Question: I ride an old beater from my younger days, but now want to get a bike that will take me more places and last for years. What can do it all? City errands, recreational rides further afar, and possibly a bit of dirt. Which is better: a hybrid, gravel or mountain bike? Tx, Undecided
Dear Undecided;
For sure riding for different reasons and often is a great way to go! And of course not having 3 bikes will save money (and space, right?). So here are the very basic differences:
–Hybrid. Versatile for pavement or light (such as crushed stone) off road riding. Rider is in a fairly upright position due to flat handlebars, which means more comfortable back/arm alignment but increased air resistance. Road rolling effort is relatively low as the tires are skinnier and have less tread than a dedicated mountain bike.
–Gravel. Also versatile for pavement and off road, and can handle more single-track dirt conditions. Drop handlebars puts the rider in position for longer distance rides. Tires can be wider with more tread to take the trails. Sort of a cross between a road and a MTB.
–MTB. For getting off road, onto dirt, through the forest, over the streams. You get the picture. Big knobby tires and lots of suspension. Slow as heck in the city.
Bottom Line: hybrid will take you more variety of surfaces but perhaps for shorter duration. Gravel will take you the same places but perhaps for longer rides since you are in a more aerodynamic position. MTBs are the go to for hard core trail riding.
Decide how much you will be off road and how gnarly will the trails be. And lucky for you, the HUB (490 N. Ventura Ave.) has all these types of bikes to try out !! The BEST thing is get on a few and compare, ask our great staff more and HAPPY RIDING!