Hybrid bikes have been around for many years now and are popular for their ability to function on multiple types of terrains easily. You can either use it as a road bike or hit the gravel road or take it to mountain trails, it will give you a smooth ride for sure. Nevertheless, you do have to keep in mind that most hybrid bikes are not suitable for heavy-duty mountain riding or racing activities. Hybrid bikes combine the lightweight structure of a road bike while having a strong body to absorb the shock of an unsmooth surface.
So if you are interested in owning a hybrid bike, or you have already selected one for yourself you may want to know how to size a hybrid bike before you make the final purchase. We will give you a fair idea of how you can size a hybrid bike on your own in our article today. If you want to learn how to take the measurement for a hybrid bike before purchasing, you can read this article.
Why is it important to size a hybrid bike? Well, you need to feel comfortable while riding. You do not want to hunch, or put pressure on your back and hands, do you? So let us take you through the process of how to size a hybrid bike.
Hybrid bikes: How should you size them?
We may already know hybrid bikes are generally the combination of both mountain and road bikes, though not heavy-duty mountain bikes. The measurement can be done in two ways.
In the first process, you have to measure the person who will ride the bicycle. Height and inseam measurements are required.
In the second process, you need to take measurements from the bike parts. So the processes are as follow,
Taking body measurements
- Height of the rider
- The inseam of the rider
Measuring bike parts
You need these three measurements from the hybrid bike. They are,
- The effective top tube
- The top tube
- The seat tube
The process in detail
Measure height
To measure your height you need to first take off your shoes and stand on a flat surface. Stand against a wall and keep your legs together. Make sure your shoulder is on the back touching the wall.
Now take a pencil or you can take help from others. Use the pencil to draw a point or line horizontally on the wall part that is touching the top edge of the head.
Measuring inseam
First, stand against a wall straight.
This time you need to spread your leg for 6-8 inches, standing on a smooth and hard surface.
Now place a book between your legs while you stand up against the wall. The spine should be straight. The book should feel like a bicycle seat.
Now measure the distance between the top of the book to the down of the floor.
Measuring the bike parts
Take the measurement of the following parts using a measurement tape. Measure in inches.
1.The effective top tube: It is placed on the upper portion and is measured horizontally between the seat tube to head or top tube junction.
2.The top tube: This is also found in the upper portion, however, this part is below the effective top tube. The tube is placed horizontally but at an angle just below the effective top tube. And for the measurement, you need to measure between the seat tube to the head or top tube junction.
3.The seat tube: The seat tube stretches between the center or the bottom bracket and the top of the seat tube.
Things you should consider for the best fit hybrid bike
Your purpose
You need to be clear about the purpose and buy the hybrid bike according to that. For example, if you want a heavy-duty mountain bike then you should not opt for a hybrid bike. Or for simple riding, it is not recommended to look for high-end hybrid bikes.
Size of the rider
Apart from taking the height and inseam, you will also notice that women’s hybrid bikes are smaller compared to men. However, males that aren’t tall enough can even look in the female size chart to get their perfect fit.
Rider’s type
Not only do the hybrid bike sizes differ between males and females. You can also find a huge difference when you are buying for elderlies. A male elderly may find it more comfortable if chosen size from the women’s size chart. It depends.
Final thoughts!
You may now find it easy to size a hybrid bike through our article on ‘How to size a hybrid bike’. The process is fairly easy to follow. Your body proportion matters when it comes to riding a bicycle and if you are not careful enough you may end up with a bike that would be the cause of your discomfort. You will hopefully follow our guidelines and get yourself the perfectly fitted bicycle.
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