Communte & Trail Bike Help

[JareBear]

Hey all! Long time lurker, first post.

I'm looking to get back into biking. Used to love it as a kid and teen but life, work, and.. well.. you know how it goes.

I recently moved to Pensacola, FL and want to start being more active and living healthier. The goal is to start riding to work, which is ~5 miles one way, and tackle some light-duty trails at a nearby college. Due to traffic and lane widths I believe I'll be riding 4 miles on pavement and 1 on the shoulder (grass/gravel/sand). This has led me to look at a hybrid to meet my needs. Debating on fenders but I'll need a rack to hold my work uniform. lunch, etc. My work schedule is 6a-6p and think morning commutes will be quiet while afternoons will be hectic. Reflectors, lights, and other visual aids will definitely be on the purchase list.

There seems to be a lot of love and hate for hybrids and if any of you can suggest a better option please do.

These are the bikes I'm considering so far:

Diamondback Trace Comp Diamondback Trace XT

Giant Roam 2 Giant Roam 1

Specialized Crosstrail Disc Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc

Trek 8.3 DS Trek 8.4 DS DuoTrap S

Feel free to chime in if you've got experience with these bikes or can suggest an alternative. I haven't been to any of the local bike shops yet; wanted to get suggestions from you guys before making a purchase. I realize ultimately the decision will need to be based off of bike geometry and how comfortable it is to ride. Reliability is always a concern and I really think the price range I'm looking at should keep those issues to a minimum. A lot of these have hydraulic brakes while I'd prefer mechanical, but the other components are of higher quality so.. tradeoff I guess.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Volnix]

If the surface on the 1 of-pavement mile is kinda loose then you might need something with a wider - knobbier tire.

If it is compacted and there is no need for a suspension fork then you could maybe get away with it with a cyclocross bike.

Similar thread:

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t/500343/question-on-a-bikes/0_30

 

[JareBear]

I've considered a cyclocross, but a decent one is a bit out of my price range. I've also never had a bike with drop handles or integrated shifter/brake. I've mainly ridden mountain bikes and like the flat and riser style handlebars.

The off-road mile is a mix of grass, gravel, and sand. The local riding trails are a mix of compact and loose sand, some mud, etc. It's completely off-road. I do feel like a cyclocross is a good choice, and now I'm conflicted.

 

[AyeYo]

Think of what you'll be doing with the bike in the future. Are you going to start drifting towards more harsh off-road or are you going to want to start riding further on the road?

If it's the former, then stick with a flat bar hyrbid that's closer to a mountain bike. I can tell you from ownership experience that the DS series is fast on the road for what it is (I've done 50+ mile group road bike rides on mine - would not recommend doing that though) and capable of handling rough offroad (within reason). With some 1.9-2.0" MTB tires (some people claim to fit 2.2+) it even makes a good mountain bike as long as you aren't jumping off cliffs. However, the new 8.4 seems to be significantly downgraded component-wise from the 2012 that I have. I also saw a 2015 Roam in person for the first time this past weekend. I didn't try a test ride, but it's a nice looking bike and equiped with far more pavement friendly tires than the DS, so would likely be just as fast or faster.

Now on the other hand, if you think you're going to want to start using your bike to run more errands or just riding further for fun, you should strongly consider something with drop bars. They're very easy to get used to (so are the brifters) and they offer far more and more comfortable hand positions for lengthy rides. Flat bars are miserable on long rides due to lack of alternative hand positions. Since you're already looking at Trek, something like the base model CrossRip is only $100 more than the 8.4 DS. You can easily throw on slicks and use it as a long-distance road bike or throw on CX tires (or the stock tires) and ride it on trails. The low side gearing will get you up even the steepest of FL driveways and on the high end it has enough gear to pedal out 40+mph when you're flying down the giant mountains FL is known for.

 

[JareBear]

Thanks for the input AyeYo,

I think eventually I want to have both a dedicated trail and commuter bike but want to start off with something decent enough to handle both duties right now. I don't plan on doing any harsh trails as I know I need to get back in the groove of cycling and build strength, stamina, and shed a few pounds.

Went to the local shop and checked out a Roam yesterday. They also suggested a Talon, 27.5", which looks a bit more sturdy and was surprisingly light. The Talon has eyelets for a rack but none for fenders. These are off-road bikes though and I know I'll have to work more to get up to speed. The tires on the Roam looked to be a bit too skinny for the trails but of course those can be swapped out. The shop offers fitment and free tuneups if you buy in store.

The 8.4 DS I really like but it's in a higher price range then I really want to start in. Going to the CrossRip will push me out even further but I'll keep it on my list and see if I can steal one out from under somebody.

This isn't a purchase I plan to make soon as I'm in the process of buying my first home. Just doing my research and gettting real world knowledge before I go head first.

I found this on Bikes Direct. I've heard a lot of good and bad, but the components seem to be decent and the price doesn't hurt the wallet as much.

Motobecane Elite Adventure X5

 

[AyeYo]

Nothing wrong with $400+ Bikesdirect bikes. Not sure I'd get one with any type of suspension though. You do need to know what you're doing to get it setup properly though (easy to self-teach through the Park Tools website) or factor in assembly from a local shop as part of the price.

Here's another low-priced option: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_547466_-1___200546

That bike can be had for under $450 if you wait for one of Nashbar's nearly non-stop 20-25% off sales. Keep an eye on it during labor day.



The Roam I saw was around $650 and had 40c tires on it. My 8.4 DS has 38c tires and I've bombed around on trails of roots and 2"+ stone without issue. It's certianly not a mountain bike, but the Roam will handle gravel/sand/woods path riding just fine with the stock tires AND it'll roll relatively quickly on the road.

 

[JareBear]

The local shop will finish/check the build for about $60, which I don't think is unreasonable. The fork on the Motobecane is a Suntour SF11-NVX-MLO w/Lockout. I'm not familiar with fork components but those seem to be decent. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

It has SRAM X5 derailleur, shifters, and cassette while the crankset is a Suntour XCR 28/38/48T. Fairly respectable from what I've read.

Giant Talon 3 27.5" Specs - This is the bike I was looking at the local shop.

I think I'd prefer a 29er but don't recall seeing one of those in the shop. I didn't get too nosey though.