Commuting - Buying new hybrid: Opinions please!!

So I'm sick and tired of my HEAVY mtn. bike for commuting. Background: my commute is 20 miles one way, and I'd really like to be doing the round trip 3-4x/week. I think a new, lighter, more road worthy bike will so help me attain this goal.

Anyways, just checking out the LBS's (we only have 2) and I can only afford around $600. I found this:

http://www.mielebicycles.com/en/velo_hybride_confort.asp?BIKE=UMBRIAELITE&COLOR=ALUPOLI

What do y'all think? I took it for a spin and it felt good, fast and LIGHT!!! I did like it. Does anyone know anything about these bikes? I'd never heard of them before.

Any and all opinions welcome! Thx!

Whatever turns you on. I prefer drop bars for commuting, because of the wide variety of hand positions, but others will concur with your choice.

You'll find few people here who will defend hybrids; they're like Hootie and the Blowfish. I don't know anyone who likes them, yet their popularity speaks for itself.

I have a hybrid, which is not as fun to ride as the road bike, but it's super-reliable. And I don't care if it gets wet or dirty.

What's your terrain? Do you have a lot of hills? Bad pavement? Bike paths and no rednecks for the full 20 miles?

If I was buying a new hybrid, I'd look at this Bianchi. It has an internal-geared hub, which sounds great after my derailleur just folded into my spokes and caused a wreck.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/bianchi05/611.html

I've found adding aero bars to my mtn. bike helps hugely with the hand positioning. I also like the upright position for the most part.

Bklyn - I'm on highway for mostly the whole commute - it's mostly chip seal, with god-knows-what strewn about. Dodging glass shards, gravelly bits, chunks of sod, tire remnants, etc is not uncommon. So I need a pretty sturdy tire that will withstand all that junk. That's what keeps me from a road bike really. I also have a few short sections of gravel road to go down. I don't know though - can road bikes handle all that?

Why is your hybrid not as much fun as the road bike?

This bike looks very much to me like a ridgid tail MTB cira early 90's. This is what I run and I have a 14 mile one way commute, and judging by pics on this forum lots of other poeple run these bikes too. I think they make good commuters. My Marin has a cromoly steel frame and I don't think it is heavy (although it is no road bike either). Also, if you look at the Touring Forum lots of people run rigid tail MTBs as touring bikes. I assume your current MTB has the suspension style frame and that is why it is heavy.

Try to test the Trek FX if you can, they're really good.

The road bike is more fun because it's lighter, more responsive, and, I don't know, cooler? The hybrid is the minivan, the road bike is, like, a vintage Karman Ghia. The both make the commute in the same time; it's a different mind-set, maybe.
And I apologize for taking you for a new member; I didn't read your handle, and I misread your join date as June 2006. I hope I didn't condescend.

Mtn_Chick -- I like the multiple personalities of the hybrid. From pavement to gravel to cutting across the grass, hybrid does it all without havinbg to worry too much about it. I've not heard of the Miele bikes. A woman in my building rides the Bianchi Milano. If you like retro styling it is a very pretty bike -- hers is black and like Italian shoes or clothes reflects a tasteful stylish designer. I don't know how it rides and the women who rides it has such a short commute her comments are probably not that relevant. I'll toss in one plug for the Fuji Supreme. I've ridden mine almost 6,000 miles through gravel, dirt, mud, snow, ice, some single track and even pavement and the bike has done it all without problems.

You must be Canadian. We don't see many Mieles here in the US. If the bike fits you well and it is a major improvement over your current ride I would say go for it.

I would, however, try riding at least one bike with drop bars. The ride posture may turn out not to be for you, but I would at least give it a test ride. They tend to be a bit over your price range, but cyclocross bikes are an interesting choice. They seem much more like actual hybrids of road and mtb. bikes.

robmcl - yeah, I have the suspension on the bike I have now. Not sure why I got it - I was commuting last year and the other LBS told me it was a hybrid (as I say I'm pretty clueless in gear/techy stuff - and this new LBS says no) and would be good for hwy commuting. Maybe for some, but not for me!

