Once inertia has been built up the thin tires usually make it possible to move forward very fast. However, it is important to note that initial acceleration on a road bike from a standstill us usually slower. The last feature of the road bike are the skinnier tires which cause less friction thus allowing one to achieve very high speeds with lesser effort. This means that they slip through the air more easily as compared to the more upright rider on a hybrid with flat handlebars. This allow the rider to have a more aerodynamic riding position as they ride low by leaning forward on the handlebars. However, it is important to note that saving a few grams on the wheels of your bike will usually result in twice as much impact as compared to saving the same on the frame.Īnother feature that makes the road bike faster than the hybrid bike is the drop handlebars. The light frame and wheels are particularly significant in improving the speeds of a road bike. This means they can attain very high speed on paved surfaces as compared to a hybrid even if they are not as good on less favorable terrain. Road bikes tend to be lightweight espe4cially if you go for the high end one which also come with lighter and smaller wheels. In general road bikes are faster than hybrid bikes because of tire width, riding position and weight. As such, one is likely to get more efficiency and overall speed in a road bike over a hybrid Why Are Road Bikes Faster Than Hybrids? With a road bike one can pedal more efficiently in different grade of terrain as compared to hybrids which are built for generally flatter terrain. Gearing – Road bike has better gearing as it allows for more flexibility in a variety of conditions.Moreover, hybrid bikes come with wide tires, flat handlebars that necessitate an upright position which all cause drag and wind resistance thus reducing the hybrid bike’s speed. Comfort – Hybrid bicycles tend to be made for comfort rather than speed and usually have shorter wheelbases making it hard for the rider to adopt a streamlined position.Road bikes also have longer wheelbases that allow the rider to be stretched out for a more streamlined position. Road bikes have drop bar handles which necessitates the rider to be stretched out in front and leaning low which reduces wind resistance and drag through streamlining. Riding Position – The architecture of the bike including the rider position, gearing, bike frame, and wheel sizes all play a role in speed.Differences Between the Hybrid and Road Bike Looking at the raw data, it is clear that if you are looking for speed then you are better off riding a road bike over a hybrid bike.
On the other hand, a professional riding road bike will typically average 30 to 35km/hr over moderate distances. Professional bikers or even just very good cyclists can usually beat these speeds over short distances. However, for a semi professional getting 20km/hr on a hybrid is a good speed on a hybrid bicycle. Over long distances of up to 200 km, it is possible to get an average speed of up to 18km/hr. The road bike averages 17.9 miles an hour across 14.8 miles of strong cross and head winds. In a real world study the average speed of a hybrid bike was 13.5 miles an hour across 17.8 miles with no head wind.
Differences Between the Hybrid and Road Bike.Average Speed of Hybrid and Road Bike Compared.