Commuting - New Commuter here. Can I get a hybrid with drop bars?

I'm a newbie to biking and I'm going to start commuting. It's in a big city (Boston), I was thinking about getting a standard road bike but I didn't know if they would be sturdy enough for city streets, sidewalks, potholes etc. So then I found hybrids. So my question is, are there hybrids with drop bars? Or do I have to customize one? If there are, can you name some? Thanks for any tips and info ahead of time.

Customized 1990 steel lugged Trek 750.

Customized 1990 steel lugged Trek 750.

That doesn't answer any of my questions. So do I need to just customize one?

I think Jamis sells a drop bar hybrid. Might want to check their website.

Sounds like you may be looking for a Cyclo-cross (for example the Surley Cross Check) or touring bike (Bianchi Volpe, Surley Long Haul Trucker, Windsor Tourist, etc, etc.).

You could get a hybrid and change out the bars. However, you might also have to change out the brake levers and the shifters, since hybrid bars and road bars are usually different diameters.

You also need to watch out for the fact that many hybrid bicycles have low-end components. Usually not what you want for commuting, although it would work for a while in a pinch.

There is no need to customize a hybrid but you can if you want to or find one that you love. If you like road bikes than find one (preferably steel as it is more flexible) that can accept fat tires. A road bike that can take 32 tires with fenders would be a great choice for commuting.

I know Jamis makes a few models that fit that mold.

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/aurora/10_auroraelite.html

Otherwise it is not hard to change out bars on another bike however it might also entail changing the brake levers and shifters.

Okay, this is tarting to make more sense. So I can just find a road bike and put fatter tires on it? I was looking at a 700c Men's Schwinn Varsity Road Bike. How would I know if I can put different tires on it?

I couldn't find specs online anywhere for that bike (past 700C) so I am not sure what size tires it will take. It looks like it is a Carbon Fiber bike which means it is probably more race oriented and it might not have the space to go with a fatter tire. Also it looks like it is not set up to take fenders easily which is a good thing for a commuting bike to have.

I would say ask the store associate but WalMart does not have the most knswledgable people. There are lots of great options in the used market via Craigslist if you know what to look for.

I was thinking about getting a standard road bike but I didn't know if they would be sturdy enough for city streets, sidewalks, potholes etc.

they are

they are

What about the Schwinn I mentioned?

Okay, this is tarting to make more sense. So I can just find a road bike and put fatter tires on it? I was looking at a 700c Men's Schwinn Varsity Road Bike. How would I know if I can put different tires on it?

First, I would suggest that you look at the Marin Lombard. (http://www.marinbikes.com/2010/bike_specs.php?serialnum=1556) They may have a dealer near you, some REI stores are able to carry them too. It might be very close to what you want.

Putting wider tires on depends on two things, the rim width and the frame width (and sometimes other frame clearance dimensions). Sheldon Brown has a rim width compatibility chart towards the bottom of this page (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html) that gives some guidelines on which tire widths fit which rim widths. He notes that you can exceed the recommendations somewhat. My Fuji came with 14 mm rims (conveniently not on his chart) and 28 mm tires. I am currently running 32 mm tires on it which seem to work fine and may try 37/38 mm tires. You might have to get a new set of wheels with wider rims or rebuild the wheels you have with wider rims if your rims are narrow and you want to put very wide tires on them.

Ultimately the frame has to clear the tire width. You can judge that pretty well by looking at how much clearance you have with the present tires. Keep in mind that wider tires are also taller tires and in some cases you may not have enough clearance on frame crossbars, forks, etc with very much wider tires. Again you can judge this reasonably well by looking at the tires you have. The increase in height is approximately equal to the increase in width.

Ken

For what it's worth, road bikes are sturdier than hybrids. If you need something sturdier than a road bike, then we're talking about cyclocross, touring bikes, or (on the hilarious end) downhill mtbs and similar.

That said, I think your best budget bet is to go to bikesnotbombs and find an old road bike that fits well.

