Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices



M

MP Marandici

Guest
I’m a newbie to this forum. I am looking for a new bike. I am
narrowing choices, but I want some input from daily riders. I
appreciate any advice you can give me.

Background: I am 5’11", 175lbs, 32" inseam, long arms. I live in South
Florida (no hills and getting rained a bit for about half a year). I’ve
been biking 10 miles daily for fitness (more on weekends) 95% on paved
paths, sidewalks (don’t trust the drivers here). I might occasionally
commute (15miles each way) on sidewalks/bike paths still. Currently I
ride a cheap MTB with smi-smooth Kevlar lined fat tires to keep from
glass and thorns punctures. (Rode it for 5 years and it screeches and
clicks by now)
I will be grocery-getting occasionally. I will be on pavement mostly,
but might like to take packed dirt paths or cut across a lawn at times.

Seat post shock useful?
Best tire choice?
Handlebars? I now have flat bar with short curved extensions, and I get
numb/tingling in my fingers occasionally and have to stretch to make it
go away (perhaps the bike size is wrong).
I tried a couple of road bikes and I’m comfortable with drop down
handlebars, but I prefer the comfort extra brake grips on top of hte
bar.

Want: road bike or hybrid for $800 or less. A lot less, preferably, but
I'll pay more for a bike I don't have to upgrade later.

Pros and cons on used bikes?

The short list, and feel free to suggest whatever I don't have on it
yet:

Giant Cypress SX
Cannondale Road Warrior 800
Giant Cypress SL
Giant OCR 2
Giant OCR 3
Trek 100c
Specialized Sequoia
Specialized Sirrus
 
>Subject: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
>From: MP Marandici [email protected]
>Date: 9/15/2004 8:42 PM US Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>I’m a newbie to this forum. I am looking for a new bike. I am
>narrowing choices, but I want some input from daily riders. I
>appreciate any advice you can give me.
>
>Background: I am 5’11", 175lbs, 32" inseam, long arms. I live in South
>Florida (no hills and getting rained a bit for about half a year). I’ve
>been biking 10 miles daily for fitness (more on weekends) 95% on paved
>paths, sidewalks (don’t trust the drivers here). I might occasionally
>commute (15miles each way) on sidewalks/bike paths still. Currently I
>ride a cheap MTB with smi-smooth Kevlar lined fat tires to keep from
>glass and thorns punctures. (Rode it for 5 years and it screeches and
>clicks by now)
>I will be grocery-getting occasionally. I will be on pavement mostly,
>but might like to take packed dirt paths or cut across a lawn at times.
>
>Seat post shock useful?
>Best tire choice?
>Handlebars? I now have flat bar with short curved extensions, and I get
>numb/tingling in my fingers occasionally and have to stretch to make it
>go away (perhaps the bike size is wrong).
>I tried a couple of road bikes and I’m comfortable with drop down
>handlebars, but I prefer the comfort extra brake grips on top of hte
>bar.
>
>Want: road bike or hybrid for $800 or less. A lot less, preferably, but
>I'll pay more for a bike I don't have to upgrade later.
>
>Pros and cons on used bikes?
>
>The short list, and feel free to suggest whatever I don't have on it
>yet:
>
>Giant Cypress SX
>Cannondale Road Warrior 800
>Giant Cypress SL
>Giant OCR 2
>Giant OCR 3
>Trek 100c
>Specialized Sequoia
>Specialized Sirrus

Used touring bike with 35mm tires.
drop bars.

or


Should be some other hybrid treks in your price rangle also.

Cane creek bar ends are awesome at any rate for flat bars!!
 
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...

>Seat post shock useful?

Not the ones that come on most bikes.

>Best tire choice?

Something completely slick would work best for you.

>Handlebars? I now have flat bar with short curved extensions, and I get
>numb/tingling in my fingers occasionally and have to stretch to make it
>go away (perhaps the bike size is wrong).
>I tried a couple of road bikes and I’m comfortable with drop down
>handlebars, but I prefer the comfort extra brake grips on top of hte
>bar.

Giant DS3, I think that is the model, has the brakes on the tops as well
as the normal placement.

>Want: road bike or hybrid for $800 or less. A lot less, preferably, but
>I'll pay more for a bike I don't have to upgrade later.

