Mountain Bike vs Hybrid-What is Best?

 When I was a kid you had very few choices in what type of bicycle you would ride.  The great majority were simple single speed bikes with coaster brakes.  Your top speed or hill climbing ability was dependent upon your leg power and nothing more.  In my teen years, I got my first 3-speed Schwinn bicycle and the world of cycling would never be the same for me.  The selection of gears made bicycling a lot easier and longer trips seemed to be much faster. 

After I became a father and started helping my daughters learn to ride, I became interested in cycling again.  But this time it was for exercise and to spend time with the family.  No one will argue that bicycling is a great family activity given a good area for riding.  At this point I splurged and bought a 10 speed touring bike.  The newer technology enabled me to take longer and faster trips then I would ever have imagined when I was young.  But that touring came with a price.  The price was an extremely sore back from an awkward riding position.  As we get older, personal comfort starts to be more and more important to us.

I recall seeing the first mountain bicycles making their way to the market and they seemed to address the comfort problems.  With the simple addition of a softer seat and a bit of handlebar adjustment, the rider could ride in an almost upright position.  The only problem I noticed was the hard ride provided by standard mountain bike tires.  About this same time, there seemed to be a renewed interest in the old fashioned cruiser style bicycles which had the larger soft tires I had grown up with.  But I must admit, I missed the benefit of having multi-speeds.

Somewhere around mid early nineties, some of the major bicycle companies started with basic versions of what we now call hybrid bicycles.  The first few years they simply took a popular road bike and changed out the handle bars for straight mountain bike types.  Most went with a tire the same size or just a bit larger then their road bikes, only with a bit of more aggressive tread.  In most cases the early hybrids were a bit more comfortable then the standard road touring bike but their tires made them a bit worse on streets and only good for gravel or dirt paths off road.  Don't get me wrong, they were certainly heading in the right direction.

Today, it isn't difficult to get confused between terms like mountain bikes, comfort or cruiser bicycles and hybrid bicycles.  Comfort bikes for the most part are well sprung and cushioned seated versions of what we'd refer to as old fashioned cruiser style bikes.  You'll find them with simple coaster brakes and a few with up to 7 speeds.  These are well suited for easy riding along asphalt roads, dirt paths and beach areas.  You'll probably tire of this bike quickly if you want to do any distance riding or use your bike for commuting to work or school.  But they are great for short trips.

The typical mountain bikes today provide a good upright sitting position with adjustable seat height and handle bars.  They might provide from 18 to 24 speeds via handle bar twist grip shifters.  Most mountain bikes will have front fork suspension and many will also have rear wheel suspension.  There are various schools of thought on the value of front and rear suspension.  Some riders feel it provides too soft a ride for serious hill climbing while others appreciate the smoother ride.  The simple truth is that most who ride mountain bikes never do any serious off road riding or hill climbing but buy this style due to the appearance or upright riding position. 

A hybrid bicycle is somewhat of a multi-purpose bike that incorporates features of mountain bikes as well as road bikes. The mountain bike was perceived by many as too slow and heavy for the average rider. So bike designers created the Hybrid Bike by taking the best from mountain bikes and road bikes. The hybrid is usually fitted with wider tires than your average road bike but has identical gear systems as the mountain bike. Many hybrid models also have mudguards and easily adjustable seats.  Usually the hybrid bicycles will be lighter in weight then their mountain bike counterpart.  The nice setup of the hybrid enables riding on roads as well as on fairly rough terrain.  The rider will find them much more comfortable on long trips also.  These bikes make excellent commuter bikes but are not made to withstand the physical beating that a mountain bike might endure.

Although the hybrid might sound like the best answer for all around recreation style bicycle riding, it should be noted that they generally will cost a bit more then basic road or mountain bikes.

A good alternative to buying a new hybrid might be just to upgrade your current bike if you have one.  Most all bike owners will save their bicycles well beyond the time the tires started to rot from non-use.  The first thing to consider is where you can find a good variety of bicycle parts for sale.  Locally, you will be lucky if you have one bike shop in your town and normally their prices will reflect that.  The large discount stores simply can't supply the type of parts you might need.  So I suggest going to a good respected online bike parts outlet for your needs.

I've helped more then a few bicycle owners change their older road bikes and even current model mountain bikes into a more comfortable riding hybrid style.  If starting with a road bike you'll need to change out the handle bars and might need a new handlebar stem as well.  You'll definitely need a softer cruiser style seat and you'll really improve the ride of the bike by replacing the tires.  I personally suggest the Kenda Kross Plus Slick XC Tires for converting a mountain bike to a more comfortable hybrid style ride.  They offer an excellent value and the ride they provide is excellent.  You'll literally be able to find any bicycle parts you could possibly need to completely rebuild any bike but the changes in tires and seat and handle bars if converting a road bike will provide you with the most beneficial upgrade for the least amount of cash.

As we get older, bike riding can be an important part of our exercise plan besides being a fun thing to do.  Converting your old road bike or mountain bike to a more comfortable ride will only increase your enjoyment level.