Schwinn Varsity are usually old 30lb+ beasts that weren't very good even when new, so don't pay too much for one. If you want wider tires on it, you'll need to be concerned with a) max clearance of the brakes and b) max clearance of the frame where the tire passes. Either way I bet you can put 28mm tires on it, which is the standard "fat road-bike tire". There are wider tires of course that will fit on 700c (think mountain bike-style tires, for cyclocross) but you generally don't want to ride on them unless you're in mud, snow, etc.

Find an '80's to '90's steel bike that has ample clearance and just build it. Be careful though - check to make sure what you're getting truly works. My '89 Fuji Palisade barely fits 27X32c wheels under fenders, while my Univega (which was a true hybrid that I converted to drops, then back to MTB bars), can fit 700X40 tires. Just go with something that is plenty wide. The Varsity would be good, but they're pretty heavy. You'll be wanting to upgrade quite a bit.

If you're wanting a NEW bike, check out cyclocross bikes, like the Surly Cross Check and the like. THey'll fit wide tires with fenders, and have mountings that allow racks and fenders.

I would say ask the store associate but WalMart does not have the most knswledgable people.

If he is looking at the current $230 Walmart bike they have aluminum frames and Walmart does not give enough information to tell if wider tires would fit. Schwinn does not list this model on their website so I assume it is a model they make for Walmart. The OP will have to inspect the bike himself to see if wider tires fit, I think you are right about Walmart associates though there could be exceptions. You can also ask this question on the Walmart web site. Good luck with that!

Of course if $230 is the approximate budget the OP won't find the Marin Lombard I suggested to be a viable option.

Ken

Can't offer advice on the Schwinn, but here is a hybrid with drop bars- Kona Dew Drop (http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=dewdrop)

As far as the comment that road bikes are sturdier than hybrids goes, that's not entirely accurate.

The OP just needs to determine what features are critical in choosing the bike. If racks and fenders are important, then most road bikes are not equipped for such. Not saying it can't be done, that's just impractical.
If the OP values speed above all else, then the roadie may be the best choice.

Perhaps the OP should state a budget to let others help in the search (or was it already stated?).

Can't offer advice on the Schwinn, but here is a hybrid with drop bars- Kona Dew Drop (http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=dewdrop)

As far as the comment that road bikes are sturdier than hybrids goes, that's not entirely accurate.

The OP just needs to determine what features are critical in choosing the bike. If racks and fenders are important, then most road bikes are not equipped for such. Not saying it can't be done, that's just impractical.
If the OP values speed above all else, then the roadie may be the best choice.

Perhaps the OP should state a budget to let others help in the search (or was it already stated?).

<$200.

For what it's worth, road bikes are sturdier than hybrids. If you need something sturdier than a road bike, then we're talking about cyclocross, touring bikes, or (on the hilarious end) downhill mtbs and similar.


That depends on the road bike and the hybrid. I have two aluminum road bikes, one made of Columbus 7005 and the other of Easton SC7000. There is no way they could take the beating of the 90 Trek 750 or 96 Speacialized Crossroads that I have.

It's hard to find a quality new bike of any type for under $200 and road bikes tend to be on the more expensive side. Worse than that is that cross bikes are typically more expensive than an entry level road bike.

The difference between a cross bike and a hybrid is that a cross bike is essentially a road bike beefed up for offroad use. The term "hybrid" is applied to a lot of different things. Often they're designed for a more upright riding style than a road bike and putting drop bars on one may not work very well in the end.

Some people have been happy with bikes like the new Varsity and the GMC Denali, but they are not high quality bikes just so you know. I also believe they come with 28 mm tires which might be wide enough for your roads. A pothole or two isn't going to kill a road bike, it's really more about comfort. Bad roads and narrow tires make for a jarring ride. Standard for road bikes is 23 mm so 28 mm may not be so bad depending on how rough your roads really are.

I'm not sure about the earlier generalization that cyclocross bikes are sturdier than road bikes. The frames on road bikes are not going to be stronger, because they're not made to take impacts. They're made to be as light as possible and still do the job. Also, there are different degrees of hybrids. There are true hybrids, which are basically mountain bikes with slicker tires, and there are comfort hybrids, which give up some frame strength for some upright ergonomics. So be careful here.

