The Impossible Hybrid

[BiketoBasics]

There was a 2020 700c Surly Straggler for sale locally that I almost bought a few days ago, Salmon red. One other person had called on it earlier than I and they bought it.

Not sure if I would have found it suitable though, so am not crying over missing out. HOWEVER, it is just another case of an XL frame bike being snapped up fast around here due to lack of availability. I'd be happier with a lesser bike than the Straggler just so long as it met with needs.

The looking continues. I think it might just be time to work on the Cresta and 700c-ize it.

 

[Tootyred]

Why not buy a tourer or gravel bike and flat bar it?

I've just done a conversion on a genesis croix de fer....

It rides really well, plus they have good clearance.

Ok, you dont need to go as "retro stupid" as me and weld on canti mounts, but their xl frames are plenty big enough, especially if you add a riser bar to the party.

Its exceptionally capable, reasonably light (10.5kg as shown), 40c tyres (newer frames will do 50c), Reynolds steel, etc.

 

[BiketoBasics]

Why not buy a tourer or gravel bike and flat bar it?

I've just done a conversion on a genesis croix de fer....

It rides really well, plus they have good clearance.

Ok, you dont need to go as "retro stupid" as me and weld on canti mounts, but their xl frames are plenty big enough, especially if you add a riser bar to the party.

Its exceptionally capable, reasonably light (10.5kg as shown), 40c tyres (newer frames will do 50c), Reynolds steel, etc.

View attachment 1000876

Yeah, that is what I thought about with that Surly Straggler. A modern steel framed gravel bike is $$$, an older hybrid is c0.01 by comparison. I can't justify spending a lot of money on a bike that could likely get stolen. That genesis you have there is a nice one and about ten times the magnitude in cost I'd like to spend on a used hybrid. The frustrating thing about around here is there are NO XL size steel framed hybrids of yesteryear to speak of even though many were manufactured.

You know, it's like shoe buying. The shoe stores stock only 2 pairs of size 13 or 14 (46/47) in a style. They always sell out of them, whereas the same shoe in the same style in a size 10 sits there and they have a dozen pairs! The size 10 or 11 is a bell curve size so they stock lots of them. You'd think they'd double up on the larger sizes to easily sell twice as many. I've lived my whole life with this frustration. Being taller than average isn't all cherry pies and moonbeams.

Something like that Surly gets snapped up instantly. It's an extremely tight marketplace locally. Something will turn up eventually. That Cresta fell into my lap for next to nothing (although I ran out to buy it in a cold and rainy night in November) and something else more suitable hybrid-wise or gravel-wise probably will show up as well.

 

[legrandefromage]

In der oldun dayz...

There were quite a few quality700c hybrids. GT did a nice one in aluminium that could almost be a 700c zaskar but I only ever saw the one. The Trek Multitrack were not bad either.

I had a half decent Emmelle with its splatter finish and 300LX, then there was a 1991 Giant Explorer with LX and triple butted cromo. And finally, I had the poshest of Raleigh's pioneers, the 501 framed model with some half decent Suntour

But none were really sloping top tube designs

I had much newer Kona Dr. Dew but it was way too rigid and was very disappointed with a boardman disc 700c thing from the car boot sales

Have tried 700c wheels in a few mtb frames but the results have never been great for riding out and about

Back when I had to commute by bike, it was an mtb or fast tourer/ audax bike with guards and a rack

 

[Tootyred]

Old bikes like this are often cheaper than you think, especially if they have been commuters....and scuffed and dented around town.

But if your budget is £10 (10% of the cost of my donor) your going to struggle.

The local recycling centre sells bikes ar £25 each near us....they often have dawes and Raleigh stuff from the 80s that's bit beaten up.

 

[BiketoBasics]

Hi, I have a budget that is value driven as I see bikes as an economical way to get around, and given the plethora of them, obtaining one for a reasonable cost shouldn't (technically!) be a problem. That Surly Straggler, a $2000 bike, was offered at $800 which is not bad a price at all for a 4 year old bike in good condition. But, for an old timey steel frame hybrid I'd like to spend $150 for something quite nice. Tires, saddle, pedals etc all have to be swapped for personal ergonomics and taste so that factors into the overall pricetag consideration.

I wouldn't neccessarily require a bike with a sloping top tube. I take a look at this Cresta and see it will take some money to get it where it would be suitably and comfortably configured for use to the point where one would want to use it. But, of course as mentioned, it'd be way easier to find a near turnkey hybrid. Availability and cost are the delicate balance. If money were no object? Probably a tout terrain of some type.

There are lots of old hybrids out there, just a matter of finding one.

https://www.bikeforums.net/hybrid-bicycles/1277647-ye-olde-hybrid-thread.html

Finding a bike that fits, for the right price, in the right size, in a style which is contemporary, in steel, locally, remains challenging