>>1215318The way I see it, the hybrid has a straight, hitensile steel (cheap) fork, which gives no shock absorbtion. It is only straight, to save money, for the look, and as a concession to disc brakes which don't work well with a curved fork which flexs. But it doesn't even have disc brakes.
Whereas a nice rigid 90s mtb will have a curved chromo steel fork (quality), which gives a nice amount of flex and passive shock absorbtion. It makes a much comfier bike.
Then you have a cheap aluminium frame vs a nice chromo steel frame. They weigh similar and the steel is a lot more comfortable. In fact if you're comparing a really cheap hybrid and a really nice rigid 90s mtb, the hybrid will be heavier.
Thumbies vs cheap triggers or grip shift, is just a no brainer.
Midrange older shimano parts are much higher quality than newer plastic tourney. A cheap hybrid might even have a freewheel and your rigid 90s mtb might have a cassette.
Both are going to have square taper and crank flex is a non issue for casuals.
As is front end flex from threadless vs quill, although that is the one area that the modern bike clearly has an advantage, that, and v-brakes, which are not hard to upgrade to at all, the 90s bike might even have them.
Used, they're equally likely to be in bad condition.
The main thing is that a high quality old chromo frame & fork rides much nicer than a cheap aluminium frame & straight hiten fork.
An expensive hybrid with a carbon fork is something else and at that point why the fuck are you even getting a hybrid and not a road bike.
Hybrids are gay.
