Utility Cycling - MTB to utility/commuter conversion

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Indie
09-25-08, 10:18 AM
I'm currently riding a cheapie mountain bike for commuting. I picked it because the pavement on my commute is quite rough and I need something that'll stand up to it, but I don't find the frame to be comfortable. I'd be much more comfortable with a low bar that I can hop over easily, either for emergency dismounts or for hopping on at a streetlight without falling over.

21 speeds are great for the hills, but I find that I only use a small range of gears. I usually keep it between 3rd and 7th. Would a bike with fewer speeds be much more difficult given that range that I'm used to?

I have my eye on the Kona AfricaBike, if anyone is actually selling these in my area. Are there any North American riders here who use those as utility bikes? The other thing is, these have coaster brakes, which I haven't ridden since I was a kid. Is this standard for utility type bikes or do most North American and European models have hand brakes?

jgedwa
09-25-08, 09:06 PM
I will throw out a couple of guesses about being uncomfortable on the bike:

-your current bike is just too big for you? Can you stand flat-footed over the top tube with plenty of space?

-are you vrey new to biking? Seems like when people are first on bikes they really want a very small frame. Nothing wrong with being new. But you might put some miles on it and see if you get more confident.

jim
Indie
09-25-08, 09:19 PM
-are you vrey new to biking? Seems like when people are first on bikes they really want a very small frame. Nothing wrong with being new. But you might put some miles on it and see if you get more confident.

Eh, I've got almost 200 km on that bike already. The longest I've ever ridden it at one stretch was 14 km (I usually commute 8 km each way; I made a detour for sightseeing and groceries on the way home yesterday). I really do think the frame is a bit too big; if the seat is further forward I can't pedal properly, but in the position it's in I have to stretch a bit for the handlebars. I can probably get used to the posture.

The AfricaBike was a brief thought, quickly dismissed. I sometimes commute by public transit and like to hop on trains with my bike. The Africa is way too big and heavy for that. Whenever I try to make a list of the things I would want in an ideal bike, I always end up describing the Dahon Matrix. (http://www.dahon.com/us/matrix.htm)