Cyclocross is a good optin, and is what I went for. (Specialized TriCross Sport)

If you're looking for curb & pothole durability, don't consider anything with less than 32mm wide tires. You might also consider going down to 26" wheels. Where you're riding, the wheel and tire durability is going to matter MUCH more than the frame. Don't get anything with a low spoke count. Consider heavier duty tires too; something with puncture resistance. All this is going to cost you some weight & therefore speed, but a flat tire costs a lot of speed. ;)

Yes you can, the Kona Dew Drop http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=dewdrop is a fantastic bike and a good deal. i rode one for 4 years

<$200.

Check craigslist. Good luck.

Yes you can, the Kona Dew Drop http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=dewdrop is a fantastic bike and a good deal. i rode one for 4 years

I thought the first Kona Dew Drop debuted 2009?!

Road frames are very strong... they have to handle impacts at much higher speed and are subject to some massive torque input at the crank and they simply have less tyre clearance than cross bikes.

If you are really going to be riding through pothole infested streets and doing a lot of curb hopping you need to focus on wheel quality and durability and for that I ride a converted steel framed mtb as the 0 dish 26 inch wheels (fixed drive) are hella strong.

My hybrid has hand built touring grade wheels and these have never needed to see a spoke wrench or be adjusted and they have been subjected to some decent abuse.

I also run a set of cross wheels with higher volume tyres on my hybrid and these have thousands of urban and off road miles on them and are still straight and free of dents / damage.

Check craigslist. Good luck.
I have to agree here. good luck with that price range.

craigslist, or I have to believe that in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville there are a few bike co-ops or other shops that will either have used bikes, or be a good resource to rebuild and maintain one you buy on CL.

I think mickey85's advice is good, get an 80's or 90's sport-touring bike that has decent clearance, many of the Miyata/Panasonic/Bridgestone/Schwinn/Nishiki/Panasonic/etc bikes of that era can fit pretty fat tires with fenders.

About 12 seconds of craigslist searching found these, which both seem serviceable, and in your price range:

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bik/1769877324.html
http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/bik/1769636885.html

The problem (one of several) with taking a bike designed for flat bars and putting drop bars on it is that the effective top tube length is often different. Bikes designed for drop bars are likely to have a shorter top tube in a given frame size range.

The problem (one of several) with taking a bike designed for flat bars and putting drop bars on it is that the effective top tube length is often different. Bikes designed for drop bars are likely to have a shorter top tube in a given frame size range.

That's exactly right. With a drop bar riding on the hoods puts your hands a few inches in front of the handlebar clamp. On a flat bar your hands are about even with the clamp or slightly behind it (since flat bars are often swept back at least a little).

So when converting to drops, you'll typically need a shorter stem in order to compensate. This might change the handling of the bike in unpleasant ways. On my bike it seemed to work out fine but I doubt a professional fitter would find my setup to be very ideal.

edit: getting the stem right was one of the more challenging parts of the conversion. Road bars have a different diameter than flat bars. This means you need a stem designed for road bikes. Short road stems with a lot of rise do exist but aren't common. To get the bars in the right position you might even need an extension for the steerer.

I'm not sure about the earlier generalization that cyclocross bikes are sturdier than road bikes. The frames on road bikes are not going to be stronger, because they're not made to take impacts. They're made to be as light as possible and still do the job. Also, there are different degrees of hybrids. There are true hybrids, which are basically mountain bikes with slicker tires, and there are comfort hybrids, which give up some frame strength for some upright ergonomics. So be careful here.

I don't believe most of this is true. Road bike frames generally trickle down from race frames. Race frames are designed to handle some guy with quads the size of tree trunks, going all-out downhill. That puts a LOT of stress on the frame. A lot more than you're likely to.

I'm not sure I've ever heard anyone on here say they hit a pothole and their frame broke. Wheels are a different matter -


If you're looking for curb & pothole durability, don't consider anything with less than 32mm wide tires. You might also consider going down to 26" wheels. Where you're riding, the wheel and tire durability is going to matter MUCH more than the frame. Don't get anything with a low spoke count. Consider heavier duty tires too; something with puncture resistance. All this is going to cost you some weight & therefore speed, but a flat tire costs a lot of speed. ;)

You don't need 26" wheels - even mountain bikers have started to go to road bike size (700c - 29ers in mountain bike talk) wheels. Wheel size isn't going to make any difference.

