Retro hybrids

It just occurred to me. What I really need for everyday cycling is a hybrid. Bloody obvious really.

When road bikes were unfashionable I used to put a rack on the back and use them for commuting and touring...sometimes with flat bars. But for the past few years I've been enjoying using retro MTBs with road tyres on 26" wheels for general purpose use. Of course, the option of a proper touring bike have always been there, but nice ones fetch a premium...

Anyway, maybe I'd be better off with a purpose built hybrid?

700c wheels, mudguard and rack mounts, flat bars, an upright riding position, a wide range of gears... sounds perfect! I must be getting old...

...actually back in the day I did have a Trek multitrack. It wasn't bad!

Given that the golden age of the hybrid was probably 20 years ago there must be some bargains about by now... so unfashionable!

Klein Adept.

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I had a Ridgeback hybrid in early 90's for commuting, it was great fun and much faster than my mtb's. Great fun switching between trails, paths and road.

The biggest up side though, is you don't have to be seen riding a road bike.



al.

I can feel a new bike coming on...how exciting!

Will be more at the Ridgeback end of things than Klein though... Cheap is good.

Actually I quite like the look of this, although it might be a bit small...I like steel and generally seem to gel with Dawes frames. Could be worth an upgrade or 2? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dawes-Street ... 3099050622

Saying that I guess the 90s hybrid market was dominated by Taiwanese alloy so maybe that's the way to go?

How do sizes work out for sloping top tube 700c hybrids? I would normally ride a 19" (sloping tube) MTB but a 23" (horizontal tube) road bike.

I go this...

Rides a bit funny - the chainstays are so long I needed to add several links to the SS chain! But actually been ideal for me as a commuter. Done 65 miles quite happily, including cat'n'fiddle and done Sheffield to Leeds/Grassington to Leeds a good few times as well as shorter runs on and off the train.

If it had started out as a decent frame it'd be really lovely.

As you can see though, I don't really like the upright position thing...

LongboardSi":e3x85zeq said:

I go this...

Rides a bit funny - the chainstays are so long I needed to add several links to the SS chain! But actually been ideal for me as a commuter. Done 65 miles quite happily, including cat'n'fiddle and done Sheffield to Leeds/Grassington to Leeds a good few times as well as shorter runs on and off the train.

If it had started out as a decent frame it'd be really lovely.

As you can see though, I don't really like the upright position thing...

Click to expand...

Hehe... the posher Raleigh Pioneers are quite nice really e.g.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Raleigh-Pion ... 3277969766

And quite a few about.

Perhaps more in common with an old-school tourer rather than a proper hybrid though... not sure... I wonder if something more "modern" would be better. See what turns up locally I guess...

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Diamondback really tried to promote the hybrid to a proper idea culminating in an alloy framed, Manitou forked XT equipped model.

Here are some of the Overdrive models in this catalogue

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/M ... B.pdf.html

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Bought this for my lad a couple months ago, wish I'd kept it for myself now... :!:
Thought it was a decent buy for £90

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kermitgreenkona88":2t6nsigm said:

Diamondback really tried to promote the hybrid to a proper idea culminating in an alloy framed, Manitou forked XT equipped model.

Click to expand...

Had a similar thing at a bike show i went to a couple of years ago.

Carbon frame/forks, low rise bars (carbon of course), D-A Di2 groupset (using sprint/climb shifters on the flat bars), XTR discs, nice carbon crank (36/46) flat commuter pedals (CNCed ally with rubber inserts instead of studs!) and some narrow 29er rims (or wide road rims) and 40mm hybrid tyres.
Full mounts for mudguards and racks (front and rear) and bosses/ports for integrated lights as well.
Had some nice carbon guards on the show bike, but no racks. About 19lbs as it stood.

Not much change from €4500. And only available in certain markets (Germany, Norway and a couple of others). Apparently more popular than their equivalently specced road and MTB HT combined.

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Marin made a few hybrids: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marin-Stinso ... :rk:2f:0

If you want something newer, there are always dozens of Boardmans on Ebay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... p;_sacat=0. My brother recently bought a nice, tidy one for £180.00.