New Bike Commuter

[eminva]

Hello Ben and welcome aboard!

I don’t know if you are a Facebook subscriber, but if so, you could join the “DC Used Bicycle Marketplace” group. It is pretty active and you see a steady stream of complete bikes of all types advertised. It seems to be the go-to place for folks who’ve recently upgraded and are selling their previous model.

There is also Craigslist, of course.

Good luck!

Liz

[jrenaut]

I don’t have a bike to sell, and I’d second the Used Bike Marketplace suggestion. And I’d agree that the Jamis Coda makes a great commuter bike. And I would also recommend you look at the Bianchi Volpe, which is what I bought after going to the bike shop to ride a Jamis and not liking the fit. And welcome to the forum.

[Ben]

@eminva 97577 wrote:

Hello Ben and welcome aboard!

I don’t know if you are a Facebook subscriber, but if so, you could join the “DC Used Bicycle Marketplace” group. It is pretty active and you see a steady stream of complete bikes of all types advertised. It seems to be the go-to place for folks who’ve recently upgraded and are selling their previous model.

There is also Craigslist, of course.

Good luck!

Liz

Thanks all for the welcome!
I don’t usually use facebook, but I’ll make an exception to check out the marketplace, thanks for the suggestion!
I’ve been checking craigslist, and it seems pretty hit or miss. Also seems like the important details like size get left out.

@jrenaut 97580 wrote:

I don’t have a bike to sell, and I’d second the Used Bike Marketplace suggestion. And I’d agree that the Jamis Coda makes a great commuter bike. And I would also recommend you look at the Bianchi Volpe, which is what I bought after going to the bike shop to ride a Jamis and not liking the fit. And welcome to the forum.

Thanks! I liked the look of the Volpe, but the list price seems a bit more than I want to spend – is the real price at the shop usually lower? I also haven’t liked drop bars when I’ve tried them, but that is one of the things that I figure I’ll like after riding some more. Maybe my second bike, next fall?

[jrenaut]

I think the price at the shop will probably be what you see online, more or less. Are you looking at new as well as the used you mentioned?

As for drop bars – a lot of it is going to be personal preference with some experience thrown in. You may not like them at first but may grow to like them, or you may never. I went from CaBi commuting to an aluminum road bike with drops then got the Volpe when a cab driver decided that he wanted to occupy the same space as I was currently occupying. Now I’m back with a flat bar on the Xtracycle and missing the drops sometimes (I prefer to be on the brake hoods when climbing, for example).

All of this underscores the need to ride a bunch of different bikes and see what you like, or buy a cheap used beater to ride for a while and see what you do and don’t like.

[Ben]

@jrenaut 97588 wrote:

I think the price at the shop will probably be what you see online, more or less. Are you looking at new as well as the used you mentioned?

As for drop bars – a lot of it is going to be personal preference with some experience thrown in. You may not like them at first but may grow to like them, or you may never. I went from CaBi commuting to an aluminum road bike with drops then got the Volpe when a cab driver decided that he wanted to occupy the same space as I was currently occupying. Now I’m back with a flat bar on the Xtracycle and missing the drops sometimes (I prefer to be on the brake hoods when climbing, for example).

All of this underscores the need to ride a bunch of different bikes and see what you like, or buy a cheap used beater to ride for a while and see what you do and don’t like.

I’m looking for a bike on a budget. I like the Coda’s, but once you get the disc model and put fenders and a rack and get some lights, it’s up above 1000 bucks. And I understand that lots of people START to commute by bike… So I figured it wouldn’t hurt to look around for a used bike before I buy something new, especially since the only way to figure out what I like to ride is to ride a bunch, and I’ll probably be in a better position to figure that out next summer. I should mention that I’ve been using CaBi for part of the commute for about a year now, but the full trip is 15 miles each way.

[culimerc]

You may want to check out the various bike co-ops for a bike. They may not have what you *want* but they’ll probably have what you need. (queue Rolling Stones)

[jabberwocky]

Discs are nice and all, but don’t feel the need to push the budget or limit your options to get them. I’ve owned a few disc-equipped commuters and currently am all rim brake; the difference just isn’t that great that I’d limit myself to only disc bikes.