>Pros and cons on used bikes?

Pros, you get a lot of value for your money if you get a good one. Con, if
you get a bad one, it could cost you as much as a new bike.

>The short list, and feel free to suggest whatever I don't have on it
>yet:
>
>Giant Cypress SX
>Cannondale Road Warrior 800
>Giant Cypress SL
>Giant OCR 2
>Giant OCR 3
>Trek 100c
>Specialized Sequoia
>Specialized Sirrus

All reputable companies. See which one fits you the best from the bike shop
that provides you the best service.
---------------
Alex
 
<< From: MP Marandici [email protected]
Date: Wed, Sep 15, 2004 8:42 PM
Message-id: <[email protected]>

I’m a newbie to this forum. I am looking for a new bike. I am
narrowing choices, but I want some input from daily riders. I
appreciate any advice you can give me.

Background: I am 5’11", 175lbs, 32" inseam, long arms. I live in South
Florida (no hills and getting rained a bit for about half a year). I’ve
been biking 10 miles daily for fitness (more on weekends) 95% on paved
paths, sidewalks (don’t trust the drivers here). I might occasionally
commute (15miles each way) on sidewalks/bike paths still. Currently I
ride a cheap MTB with smi-smooth Kevlar lined fat tires to keep from
glass and thorns punctures. (Rode it for 5 years and it screeches and
clicks by now)
I will be grocery-getting occasionally. I will be on pavement mostly,
but might like to take packed dirt paths or cut across a lawn at times.

Seat post shock useful?
Best tire choice?
Handlebars? I now have flat bar with short curved extensions, and I get
numb/tingling in my fingers occasionally and have to stretch to make it
go away (perhaps the bike size is wrong).
I tried a couple of road bikes and I’m comfortable with drop down
handlebars, but I prefer the comfort extra brake grips on top of hte
bar.

Want: road bike or hybrid for $800 or less. A lot less, preferably, but
I'll pay more for a bike I don't have to upgrade later.

Pros and cons on used bikes?

The short list, and feel free to suggest whatever I don't have on it
yet:

Giant Cypress SX
Cannondale Road Warrior 800
Giant Cypress SL
Giant OCR 2
Giant OCR 3
Trek 100c
Specialized Sequoia
Specialized Sirrus
>><BR><BR>

I am 5'11", 175 lbs and really like my new Biria easy boarding bike. A
city/commuter bike that comes standard with a Shimano 7 speed or Sdram 3 speed
or seven speed hub drive, 1.75 inch 26 inch tires, fenders, front and rear
lights, and V brakes as well as coaster breaks (my bike also has rear V brakes
as well as coaster brakes). The bike also includes a tire driven generator
(mine includes a Shimano front hub generator). The purists here will probably
tell you that this is not a true commuter bike but for the mileage you travel I
think you would love it. It has the lowest step-over height on the market (no
cross bar at all).

You can check the EZ Boarding series as well as other Biria bikes at
www3.Biria.com. Nope, I don't work for them.
 
Alex Rodriguez wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>>Handlebars? I now have flat bar with short curved extensions, and I get
>>numb/tingling in my fingers occasionally and have to stretch to make it
>>go away (perhaps the bike size is wrong).
>>I tried a couple of road bikes and I’m comfortable with drop down
>>handlebars, but I prefer the comfort extra brake grips on top of hte
>>bar.
>
>
> Giant DS3, I think that is the model, has the brakes on the tops as well
> as the normal placement.

Some Cannondales have them as well -- they call them b-levers. My sport
R1000 has them. They're real brakes, not suicide brakes. I love being
able to brake from the tops.

I personally think that drop bars are more comfortable than flat bars.
More choice of hand positions.

I agree with fx, a used touring bike with 35mm tires should be on your
list, especially if you want to be able to haul groceries home.

