Road Bike Versus Hybrid

In the English speaking world cycling is mainly a sporting subculture, dominated by fast moving, lycra clad young men on road bikes. I read several cycling forums on the Web and I have read many threads where someone asks for advise about a commuting bike. This will immediately draw a chorus of posters dismissing hybrid bikes as worthless and advising a road bike as the only worthwhile option.

The Raleigh Oakland

For my own information I decided to test the difference in a hybrid and road bike. My hybrid is an inexpensive, steel framed Raleigh Oakland. It weights about 15.5 kg and runs on 700 x 28 c tyres. My road bike is an inexpensive, aluminum framed Carrera TDF. It weights about 11.7 kgs and runs on 700 x 23 c tyres.

The course I choose was flat and gently rolling, valley and bogland. On both runs there was a cross wind. I decided to measure the distance I could travel in an hour, doing a sustainable pace, a pace that I could keep going at all day. A pace at which I did not break a sweat.

On the road bike I traveled 19.95 km (12.4 miles) in one hour, on the hybrid I covered 18.99 km (11.8) miles in one hour. Over the course of one hour the difference was just over 1 km. In a race this would be a huge margin, but in a commute it's nothing. The lycra clad commuter would probably loose more time changing out of their cycling clothes than I would cycling that last kilometre.

The Carrera TDF

The hybrid is a more comfortable, rugged and stable bike to ride. I much prefer the upright riding position. It is equipped with a chain guard, mud guards, mud flaps, a rear rack and a handlebar bag. Best of all you can comfortably ride it in ordinary clothes. It is practical everyday transport. If I wanted a bike to commute to work every day I would go with the hybrid rather than the road bike.

Now if I wanted to go racing the road bike and the lycra would be best.

Carrera TDF

Frame - 6061 aluminum

Tyres - 700 x 23c Kenda road tyres

Number of Gears - 16

Approximate Weight (KG) - 11.7

Raleigh Oakland

Frame - Chromoly Steel

Tyres - 700 x 28c trekking tyres

Number of Gears - 18

Approximate Weight (KG) – 16.5 kg (including accessories)