Same with steel, though thats less limiting. Steel is ok, but aluminum bikes are fine too. I’ve actually found aluminum to be far more durable (I’ve broken 3 steel frames over the years, have never broken a carbon or aluminum one). The ride of steel is nice, but tire size/pressure makes more of a difference to ride quality IMO.

What is your commute like? Suburban/urban? Distance? Will you be locking the bike outside or bringing it in at work? Need to carry a lot of stuff, or just a change of clothes, or are you riding in your work clothes? Looking to do your own maintenance, or taking it to a shop? I get wary of recommending used to new riders, just because it can be hard to evaluate if a bike is a good deal or not, and its easy to get onto a bike thats the wrong size because it seemed like a good deal.

[Ben]

@jabberwocky 97603 wrote:

Discs are nice and all, but don’t feel the need to push the budget or limit your options to get them. I’ve owned a few disc-equipped commuters and currently am all rim brake; the difference just isn’t that great that I’d limit myself to only disc bikes.

Same with steel, though thats less limiting. Steel is ok, but aluminum bikes are fine too. I’ve actually found aluminum to be far more durable (I’ve broken 3 steel frames over the years, have never broken a carbon or aluminum one). The ride of steel is nice, but tire size/pressure makes more of a difference to ride quality IMO.

What is your commute like? Suburban/urban? Distance? Will you be locking the bike outside or bringing it in at work? Need to carry a lot of stuff, or just a change of clothes, or are you riding in your work clothes? Looking to do your own maintenance, or taking it to a shop? I get wary of recommending used to new riders, just because it can be hard to evaluate if a bike is a good deal or not, and its easy to get onto a bike thats the wrong size because it seemed like a good deal.

I’m riding from the Navy Yard area to the Tysons Corner area – about 15 miles according to Google. Looks like mostly the mount vernon trail to the custis to the w&od, and some street riding on either end, of course. The plan is to get a bike and start riding the route on the weekends to see what works best.

I can lock it up securely on both ends, inside a bike parking section of the parking garage at work, and in my apartment at home.

I’m planning to carry a change of clothes and lunch, though depending on how long it takes to get into the swing of commuting every day, I might ride one way one day then home the next, and do the shlepping of things on the metro for a while. I guess it depends on what I find or end up spending on a bike.

I’m pretty maintenance phobic, but I would do the regular maintenance stuff myself, and try to learn how to cover most of what I need. Until i get there, I’ve got a few shops close buy, and a friend in my building fixes bikes as a side business.

And I’ve done some test rides where I didn’t like the aluminum feel (plus I think the lines on steel frames look better), but I do realize that the tires make a huge difference too, so I’m not ruling anything out at this point. Even the disc brakes, but I did notice a difference in the stopping while I was trying different bikes, and if I can feel it when it’s bright and sunny, and I know that I’ll have to adjust rim brakes more often, I’m pretty sure that I’d want whatever I ride long term to have the discs.

[Greenbelt]

Hi Ben — You should be able to get a Coda Sport with rack and fenders for under $650, including tax. A Kona Dew Plus with disk brakes (a little better in the rain in my opinion and if your wheel gets a bit out of true) should be in the $750 range with rack and fenders. I’m not seeing the $1k price point until you get panniers, lights, jacket etc. For the bike itself you shouldn’t have to spend $1k to get a great, durable flat bar commuter. -Jeff

[jabberwocky]

@Ben 97615 wrote:

I’m riding from the Navy Yard area to the Tysons Corner area – about 15 miles according to Google. Looks like mostly the mount vernon trail to the custis to the w&od, and some street riding on either end, of course. The plan is to get a bike and start riding the route on the weekends to see what works best.

Thats a pretty good ride! Once you start, folks here can definitely help fine tune the route. But yeah, custis to W&OD will probably be most of it. The good news is that your morning commute is going to be the sucky one (the climb up the custis is tough), but your afternoon ride home will be nice and fast.

