As a bike rider of nearly 60 years, the flat bar road bike is now my favorite. I continue to ride my conventional road bike for long distance and training but my flat bar road bikes (I have three) are far more suited for touring, errands, and traveling within along crowded paths. The subtle differences between the three bikes allow me to fine choice my type of riding if I want dirt roads and paths, riding on pavement with a load, or spirited rides where I attain and stay at a regular road bike pace. None of my flat bars have suspension as I don't see a need. My mountain bike suffices anywhere that a suspended road bike would serve. Unfortunately, these mostly unadorned and less featured bikes don't have the appeal to new riders who would find them the perfect steed. And too many bike shops and manufacturing marketing simply doesn't connect with new and returning riders effectively.
This video answered all my questions and questions I didn’t even know I had yet about the distinctions between some of these bikes. Very educational and to the point with great footage, great job.
They want you to overthink stuff...the second you start doing that is the second you'll start heading towards expensive bikes. And that's their goal when it comes to regular people who just want a damn bike.
This video is very useful. It covers a great many characteristics about bike and will definitely help people make an inform decision. Many people such as myself can't afford multiple bikes so the initial decision is critical to at least cover the intended purpose.
I dont think i would characterise hybrid bikes as only capable of light off road - they can take quite rough terrain, just not severe terrain like a mountain bike
@@jhowardsupporter quite easily yes. highly recommend a pair of puncture resistant tyres, then you can take em pretty much anywhere, short of literally on mountain trails
for light terrain choose something like gravel bike, avoid suspension fork till you ride in really hard rocky terrain or downhill. If not hard fork is MUCH MUCH better , lighter ext.
Great clip thanks. I had a surplus carbon road bike (Scott CR1) and had it converted to flat bar with mountain bike gearing. I never worry about mb gearing top speed limits since its a commute/hill fitness machine.
For casual riding I have Raleigh Sport 3 speed I bought in the mid 1980's. Also have a 3 speed Dutch Batavus Favoriet for comfortable riding/shopping. Lastly, I have a Brompton 3 speed folding bike I keep in my trunk in the non-winter months for impromptu cycling. Perfect for my needs :-)
Great video. I wish I had seen it earlier.I was looking at two of these bikes today, the Speeder 400 and the Crossway 500 (the Merida Speeder in this video is the 100 but it is pretty much the same by the looks of it). The Crossway was really comfortable to ride, but I ended up going with the Speeder 400 because it was so light and felt faster. I would have liked it if they had shown me an Merida Urban bike. I like the idea of a hub gears because they require less maintenance. Also I don't think really need 22 gears but that is the bike I ended up with. Time will tell if I made the right choice. I will be riding it in some of the same places shown in this video, inner city Melbourne. The only off road bitumen part of my journey is a small stretch through Albert Park. The Crossway would have been ideal for that. But everyone I knew advised against front suspension telling me I didn't need it and that it would reduce performance.
I guess one would have to chose a bike to fit the particular city terrain (even if it's an "urban bike", hilly cities would need gear ratios for easier climbing). Different cities... different bike. I think my next bike will be a hybrid type but with some gears for better hill climbing (road biking with some big hills and town biking and some minor dirt road). My current bike is a cheap mountain one and I replaced the tires with hybrid types (slightly narrower and with raised thinner centre area and some knobby treads on the sides which didn't touch the road but still were pretty good on some dirt trails - only the centre area touched the road) ... wow did those tires make a noticeable difference in rolling speed on road. I like the tires I got better than he ones shown at 2:25
Dirt roads aren't light trails. A Dual Sport Hybrid can handle a lot more than that, you can go on actual trails, you just can't go as fast on them. Any bike can be ridden on a dirt road/path with little to no problems. Hell, I've gone on some trails with my flat bar that has slicks on it.
you can mostly keep up if those guys aren't crazy fast. Also not all flat bars are the same. The more forward your riding position is the more aero you will be and the closer the gap to a drop bar will be(which isn't massive to begin with)
I drop roadies on the daily with my Cdale bad boy... 53t/39t paired with 11-32t cassette... smoking folks on the flats, as well as uphills. Headwinds create character!
From what i have noticed and seen i realise that a hybrid bike with the locked suspension and firm tyres you can do everything ,long rides, light gravel roads!!