It's definitely true, though that the wheel and tire durability is going to matter MUCH more than the frame. Larger tires (fatter ones) make potholes and bad road much, much more comfortable. And while a road frame is more than capable of handling potholes, it's the wheel itself that sometimes is not - totally depends on the wheel. I have $1,000 wheels that I have ridden over pothole after pothole and they're fine - but a lot of $1,000 wheels would not be. I have cheap wheel that have gotten the crap beat out of them and gotten a little messed up.

If you're putting a bike together, you could look for a cyclocross wheel. There are plenty of good road wheels which would be fine, but sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference, and cyclocross wheels are always built sturdy.

I personally have puncture resistant tires on all my bikes, but if you buy a new bike sometimes they come with puncture resistant tires so it's hard to say if you should replace them or not.

A road bike with plenty of clearance between the bike frame and the tires (so you can put larger tires on) would be the way to go for sure, in my opinion.

That's exactly right. With a drop bar riding on the hoods puts your hands a few inches in front of the handlebar clamp. On a flat bar your hands are about even with the clamp or slightly behind it (since flat bars are often swept back at least a little).

So when converting to drops, you'll typically need a shorter stem in order to compensate. This might change the handling of the bike in unpleasant ways. On my bike it seemed to work out fine but I doubt a professional fitter would find my setup to be very ideal.

And converting a bike to drops would also require replacing the shifters, and road bike shifters can be one of the most expensive parts on the bike. And installation costs money to, unless you know how to do it yourself already, which it doesn't sound like you do (and replacing certain parts requires certain specialized bike tools, which also add to the expense).

<$200.

Oops, I missed this on my first read through.

Like the other guy said - craigslist, or someone who wants to sell you their road bike from the 80's or something is about your only bet. Around me there are shops that accept donated bikes and fix them up - maybe that's the way to go. Or maybe you can find an old used "mountain bike" (the kind when mountain bikes didn't have suspension, just had fat tires).

If you want something new, solid, reliable and new for minimum money, your best bet would be to buy a "hybrid" from a bike shop - $400-$500. Decent entry level road bikes are priced more at the $700-$950 mark (new), but even there sometimes they come with some crappy wheels that might not survive lots of pothole hits.

When I was younger, $900 would buy you a good, solid, midlevel road bike. $1500 would buy you something top end. Also, $5 would get you into a movie in a theater during regular (non-matinee) hours. But prices have gone up, sadly.

If you buy a $200 bike from walmart or target, whether it's a road bike or mountain bike is unlikely to matter - it's probably not going to last that long. Sometimes they do - but it's a crap shoot. And I've read threads where someone has bought one, replaced one or two inexpensive parts, tuned it up themselves, and gotten it to work. But I'm just warning you - in the forums at least, they have a reputation for only being built to go about 100 or 200 miles before they break.

Sixty Fiver has good advice and he's the guy to talk to about building a bike on a budget. Sub $200 means you're gonna have to hit up the Craigslist/Kijiji and do your homework. If you have a bike co-op, even better. Some bike shops may have some tuned up beaters but I doubt they'll be less than $200. Do not buy a department store bike.

That's exactly right. With a drop bar riding on the hoods puts your hands a few inches in front of the handlebar clamp. On a flat bar your hands are about even with the clamp or slightly behind it (since flat bars are often swept back at least a little).

So when converting to drops, you'll typically need a shorter stem in order to compensate. This might change the handling of the bike in unpleasant ways. On my bike it seemed to work out fine but I doubt a professional fitter would find my setup to be very ideal.

edit: getting the stem right was one of the more challenging parts of the conversion. Road bars have a different diameter than flat bars. This means you need a stem designed for road bikes. Short road stems with a lot of rise do exist but aren't common. To get the bars in the right position you might even need an extension for the steerer.

This is not necessarily correct. A lot of the newer performance oriented hybrids such as the Trek FX series are basically road bikes with flat bars. Many of the first hybrids also had road geometries. Take a look at the pic of the Trek 750 I posted. It has the same geometry of the Trek 520 with a mere 1cm difference in the chain length.