@Ben 97615 wrote:

I’m planning to carry a change of clothes and lunch, though depending on how long it takes to get into the swing of commuting every day, I might ride one way one day then home the next, and do the shlepping of things on the metro for a while. I guess it depends on what I find or end up spending on a bike.

How are you carrying your stuff now? Are you planning on a rack/panniers, or a pack? I’ve done both and ended up preferring a messenger bag, but theres no wrong answer. Depends on where you want the weight. Getting a bike with rack mounts at least gives you the option to switch things around.

@Ben 97615 wrote:

And I’ve done some test rides where I didn’t like the aluminum feel (plus I think the lines on steel frames look better), but I do realize that the tires make a huge difference too, so I’m not ruling anything out at this point. Even the disc brakes, but I did notice a difference in the stopping while I was trying different bikes, and if I can feel it when it’s bright and sunny, and I know that I’ll have to adjust rim brakes more often, I’m pretty sure that I’d want whatever I ride long term to have the discs.

Well, like I said, steel isn’t a very limiting criteria at least. A lot of commuting oriented bikes are steel these days. I’d look for something that can clear decent sized tires, but given the length of your commute you’ll probably want to set things up to roll as fast as possible (which might mean smaller, lighter tires).

Regarding discs versus rim brakes, note that the pad material makes a big difference. Normal mechanical discs (like the ever popular avid bb7s) require quite a lot of adjustment, actually. The pads are very close to the rotors, so small amounts of wear make for a big difference at the lever. And the road version (designed to work with road levers, which pull less cable) are IME worse. Its not difficult adjustment, but it does need to be done pretty frequently. Rim brakes are better in that respect, just because they sit pretty far from the rim anyway. I had to adjust my old disc commuters every month or so. Rim brakes go for far longer before they need mucking with.

I commute on a normal road bike pretty much year round. I use the koolstop salmon pads (which are a very effective wet weather pad for rim brakes). They might not be quite as good as discs in bad weather, but they work very well.

I’m not saying that discs are bad or anything, just noting that you shouldn’t discount a bike because it has rim brakes, especially if you’re on a budget.

[Ben]

@jabberwocky 97623 wrote:

How are you carrying your stuff now? Are you planning on a rack/panniers, or a pack? I’ve done both and ended up preferring a messenger bag, but theres no wrong answer. Depends on where you want the weight. Getting a bike with rack mounts at least gives you the option to switch things around.

No bike yet, but I’m planning for the rack/panniers because to me, it seems like a pretty long ride and I wouldn’t want to mess around with a bag on my back, moving around and helping me overheat.

@jabberwocky 97623 wrote:

Well, like I said, steel isn’t a very limiting criteria at least. A lot of commuting oriented bikes are steel these days. I’d look for something that can clear decent sized tires, but given the length of your commute you’ll probably want to set things up to roll as fast as possible (which might mean smaller, lighter tires).

Regarding discs versus rim brakes, note that the pad material makes a big difference. Normal mechanical discs (like the ever popular avid bb7s) require quite a lot of adjustment, actually. The pads are very close to the rotors, so small amounts of wear make for a big difference at the lever. And the road version (designed to work with road levers, which pull less cable) are IME worse. Its not difficult adjustment, but it does need to be done pretty frequently. Rim brakes are better in that respect, just because they sit pretty far from the rim anyway. I had to adjust my old disc commuters every month or so. Rim brakes go for far longer before they need mucking with.

I commute on a normal road bike pretty much year round. I use the koolstop salmon pads (which are a very effective wet weather pad for rim brakes). They might not be quite as good as discs in bad weather, but they work very well.

I’m not saying that discs are bad or anything, just noting that you shouldn’t discount a bike because it has rim brakes, especially if you’re on a budget.