My only problem with hybrids are the usual tiny cranks/gearing, I had the bicycle shop put something bigger on so I could go faster, and no, no, no and I repeat no again I don't need or want a road bike!
Can you name the best rolling slicks for a 27.5" MTB? I have a Giant XTC 820 but mostly ride around the city so definitely don't need the heavy treads. So a good quality fast-rolling hybrid tyre for this bike would be worth the switch. Please let me know if you know of any good ones.
I have a weird version of the Crossway 100, no suspension, but the gears (3×9) still have a very large range. How easy would it be to replace the handlebar with a drop?
What would the Dr. Dew from Kona classify as? It's advertised as an urban bike but has features more akin to a hybrid bike. More like a mix of the two.
I have a 2014 Specialized Crosstrail that I use to ride to work and I want to change it for a 2019 Sirrus Elite. Also I want to buy a Trek Fuel EX for recreation.
Those are city bikes. Most city bikes have normal gears but usually lower 8-12 speeds. Some manufacturers are using their own type names. Sometimes you can find same bike labeled as different type. Bike categories are really bad and sometimes confusing.
I own one, and it's perfect for long trips. Just choose the propper size for yourself, and if you are for example beween two of the bike sizes just choose a bigger one, so you could find yourself in a more sporty body position, which is better for long distances. Good luck
mmm what kind of brand do you have access to? i will get the fully rigid ( no front suspension ) because that's only weiging you down for bike under 500$
I just bought hybrid SCHWINN 400.00 as soon as I got on the bike it started clicking ,it does it with a heavier person it doesn't click with a lighter person. They say turn the screw on the back derailer. It's a brand new bike I feel I shouldn't have that clicking..turn the screw it comes right back. It's a GTX-3. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to enjoy my bike.
Shift your bike to the last gear. make sure that the chain lines up with the gear its on, if it doesn't then you can tweak the setting using the barrel adjuster or undoing the cable and making it tighter/looser. The screws are only there to limit where the derailleur goes - that it doesn't dump your chain into the spokes when in first gear or falls off when in last gear. also if you have a front derailleur check to see if that's making a clicking sound. Some shifters have the front shifter setup as a friction style shifter that doesn't click, you can just adjust that until the chain isn't rubbing anymore. other shifters that do click (index) may have a limited range depending what ring you're on - the big ring may only work correctly on the last two or three gears, and the small ring may only work correctly on the fist two or three gears.
The purpose of this video was to explain the 3 types that are often hard to distinguish, and the type of bike you're referring to doesn't fall into this subject matter. To answer your question - nothing happened to them. All brands still make them.
This bike was really easy to assemble th-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
These are vague and wooly descriptions of bicycle genres. "Flat bar road bike" - are you inventing yet more sub genres? Mountain bike: 135mm rear hub and 26" wheels, now also 142mm/148mm rear hub with 27.5"/29" wheels, flat bars. Road bike: 130mm rear hub, 700c wheels, drop bars, caliper brakes. Cyclo Cross bike: 130mm rear hub, 700c wheels, drop bars, cantilever brakes. Hybrid bike: 130mm rear hub, 700c wheels and flat bars. I am not going into fat bikes, or childrens bikes. And that' pretty much it. Note, that a "gravel bike" is a Cyclo cross bike. And any bike that has disc brakes has at least 135mm hubs.
i didnt see anyone sitting upright...and light offroad you can drive with real raod bikes..its only marketing to earn more money from the people they cant think or dont want to think..
If you get a hybrid, buy an old one made from steel. They are actually lighter than any modern hybrid and don't need a front fork suspension. The new aluminium frames are heavier because the tubes are both bigger and thicker and worse, they transfer all road noise to your ass and hands/wrists. It's the aluminium that causes these problems. Steel frames last longer are lighter and they eat a lot of the road noise (bumps).
