Hybrid Bikes - Jack of All Trades

By Rob Buenaventura

Bicycle riding can add a sense of adventure and pleasure to your life. If you enjoy riding, choosing the right bike is of paramount importance. Earlier, you had two choices: a road bike or a mountain bike. However, technology and innovation has conceived and brought into existence several types of bikes like hybrid bikes, comfort bikes and recumbent bikes.

Selecting the right bike depends on where you intend to ride. Do you want to ride on the roads or back-routes? Do you want to race at breakneck speed or do you want to move at a leisurely pace? Though most bikes will let you do all these things, some bikes are made to suit certain pursuits more than others. The hybrid bike is one such bike that allows you to enjoy the best of both the worlds.

A hybrid bike is a kind of multi-purpose bike that has the features of mountain bikes as well as road bikes. The mountain bike was perceived as too slow, unwieldy and heavy for the average rider. So designers created the Hybrid Bike by taking the best elements from mountain bikes and road bikes. The hybrid is fitted with wider tyres than your average road bike but has similar gear systems as the mountain bike. Some models also come fitted with mudguards and rise stems which can be adjusted easily.

Hybrid bikes are light in weight. They can be used to ride on roads, tracks, footpaths and rough terrain. They can withstand longer journeys as well.

These bikes generally use the road bikes 700cc standard. This enables it to go comfortably over pavements and also facilitates easy climbing. You can choose between an upright position and a speed-oriented position. The upright position is preferred by casual riders since it doesn't strain the back and neck. There is always high air pressure in the tyres which allows you to go at faster speeds and travel longer distances.

However, it is best not to use hybrid bikes to ride over mountain tracks and severe off-road paths. They are better suited to gravel and dirt roads and for commuting to and fro.

For more information and ideas on hybrid bicycles visit us at http://www.MyBikeShoppe.com.

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