I curently live car free - quite easily in a compact city (york, UK) but will be shortly moving to Wales where the public transport is erratic, distances much larger and the hills a lot steeper!
I am looking to find an all round bike on a buget of around £500 ($1000). I currently ride an old Carlton frame with a mix of components.
My criteria are:
Load carrying ability 40 - 60lbs (20 - 30kg?) on the rear rack for weekly shopping.
Capable of pulling a trailer and load.
Fast and light for city riding and commuting and for taking to the mountains for long distance riding.
I am moving in the direction of an Audax style bike at the moment but am not 100% sure of the difference between the Audax and tourer. Would a fast Audax be capable of hauling weight?
I am confident in assembling a bike from scratch. Any advice in terms of what I should be looking at in terms of wheels, frame components would be much appreciated.
Roody
05-09-07, 12:32 PM
I'm not sure one bike is "perfect" for all your needs. A good compromise might be a touring bike. They're strong and not ridiculously heavy, comfortable for long rides, have drop bars, and lots of places to attach fenders, racks, etc. You could certainly find one in your price range.
gwd
05-09-07, 12:46 PM
I go with the multibike model but if its one bike, I agree with Roody, touring bikes seem like the best all rounders and light.
I stayed in a village outside York one Christmas Scakelton or something like that. Has the sundial in the yard of York Minster been fixed? The gnomon was attached backwards on one of the faces. The edge that casts the shadow should point to the north star right?
Cosmoline
05-09-07, 02:35 PM
I agree with the touring bike suggestion. If you didn't need to go long distance with it, a cruiser like mine would work fine. It's going to cost a bit.
Nightshade
05-10-07, 08:57 AM
A true "multi-porpose" bike will be a steel framed bicycle
with at least 3 speed and a trailer or an adult tricycle.
Both choices will carry lot's of goods at reasonable speeds.
MacG
05-12-07, 01:30 AM
I'll add another recommendation for a touring bike. I ride a Surly Long Haul Trucker most of the time (I have no car, but a few other bikes to choose from) and it works perfectly for what you are describing. One of the most important things is to figure out your cargo system. I use a Jandd Expedition rear rack and Arkel pannier bags, but there are cheaper ways to do it. Take a look at those collapsible wire frame baskets that attach to the sides of a rack. They are reasonably lightweight, can carry a full grocery bag easily, and can be collapsed flat against the rack when not in use.
I wouldn't recommend a trike or a trailer for what you are doing. Trikes are not as versatile as a standard upright and can be pretty slow. A trailer is better for hauling heavy or large loads. You can get 60 pounds of stuff on a rear rack easily, and it will ride much better than on a trailer because it is all integrated with the bike instead of riding on a second set of wheels.