Bought a beginner entry level Schwinn GTX 2.0. Is this a hybrid having 21 gears, 700x38c tyres, and a front suspension? I guess I'm not sure if it's a flat bar road bike, now? I thought it might be suitable for off road light duty, please confirm, experts. Thanks. www.schwinnbikes.com/products/gtx-2?_pos=8&_sid=3e61a3827&_ss=r
MrKiwi MrKiwi I think it has to do with pricing.. Of you call it hybrid instead of road bike with flat handlebar, than its more special. I also think it's extremity stupid. Difference is far far far far far far smaller than that of bus and a supersport luxury car. An idiot could make it analogous to these three so called types.. It's also strange that people are not aware that they themselves are to blame for overpricing. Insisting to be unique, to have a feature, be special.. What a bunch of idiots. I mean, how in the world can a bicycle cost 1grand pluss.. E bikes?? Bicycle + electric motor (that exists 150 years+) and batteries. Ok. Batteries are kind of new but still not so new to make an e bike worth a couple of Grands!!! For God's sake.
Hardly rocket science. The road bike is light and quick. The hybrid is slower but more comfortable and can better handle dirt roads. The urban bike is sturdier and requires less maintenance. I tested the same bikes in this video today (well the road bike and the hybrid).. They felt quite different. It was tough choice for me to be honest. They both had their pros and cons, but I decided I hardly ever need better off-road capability as all my riding is inner city (with a small dirt road stretch through a big park). I have to carry my bike up stairs at one point when I cross a pedestrian bridge so I decided light was the way to go.
First let me address the differences 1 between hybrid and flat bar it comes down to bottom bracket height, stem length and handlebars width. Urban bike idk. in my experience you can use either in the urban theater. When it comes to light off road either is fine the biggest advantage a hybrid has is tire size 25- 40 in so cases
As a bike rider of nearly 60 years, the flat bar road bike is now my favorite. I continue to ride my conventional road bike for long distance and training but my flat bar road bikes (I have three) are far more suited for touring, errands, and traveling within along crowded paths. The subtle differences between the three bikes allow me to fine choice my type of riding if I want dirt roads and paths, riding on pavement with a load, or spirited rides where I attain and stay at a regular road bike pace. None of my flat bars have suspension as I don't see a need. My mountain bike suffices anywhere that a suspended road bike would serve. Unfortunately, these mostly unadorned and less featured bikes don't have the appeal to new riders who would find them the perfect steed. And too many bike shops and manufacturing marketing simply doesn't connect with new and returning riders effectively.
This video answered all my questions and questions I didn’t even know I had yet about the distinctions between some of these bikes. Very educational and to the point with great footage, great job.
Glad it was helpful!
Sometimes I start to think that the best explanation of all these bike versions is just one word: Marketing ...
Mato F 75% marketing 25% geometry and gear
They want you to overthink stuff...the second you start doing that is the second you'll start heading towards expensive bikes. And that's their goal when it comes to regular people who just want a damn bike.
George J93 l
Lgs Bonn n MB
B I
Yes
Yes bbnijk
This video is very useful. It covers a great many characteristics about bike and will definitely help people make an inform decision. Many people such as myself can't afford multiple bikes so the initial decision is critical to at least cover the intended purpose.
I dont think i would characterise hybrid bikes as only capable of light off road - they can take quite rough terrain, just not severe terrain like a mountain bike
Yeah that's what I was wondering if you could ride a hybrid over that big chunky gravel you find places without popping the tyres?
@@jhowardsupporter quite easily yes. highly recommend a pair of puncture resistant tyres, then you can take em pretty much anywhere, short of literally on mountain trails
@@mutleyeng I'll just gun it and see if they burst. If they do then I'll do something about it. I think it'll be fine.
I've had a lot of flats on my hybrid, all of them happened on the road, none on the trail.
for light terrain choose something like gravel bike, avoid suspension fork till you ride in really hard rocky terrain or downhill. If not hard fork is MUCH MUCH better , lighter ext.
excellent video. I have just switched from a hybrid to a flat bar and I am very happy with the result. I can ride to work a bit quicker.
Great clip thanks. I had a surplus carbon road bike (Scott CR1) and had it converted to flat bar with mountain bike gearing. I never worry about mb gearing top speed limits since its a commute/hill fitness machine.
