Renting a racing bike or sticking with hybrid?

MurDawg

Hi All,

Have a charity cycle from Dublin to galway come the end of the month and have a Giant hybrid bike for this. http://www.giant-dublin.ie/en-ie/bikes/model/escape.1/25680/92052/#specifications

Cycle itself is over 2 days and the pace shouldn't be too bad, but is it worth renting a racing bike for this?

Cheers!

smacl

Depends whether you're used to a drop bar road bike or not. A Dublin to Galway run mightn't be the best time to try out new riding style. If you're considering a road bike, I'd rent it now, take it out for a few long spins and see how you get on with it. Some people can make the switch very easily, but personally I found it took a few months to become as comfortable on the road bike as I had been on the hybrid.

sconhome

Only difference there is the upright riding position and possibly a slightly different gearing setup.

If you were able to change the tyres to 28mm or even 25mm you will find riding in a group will be easy enough. Most in the group will be on the top of the bars anyway so you are not going to have to worry too much about a change in setup with a road bike.

I'd stick with the hybrid TBH

Fian

I would go with a road bike. On a long trip like that it will make a big difference. If you are going Dublin - Galway you are heading into the prevailing wind so the drop bars, and the ability to vary riding position, will help alot. With a road bike you can move your hands to various different position to ease fatigue, with the hybrid you are stuck with the one position.

The gearing on that hybrid is not too bad though, you have a 48/11 top gear. A Road bike will likely have a 50/11 or 50/12 which is slightly better but not by much and 48/11 should be plenty. Most hybrids would be worse than that so you have that on your side at least.

You might be able to borrow a road bike from someone to save renting one? Make sure you get the right size if you do though.

cdaly_

sconhome wrote: »

Only difference there is the upright riding position and possibly a slightly different gearing setup.

If you were able to change the tyres to 28mm or even 25mm you will find riding in a group will be easy enough. Most in the group will be on the top of the bars anyway so you are not going to have to worry too much about a change in setup with a road bike.

I'd stick with the hybrid TBH

I wouldn't worry about changing the tyres. You can be just as fast on wide tyres as on narrow.

equivariant

You definitely don't want to be making dramatic changes to your setup just before a big event. You don't want to find out 10km into a 100km ride that your bike fit is wrong.

If you can get 4 or 5 decent length spins on the same bike and set up as you will use for the event, then maybe consider the change. If you can't, then stick with a set up that you know will work (even if it is not the fastest possible).

smacl

sconhome wrote: »

Only difference there is the upright riding position and possibly a slightly different gearing setup.

And access to gears and brakes. I've always found the road bike is easiest to control in the drops rather than the hoods, and only got happy with descending at speed on the road bike when I started using the drops. First day I got a road bike I took it up the Sally gap and was not a happy camper coming down the far side, even though I'd done the same run countless times on the hybrid.

ED E

Changing bike just for the event is like using a brand new pair of shoes for a marathon. Stick with what you have or rent it for the week and get 2-3 practice spins in.