Bklyn - no worries, I am only here in the summer, since we have nothing but cold and snow for 7 months of the year. And y'know - I've never seen the road bikes as "cool" looking - no offense to those who do! I just really like the look of the hybrids and if speed isn't much of a difference between the two, I think the hybrid is for me.

MDNewbie - that's what I'm thinking, I need something fairly versatile. The hybrids seem to fit.

barba - I guess it is a Cdn company. And good point - if it's a better bike, I have more fun on it, I might as well go for it. For once in my life (Ha!) I'm actually *thinking* before I drop a load of cash on something!!

I may borrow a friend's road bike for an upcoming race, so I may wait to buy till after the race. Who knows, I may become an obsessed, fanatical roadie!! :D

robmcl - yeah, I have the suspension on the bike I have now. Not sure why I got it - I was commuting last year and the other LBS told me it was a hybrid (as I say I'm pretty clueless in gear/techy stuff - and this new LBS says no) and would be good for hwy commuting. Maybe for some, but not for me!

Bklyn - no worries, I am only here in the summer, since we have nothing but cold and snow for 7 months of the year. And y'know - I've never seen the road bikes as "cool" looking - no offense to those who do! I just really like the look of the hybrids and if speed isn't much of a difference between the two, I think the hybrid is for me.

MDNewbie - that's what I'm thinking, I need something fairly versatile. The hybrids seem to fit.

barba - I guess it is a Cdn company. And good point - if it's a better bike, I have more fun on it, I might as well go for it. For once in my life (Ha!) I'm actually *thinking* before I drop a load of cash on something!!

I may borrow a friend's road bike for an upcoming race, so I may wait to buy till after the race. Who knows, I may become an obsessed, fanatical roadie!! :D

Whupps! Double post....

Ah crap! Yet another post. Darn that there internet...

Ah crap! Yet another post. Darn that there internet...

I ride a hybrid exclusively. I would have a hard time with a road bike on the gravel (sometimes loose, sometimes VERY loose, like sand). I have suspension but I would DEFINITELY NOT get it again even though I ride on rough gravel at times. It doesn't make that much difference IMHO when you're running 32s or larger as I am, and it just adds weight and forces you to make allowances for movement when you run computer cables, etc.
I think I might like having a touring bike, but that's probably just because I long to go touring. If I lost my bike and had to buy another "only one bike" bike at this point, I'd probably go with another hybrid. Nothing else I've seen in the price range can take the range of tires and abuse and fenders and racks and lights and everything else I want on the bike. A cross bike could probably do it, but I can't buy a cross bike new for $350, and I've been perfectly happy with my current $350 bike, so why spend more?

"Road bike" can describe a wide variety of styles from competition race bikes to more relaxed touring machines. Not all road bikes are limited to narrow tyres. Light touring bikes can easily accomodate 28mm tyres and tourer can take 32mm and wider. Cyclo-cross style bikes can take wider tyres but still have light, agile frames. I use a 32mm on rough roads and tracks in all weather.
The hybrid you show has a ridgid Al fork; this may be a bit unforgiving. A classic steel touring fork is quite springy and can absorb considerable shock.

I may suggest that you save more money and get a cyclocross bike. It has several adavantages over a hybrid.

1. Usually lighter
2. Drop bars to get out of the wind.
3. Cross brake levers let you brake while sitting up.
4. Rack and fender mounts on most models
5. Can run wide tires. My poprad has 32 mm which roll A LOT better than my 1.5 MTB slicks

Get the size that will allow you to easily set the height of the handlebars level with the seat. It will be as comfortable or more than a hybrid.

Ditto what both MichaelW and BillyBob said. I can't really recommend a hybrid either.

I commute on what is essentially a touring bike: Slightly longer chainstays, drop bars level with the saddle, 700x25 tires, rack and fenders. I cross railroad tracks with it, ride through rough streets strewn with all sorts of crap, and over a road that's made of a sharp gravel/slurry mix. (What were they thinking?) The only terrain I don't cover in my commute is loose/shifting sand or gravel. While my tires are "skinny" compared with an ATB/hybrid, compared with some racing bikes they are fairly thick. I also run Armadillos for the flat protection.

Road bikes come in many flavors, and many of those are not hunched over gossamer light racing bikes, but rather are quite suited for your needs. A hybrid is often just a road friendly ATB; ok at lots of things, but not great at anything.

