Great response, thank you so much!Originally Posted by alfeng .
Well, now that you've been IN Chicago for a bit of time, you know that MOST of it is FLAT ...
So, the type of bike you will need for your future 60+ mile ride, or shorter, will most likely be very different from the bike you will want for commuting ... particularly, depending on whether you are on the South Side (e.g., Hyde Park) or North Side (e.g., near Rogers Park, and environs) OR elsewhere in the city ...
So, before you get a NICE looking bike, I think that you should ask your campus police whether they know the level of bicycle thefts in-and-around where you live ...
Now, as to whether or not a Carbon Fiber bike is better than an aluminum bike ... or, even a steel bike ... THAT (IMO) depends mostly on whether you live in a third floor walk up or a building with an elevator BECAUSE the weight of a bicycle is most evident when you are hoisting it on your shoulder or otherwise picking it up off of the ground.
For commuting to school, a Single Speed from WalMart/KMart will more than suffice PLUS a really good lock -- the old adage is the lighter the bike the heavier the lock.
For the longer rides, 'I' would look at something similar to your FUJI rather than the particular Road bikes which you selected (which ARE certainly a nice selection) ...
And, choose something like a JAMIS CODA ... onto which I would either put the same type of Moustache handlebars which you have on your Fuji OR a set of DROP handlebars + Campagnolo shifters.
- and, change the V-brakes to either Cantilever brake calipers or MINI-V-Brake calipers ...
Campagnolo shifters can be mated to a huge variety of (i.e., most) Shimano drivetrains & provide you with superior shifting + subjectively better ergonomics.
The shifters which will come on the Jamis can simply be transferred to a Moustache Handlebar.
FYI. The Jamis Coda line of bikes start at an MSRP of below $600 for the steel version with V-brakes (that is the ONE which 'I' would choose because MY preference is for steel framed bikes ... and, I would amend it with the fore mentioned Campagnolo shifters + Drop Handlebars -- if you buy the shifters on eBay & DIY then the cost is easily under $200 ... you will need a minimum amount of hand tools + time PLUS the skill level required to open & close a jar of pickles ... more time will probably be spent wrapping the handlebars than doing the mechanical work ... a shop will probably charge you 2x that amount) to an aluminum framed version with disc brakes (disc brakes are still a moving target, technologically) which is about 2x the MSRP the last time I looked.
To follow up a little bit: I do indeed know how incredibly flat Chicago is. I live in Streeterville and will be commuting to the Loop. I can ask my office if there is bike storage in the building or if I can bring my bike up with me on the elevator. I don't typically commute to school because I live 2 blocks away from campus, so it's really not necessary. Most of the time during school I would keep my bike in my house and ride it for recreational/exercise purposes. And of course I will be buying a max safety lock, I've heard tons of horror stories about people getting their bikes or wheels stolen.
The rest of your post is a little bit beyond me...what is the difference between v-brakes and disc brakes? Is one preferable to another? Also I've never really fixed up my own bike before, is there somewhere I could go online to learn how to do it?
Thank you to MPRE, danfoz, and alienator for your responses too!!! RE: Sizing, I am either a 52 or 53...it's been a while since I've been sized and (embarrassing admission!) my Fuji was a 49 and way too small for me, but it was the last one in the store and I bought different handlebars and stuff to make up for it. So in a way this is a blessing because now I have the opportunity to buy a bike that actually fits me.
It seems like the consensus w/r/t the bikes I posted is that the Fuji Women's 3.0 is the best choice. That's what I was leaning towards as well. I do, however, like the Raleigh that you posted, danfoz - I rode a Raleigh road bike before I bought my Fuji, and it was very good to me It seems like the parts are slightly less high-end than the Fuji...will this make a difference, given my purposes (Commuting, exercise, recreational rides) and what I want in a bike (speed, endurance, ease of riding)?