This is not necessarily correct. A lot of the newer performance oriented hybrids such as the Trek FX series are basically road bikes with flat bars. Many of the first hybrids also had road geometries. Take a look at the pic of the Trek 750 I posted. It has the same geometry of the Trek 520 with a mere 1cm difference in the chain length.

The post I was referring to stated that the effective top tube length is often different which is very true and poses the problem I stated. Even if the bike has a road geometry, drops and straight bars put your hands in different places. Without changing the stem length, drop bars aren't going to be comfortable unless the bike didn't fit in the first place and you just get lucky.

Though getting a different stem isn't necessarily a big deal, it's possible that you'd never be able to get the fit right when you switch to drops even if the bike has a road geometry. Just something to consider. I'm not against conversions. I've done my own but it can get tricky and often isn't worth it in the end.

Here's maybe a simpler way to state the same thing. Just because a manufacturer sells both drop bar and straight bar bikes using the same frame doesn't mean the same size frame will work for a given rider for both models. A 56 cm might fit great on the straight bar version but stretch the rider out too much on the drop bar version.

I'm a newbie to biking and I'm going to start commuting. It's in a big city (Boston), I was thinking about getting a standard road bike but I didn't know if they would be sturdy enough for city streets, sidewalks, potholes etc. So then I found hybrids. So my question is, are there hybrids with drop bars? Or do I have to customize one? If there are, can you name some? Thanks for any tips and info ahead of time.By definition, hybrids have flat bars, with drop bars it ceases to be a hybrid. However, similarly sturdy bikes with drop bars are widely available, including common touring models such as the Jamis Aurora, Surly LHT and Trek 520, or Cyclo-cross ("Cross") bikes such as the Surly Crosscheck, Rocky Mountain Solo, and Jamis Nova.

At a low price point, buying used is the way to go. 10-speeds and similar bikes from the 70s and 80s are popular commuter bikes, look for ones that had better builds in the first place (they're pretty much all steel frames), and adequate clearance for the larger tires it sounds like you want to put on.

I don't believe most of this is true. Road bike frames generally trickle down from race frames. Race frames are designed to handle some guy with quads the size of tree trunks, going all-out downhill. That puts a LOT of stress on the frame. A lot more than you're likely to.
It's pretty easy to trash a road bike frame. They aren't designed to take the hits that other bicycles (like mountain bikes) are.

It's pretty easy to trash a road bike frame. They aren't designed to take the hits that other bicycles (like mountain bikes) are.

I don't agree, and I don't think anyone who regularly rides road bike on streets in any sort of conditions would agree either. The frames are sturdy, fine, and aren't going to break from anything short of going off several-foot high jumps and slamming onto the ground - even then the frame would probably be fine, it's the wheel that would bust. They're designed to be ridden on the road. They're also designed, as I mentioned, to handle the kind of forces that racers exert on them while pedaling full out - can you imagine the kind of force Lance Armstrong or whoever can generate while sprinting towards the finish line? Or screaming down the side of a mountain at 40-60mph? They're not "delicate flowers" who "have to be ridden in pristine conditions".

I don't agree, and I don't think anyone who regularly rides road bike on streets in any sort of conditions would agree either. The frames are sturdy, fine, and aren't going to break from anything short of going off several-foot high jumps and slamming onto the ground - even then the frame would probably be fine, it's the wheel that would bust. They're designed to be ridden on the road. They're also designed, as I mentioned, to handle the kind of forces that racers exert on them while pedaling full out - can you imagine the kind of force Lance Armstrong or whoever can generate while sprinting towards the finish line? Or screaming down the side of a mountain at 40-60mph? They're not "delicate flowers" who "have to be ridden in pristine conditions".
No one is suggesting that they "have to be ridden in pristine conditions" (a strawman argument).

Road bikes are designed to sufficiently strong to ride on the road (obviously). That doesn't mean road frames are necessarily stronger than other frame types.

Cyclocross bike frames are not built much differently than standard road frames but cyclocross riders typically use much wider tires than road riders use. It would be interesting to see statistics on the frequency of frame damage in cyclocross races.

