usually come with suspension forks. The last time I sat on a mountain bike in a store, I found the position to be very upright compared to my bikes. Maybe you'd like an Opus Recruit 2 or 3 with 2.6" tires.
