Gotta Get a new Commuter Bike — simple and clean

[LooseFur]

I’m heartbroken, my trusty 2004 Giant OCR2 cracked and I need a new commuter ride. What I loved was this road bike was it was simple and straightforward with decent components, Shimano Tiagra and a 105 rear, Xero wheels, silver aluminum frame, drop bar; it has been a great ride for my 5 mile pavement commute. I’m not a gear head or current bike shopper, so I don’t know what’s out there, but I know I don’t want any fancy matte finish, a hybrid, disc brakes, flat bars, carbon, anything goofy or fashion forward. I have a terrific carbon weekend bike already. I may spring for good components.

So, what do you recommend to a guy who wants a straightforward and clean drop bar road bike for the commute?

Topic

[TwoWheelsDC]

If you like your Giant, why not just pick up a Defy or maybe a Contend frame and move your existing components over from the old bike? Or are you looking to do a total upgrade? Also, what’s your budget?

[Crickey7]

Why drop bar for commuting five miles? It’s a matter of preference, sure, but I find flat better for in-town quick course adjustments, heads up visibility and real estate for mounting accessories.

[vvill]

Maybe shop for a used bike from a co-op or similar.

Otherwise, any entry level road bike should fit your spec although you may be forced up into a 10/11 speed drivetrain if you buy a whole bike. Sounds like you may only need a frameset though.

[Crickey7]

The range of options from manufacturers now is dizzying. There are whole categories that didn’t exist 5 years ago, much less 13. I’d suggest a visit to a shop to get a sense of what kind of bike fits your current needs, rather than deciding in advance what kind of bike does, then picking the best in that group. For example, the current move toward wider tires is counterintuitive to what people thought just a few years ago, that narrower was always faster.

[AFHokie]

So you want brazen ons for a rack or fenders?

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[huskerdont]

@TwoWheelsDC 160568 wrote:

If you like your Giant, why not just pick up a Defy or maybe a Contend frame and move your existing components over from the old bike? Or are you looking to do a total upgrade? Also, what’s your budget?

I second this. When I broke my old aluminum Felt, I picked up an $80 frame and moved everything over. It’s no longer my wonderful Felt, but it’s pretty nice and it reminds me of it every time I use it. You can do some/all of the work yourself, or have a shop do it if that’s not your thing.

[Birru]

Maybe a Kona Tonk? Seems like a nice, honest steel bike. But yeah, if your components are good, a frameset sounds like a the way to go.

[Steve O]

For commuting with drops a steel touring bike might be a good option. A bit heavier, but durable. Somewhat more relaxed than a straight road bike and happily takes fenders and rack, etc., so good for all your around-town needs like picking up some groceries on your home commute.
My Fuji started as a 3×9, but when the FD broke I switched out to 1×9, which is all the gears you really need, if not a couple extra.

[EasyRider]

@LooseFur 160566 wrote:

So, what do you recommend to a guy who wants a straightforward and clean drop bar road bike for the commute?

I’d recommend a steel road bike with clearance for at least 28mm tires with fenders. Depending on budget, I’d either look for 1980s Trek or the like, or have my LBS order a Surly Pacer or Soma ES frame+fork.
As others have said, if you can take the components off your cracked frame and put them on a new or used frame, that’s a great way to go.

[ian74]

Check out these, I agree with steve-o, something like a steel tourer/relaxed geometry road

jamis aurora
All city space horse
Kona rove al

[FFX_Hinterlands]

I’ll always put in a word for Handsome Devil. It’s a mix between touring and cyclocross, fits 35c tires with fenders or 45 without, canti brakes. GRAND RANDONNEUR from Soma is similar, but uses 650B wheels and canti brakes.

[ebubar]

Selling my lightly used 2014 Giant Defy 1 (bought new last spring). Complete bike with 105’s. Size medium for a good price (listed for 600 but we can work on that) if you want a complete bike.

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