Greetings,
I currently ride a Trek Navigator 200 that's about 15 years old. My use is mostly urban commuting (short rides of 1 to 5 miles to run errands) but I'll occasionally go for longer rides on a bike path (10-15 miles). I have a rear rack with a grocery style pannier made by Arkel and some other accessories like a rear view mirror, bell and iPhone holder. I like the upright position, many gears and the ability to bike on a sidewalk, road, grass or dirt. The only thing that bothers me is that the bike is somewhat heavy (I believe around 30 pounds) and I was thinking of getting a new bike that is significantly lighter.
I was looking for something made of carbon or titanium to shave some weight off, but it doesn't look like any of those materials are used for making "Comfort" bikes, understandably. I was thinking perhaps the way to go is to get a carbon framed bike that has a flat handlebar and can handle slightly thicker wheels than a road bike. Then I could swap out the stem in the front and have one that would raise the bars so I can be in an upright position. I'd probably have to sacrifice the front shocks to keep the weight down, and that should be OK.
I was wondering if anyone could recommend a manufacturer / configuration that could achieve what I'm looking for. It seems that something like this could cost me in the range of $1,500 - $2,000 which is much more expensive than a "replacement" of my Navigator with the Trek Verve or FX series. One bike store recommended customizing a Cannondale Synapse.
I'd greatly appreciate if anyone has any ideas about what may work best.
Thanks so much!
I currently ride a Trek Navigator 200 that's about 15 years old. My use is mostly urban commuting (short rides of 1 to 5 miles to run errands) but I'll occasionally go for longer rides on a bike path (10-15 miles). I have a rear rack with a grocery style pannier made by Arkel and some other accessories like a rear view mirror, bell and iPhone holder. I like the upright position, many gears and the ability to bike on a sidewalk, road, grass or dirt. The only thing that bothers me is that the bike is somewhat heavy (I believe around 30 pounds) and I was thinking of getting a new bike that is significantly lighter.
I was looking for something made of carbon or titanium to shave some weight off, but it doesn't look like any of those materials are used for making "Comfort" bikes, understandably. I was thinking perhaps the way to go is to get a carbon framed bike that has a flat handlebar and can handle slightly thicker wheels than a road bike. Then I could swap out the stem in the front and have one that would raise the bars so I can be in an upright position. I'd probably have to sacrifice the front shocks to keep the weight down, and that should be OK.
I was wondering if anyone could recommend a manufacturer / configuration that could achieve what I'm looking for. It seems that something like this could cost me in the range of $1,500 - $2,000 which is much more expensive than a "replacement" of my Navigator with the Trek Verve or FX series. One bike store recommended customizing a Cannondale Synapse.
I'd greatly appreciate if anyone has any ideas about what may work best.
Thanks so much!