Hybrid Bikes
What is a Hybrid bike?
It’s no surprise that the consumer gets confused when looking for what they believe is a ‘Hybrid’ bike.
Here at our Cycle Shop in Heathfield in East Sussex we will guide you through the confusing world of bikes with plain speech!
The reason there is so much confusion around what is a Hybrid bike is that it covers so many models in peoples conception of what they think is a Hybrid bike and what different manufacturers refer to as a Hybrid bike. Truth is when there was only the road bike or off-road bike the Hybrid lived in the middle a sort of a 50/50 bike, (50% road and 50% off road). These so-called Hybrid bikes then over the years evolved into many different types of bikes with different intended uses, but without losing the tag Hybrid!
Bikes such as Urban bikes, Commuter bikes, Cross bikes and Comfort bikes all hade some of the original Hybrid bloodline but all had evolved into something different and because there are so many types of bikes out there now covering many different uses that the term Hybrid has got diluted, misunderstood and misused by manufactures and consumers of bikes. And now with the evolution of the Electric bike, many consumers think that the term Hybrid refers to Electric; there is most likely a true Hybrid in the Electric bike line up without a doubt.
A true ‘Hybrid’ should still be about on-road and light off-road use, it should have front-end suspension that one can lockout, (unlocked the suspension works, and locked the fork is rigid) it should have a neutral sitting position, (neither head down nor sit up and beg)! They are usually on a straight handlebar, (not always though) and a great bike to bespoke to your own liking and use, especially if you’re not sure what you want to do more or less of; road or off-road riding!
Below are links to the 3 main manufacturers that we deal with and what we think a modern, (non-electric) Hybrid should be
Main Manufacturers We Deal With
We do sell other manufacturers bikes alongside those listed above, over 400 bikes in stock.
We also service and repair all types of bikes at our cycle workshop here at our bike shop in Heathfield. Give us a call on 01435 866118. We have 400+ bikes in store here in our family-run independent bike shop situated in Heathfield, East Sussex.