Non-suspension mountain bikes (from a few years ago) had much beefier frames than road frames (and wider/stronger wheels too). Such a frame would likely fair better for crashing into/over things, by design, than a road bike frame would, since such crashes are typical for mountain biking and not for road biking.

You indicated that "JeremyZ" (quoted below) was incorrect. But he isn't.


The frames on road bikes are not going to be stronger, because they're not made to take impacts. They're made to be as light as possible and still do the job.

so what this all boils down to is the OP is looking for a cx-setup bike on fatties with drops and well-built wheels. under 200 means you're finding someone desperate and ripping them off. good luck... for some odd reason bf'ers have this crazy knack for finding awesome deals

No one is suggesting that they "have to be ridden in pristine conditions" (a strawman argument).

Road bikes are designed to sufficiently strong to ride on the road (obviously). That doesn't mean road frames are necessarily stronger than other frame types.

Cyclocross bike frames are not built much differently than standard road frames but cyclocross riders typically use much wider tires than road riders use. It would be interesting to see statistics on the frequency of frame damage in cyclocross races.

Non-suspension mountain bikes (from a few years ago) had much beefier frames than road frames (and wider/stronger wheels too). Such a frame would likely fair better for crashing into/over things, by design, than a road bike frame would, since such crashes are typical for mountain biking and not for road biking.

You indicated that "JeremyZ" (quoted below) was incorrect. But he isn't.

Actually crashes in road bike races are very common (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBE98Raljwo&NR=1). Most people who race are also relatively young amateurs with less disposable income than a lot of people in the commuting forum. It's not like they can go out and get a new bike every other week.

Still, there's a lot of different types of road bikes and I know back when steel was still common in racing bikes they were really pushing the envelope in terms having a sufficiently strong frame while still being as light as possible. Many frames had very strict limits on the weight of the rider.

So I don't think you can argue that a road bike is going to be as tough as a mountain bike of equal quality. However, road bikes take far more abuse than people often realize so it's not hard for me to believe that a given road bike might be tougher than a given hybrid since hybrids are often the cheapest bikes a manufacturer offers.

<$200.

Bicycles are like anything else - below a certain price, you are just throwing your money away - consider buying a car for under $1000, they exist, but they are probably not going to be sturdy, reliable transportation like you are looking for. Similarly you can go to the other end of the spectrum - it is easy to spend over $50,000 on a car, but is it going to be any more reliable and sturdy than one for 1/10 the price - in my opinion, that is doubtful. In my opinion, the sweet spot for pricing on a commuting bicycle is probably from $500 to $1800 - at the lower end of that is what you will pay for a decent used bike on Craigslist, and then upgrading it with what it needs to turn it into a reliable commuter. At the upper end of the range are things like a Surly Long Haul Trucker (once you add fenders, rack, bags, lights etc).

I work on a lot of bikes and the ratios of damaged road bike frames and frames of other types is pretty much the same and damaging a frame usually requires one to hit something head on at great speed or being hit by something moving at great speed.

You would be hard pressed to damage the frame on my hand built Cooper road bike through normal use and my hybrid has been pretty much bombprof over the last 15,000 km and it once had drop bars.

Shown here it was also fitted out with my cross wheels and I was out enjoying some single track and trail riding... the conversion required a stem, drop bars, conventional levers, bar end shifters, and canti brakes.

I do these types of conversions in my shop and prices can range widely depending on what components are used.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/trekcommute1.jpg

What I have been riding a lot is my old Peugeot UO8 road / touring bike which I built up from a frame and fork with spare parts... and it would kick the crap out of most new hybrids.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/pug2010a.JPG

A nice used road bike in decent running shape could be had for a few hundred dollars or if you were handy, you could rebuild one.

No one is suggesting that they "have to be ridden in pristine conditions" (a strawman argument).

That seems to be exactly what you were suggesting. If you weren't, then great. We both agree that road frames with decent wheels and wider tires are more than capable of handling riding on roads, roads with potholes in Boston, and sidewalks without any sort of silly worrying about the "durability" of a road frame.



Road bikes are designed to sufficiently strong to ride on the road (obviously). That doesn't mean road frames are necessarily stronger than other frame types.


