"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:I'm thinking of buying one of the flat bar road bikes on the market. Plan
to
Quoted message said:use it for errands and occasional commuting ( my main commuter is a road bike). I'd like the bike
to have rack bosses, and fender bosses if
possible.
Quoted message said:I can always use clip on fenders, but need a rack mount. I can spend $1000 but would prefer to pay
less. I use a slick tired hardtail MTB now, but
I'd
Quoted message said:like to convert that back to dirt use. I read a writeup on the Kona Dr.
Dew
Quoted message said:in Bike Mag but it's kind of pricey. Anybody have a cheaper alternative?
Mike,
I was in the market for one as well, but I was shooting for something with discs and possibly
suspension. I compiled a list of almost everything I could find. Here's the list from roughly the
most expensive to the least:
Cannondale Bad Boy Ulta Gary Fisher Fast City Kona Dr. Dew (and its little brothers dew deluxe and
dew) Giant OCR Touring (a touring road frame with discs, drop handlebars) Cannondale Road Warrior
Specialized Sirrus K2 Mach S Fuji Forza Rocky Mountain Metro Jamis Coda Comp Novarra Big Buzz Giant
Cypress SX Motobecane Cafe Latte / Noir
Of this list, I think the Specialized Sirrus is probably the best bets. I know it has eyelets,
v-brakes, and rides well. Heck, the Sirrus Sport even has discs for $800.
I thought I really wanted one of these, but I have since changed my mind. I built up a flat bar road
bike from an old schwinn and found that going any kind of distance caused pain in my hands and
wrists, despite trying several stems and bars and using bar-ends. It was the combination of the
aggressive position and long distances with the flat bar that did it. I don't have these problems
with either my road bike or mountain bike. You might evaluate the distances you plan on riding and
see if you can rent one for a long test ride before you buy. You could have the same problems I did.
Good luck! -Buck