-km

--
Only cowards fight kids -- unidentified Moscow protester
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts
 
As a commuting bike, I really like my Jamis Coda. Basically, a road
bike with a few compromises that make it better suited for urban
riding - flat bar, thumb shifters, can take a wider tire, etc. I think
there are at least a couple of other manufactures with similar bikes:

http://www.jamisbikes.com/street_intro.html
 
>Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
>From: [email protected] (salmoneous)
>Date: 9/17/2004 10:07 AM US Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>As a commuting bike, I really like my Jamis Coda. Basically, a road
>bike with a few compromises that make it better suited for urban
>riding - flat bar, thumb shifters, can take a wider tire, etc. I think
>there are at least a couple of other manufactures with similar bikes:
>
>http://www.jamisbikes.com/street_intro.html
>

Yeah a lot more well known ones such as Trek or Specialized. Not everyone has
access to those obscure brands.
 
Fx199 wrote:
>>Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
>>From: [email protected] (salmoneous)
>>Date: 9/17/2004 10:07 AM US Eastern Standard Time
>>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>>
>>As a commuting bike, I really like my Jamis Coda. Basically, a road
>>bike with a few compromises that make it better suited for urban
>>riding - flat bar, thumb shifters, can take a wider tire, etc. I think
>>there are at least a couple of other manufactures with similar bikes:
>>
>>http://www.jamisbikes.com/street_intro.html
>>
>
>
> Yeah a lot more well known ones such as Trek or Specialized. Not everyone has
> access to those obscure brands.

Eh? Is Jamis really that obscure? There's a Jamis dealer in Binghamton
NY, ferpetesake, it can't be all that obscure.

-km

--
Only cowards fight kids -- unidentified Moscow protester
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts
 
>Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
>From: the black rose [email protected]
>Date: 9/17/2004 9:29 PM US Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>Fx199 wrote:
>>>Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
>>>From: [email protected] (salmoneous)
>>>Date: 9/17/2004 10:07 AM US Eastern Standard Time
>>>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>>>
>>>As a commuting bike, I really like my Jamis Coda. Basically, a road
>>>bike with a few compromises that make it better suited for urban
>>>riding - flat bar, thumb shifters, can take a wider tire, etc. I think
>>>there are at least a couple of other manufactures with similar bikes:
>>>
>>>http://www.jamisbikes.com/street_intro.html
>>>
>>
>>
>> Yeah a lot more well known ones such as Trek or Specialized. Not everyone
>has
>> access to those obscure brands.
>
>Eh? Is Jamis really that obscure? There's a Jamis dealer in Binghamton
>NY, ferpetesake, it can't be all that obscure.
>

plenty of people live in smaller cities than that.

There are no Jamis in Ft Wayne
 
>There are no Jamis in Ft Wayne

There are Jamis here, but it ain't Ft Wayne.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________
 
>Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
>From: "Eric S. Sande" [email protected]
>Date: 9/18/2004 8:58 AM US Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>>There are no Jamis in Ft Wayne
>
>There are Jamis here, but it ain't Ft Wayne.
>
>--
>
>_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND___

I used to have an AMiga 2000 LOL
 
"Fx199" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
> >From: "Eric S. Sande" [email protected]
> >Date: 9/18/2004 8:58 AM US Eastern Standard Time
> >Message-id: <[email protected]>
> >
> >>There are no Jamis in Ft Wayne
> >
> >There are Jamis here, but it ain't Ft Wayne.
> >
> >--
> >
> >_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND___
>
> I used to have an AMiga 2000 LOL

I had one of the original Amiga 1000s when they first came out.

Now I have a PC with an AMD Athlon 3700+ 64 bit processor.
I like the new PC a lot better.
 
>Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
>From: "Claire Petersky" [email protected]
>Date: 9/18/2004 9:10 AM US Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>"Fx199" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>> There are no Jamis in Ft Wayne
>
>Oh, you live in Texas. That explains it.
>
>
>--
>Warm Regards,
>
>Claire Petersky

No, Indiana actually.

Named after Anthony Wayne, Indiana was considered the western frontier in those
days
 
"Fx199" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >Subject: Re: Commuter/Fitness Bike Choices
> >From: "Claire Petersky" [email protected]
> >
> >"Fx199" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >
> >> There are no Jamis in Ft Wayne
> >
> >Oh, you live in Texas. That explains it.
>
> No, Indiana actually.
>
> Named after Anthony Wayne, Indiana was considered the western frontier in
those
> days

Thank you for the geography and history information.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
please substitute yahoo for mousepotato to reply
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

PS, feel free to snip the .sig when replying.
 
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