A newbie needs to replace childhood bike

[akerman]

Hi. I'm from Denmark, I'm a newbie, and I need a new bicycle. I hope you can help!

Even though I only have about 2.5km to the university, my 11-year old Giant mountainbike, is just too heavy to operate, especially when going up against the wind. I want something light - in the hope, that I will convince myself to attend more classes, if the trip to campus isn't such a hassle

I don't understand much about bikes.. I just know from friends, that I shouldn't get the cheapest bike possible, so I'm currently looking at some bikes ranging from 600$ to 700$. I think I want a hybrid-bike - you know, not exactly a road/racing-bike, but not a city/comfort-bike either - somewhere in between.. a bike that wouldn't be hard to ride, but still a bike that I wouldn't be afraid to ride over a patch of rough ground/grass with.

These are two I really like the design off, and they seem to fit my criteria - they are of the MBK brand, once known as Motobécane:
black concept #1, 7 internal gears, with roll-brakes
black concept #2, 8 external gears, with standard on-tire brakes

I don't know the exact terms for the roll-brakes and the on-tire brakes in English (someone suggested that rollbrakes = disk brakes), but I hope you know what I mean. The second one is 100$ cheaper. Oh and the gears are "Shimano Nexus" btw.
Which one would be the better choice? I'm leaning towards the one with internal gears, because it would require a lot less maintenance.. but someone told me that there is an energy loss with internal gears, because the transfer of power from your legs to the tires isn't direct, as it is with external gears- the loss of energy is as much as 12-18%, he told me. Is that true? That might even negate the advantage of a having a lighter bike vs the old mountainbike.

Furthermore, I'm not sure that I'm making the right choice, in not choosing a true roadbike - yet another friend told me, that the loss of balance with a roadbike compared to a hybridbike with its larger tires, isn't really noticeable.. now if that's also true, then it might be a better idea to go for a full-fledged roadbike - but would I be able to climb curbs in the city with such small tires? I'm really confused!

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by akerman
Hi. I'm from Denmark, I'm a newbie, and I need a new bicycle. I hope you can help!

Even though I only have about 2.5km to the university, my 11-year old Giant mountainbike, is just too heavy to operate, especially when going up against the wind. I want something light - in the hope, that I will convince myself to attend more classes, if the trip to campus isn't such a hassle

You sound like some kind of slacker. Consider walking a whole 2.5km or just put some narower slick tires on the MTB.

 

[akerman]

Thanks, that's a great reply.

 

[RC2]

Originally posted by akerman
Thanks, that's a great reply.

Typical boudreaux - weak self image apparently, that's how he gets his kicks.

I think the best advice in your situation would be to ride the bikes you are talking about and several others...get more familiar with their differences, and with what you like.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by RC2
Typical boudreaux - weak self image apparently, that's how he gets his kicks.

Yeah, I'm a little short on empathy for a youngster(?) that can't handle a 2.5kn trek to get an education. Sounds like a candidate for being permanently on the dole.

 

[akerman]

1) You don't know how old I am. Only that I attend the university.
2) You don't know how messed up my current mountainbike is. FYI, I crashed on it 2 months ago, breaking my collar bone in half, and the bike wasn't left in much better condition...
3) If I wanted to receive social welfare, I'd quit my education now.
4) Time not spent walking, can be put to better use elsewhere.

So please - just because you are unhappy with your life, doesn't mean you have to transfer your unhappiness to an internet forum, try solving your problems instead.

 

[RC2]

Hey hey. Let's be nice here. The winky face in my post was intended to indicate I was jesting (somewhat)...I think boudreaux got that. And hell, I skipped my fair share of classes, in engineering school especially! Nothing wrong with a little exta 'motivation' to get off the internet and on that bike!

 

[keydates]

1. roll brakes=disc brakes
2. It isn't the best idea to try to hop curbs on a road bike, but it is possible.
3. In general, road bikes are more expensive than hybrids.

As for which bike you should get, see which one feels better (which is what most everybody will tell you here). Both look fine to me, but a more "experienced" person should tell you about mechanics of inner gears etc.