Introductions - Love to bike to work and coffee

Having fun reading these forums for the first time, picking up tips. I'm taking more interest in bike parts today, because it's time to overhaul my daily commuter. Been commuting on my sturdy Trek 820 for exactly 10 years to the month, all stock. Nothing hard - I always live near to work in small towns. Currently in Denver. (I only ride my local neighborhood, so it's still a "small town" in that sense. ;) ) She'll be my reliable ride for many years to come, whenever I have to contend with potholes, curbs and gravel.

Moving to a new job in Hilo, Hawaii - not sure how the biking will be there, other than "wet". Been looking at getting a more "efficient" road alternative to the much-abused and beloved Trek. The Novara Buzz is close to what I've been envisioning, but I also liked the Fuji Absolute I test-rode today. Basically I want a mountain bike frame that can take abuse, but lighter, no suspension, with just 3 speeds, and straight handlebar. The Buzz is as close to that configuration as I can find, though I liked the feel of the Fuji. The main difference between them is the Buzz has disk brakes. Will disk brakes be a plus/minus for me in always-rainy Hilo? My decision may come down to that.

Hello BK...Congratulations on loving to ride to work. I just find Upkeep is an on-going process...I think I replace parts gradually as they wear out...More serious maintenance seems to begin on a bike at about 20,000 miles, when certain parts start to show wear.
I am particularily determined to maintain my touring bike, because that is my commuting bike... Maybe you might consider a touring bike...? I find for long distance riding a touring bike's geometry is more comfortable...Plus, Hilo..( how lucky you are.). But Having been to Hilo it rains a lot and most of the year it is pretty warm and clamy..Might cause you to need carry more stuff.
Changing clothes due to sweaty conditions ,etc...It rains a lot on the East shore of the Big island.
Also, should you ride the bike about the Big Island much.I recall some fairly steep grades...Proper climbing gearing is a concern?
I find mountain bikes heavier, clunkier...If you are not going off road, maybe a touring bike would be better for climbing? You might appreciate the lighter frames for climbing..
Well, good luck on your great opportunity...Recall roads on the Big Island pretty good for cycling....

Hilo...yeah, warm and sticky....very sticky. Insane drivers and narrow wet roads are also a problem to contend with on the East Side. I really don't plan on doing much more than zipping around town, and I'm going to strive to make my commute short in Hilo because of rain (which comes down in walls, buckets, sheets and curtains) and the fact that even in cooler climates get I sweat-soaked at the drop of a hat. A bike will actually be cooler and less sweaty than walking. Even worse than just big hills, the slopes there are long, steady and unrelenting, but I really don't do touring. I may tool around in flatter areas, but I'm really looking for an agressive lighter commuter bike that will be better on hills in town and still rugged enough for curbs, rough roads and saving my neck in tight spots. I prefer the upright position and straight bars for versatility and control.

BK..Some pretty nice riding over on Kona coast? That is where the Ironman occurs..Yes, the hills there are unrelenting.But it is dryer, and from the several visits we have made to the islands, during the cooler months- the climate is pretty nice on the leeward side...What is that 60 miles away.?To get to the dryer side..
Good sounds like you know what you like..Many of us do not.
One thing about riding in the rain..If it is warm, does not seem so bad...Even pleasant. Don't recall roads of Hilo..Seems the major roads circling the island are pretty good?
Have either known or known of several to move to Hawaii..They loved it...Good luck. A mountain bike can be used to climb up Mona Kea also?
ps are you into water sports...Loved the diving off of Kona.Some neat and easy access caves.

There are flatter areas on the Kona/Kohala side, but they're also hotter and more desolate, and that's quite far away. It's a long drive to the other side. Wish I could live in Hawi way up North.

As far as Mauna Kea goes, just two words: Mana (Keanakolu) Road. Not sure I'm that hardcore, but I'd love to seem more of the Eastern slopes of MK up where it's cool.

I'm really just a town rider.

I've never had any water affinity. Spent half my life in MN wondering why people were attracted to the mucky buggy water. And salt water....yech, coats you with nasty stuff. I do like wading in salt marshes to look at the critters, but no salt marshes in HI. Dunno, we'll see.

I work at a Caribou Coffee shop and will totally hook you up for life if you can convince the corporate behemoths to 1) open a shop in Hawaii and 2) transfer me there. :)


Moving to a new job in Hilo, Hawaii

I work at a Caribou Coffee shop and will totally hook you up for life if you can convince the corporate behemoths to 1) open a shop in Hawaii and 2) transfer me there. :)

I'd love to run a coffee shop, but it would have to be indy of course, and it would have to be in the New England or great lakes areas where I'd like to live long-term. I'd hate to think of how marginally you'd have to live on a coffeeshop income in Hilo, too.

We stayed in Kona once..All kinds of independent coffee shops on the Kona coast. As we all know a major producer of coffee..Can't vouch for income, but they certainly seemed busy...A coffee lovers paradise...Sort of cruise the coffee plantations the way wine lovers cruise the vineyards...Tourists gadding about trying out the new brews. Think I can recall cycle/tourists moving about the island with panniers on...No wonder, one island big enough to cover in maybe two days-if you want to.

We stayed in Kona once..All kinds of independent coffee shops on the Kona coast.

Hilo ain't no Kona. :)

The Kona beans are almost affordable over there. Like $15 a pound rather than the normal $20 a pound here. One grower told me they could produce quite a bit more if the labor force was more reliable. I'll have to try roasting some Kona someday.

I also looked at a Felt SR91 (?) today. Decided to get the Fuji Absolute, since it felt like the best fit of the three.

Took a big bottle of cleaner to my Trek, and in the process I think I found out my rear bearings are probably shot. (wobble, wobble, wobble...) Poor bike takes so much abuse, but keeps on pedaling.