The upright geometry of a hybrid may also time/distance limit you on rides. Upright riding is fine for short jaunts, but as the ride gets longer can be terrible on the tush and back. A touring/cyclocross road bike with bars level with the saddle gives you a posture that you can ride with for quite long distances, at greater speed for less effort, while having clearance for "fatter" tires if need be, plus fenders, racks, etc.

My only point of disagreement with MichaelW is on the steel v aluminum fork. Ride comfort comes first and foremost from geometry. One must become a serious "road feel" epicure to find such an appreciable difference between aluminum and steel that that becomes a deciding factor in comfort.

mtn_chick,

Was that $600US or $600Cdn? For $600US (or even Cdn), there are better hybrid bikes out there. IMO, it's going to be hard to get a decent road bike for that kind of $. Fuji Newest is one of the few I can think of that would work. Of course, it's bottom of the line. Still decent though. But for a hybrid, you're in the middle of the line. Hybrid bikes are cheaper because they share MTB parts.

I try not to talk people out of the type of bike they are interested in buying. But I like to suggest diff brands/models that I think are better values. What other brands do the 2 bike shops carry? It is possible that they just don't stock hybrids in the other brands, but can get them in stock in a matter of days.

Hey
I am lucky enough to have one bike for the occasion: a decent Cannondale road bike (105 components) a Kona Jake the Snake cyclocross bike (105 components) a Trek 7200fx hybrid without suspension which I’d say it’s comparable to the Miele posted above. It is not a bad ride but essentially I got it for those short jaunts where I don’t need speed & don’t mind lock it up outside for a while.

The hybrid although it has a nice plushy feel & responsiveness it’s kinda hard to keep a good cadence because it’s heavy in the long run.
If I could have only one it would be the Kona because it has everything: light, fast enough to hang with any roadie & fat tires for the dirt/gravel paths, I mean we are talking about a little over thousand dollars bike, but again for your budget you should be able to get a high performance hybrid.
If you can check out the sirrus series or the marin.

Background: my commute is 20 miles one way, and I'd really like to be doing the round trip 3-4x/week. I think a new, lighter, more road worthy bike will so help me attain this goal.

http://www.mielebicycles.com/en/velo_hybride_confort.asp?BIKE=UMBRIAELITE&COLOR=ALUPOLI

t felt good, fast and LIGHT!!!

Any and all opinions welcome! Thx!

20 mile commute? Wow! :beer:

The bicycle seems nice overall. It does have an agressive positioning to keep you driving forward.

My only concern is the Truvative Isoflow crank. Certainly, Truvative make some great cranks. However, the chainrings are 42/32/22. Also, the cassette is a HG30 which is a 8 speed cassette with a 11-32t range. Here are the gear inches:

102.2 77.8 53.5
93.7 71.4 49.1
80.3 61.2 42.1
70.2 53.5 36.8
62.4 47.6 32.7
53.5 40.8 28.0
46.8 35.7 24.5
40.1 30.6 21.0
35.1 26.8 18.4


Your heaviest gear is a 102.2. It has been recommended to have a high gear range of 110. If I were commuting 20 miles each way I would want a bigger crank with at least 48t chain ring. IMO:)

I own a hybrid and a road bike. Mostly I use my road bike to commute because it's a lot faster and I just enjoy riding it more, though sometimes the going is a little rough because I ride on some nasty streets to get to work here in NYC. However, when it's pouring rain like it has been lately, I like the hybrid because it has wider tires and those awesome v-brakes that are great and reliable in the rain. Also, I have it set up with fenders and bits of it wrapped in tubes, so I don't worry about it getting dirty and gritty (except the drive train, which I clean regularly).

I will also say that before I discovered that I'm a road bike person at heart, I rode that hybrid everywhere, every day. It was a great bike for me, especially as my first "nice bike" as an adult (previously I trashed a series of cheap crappola bikes). But once I got used to the road machine it became my regular ride.

