Originally Posted by
hybridbkrdr
On a side note, I know I was one of the people coming out with comments that road bikes had skinny tires. Then Trek and Specialized started coming out with various bikes to perhaps fill that gap in the market. Then it looks like a whole group of people started working with Shimano to start the whole gravel bike biz. Now, these kinds of bikes may be helped out by the new bike packing trend.
I think these markets were needed but for whatever reason, I guess it takes a specific ideas like "gravel" or "bike packing" to get people into it.
Yeah, it is strange how in the gravel scene people are catching on to the upsides of wide tires and yet these same companies have pretty static hybrid lines. Honestly I think the hybrid lines are cash cows they just would rather ignore when it comes to expending much new design work. It's been the thoughtful smaller companies like Kona, Norco, Raleigh, Marin, Haro, Masi, Rondo pushing this format, like you said.
I'd go for a gravel bike except drop bars are just dumb for urban riding IMO (eg you always need instant brakes access so multiple hand positions is close to useless; even on the hoods I find braking and shifting from the same exact hand position a little screwy). Plus you'd have to replace the tires with slicks to get a fast ride.