Hybrid Bikes

74 Main Street Middlebury Vermont (802) 388-6666

Lifestyle bikes are for those of us who aren't as hardcore as mountain bikers or roadies, but who still want to get out and ride. Lifestyle bikes are distinguished by a more upright riding position than a road bike, and tires that are designed for paved or dirt roads.

Perhaps you'd like to head over to Lake Champlain on two wheels instead of four. Maybe you live in Bristol or Vergennes and want to commute to your job at the county courthouse, the hospital, or the college. Or maybe you want to enjoy the unspoiled dirt road that's right outside your door.

We can put you on a bike that fits your lifestyle, whatever it may be. See our Stock Highlights for what we carry

Wheel Sizes

Lifestyle bikes offer two options for wheels:

	700c -- this is the same diameter as the classic road bike wheel, but with wider rims to accommodate wider tires. These are more effective for riding distances greater than a few miles.
	26" -- the classic mountain bike size, but using a tire tread designed for riding on the road, not in the woods. These are great for riding short distances, or if you do most of your riding on unpaved roads

Disc Brakes?

Have you decided to commute in all kinds of weather except a blizzard? Then consider a commuter bike equipped with disc brakes. Disc brakes stop you better in wet weather, and they save wear and tear on your rims.

Commuter/Fitness

These bikes are lean, but they're not mean. They come with 700c wheels, and they offer quick, comfortable, and efficient transportation and recreation. These are our most popular lightweight bikes, ideally suited for going up and down the variable terrain of Addison County.

Customer favorite: Almost as light as a road bike, the Trek FX Series bikes have the more relaxed upright riding position. These are great commuter/fitness bikes!

Comfort/Hybrid

Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary's first definition of hybrid is "an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, varieties, species, or genera". This is a good description of comfort/hybrid bikes, which bring together:

	The more upright riding position and easier gearing of a mountain bike
	Wheels and tires designed for use on paved roads, unpaved roads, and urban bike paths

Customer favorite: Our best selling bike since the end of the mountain bike boom has been the light, versatile, modestly priced Trek 7000. To see what else we can offer for hybrids:

	Trek Hybrid (700c wheels)
	Trek Comfort (26" wheels

Cross-Over: Combining Off-road and On-road Functionality

The growing popularity of 29er mountain bikes that use 700c wheels has spawned a neat concept: A mountain bike designed for the road and sold with road-specific tires, BUT -- swap out the road tires for a set of 29er mountain bike tires, and you have a bike that's ready for serious trail riding.

	Specialized Crosstrail
	Trek Fisher Dual Sport

Keeping it Simple: The 7-speed

Customer favorite: Suppose you just want a bike to get around town? Keep the bike as simple as possible, but have enough gears so you don't have to get off and walk. Our 7-speeds have:

	Only one shifter, the rear
	Rugged steel frames
	Simple and strong steel forks

Sound like the perfect bike for just getting around? Check out:

	Trek 700
	Raleigh Venture