Regarding that bike you sent a link to -- $600 USD? My Specialized Sirrus cost less than that brand new at the beginning of the model year, and I think it has nicer components. It's taken quite a beating and still runs like new, even after a New York winter (and yes, I did ride it through both blizzards). Tough little bike, and it is also nice looking (for a hybrid) and fast (for a hybrid). I put Armadillo tires on it and it was good to go (though I hate the suspension seatpost -- if I had known I would hate it I bet the LBS would have switched it out for me).

mnt_chick, I say do some more test rides and see if there's anything else you like. Hybrids tend to be cheaper than road bikes, so that is a factor. You could always move your aero bars to it. I'm not sure how I'd feel about getting a 7 speed bike though. That's very old tech, which tells me they used it because its *cheap*. Make sure its a freehub and not a freewheel for the price. And make sure the wheels are double walled rims not just single wall cheapies.

Take care and enjoy your commute :)

Ok, I just wrote a long, detailed response to you and lost it, so I will keep this one very, very short and hopefully very, very sweet.

I love my road bike most of the time but I love my hybrid when it's pouring rain. Wide tires and V-brakes and fenders, oh my.

The Specialized Sirrus is an awesome hybrid that you can find for under $600 USD new (mine was less than that at the very beginning of the model year). Reliable, quick, comfy, and tried and true. I beat the crap out of mine over the New York City winter and after a good cleaning it still rides like new. I've heard good things about the Fuji Absolute, which is similar, but personally I think it is a weirdly squirrely ride and not as solid as the Sirrus. I've never heard of the bike you sent the link to.

Freaking computer. Grr.

Oh, though I stand by what I just posted, I have to second the idea of a cyclocross bike or a touring bike. If I could only have one bike I would get something like a Surly Crosscheck or a touring bike. Not so pretty but tough, reliable, and flexible. Big or small tires, fenders or no, not too aggressive positioning, flip the stem and it's even more upright. You can ride it on gravel or even a nice trail, or take it on a century. If I had room for a 4th bike I would buy a touring bike. *sigh*

Sorry for all the duplicate posts.

Take a look at the Raleigh Rt 24 - it's a flat-barred road bike. It includes disk brakes, geared like a road bike, lighter than a hybrid and can handle wider tires, fenders and rear rack. I think it is in your price range, if not they make the Rt 1 which does not have the disk brakes and might have cheaper components...but is a good bike (a friend has one).

mnt_chick, I say do some more test rides and see if there's anything else you like. Hybrids tend to be cheaper than road bikes, so that is a factor. You could always move your aero bars to it. I'm not sure how I'd feel about getting a 7 speed bike though. That's very old tech, which tells me they used it because its *cheap*. Make sure its a freehub and not a freewheel for the price. And make sure the wheels are double walled rims not just single wall cheapies.

Take care and enjoy your commute :)

mnt_chick, I say do some more test rides and see if there's anything else you like. Hybrids tend to be cheaper than road bikes, so that is a factor. You could always move your aero bars to it. I'm not sure how I'd feel about getting a 7 speed bike though. That's very old tech, which tells me they used it because its *cheap*. Make sure its a freehub and not a freewheel for the price. And make sure the wheels are double walled rims not just single wall cheapies.

Take care and enjoy your commute :)

BikeFleet - is it this website? My attempts to post yesterday kept getting timed out - hence the 8 posts above!! There seem to be duplicate posts all over the place. :rolleyes:

I was actually thinking about a touring bike and may look into them more. Basically I'm kind of jumping the gun here, 'cause I want a new, lighter bike for a road race in 2 weeks (yes, I *should* have a road bike for that...). And right now I only have this $600, but barely. So I think I'll suck it up and wait for a few weeks when I can actually afford something a bit more pricey. Hey, I have a bonus at work coming up! :)

And yeah, the $600 is Cdn, though we're almost on par now! Also, keep in mind, things are more expensive up here.

I know I should really give the road bikes a try and I really like the cyclocross bikes too. I've never been on either.

Georgiaboy - thanks for the info on the bike specs. One problem with the mtn. bike is that it won't go as fast as I want it too! I explained this to the LBS guy and he said yeah, their problem is that they top out at a certain speed, and that the Miele would be much better in that regard.

And my ride is *mostly* flat with a few short hills, and some long inclines.