For casual riding I have Raleigh Sport 3 speed I bought in the mid 1980's. Also have a 3 speed Dutch Batavus Favoriet for comfortable riding/shopping. Lastly, I have a Brompton 3 speed folding bike I keep in my trunk in the non-winter months for impromptu cycling. Perfect for my needs :-)
Great video. I wish I had seen it earlier.I was looking at two of these bikes today, the Speeder 400 and the Crossway 500 (the Merida Speeder in this video is the 100 but it is pretty much the same by the looks of it). The Crossway was really comfortable to ride, but I ended up going with the Speeder 400 because it was so light and felt faster. I would have liked it if they had shown me an Merida Urban bike. I like the idea of a hub gears because they require less maintenance. Also I don't think really need 22 gears but that is the bike I ended up with. Time will tell if I made the right choice. I will be riding it in some of the same places shown in this video, inner city Melbourne. The only off road bitumen part of my journey is a small stretch through Albert Park. The Crossway would have been ideal for that. But everyone I knew advised against front suspension telling me I didn't need it and that it would reduce performance.
Great info indeed! Well assembled and very pleasant to watch. Thank you for taking the time to make this video!
I guess one would have to chose a bike to fit the particular city terrain (even if it's an "urban bike", hilly cities would need gear ratios for easier climbing). Different cities... different bike. I think my next bike will be a hybrid type but with some gears for better hill climbing (road biking with some big hills and town biking and some minor dirt road). My current bike is a cheap mountain one and I replaced the tires with hybrid types (slightly narrower and with raised thinner centre area and some knobby treads on the sides which didn't touch the road but still were pretty good on some dirt trails - only the centre area touched the road) ... wow did those tires make a noticeable difference in rolling speed on road. I like the tires I got better than he ones shown at 2:25
Dirt roads aren't light trails. A Dual Sport Hybrid can handle a lot more than that, you can go on actual trails, you just can't go as fast on them.
Any bike can be ridden on a dirt road/path with little to no problems. Hell, I've gone on some trails with my flat bar that has slicks on it.
J Borg can absolutely confirm. I go places i never thought possible on my road bike with 23c slicks ! Dirt "trails", roots, cracked sidewalks etc
I like my Specialized Sirrus Elite.
just ride! i raced with a flatbar bike, using a 8 speed internal hub over 100k. and i was at similar speed compared to my aeroroadbike.
Steve Warris so there as fast as traditional road bikes? I can only use flat bar but my friends have drop bar bikes, will I be able to keep up?
you can mostly keep up if those guys aren't crazy fast.
Also not all flat bars are the same. The more forward your riding position is the more aero you will be and the closer the gap to a drop bar will be(which isn't massive to begin with)
I drop roadies on the daily with my Cdale bad boy... 53t/39t paired with 11-32t cassette... smoking folks on the flats, as well as uphills. Headwinds create character!
What sort of utopia do you live in where your urban environments are mostly flat terrain?
The joys of cycling around inner-city Melbourne!
Florida
Hills everyday Everett Washington
Welsh valleys...im surrounded by mountains, on the boarder of the brecan beacons.
Not every cyclist lives in Portland
From what i have noticed and seen i realise that a hybrid bike with the locked suspension and firm tyres you can do everything ,long rides, light gravel roads!!
Yup the Raleigh redux is one example of a commuting urban hybrid. Tires usage is versatile. And it's lightweight. A very underrated bike in my eyes
I never thought mine was hybrid thanks!
My only problem with hybrids are the usual tiny cranks/gearing, I had the bicycle shop put something bigger on so I could go faster, and no, no, no and I repeat no again I don't need or want a road bike!
MTB with slicks. Covers all surfaces
Agreed!
Can you name the best rolling slicks for a 27.5" MTB? I have a Giant XTC 820 but mostly ride around the city so definitely don't need the heavy treads. So a good quality fast-rolling hybrid tyre for this bike would be worth the switch.
Please let me know if you know of any good ones.
Hybrid bikes ftw.
Great reviews thank you
Very useful. Thanks!
Trek fx1 baby!
Great information. Thanks for sharing!
I have a weird version of the Crossway 100, no suspension, but the gears (3×9) still have a very large range. How easy would it be to replace the handlebar with a drop?
Why so long for it to get shipped out ? 1-2 months?
This video was great. Thanks very much
What would the Dr. Dew from Kona classify as? It's advertised as an urban bike but has features more akin to a hybrid bike. More like a mix of the two.