Thanks for helping me figure out the trade offs for disc vs rim, since I haven’t had much experience with them. I had heard that the cable pull disc brakes are a bit more finicky than hydraulics (though apparently those need more work less frequently), but i figure I’ll use whatever comes on the used bike until it brakes or wears out, then decide. But I can’t put disc brakes on a regular frame, right? It needs to have the tabs…and the other way around as well?

@Greenbelt 97618 wrote:

Hi Ben — You should be able to get a Coda Sport with rack and fenders for under $650, including tax. A Kona Dew Plus with disk brakes (a little better in the rain in my opinion and if your wheel gets a bit out of true) should be in the $750 range with rack and fenders. I’m not seeing the $1k price point until you get panniers, lights, jacket etc. For the bike itself you shouldn’t have to spend $1k to get a great, durable flat bar commuter. -Jeff

The Kona Dew Plus looks great, I’ll have to find a place to test ride that this weekend. The Coda I’ve been looking at is the 2015 Coda Elite, which lists for around 950, with hydraulic disc brakes (and some apparently better components than the Comp, but I’m not worried about those differences since I’m pretty sure I won’t notice) but no rack or panniers (just the attachment points). It hasn’t been released yet, but apparently the geometry is the same as the Coda Sport and the Coda Comp which were pretty comfortable when I tried them out.

I figured I’d ask about used bikes that people might want to upgrade from since I’m not sure when that will be released, but since it’s pretty expensive and I want to start riding sooner rather than later. But thanks to everyone for the suggestions – there’s a lot to consider and it’s helpful to have the forums experience in figuring out what is important to think about and what isn’t quite as much of a difference maker on a first bike.

[jabberwocky]

@Ben 97626 wrote:

No bike yet, but I’m planning for the rack/panniers because to me, it seems like a pretty long ride and I wouldn’t want to mess around with a bag on my back, moving around and helping me overheat.

The heat thing ain’t so bad. Maybe I’m just used to it. I did a rack and panniers for a few years when I started but switched to a messenger bag after that and haven’t looked back. But its definitely personal preference. Panniers are more useful for general errand running, because they can carry more weight.

@Ben 97626 wrote:

Thanks for helping me figure out the trade offs for disc vs rim, since I haven’t had much experience with them. I had heard that the cable pull disc brakes are a bit more finicky than hydraulics (though apparently those need more work less frequently), but i figure I’ll use whatever comes on the used bike until it brakes or wears out, then decide. But I can’t put disc brakes on a regular frame, right? It needs to have the tabs…and the other way around as well?

Basically, for a bike to be convertible to discs, the frame and fork need disc tabs to attach the calipers to, and the hubs of the wheels need to have the holes to attach rotors to. I think its pretty rare for bikes to come “disc ready” these days without just having the discs installed from the get go.

Don’t get me wrong, discs are probably where all bikes are going. The MTB world has already gone there (its almost impossible to find anything but discs there except at the very low end) and the commuter and road world is certainly following. I’m just saying don’t get too hung up on checking that box. Caliper/Vbrakes with a set of good pads work perfectly fine. I commute every day, year round, on a carbon road bike with Sram road brakes and have never had an issue. I put 10k+ miles commuting on two disc-equipped CX bikes prior to that. Its not something that in my mind really matters very much.

[JimF22003]

I have a lightly used Specialized Tri-Cross (aluminum, carbon fork) with rack and fenders (not currently attached, but with all the parts) that I would sell cheap to a good home. Like real cheap ($500?) Ultegra 10-speed derailleurs, compact crank with 11/28 cassette, 105 shift levers. I have a set of panniers available as well if you’re interested.

Size 54, currently with 720/32 tires installed, but I would throw in a set of 700/28s as well. This is technically a cyclocross bike but would make an excellent all around commuting bike. I’ve done day-long rides with it on the C&O Canal, as well as on the road.

PM me if you’re interested. I’ll probably post on the For Sale forum soon, but anyone who responds gets first dibs

[DaveK]

I do not need this. I do not need this. I do not need this.

Someone please buy this before I do.

[DismalScientist]

Sorry, it’s too short for me.:rolleyes:

[Author]

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