Thanks again for the info and letting me take some time to think this very important decision through! I just want a new bike... NOW! :)

Hey
If I could have only one it would be the Kona because it has everything: light, fast enough to hang with any roadie & fat tires for the dirt/gravel paths, I mean we are talking about a little over thousand dollars bike, but again for your budget you should be able to get a high performance hybrid.


I second that, but I have the Kona Jake (JTS' little brother). Same basic design, but Tiagra/Sora components and a bit thicker tubing on the frame, which is actually perfect for a daily rider. I'll probably upgrade to 105 as the components need replacing, but can't complain about their performance so far. I was seriously looking at the Trek FX line as a replacement to a MTB commuter, and am very happy I went with a CX bike for the drop bars. I got the Jake for $720 US, so it shouldn't be too far out of reach.

I commute on the Trek 7200 fx and it's working out great for me. I bought last year's model for $299 brand new -- heck of a deal I thought. It's not entirely light, but I added racks and such to it, and I can attest to at least sprinting between 25mph - 30mph on flat surfaces -- even loaded and in work clothes.

For my .02, if you keep your hybrid well tuned, it's a workhorse and a great value.

I'll add that reading this thread has been helpful: when I save up enough in that gas I'm not burning, I'll be looking into a cyclocross.

Cheers!

I commute on the Trek 7200 fx and it's working out great for me. I bought last year's model for $299 brand new -- heck of a deal I thought. It's not entirely light, but I added racks and such to it, and I can attest to at least sprinting between 25mph - 30mph on flat surfaces -- even loaded and in work clothes.

For my .02, if you keep your hybrid well tuned, it's a workhorse and a great value.

I'll add that reading this thread has been helpful: when I save up enough in that gas I'm not burning, I'll be looking into a cyclocross.

Cheers!

I commute on the Trek 7200 fx and it's working out great for me. I bought last year's model for $299 brand new -- heck of a deal I thought. It's not entirely light, but I added racks and such to it, and I can attest to at least sprinting between 25mph - 30mph on flat surfaces -- even loaded and in work clothes.

For my .02, if you keep your hybrid well tuned, it's a workhorse and a great value.

I'll add that reading this thread has been helpful: when I save up enough in that gas I'm not burning, I'll be looking into a cyclocross.

Cheers!

I commute on the Trek 7200 fx and it's working out great for me. I bought last year's model for $299 brand new -- heck of a deal I thought. It's not entirely light, but I added racks and such to it, and I can attest to at least sprinting between 25mph - 30mph on flat surfaces -- even loaded and in work clothes.

For my .02, if you keep your hybrid well tuned, it's a workhorse and a great value.

I'll add that reading this thread has been helpful: when I save up enough in that gas I'm not burning, I'll be looking into a cyclocross.

Cheers!

My wife had a hybrid; it was okay but heavy and the front suspension just added weight. The suspension seatpost was also useless. I got her a Trek 7.5FX and it's a much nicer ride. Still pretty upright but lighter and faster. The FX can take fenders and also racks front and rear.

http://homepage.mac.com/bbattle/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2006-06-07%2018.07.38%20-0700/Image-13E95AECF68B11DA.jpg

Try to test the Trek FX if you can, they're really good.

After a bike shopping journey my wife decided on a 7.3 FX in Women Spec. design.
She really likes it. It feels to me like a very 'serious(??) bike. I know some hybrids
have a connotation of being like the mini-vans or Lark Mobility Scooters of bicycles
but I dont think this is a hybrid, per se and it feels to me like a real, lite-weight, quality
item at its price point.
MTN-CHK....I really think with the miles you do and the terrain you ride this might be
worth checking out.
I might look at the top tube model too, though...The WSD model is shorter and to me,
a great big macho, Y-chromo pumped, he-man it seems a little twitchy :roflmao:

Hmm... looks like my last post didn't make it...

The $600 IS Cdn, but we're almost on par now. Things in general are more expensive up here as well.

georgiaboy - thanks for the info on the specs. I know with my mtn bike, right now I can't get it to go as fast as I want! I mentioned that to LBS guy who said they normally "top out" at a certain speed? And he assured me I wouldn't have that problem with the Miele.

rykoala - I think I definitely have to try some more bikes out. I was rushing to get a lighter bike (I'm embarassed to admit) mostly because of the upcoming road race! Now that I've convinced myself (or my bank account has) that I can't afford a good bike for another month or so, at least then I'll have a bit more $$ and hopefully more test rides!