And I certainly never said road frames were tougher than other frames. I simply said they were more than sturdy enough to handle roads, potholes, and sidewalks.



Cyclocross bike frames are not built much differently than standard road frames but cyclocross riders typically use much wider tires than road riders use. It would be interesting to see statistics on the frequency of frame damage in cyclocross races.

I have no doubt riding a cyclocross frame through a road race might warrant some durability concerns.

But when applied directly to the OP's question about riding in Boston, that itself is a red herring - he is not racing cyclocross, he/she is concerned about potholes and sidewalks, which a road frame is built more than strong enough to handle.



Non-suspension mountain bikes (from a few years ago) had much beefier frames than road frames (and wider/stronger wheels too). Such a frame would likely fair better for crashing into/over things, by design, than a road bike frame would, since such crashes are typical for mountain biking and not for road biking.

As tjspiel pointed out, crashes are actually very typical for road racing. In fact, those are often worse because the rate of speed is noteably higher than mountain biking.

However, to your point, road frames often don't survive the big crashes. Mountain bikes are indeed built stronger, because everyday forces on them include going off jumps 3 to 10 feet tall and slamming into the ground, which it needs to be able to withstand.

If you're planning on slamming your bike into a tree several times a year, a mountain bike would be a more durable choice, thought frankly it still might not survive either. However, if you're planning on biking on roads, encountering some potholes, and maybe biking on the sidewalk, asking which frame would be needed is like asking if you should use a 2x4 or a 4x4 to hold up a spoon - they're both going to be just fine.


You indicated that "JeremyZ" (quoted below) was incorrect. But he isn't.

I don't agree. He said "It's pretty easy to trash a road bike frame. They aren't designed to take the hits that other bicycles (like mountain bikes) are. "

It is actually very, very difficult to trash a road frame (without crashing) by riding it on the road, even with terrible terrible potholes (you far more easily kill the wheels though). As a matter of fact, the resale value of used road bikes is much higher than used mountain bikes. If road frames were fragile creatures as was implied, that wouldn't be the case.

If you somehow ignore the entire rest of the conversation, then you might say that yes - it is technically easier to trash a road frame than it is a moutain bike frame, if you slam frames against a tree, or hit them with a sledgehammer, etc.

But in the context of road riding, it is not all all "pretty easy to trash a road frame" with any sort of road riding, including potholes.

*sigh* Not that any of this matters, as with a $200 budget neither a road or a mountain bike is going to be built very well at all.

i bought a normal kona dew and put drop bars on it, so technically its not what i bought, but now that they sell it that way it might have well been. but true

The problem (one of several) with taking a bike designed for flat bars and putting drop bars on it is that the effective top tube length is often different. Bikes designed for drop bars are likely to have a shorter top tube in a given frame size range.

Depends. The Bianchi Valle that I have is a flat bar bike, and their Volpe is a drop bar/cyclocross bike. Both are listed as having the exact same frame geometries; I'll bet that they're the same frames, just with different paint. Once I found this out, I decided that it would be even easier to convert my Valle to drops.

*add-on* I've got stems to spare, and can probably get others from my LBS if none of mine are the right length.

Check out : Kona Dew Drop

Wow, didn't know I would stir up such a big turn debate here. Found a few options. Would love to hear you all's in put:

Option 1:
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bik/1767936602.html

Option 2:
http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/bik/1767760395.html

Option 3:
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bik/1763000574.html

Option 4:
http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/bik/1773946610.html

Option 5:
http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/bik/1771897474.html

Of those, I really like that Lotus. Shogun would be my #2 pick. Lose the turkey levers on either one and put some real brake levers on there, though.

Of those, I really like that Lotus. Shogun would be my #2 pick. Lose the turkey levers on either one and put some real brake levers on there, though.

Remember you're talking to a newbie. I don't know the difference.


Do any of these look sturdy enough for commuting?

Any of those would be fine. I particularly like steel frames...

Look for eyelets on the rear drop outs and on the fork. To these, you can attach a rack and fenders if you want. That's a plus for commuting.

I went ahead and got the lotus. Thanks for your help. So what about these brake levers are you talking about?