Utility Cycling - Need Opinion on Utility Value of This Bike

i am a little worried this might not be so hot for grocery runs and trailer towing, so if you guys would not mind, check it out and let me know what ya think. new bike time, and i have never owned a "road" type frame with smaller tires (tho it seems some 28 might fit the stays?)
thanks in advance...

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/stratford.htm

I have used a flat bar road bike for trailer hauling without any problems. I don't know anything about that particular model. It looks like a pretty good deal to me. Rack mounts clearly visible in the picture there.

so you don't think 23c tires and smaller chainstays//tubing is any kind of problem then?

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Trailer.jpg
I use a road frame and a trailer with 23mm tires.

Don't put more than 20 pounds on the rack if you mount one.
Don't try hauling huge weights in your trailer, but moderate weights are fine (keep it under 50#)
Watch your speed with a trailer and don't go slamming curbs and thin tires are fine.

I've hauled over 300lbs on a trailer with a flat bar road bike and 700x28 Gatorskins.

I don't see any reason you can not put more that twenty pounds on your rack either. I believe my rack is rated for 70lbs and I would not hesitate to load that much on it. That much weight will adversely affect handling though, and extra care is advised.

If you cannot carry more than fifty pounds on your trailer, leave it at home, it's worthless. A decent rack will hold more than that.

It's not a heavy hauler, but other than that, I can see only two points of caution.

1. Full fenders are going to be a little tight to fit.

2. I suspect that is an 8 speed freewheel, not a freehub. My experience with those says they aren't very strong, I broke 2 before switching out the wheel.

i just looked at the detailed pics again, and cannot tell if it is a freewheel or not.
i am okay with freewheels (my current is a 7-speed freewheel), but i have never seen an 8-speed. i know they exist, just never seen one "in the wild".

my choices have come down to these this week (fiscally limited)

the windsor (of which i have the website, and opinions on strength and integrity of the build) i have no probs assembling or doing tune-ups myself

the trek 7000 as just a cheap but maybe better fit. i have a RD to put on it, would have to buy a better quill

the trek 7.1 which is outside the budget, but if something goes thru as i hope, i could swing with a bit of tightening the belt.

local LBS's carry none of these bikes at all, so in essence, they would all be "mail order" for me. if i was in the market for a $1000+ mountain bike, or a $3000+ roadie, i would be set.

my hope is that with the BD windsor i would be getting a bike above the treks and still be able to afford it (lol) but not lose the utility value with the flat bar roadie build. seems that it can be done with type of bike.....that exact one, well, another story, right?

I have not seen a freewheel on any bike made in the last twenty years. Does that really happen? I've lived a sheltered life.

lol
LOTS still use them, including the 2 treks i mentioned above.
hell, i like them....easy to work on (i still have the freewheel removal tool in my collection), and all ya need is threads. no getting caught out by changing proprietary parts every time a manufacturer wants some more cash. even phil still has a freewheel hub (beauty, too), and a nice shimano 14-28 can be had for $15.

I have at least five different freewheel removal tools, but haven't used any of
them during this century. I've seen pictures of an IRD freewheel, didn't know about the Phil.

Those freewheels are nice for people who have vintage hubs, but new hubs that aren't freehubs should be avoided like the plague. The people who sell new bike with freewheel hubs should be rounded up and shot.

every manufacturer still have great freewheel hubs in the line up, and they work fantastic.
more freewheel bikes on the road than any other type, and frankly, threadless freehub beer can bikes are new, and rather fragmented. i am not so much into proprietary, hard to service, end of life systems.....what can i say. a brand new wheel just because you want to change the cassette?
wasteful, and odd for (self confessed) intelligent people to believe that is what would actually be necessary. great for the manufacturer who pockets money on selling all new hardware for a simple job, silly for the person to go thru, and not great for the enviroment. ah well, much ado about nothing....

I've hauled over 300lbs on a trailer with a flat bar road bike and 700x28 Gatorskins.

I don't see any reason you can not put more that twenty pounds on your rack either. I believe my rack is rated for 70lbs and I would not hesitate to load that much on it. That much weight will adversely affect handling though, and extra care is advised.

If you cannot carry more than fifty pounds on your trailer, leave it at home, it's worthless. A decent rack will hold more than that.


this one has 700x23's.....i do not have enough experience to look at the pics and tell if it will fit 700x28.

I've hauled over 300lbs on a trailer with a flat bar road bike and 700x28 Gatorskins.

I don't see any reason you can not put more that twenty pounds on your rack either. I believe my rack is rated for 70lbs and I would not hesitate to load that much on it. That much weight will adversely affect handling though, and extra care is advised.

If you cannot carry more than fifty pounds on your trailer, leave it at home, it's worthless. A decent rack will hold more than that.

Road bikes are made of thinner metal than utility bikes.
It's not built for heavy hauling and one could risk bending the chain/seat stays with too much weight.

70 pounds on a rack is twice what the average tourer carries on two racks.

every manufacturer still have great freewheel hubs in the line up, and they work fantastic.
more freewheel bikes on the road than any other type, and frankly, threadless freehub beer can bikes are new, and rather fragmented. i am not so much into proprietary, hard to service, end of life systems.....what can i say. a brand new wheel just because you want to change the cassette?
wasteful, and odd for (self confessed) intelligent people to believe that is what would actually be necessary. great for the manufacturer who pockets money on selling all new hardware for a simple job, silly for the person to go thru, and not great for the enviroment. ah well, much ado about nothing....

Hunh? I've been buying low end bikes for years and they always have shimano freehub for the last twenty years. Changing the cassette is easier and less expensive than changing the whole mechanism. Or do you rebuild your freewheels? I never could source the cogs and always bought the whole thing. Anyway, if you are hoping this bike comes with a threaded freewheel, I think you will be disappointed.

Road bikes are made of thinner metal than utility bikes.
It's not built for heavy hauling and one could risk bending the chain/seat stays with too much weight.

70 pounds on a rack is twice what the average tourer carries on two racks.

I'd be more concerned about axle breaking than frame if I was using a freewheel. I haven't broken an axle in the last twenty years though, after switching to frerehubs.

My Marin might be stouter than this Windsor, it can pull a load.
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr147/Rod_Smith/800x600px-LL-IMG_1658.jpg

Including the rider over 500lb load.

Rack mounts clearly visible in the picture there.

I found them hard to find. But then I saw them in the detailed pics. Double eyelets in back would be better.

What worries me the most is that the chainstays look pretty short. I'd anticipate heel strike on a pannier unless you have a good long rack. And I'd wonder if fenders would fit.

fenders i am not so much worried about, mostly the durability of the frame//rims using it as a daily driver, grocery getter, etc etc. the axiom rack would take care of heel strike....

I found them hard to find. But then I saw them in the detailed pics. Double eyelets in back would be better.

What worries me the most is that the chainstays look pretty short. I'd anticipate heel strike on a pannier unless you have a good long rack. And I'd wonder if fenders would fit.

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Rear-Brake-Boss.jpg
They are hard to find, and priced way to high, but yes, fenders for 23mm tires/roadbikes can be found.

I have not seen a freewheel on any bike made in the last twenty years. Does that really happen? I've lived a sheltered life.

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe at least some of Rivendell's bikes come with a 7 spd freewheel.

Apparently Phil makes a freewheel hub just for Rivendell, and it looks like a beauty. I broke a lot of axles before switching to freehubs, but I'm sure the Phil 'Riv' hub is very sturdy. I've used Campy and WTB freewheel hubs that held up well.