BikeFleet - I like the idea of the cyclocross' as well as the touring bikes. I'll have to look into those as well.

Agh! There's too many bike to choose from!!!!

Hey, Mtn Chick: if you're still following this, a few more thoughts?? People on these boards do rather tend to push what THEY like, and that's good -- the question is, what do YOU like/want, taking into account Budget and prevailing road conditions? You say you have around $600 Cdn, maybe a little more; you're not (unless you buy used) going to find a cyclocross, touring, or even decent entry-level road bike at that price in Canada -- you will be looking at mountain or hybrid. What no one seems to have asked is: what is your current bike/how is it set up? Are you running knobbies, or slicks? Given where you live, what bike brands are available to you? You've mentioned your riding conditions: are they pretty iffy (sounds like it)? You are in the Yukon (been there/seen that!); I would guess a constant battle with rough/broken asphalt and debris?
Next, IF you end up looking at hybrids, with flat bars, don't expect any great increase in average speeds over an mtb with slick tires -- simply doesn't happen. Most of the difference in speed on the open road between, say, a good light mtb w/slicks, OR a hybrid with 700c wheels, and a true road bike is the result of, mainly, better aerodynamic positioning and, secondarily, gearing (the latter is not a major factor UNLESS you are capable of pushing a gear of over 100" [which for most mere mortals is very hard on the knees]); standard mtb gearing gets you around the 100" mark with a typical 44 front/11 rear gear combo. Very thin, high pressure tires, as on a road bike, do make a slight difference, but given your description of your roads you are very likely to find these unreliable and uncomfortable on a long, every-day commute, and in fact at non-racing speeds wider (slick) tires run at properly set lower pressures have, if anything, less rolling resistance; again, the advantage of thin road racing high pressure tires is mainly a result of aerodynamic efficiency at racing speeds.
Anyway, just some things to consider; really, it all comes down to what YOU like/want within the real-world constraints that you have! Good luck with your decision!


Hmm... looks like my last post didn't make it...

The $600 IS Cdn, but we're almost on par now. Things in general are more expensive up here as well.

georgiaboy - thanks for the info on the specs. I know with my mtn bike, right now I can't get it to go as fast as I want! I mentioned that to LBS guy who said they normally "top out" at a certain speed? And he assured me I wouldn't have that problem with the Miele.

rykoala - I think I definitely have to try some more bikes out. I was rushing to get a lighter bike (I'm embarassed to admit) mostly because of the upcoming road race! Now that I've convinced myself (or my bank account has) that I can't afford a good bike for another month or so, at least then I'll have a bit more $$ and hopefully more test rides!

BikeFleet - I like the idea of the cyclocross' as well as the touring bikes. I'll have to look into those as well.

Agh! There's too many bike to choose from!!!!

That Miele will probably "top out" at the same speed, with a 42t large chainring. That size is fairly MTN bike standard. (don't know what you currently have.)

Most road bikes will run a large chainring between 48t and 52t, with 52 I'd say being the most common. A 52 front 13 rear will get you over 110 gear inches, and is a nice option. Same with a 48 front 11/12 rear. Of course, depending on what kind of shape you are in, it may actually take a while of riding before you can use your "tallest" gear on a new roadie.

Highly recommend researching a cross or touring bike. While the hybrid will be lighter, it's not going to give you a whole lot more than your MTN bike does. (a little more, but like I said earlier; ok at everything, not great at anything.)

But, maybe that little bit more is all that you need, and it's the perfect bike for you. Lot's of test rides should answer that question.

mtn_chick, I just replaced my hybrid commuter (which was too small for me) with another more mountain-biased hybrid, the Trek SU100. It's basically a rigid aluminum mountain bike with 1.5" slicks and higher gearing -- chainrings 48/38/28, cassette 11-30. I have a very short commute (about 4 miles), and I also use it for unpaved trails/gravel roads.

It's been great for me so far. It's noticeably faster than my old hybrid (a Specialized Crossroads), though I'm not sure why, and I'm so much happier without front suspension, which I really felt was wasting my effort.

