Flat-bar commuter or drop-bar tourer?
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@TwoWheelsDC 36875 wrote:
I tell you what, if I had a chance to go back and buy my commuter again, I’d get something with discs. So maybe a Disc Trucker, Raleigh Sojourn, the new (I think?) Specialized TriCross elite, or maybe Kona Sutra or Jake. I think those would be easier to find and test ride than something like a Soma or Salsa, but others may know better than me on that. I think the Jake seems like the best value, but it’s aluminum and therefore only a figment of your imagination, since only steel is real.
I was just looking at the Sojourn on line today
I wish I liked Kona’s graphics better
@Greenbelt 36891 wrote:
Bike shops are quiet in the winter, especially on weekdays but on weekends too. It’s a perfect time to shop.
Take your time and test a lot of bikes. Bring your water bottle and some food and really settle in. It takes several hours to properly test a variety of bike types. I never cease to be amazed at how people like the first 4 bikes they test just fine, but then they test the fifth and it’s as though they’ve found “the one”. The wand selects the wizard, sometimes, like in the Harry Potter books.
And get a good fitting, even after the magic bike has selected you — it’ll still need to be tweaked a little. New bike for the holidays = joy!
This is wise. I feel somewhat less panicked now.
@KelOnWheels 36898 wrote:
This is wise. I feel somewhat less panicked now.
Although they don’t sell many commuter-oriented bikes, FreshBikes will pretty much let you do as long of a test ride as you please on as many bikes as you have the energy to ride, with no pressure or snobbery. When I did my test rides, I told them I wasn’t going to buy that day, but even then they basically just said “let use know if you want to adjust the seat or something, otherwise, we’ll see you whenever you feel like coming back.” They also include a custom fit with bike purchases, which makes a huuuuuuge difference. So yeah, if you go to a good shop, buying won’t be stressful.
@thecyclingeconomist 36948 wrote:
don’t like Tiagra, and wouldn’t build a bike with less than 105.
There seems to be a lot of Tiagra on my Hypothetical List
@KelOnWheels 36952 wrote:
There seems to be a lot of Tiagra on my Hypothetical List
What about bikes with big French words?
@KelOnWheels 36952 wrote:
There seems to be a lot of Tiagra on my Hypothetical List
You’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between Tiagra and 105. The only reason I’d put 105 on a dedicated commuter is the internally routed cables don’t block handlebar-mounted lights, but that’s a pretty minor thing.
I did like the spec for the Vive Le Roi when it first came out. Sliding dropouts, 1×10 shifting, disc brakes.
@KelOnWheels 36947 wrote:
What do y’all think of this?
http://www.redlinebicycles.com/bikes/commute/2013-metro-classic
I do not know these Redline bikes, but I see Bikenetic likes them.
Bikenetic doesn’t carry them in stock though so you have to know you want it before seeing one. I actually wanted one of these originally and was convinced to go the Kona route. I saw a 2012 one on ebay in my size for $700 a week ago and was still tempted to bid
I still like the aesthetic of the Metro Classic better than the Konas.@TwoWheelsDC 36956 wrote:
You’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between Tiagra and 105. The only reason I’d put 105 on a dedicated commuter is the internally routed cables don’t block handlebar-mounted lights, but that’s a pretty minor thing.
I agree. Even 9 speed Tiagra can be set up to shift super nice (I have it on my 1×9 folding bike). That said, I did spec 105 shifters on my CX bike for the internally routed cables.
@dcv 36958 wrote:
It comes with gears too. They should make a WSD version – Vive la Reine
I’m not a shill
BIG FRENCH WORDS! woo!
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