Commuter bike

[JHZR2]

Hello,

Im looking to buy a new bike... I have the regular areas covered: I have a custom easton ultralite based MTB with mavic rims and disc brakes... and I have a trek 1200 road bike as well. I like them both, but I want a bit cheaper bike, with 700 wheels, and a bit better frame eometry so that I can wear pants and work clothes, pedal comfortably for 12 miles or so, with a pack on my back, and have fenders and racks, etc. Id like to have the capacity to put a box on the back somehow so that I coud bike to the supermarket to buy a small amount of provsions for one or two people.

I looked at the marin urbamn commuter bikes... they look decent. I looked at the specialized globe, but cant find one anywhere.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

JMH

 

[brian fix]

Look on Breezer.com,they really look like a thought,Joe Breeze was one of the original mountain inovators,and has done well,myself I have a very good shape (almost new),old one (mountain),the thought in Breezer commuter bikes looks really good><,BL

 

[brian fix]

Went to the local bike shop of choice,traded a old Marin mountain bike for a Giant OC-3 road/hybred,really nice,retail was 499.00,added a few options,rack,different pedals,stem,rear dearallurer for a Sram sx-7,rides really nice for the money,got $200 for old bike,a bit of dealing, $354 to boot,hey its fun too,highy reconmend this two wheeled machine.BL

 

[bubbalong]

You can gets lots of opinons on this hear is mine
I run a bike shop in a city with hills & a college kids. I say go simple go single speed there is lot of ways to have fun, make it sexy, and get a work out if you so choose. Look at the Redline 925 you can change out the bars for road bars or flip them to ride like an old retro bike. No Gears will give you a chain guard derails will take that away. You can go internally geared I say wait a couple years. There are still flaws. The way of a true gearhead is to buy vintage Raliegh 3speed buff out the frame polish fenders get wire baskets, semichrome the hubs, make it run well and be proud you are recycling, not buying metal during a war and you know your way around a workbench Just a thought there are some new retro bikes being made also for commuting and errands try Marin out low cost and well made. Have fun riding

 

[eljefino]

I like bubbalong's idea. If the raleigh is too heavy you yourself will lose 5-10 lbs which will make up for its tank frame.

The side baskets help the center of gravity low enough that the kickstand will still have an effect.

Look into a front hub generator, they are expensive but don't wear the tires and you can (and should) have decent lighting.

 

[msparks]

I've got my Trek 6500 Mountain Bike setup as a somewhat commuter. I bought a second set of wheels and matched the back cassette. Then I put Road Slicks on the extra wheelset so I can swap out anytime either road riding or Mountain biking. This works out pretty good. I know it's not 700c wheels but I can roll along pretty good. Matter of fact I took it on a group ride last fall, I usually ride with the fast group, they asked if I was going to ride with the "b" group since I had my MTB, I said no why do you ask? We rode 25 miles at an average of 19mph. Granted I didn't pull many times but I kept up pretty good.