bike to choose

[Brian S. Paskin]

Hi, I have a Trek from about 10 years ago and I am looking to buy a new
bike. I live in the Boston area and will use the bike for commuting
around the area, usually no more than 10 miles or so. The roads in
some places are not the best and there are some hills.

I am currently looking at the Specialized Sirrus and a Bianchi. Could
someone recommend what type of bike I should looking at (road, hybrid,
etc) and are the Specialized Sirrus any good?

Thanks, Brian

 

[POHB]

> I am currently looking at the Specialized Sirrus and a Bianchi. Could
> someone recommend what type of bike I should looking at (road, hybrid,
> etc) and are the Specialized Sirrus any good?

At the risk of repeating myself ( from a recent thread in uk.rec.cycling ) I
got a Sirrus Sport last September for a regular commute and have been
generally very happy with it. There may be a build quality issue with the
wheels, my back wheel bust a spoke and had to be rebuilt coz the spokes
started breaking all over the place when trying to re-true, but Specialized
coughed up for the work so I'm not too fussed. The original tyres were
seriously prone to punctures, but again both the shop and Specialized
offerred to replace them, and I believe the standard tyres have been changed
for Armadillos now. Apart from that, great!

In answer to the more general question you need to decide what you want for
yourself on the basis of what you will *really* use it for. What's not to
like about your old Trek anyway? Try as many bikes out as you can. Don't
get a fancy superexpensivelightweight if it's going to be left outside the
pub and used for shopping. Don't get a
fullsuspensoinfattyrenutterdownhiller for road cruising. Make sure it fits.

 

[Brian S. Paskin]

My Trek is okay, but it is a little big for me and it is a little
heavy. I had a Leonardo hybrid when I was living in Italy and it was
fantastic.

I am going to test ride a few bikes on Saturday. Thanks, Brian

 

[William O'Hara]

> Hi, I have a Trek from about 10 years ago and I am looking to buy a new
> bike. I live in the Boston area and will use the bike for commuting
> around the area, usually no more than 10 miles or so. The roads in
> some places are not the best and there are some hills.
>
> I am currently looking at the Specialized Sirrus and a Bianchi. Could
> someone recommend what type of bike I should looking at (road, hybrid,
> etc) and are the Specialized Sirrus any good?

I live in the south shore area. First thing is to find
a good bike store. Where do you live? I can make
several recommendations for stores. The various stores
will carry select brands. I think that three of the four
stores closest to me don't carry Specalized or Bianchi.
There are a lot of stores and I can recommend Harris Cyclerly
or Rockland Cycle. My riding buddy loves the Cycle Loft.

bill


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William O'Hara

 

[Brian S. Paskin]

Hi, I live in the Somerville/Cambridge area. I usually get my stuff
and tune up at Ace Wheel Works on Elm Street in Somerville (at Porter
Square). They are the best one I found in the area. There is ATA
Bikes on Mass. Ave, but they had far fewer bikes than Ace. Thanks,
Brian

 

[Bjorn Haake]

"Brian S. Paskin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I have a Trek from about 10 years ago and I am looking to buy a new
> bike. I live in the Boston area and will use the bike for commuting
> around the area, usually no more than 10 miles or so. The roads in
> some places are not the best and there are some hills.

I have a Trek 520 (14 years old) and still love it. It's really 3 bikes in
one, so I commute and grocery shop, but I also have done a public race and
the Tourmalet with it as well as bad cobble stones and dirt/fire roads (not
real bad stuff, but whatever you encounter when traveling thorugh the
Baltics, Mexico, or Portugal, which those areas were the worst I had in my
touring days).

bjorn

 

[landotter]

Ohhhh, if you want European coolness, go test ride a Novara Fusion at
REI. I just checked it out by accident the other day, and a bit ******
as they said they weren't gonna stock in here in Nashville, and I
wasn't about to buy a bike I couldn't test ride (in that price range).
So I ended up getting a very cool derailleur bike, and went to REI to
get some gear--there it was. Bastards! I regret my purchase just a
little as the Fusion is still 200 bucks more.

At any rate, they're a bit futuristic looking and a bit retro and have
that super cool 8spd Nexus rear, and front dynohub powered lighting
with stand light. Dual headlights which look great and promise good
lighting, and a proper tailight on the fender. The color is much more
handsome in person than on the website, kind of a retro burgundy brown.

If I'd seen it available before I bought my current ride, I'd sat on my
hands and saved up a couple hundred more, as I love Nexus hubs to
death. My current Tiagra setup shifts OK, but I'd rather just have 8
linear gears in the city than deal with two chainrings.

Might be just the thing, or might be too stately for ya, just a heads
up. Really fair price considering the hubs and accessories, around 750.

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...productId=47970934&parent_category_rn=4500775
http://tinyurl.com/8jhd5

 

[William O'Hara]

"Brian S. Paskin" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Hi, I live in the Somerville/Cambridge area. I usually get my stuff
> and tune up at Ace Wheel Works on Elm Street in Somerville (at Porter
> Square). They are the best one I found in the area. There is ATA
> Bikes on Mass. Ave, but they had far fewer bikes than Ace. Thanks,
> Brian
>

Good place to go with a big selection.

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William O'Hara