Didn't those used To be called Hybrids?
#1
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Didn't those used To be called Hybrids?
What they are touting as the new big trend: Flatbar Gravel Bikes. Didn't those used to be Hybrids a couple of years ago, and super un-cool?
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Last edited by mr,grumpy; 06-12-23 at 11:00 PM.
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#2
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Converted the Trek XO2 to 1x flatbar.
In concept yes but in execution there's a noticable difference. This is my converted flatbar gravel bike (ok technically CX bike) and to the untrained eye it's just like a hybrid bike from the 90s-00s but the key differences are lighter weight, sportier geometry, wider tire clearance, and just an overall more performance-oriented build.
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#3
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No
Maybe
Geometry may be the same. It may be different.
Drivetrain style may be the same. It may be different.
I didn't realize 'they' are touting flatbar gravel bikes as the new big trend. Who is 'they'?
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Who is "they"?
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Platypus gravelus.
Platypus gravelus.
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Haha! I was looking at some "flat bar gravel bikes" here:
https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-fl...el-bikes-2021/
and found this:
https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-fl...el-bikes-2021/
and found this:
Here is an industry secret: hybrid bikes aren’t as marketable as gravel bikes, so by choosing the Sirrus X, you can get 90% of the Diverge EVO for substantially less money.
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#8
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A flat bar gravel bike sure looks like a hybrid to me. There seems to be a lot more gravel bikes than gravel trails around here.
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Same with the term "mountain bike," there are now several subgenres.
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#10
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I'd say that something like the trek 7.5, 7.6, or 7.7 which were performance hybrids were probably no different, maybe a top end c-dale quick or other performance hybrid variations from other brands. Otherwise, no. I've got a trek 7100, could I take it anywhere I take a gravel bike? Sure. Would I? No. It really isn't designed with a sporty geometry and all the component upgrades in the world won't stop it from being a laid back, relaxed, fun bike to meander down the bike path with. Its why when they first came out the trek 7500 and 7.5fx had the same components for the most part, with bontrager select paired spoke wheels and a mix of deore and tiagra, but the 7.5 was the noticeably quicker and better handling of the two, geometry was probably equivalent to a modern all road or gravel bike.
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#12
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Here’s my gravel/city bike, 2008 BMC CX01 Cross Machine. It’s gone everywhere with me from Iraq to Afghanistan, through a tour of Europe. It’s here with me in Bahrain and now is my city/gravel bike, more sand than gravel.
And here’s a photo taken on Bagram in 2014.
And here’s the BMC that it replaced while in Baghdad on VBC.
And here’s a photo taken on Bagram in 2014.
And here’s the BMC that it replaced while in Baghdad on VBC.
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I plan on rebuilding my 1993 Trek 750 as a gravel bike and it was marketed as a hybrid. It has a relatively high end frame (lugged chrome moly). This is how the bike came to me (drop bars and thumbies) when I found it plus the catalog page for the bike.
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Aren't they, though? The "hybrid" concept is a blend of MTB and road bike, making a bike that is suitable for a wide range of surfaces. A gravel bike is a slightly different blend of the same ingredients.
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Platypus gravelus.
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#16
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So what would a specialized vita be?
2010 Vita Sport
2010 Vita Sport
Last edited by Schweinhund; 06-13-23 at 10:51 AM.
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This is my gravel bike...
My bike is optimized for the way I like to ride. I have made an effort to make it reasonably light, roll fairly efficiently, but yet be capable on dirt roads and moderate singletrack, with gearing that suits my needs for climbing steep grades and adequate speed on pavement. It's easily my most versatile bike, and inspires me to do route combinations that I wouldn't do on any of my other bikes. The frame features an extra set of bottle mounts on the underside of the downtube, but doesn't have fork or top tube bosses that are found on a lot of current frames. For me, those things aren't necessary.
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#19
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So my recently flipped Masi CXSS could be considered a gravel bike then?
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CX bikes tend to have more aggressive geometry than is common with gravel bikes, and some have more limited tire clearance, but some of the gravel bikes built for high-speed racing are pretty aggressive. SS is pretty rare among gravel riders, but those folks are out there, too. So, in answer to your question...maybe.
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#21
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Gravel bikes are definitely a hybrid design. Anyone arguing otherwise is being silly.
The rest of this conversation is about marketing and perception.
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#22
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CX bikes tend to have more aggressive geometry than is common with gravel bikes, and some have more limited tire clearance, but some of the gravel bikes built for high-speed racing are pretty aggressive. SS is pretty rare among gravel riders, but those folks are out there, too. So, in answer to your question...maybe.
So yeah, a "recently flipped Masi CXSS" could be used as a gravel bike, assuming 1 gear is enough to get the job done.
#23
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But in the realm of what defines a gravel bike is that it's a road bike that accepts wider tires and will have a wider handlebar. The drop handlebar and geometry means you can achieve good speeds on the road (hybrid bike with more upright position = more wind resistance) and with wider tires, lower gearing and stable handling (thanks to wider handlebar) you can also head off-road with a little more confidence.
My gal rides a Specialized Sirrus on gravel rides which is a hybrid bike that has 700 x 38 tires. When it comes time to ride pavement to connect to the next gravel section her speed on the pavement suffers due to the upright position and different gearing.
Last edited by prj71; 06-13-23 at 12:21 PM.
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Hybrid bikes have more upright geometry than mountain bikes or gravel bikes. Can you take a hybrid bike and put wider tires on it and ride on gravel. Sure.
But in the realm of what defines a gravel bike is that it's a road bike that accepts wider tires and will have a wider handlebar. The drop handlebar and geometry means you can achieve good speeds on the road (hybrid bike with more upright position = more wind resistance) and with wider tires, lower gearing and stable handling (thanks to wider handlebar) you can also head off-road with a little more confidence.
But in the realm of what defines a gravel bike is that it's a road bike that accepts wider tires and will have a wider handlebar. The drop handlebar and geometry means you can achieve good speeds on the road (hybrid bike with more upright position = more wind resistance) and with wider tires, lower gearing and stable handling (thanks to wider handlebar) you can also head off-road with a little more confidence.
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#25
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Exactly this. Any bike design that combines elements of traditional road bikes and traditional mountain bikes is a hybrid.
Gravel bikes are definitely a hybrid design. Anyone arguing otherwise is being silly.
The rest of this conversation is about marketing and perception.
Gravel bikes are definitely a hybrid design. Anyone arguing otherwise is being silly.
The rest of this conversation is about marketing and perception.
Last edited by tFUnK; 06-13-23 at 01:10 PM.