I'm starting to realize that the bike I just ordered is a flat bar, not a hybrid
The Scrolls Hunter 😂😂😂😂😂😂same
Do you like it?
Still confused to that bike I have already bought yesterday if its hybrid or road bike.
3 years later, how did it turn out?
@@pellman87 He takes the bus now. Hope that answers your question.
I have a 2014 Specialized Crosstrail that I use to ride to work and I want to change it for a 2019 Sirrus Elite. Also I want to buy a Trek Fuel EX for recreation.
diegomireles it’s way better the trek fx3 or 4
Must be cheep bikes. No Fenders, No basket. Can't even pick up tacos and beer!
Those are city bikes. Most city bikes have normal gears but usually lower 8-12 speeds.
Some manufacturers are using their own type names. Sometimes you can find same bike labeled as different type. Bike categories are really bad and sometimes confusing.
How about gravel bikes? Very similar to road bikes yet are designed for off-road riding
Hi. Do you think a hybrid bike can also be suitable for long distance riding?
I own one, and it's perfect for long trips. Just choose the propper size for yourself, and if you are for example beween two of the bike sizes just choose a bigger one, so you could find yourself in a more sporty body position, which is better for long distances.
Good luck
i know this is 2 years ago lol but yeah Jerome, i actually did 60 miles on my hybrid recently.
I want all three please
What bike would I buy for an "Urban Assault" bike for less than 500$? Used is fine.
Tri-Shake-Atops Lol wtf
mmm what kind of brand do you have access to?
i will get the fully rigid ( no front suspension ) because that's only weiging you down for bike under 500$
The Specialized Sirrus disc is pretty good in my opinion 😊
I prefer a rigid bike and I'll most likely order online, so I guess I have access to most brands. I'll check out the ones listed so far.
Raleigh Redux
hi, what is a short commute for you ?
Hi I m 511 in height and have a 18 inch hybrid is that ok ??
I just bought hybrid SCHWINN 400.00 as soon as I got on the bike it started clicking ,it does it with a heavier person it doesn't click with a lighter person. They say turn the screw on the back derailer. It's a brand new bike I feel I shouldn't have that clicking..turn the screw it comes right back. It's a GTX-3. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to enjoy my bike.
Shift your bike to the last gear. make sure that the chain lines up with the gear its on, if it doesn't then you can tweak the setting using the barrel adjuster or undoing the cable and making it tighter/looser. The screws are only there to limit where the derailleur goes - that it doesn't dump your chain into the spokes when in first gear or falls off when in last gear. also if you have a front derailleur check to see if that's making a clicking sound. Some shifters have the front shifter setup as a friction style shifter that doesn't click, you can just adjust that until the chain isn't rubbing anymore. other shifters that do click (index) may have a limited range depending what ring you're on - the big ring may only work correctly on the last two or three gears, and the small ring may only work correctly on the fist two or three gears.
What's the difference in price? Are they comparable?
Where was this filmed? The place looks beautiful.
Beach side shots are around St. Kilda and Elwood. City bridge is called The Webb Bridge. All in Melbourne, Australia
What Frame size is the Merida and Wats the riders height??
Great info
What happened to City bikes that come with dynamo lights, fenders, and a rack? These are way more practical!
The purpose of this video was to explain the 3 types that are often hard to distinguish, and the type of bike you're referring to doesn't fall into this subject matter. To answer your question - nothing happened to them. All brands still make them.
I love the city bike trails. What country is this? I wish we had that in the US.
Melbourne, Australia!
What's a good bike for a largely flat 14k urban commute?
A motorbike 😂
Enjoyed👍
You should make sure that your audience enjoy your information rather than your back ground music.
Not completely true. Was both the info and the dirty guitar that sold me on a hybrid.
Try being less of a bitch. Thanks.
This bike was really easy to assemble th-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
Is the flat road bar bike much slower than a traditional road bike??
Hybrid vs road bike th-cam.com/video/G50Jd-quSok/w-d-xo.html
Is a hybrid bike just a flat bar gravel bike?
Save money, just keep your old mountain bike, lock it out best you can and fit narrower Tyres. Money saved 👍💯
I've a folding bike But I'm worried that it cannot do long distances
Giant Seek rider here. I learned it is more of an urban bike than a hybrid.
which bikes are best for those who speak broken English?
