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| *Vultures Knob>>>Road Bike |
I need a commuter bike, which is best? |
Because of rising gas prices I'm going to buy a commuter bike. I've been looking around at my local bike shops and found these two to be in my price range: Bianchi Sparta: http://www.bianchiusa.com/06_sparta.html... Trek Hybrid 7300: http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike.php... I have a road bike, but the 5.5 mile path to school isn't tire friendly. So which bike would last me longer? If you have any others in this price range that might be better, I'm open for suggestions. Take a look at the Cannondale Vintage and Street ranges. My wife recently bought the Vintage Headshok Nexus - I think its a great commuter bike for several reasons: 1 The Nexus gears are completely hassle free when you're having to stop and start in traffic and at street crossings etc. You can change them on the move or when stopped and they never graunch! 2 The chain and all cogs are completely enclosed - so no oil on your work clothes. 3 Standard fittings include light-sensitive automatic lights powered by a Nexus front hub dynamo thats so efficient you're not even aware is functioning. It also has a high quality pannier rack integrated in the design. 4 The Vintage comes as standard with a wonderful Brookes handmade leather saddle. These take about 100 miles of pain to break in and thereafter they're moulded to your anatomy and perfect for the rest of your cycling life (I know, I've used one for 20 years). To match the lovely saddle the handlebar grips are in the same stitched leather - classy and comfy. 5 The combination of old fashioned upright stance, black finish and high-tech componentry looks truly cool! 6 The Headshok system is perfect in town and on shale track. So its practical as a weekend tourer too. Have fun! Way out of my price range, and not really looking to ship in from Europe. There are others. REI has a new line of commuter bikes, one with built-in lights. Also, look at Breezer Bikes. Commuter bikes are their specialty. get aregular bike, i live in toronto, have a regular $150 bike, went to Hamilton, Caledon, Pickering, and many others and back oll in 1 day (1 day per trip) Both Trek and Bianchi make fantastic bikes with good parts that will last a long time. You should test ride both of them and see which one you like best. An option may be to add some cyclocross or touring tires to your road bike (if your brakes give clearance for them). They are beefier than road tires and would to great on a dirt path. You can add some clip on fenders (SKS make a great set). These two quick fixes may cost you 100 bucks, much cheaper than a new bike. hi, both bikes will last you a similar amount of time, as long as you buy them well-adjusted, and keep it regularly maintained. things like lubing the chain, and adjusting the brake cables and pads, and keeping your tires inflated sufficiently goes a long way towards keeping things operating well. a previous answerer is right - your road bike could be okay for the type of riding if you found some wider tires with tread and perhaps a kevlar belt (to reduce flats). You could even add a flat bar to your bike, but that would be a more expensive project that could justify a new bike. I've seen some nice hybrids from fuji, marin, specialized and schwinn actually, so those could be good alternatives. The thing I'd actually recommend against is suspension forks on a hybrid. I really believe that the extra weight and complexity (and maintenance) these forks add aren't worth it unless you are mountain biking on rough terrain. I have multiple bikes, and find myself using fully rigid bikes nowadays for most of my mountain biking too. You'd save about 1.5 pounds, and if you're on a dirt road, a good pair of cushy grips and biking gloves will take most of the buzz off the ride. So that's the only thing I'd see wrong on those two bikes you picked out. Either way, choose your bike from a local shop that provides you with great service and advice, and will be helpful in keeping it running well. Good luck, you're making a great choice, and enjoy it! |
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