Hybrid bicycle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A hybrid bicycle is a bicycle designed for use on roads and bike paths, with influence from both the road bicycle and the mountain bicycle. Each manufacturer is free to bias their hybrid closer to one type or the other, making it difficult to define precisely what a hybrid is. A relatively recent type of bicycle, the hybrid aims to retain the features of mountain bicycles which have made them accessible and popular, but are designed to be more suitable for urban use.
In general, hybrids use mountain bike gears to make riding in hilly environments easier, and have an upright riding position similar to a mountain bike.
A road-biased hybrid has a frame similar to a racing or touring bicycle, and 700C-size wheels with slick or semi-slick tires between 32 and 40 mm wide. This additional tire width over a road bicycle is intended to give the hybrid some ability to deal with rough surfaces that might be encountered on bike trails, such as gravel, hard-packed sand and shallow mud.
A mountain-biased hybrid has a modified mountain frame with a taller headtube for a more upright riding posture, and 26-inch wheels with semi-slick tires around 1.95 inches (5 cm) wide.
Handlebars are neither downturned like a road bicycle nor flat like a mountain bicycle. Rather, they have a slight upturn, providing for a more upright seating position.
A subclass of the hybrid category is the comfort bike. Some manufacturers define their bicycles as "hybrid" if they have 700C size wheels, and as "comfort" if they have the smaller 26-inch wheels. For other manufacturers, the difference is more one of marketing focus than specification, but such features as front suspension forks, seat post suspension and angle-adjustable stems are generally provided on both the hybrid and comfort bicycles to enhance the comfort of the rider. Hub gears may be used instead of derailleur gears.