The one's with two wheels, powered by a human ;)
Are these bkes not self explanatory?
These are vague and wooly descriptions of bicycle genres. "Flat bar road bike" - are you inventing yet more sub genres? Mountain bike: 135mm rear hub and 26" wheels, now also 142mm/148mm rear hub with 27.5"/29" wheels, flat bars. Road bike: 130mm rear hub, 700c wheels, drop bars, caliper brakes. Cyclo Cross bike: 130mm rear hub, 700c wheels, drop bars, cantilever brakes. Hybrid bike: 130mm rear hub, 700c wheels and flat bars. I am not going into fat bikes, or childrens bikes. And that' pretty much it. Note, that a "gravel bike" is a Cyclo cross bike. And any bike that has disc brakes has at least 135mm hubs.
What do you need if you live in a hilly city?
Ti Co strong legs
xD
A car. You need a car.
an ebike
Many gears and a light bike
i didnt see anyone sitting upright...and light offroad you can drive with real raod bikes..its only marketing to earn more money from the people they cant think or dont want to think..
I don't understand the term flat bar road bike. In simple English can't it be just called a hybrid?
Yeah this just confused me more
👍
If you get a hybrid, buy an old one made from steel. They are actually lighter than any modern hybrid and don't need a front fork suspension. The new aluminium frames are heavier because the tubes are both bigger and thicker and worse, they transfer all road noise to your ass and hands/wrists. It's the aluminium that causes these problems. Steel frames last longer are lighter and they eat a lot of the road noise (bumps).
tarstarkusz since when are steel frames lighter then aluminum frames?
You have modern bikes with steel frames and forks. German Cube for example have a few steel frame bikes.
I love Australia
MAn I just need to get to the gym quick which is cheap and best
Love you Melbourne
Bought a beginner entry level Schwinn GTX 2.0. Is this a hybrid having 21 gears, 700x38c tyres, and a front suspension? I guess I'm not sure if it's a flat bar road bike, now? I thought it might be suitable for off road light duty, please confirm, experts. Thanks.
www.schwinnbikes.com/products/gtx-2?_pos=8&_sid=3e61a3827&_ss=r
Omg..that guy is so hot. Definitely a hybrid flat bar bike for me that also goes on trails
The background music is annoying
Shame the Indy wasn’t welded up straight .... cringe!!
Sounds like it's best to just get a mountain bike and do all.. I do some trails through neighborhood but mostly paved street
: )
I had a flat bar hybrid (trek fx), and outgrew the riding positions. PLEASE do yourself a favor, spend the extra money,and get a real road bike.
They're all the same you pedal them. Why try and turn it into rocket science.
There's a tool for every job
MrKiwi MrKiwi
I think it has to do with pricing.. Of you call it hybrid instead of road bike with flat handlebar, than its more special.
I also think it's extremity stupid.
Difference is far far far far far far smaller than that of bus and a supersport luxury car. An idiot could make it analogous to these three so called types..
It's also strange that people are not aware that they themselves are to blame for overpricing. Insisting to be unique, to have a feature, be special.. What a bunch of idiots.
I mean, how in the world can a bicycle cost 1grand pluss.. E bikes?? Bicycle + electric motor (that exists 150 years+) and batteries. Ok. Batteries are kind of new but still not so new to make an e bike worth a couple of Grands!!!
For God's sake.
Hardly rocket science. The road bike is light and quick. The hybrid is slower but more comfortable and can better handle dirt roads. The urban bike is sturdier and requires less maintenance. I tested the same bikes in this video today (well the road bike and the hybrid).. They felt quite different. It was tough choice for me to be honest. They both had their pros and cons, but I decided I hardly ever need better off-road capability as all my riding is inner city (with a small dirt road stretch through a big park). I have to carry my bike up stairs at one point when I cross a pedestrian bridge so I decided light was the way to go.
Math is hard
First let me address the differences 1 between hybrid and flat bar it comes down to bottom bracket height, stem length and handlebars width. Urban bike idk. in my experience you can use either in the urban theater. When it comes to light off road either is fine the biggest advantage a hybrid has is tire size 25- 40 in so cases
You mention the number of gears without mentioning the components set.. noob video for kids!