Plus, it was CHEAP -- I paid US $380. I have no idea if something like this would suit your needs -- it does have 26" wheels instead of 700c -- but it may be worth checking into.

I thought Miele went out of business. Who bought up the brand?

badger1 - good points! I do only have a limited selection up here. The 2 LBS's carry: Specialized, Trek, Norco, Giant... those are the main ones I believe. The bike I ride now is a Norco something-or-other with slicks. It was about a $400 bike that I got early last summer. And yeah, the roads can be nasty in spots.

bbattle - ooh! I like that Trek!!!

badger1 - good points! I do only have a limited selection up here. The 2 LBS's carry: Specialized, Trek, Norco, Giant... those are the main ones I believe. The bike I ride now is a Norco something-or-other with slicks. It was about a $400 bike that I got early last summer. And yeah, the roads can be nasty in spots.

bbattle - ooh! I like that Trek!!!

Yep: exactly why I raised the questions! In fact, given you can get Trek, my guess would indeed be that the SU100 or 200 would really suit, AND they're both (Cdn $) pretty much in your budget: light, rigid forks, mtb-based but with slightly 'bigger' gears, and with slicks. Again, I don't think you'll notice a major 'speed' difference if/when you can try one, but I think you will notice that it's easier to maintain a reasonably good pace on average, in part because of lighter overall weight and the rigid fork (I'm guessing your Norco has a suspension fork?); if you're going from a low-end suspension fork to a rigid, you will notice a major difference in your ability to maintain pace when climbing. Those Treks are also designed to stretch you out/make you a little more 'aero' than the typical mtb position.

An SU100 is only going to be a marginal improvement over a steel rigid mountain bike.

When I ride my 50-mile round trip commute, my cyclocross bike saves me 45 minutes per day compared with my rigid steel mountain bike. If the OP continues to commute 40 miles per day, eventually the OP will end up with a touring bike.

Any hybrid you get for $600 new will be fine for a commute in my opinion. My hybrid was a bit over $400 and it has served me fine. As the parts wear out you can slowly upgrade components if you care to do so. I agree with someone above that a suspension seat post is a waste for commuting. The wiggling when pushing hard is annoying and these seatposts weigh alot. Ask the LBS to swap it out. Who knows? You might get a credit toward the price. Peace

PS Get bar ends for it. You will be a bit more bent over than on your MTB and you will appreciate the extra hand positions on your long commute.

Agh!:eek: Can't we all just agree!??!!:rolleyes:

Just kidding, I realize everyone has their favourites and I appreciate all the opinions.

I do have suspension in the seat AND front fork. I hate the seat suspension as I feel like I'm bobbing up and down on it half the time.

Quickly - what's the deal with cyclocrosses? How are they different from the hybrids?

DC - I think I will attempt a trade-in. Good plan!

Also... just realized - I'm not so sure the LBS carries Trek, but they def. do carry Kona. I think I got the two mixed up.

This wikipedia entry seems to cover it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclo-cross_bicycle

I want one pretty bad. They may be a tad out of your $600 range, but I would test ride one anyway. If you really like it, you can get by on your old bike for a bit longer and save. The most immediate difference you will notice right away between a cross bike and a hybrid will be the riding posture.

The cyclocross bike is a sturdy road bike.

Generally, they are more responsive than a touring bike, but not as fast as a pure road bike. They can take wider tires like a hybrid can (I run 32mm and could go fatter). They typically have fender and rack mounts. Another nice feature is that you can brake from the top of the handlebars as well as the hoods because they have what is called cross brake levers. They are made for cross-country races so they are durable.

Kona makes a cyclocross bike called 'Jake the Snake'.

I would check out a Surly CrossCheck complete which runs about USD $900. It is a little bit more than you will spend on a hybrid, but given the length of your commute it will be worth it.

If I were really pressed for cash, I would be tempted to buy a Trek 7.3FX and then start saving to put drop handlebars, road brake levlers, and bar end shifters (to save money on the conversion) With a small difference in geometry, you would end up with something much like a cyclocross bike. Of course the components on most cross bikes will be nicer than a hybrid that costs half as much.