Commuting - Swobo Baxter aggressiveness

Hi all, I've been thinking about getting a bicycle that's more cut out for commutes over iffy roads and bad weather than my current skinny-tire 80's road bike. Specifically, the Swobo Baxter: http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product_info_b.php?cPath=2448_2449 I'd be going for the 42cm step-thru size, and I love all the specs, but the one thing I am concerned about is that the Baxter is a bit too laid back. A sales representative told me that the Baxter is "sitting up with a bit of a forward lean," while I'd like something with a *bit* more aggression (I'm used to the suicide levers on my road bike). Based on the geometry (and the one picture I can find of the 42cm) http://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/4527228682/, do you guys think that I can make the ride a bit more aggressive by swapping out for, say, mustache bars and adjusting stem/seat height? What are the limiting factors on changing the riding position on a bike?

Thanks for your advice!

Can you test ride one? You might like the upright position, it's very comfortable. I enjoy both riding upright and riding aggressively, which has led to owning multiple bikes, with the upright bike being the main ride.

You could get a bit more forward on the Baxter with a longer stem, and more aero by flipping the stem; stem swaps are easy. Moustache bars would bring you pretty far forward, and they look great, but you'd have to get a new shifter and brake levers. There are two shifters that work with the Alfine: the J-Tek bar end shifter, which you can find online for around $75; and the Versa VRS-8 brifter, which runs around $220. If that isn't a deal breaker, you could also go with drop bars; riding on the hoods would put you as far forward as riding in the drops on 'stache bars. Both would look great on that bike.

Or you could just get a cyclocross bike and put some fat tires on it; zippy and comfortable.

Swap for a flat bar or something with less sweep/rise and you'd have an immediate improvement.
Mustache bars are cool, too, but you'd either have to switch your brake levers/shifters or find a mustache-style bar that is the correct diameter for the current levers/shifters.

If the roads are really iffy, I'm thinking that you won't see much of an improvement with anything smaller than a 32mm tire and a more forgiving frame geometry. A cyclocross bike would likely be a good choice - espeically given your comfort with regular drop bars. It would be easy to install mustache bars or a compact drop bar (or even flared "dirt drop" bars) on a cyclocross bike, because the bar diameter would be compatible.

If you really want an IGH (I can't blame you - I like IGH's) some other alternatives to the Swobo would be:
MEC Hold Steady (http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cycling/Bikes/PRD%7E5020-468/mec-hold-steady-bicycle-unisex.jsp) (MEC will ship to the USA from Canada). My wife has one of these and loves it
Giant Seek (http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/seek/9016/48859/)
Civia Kingfield (http://civiacycles.com/bikes/kingfield/) or Hyland (http://civiacycles.com/bikes/hyland/)
Scott Venture 30 (http://www.scott-sports.com/gb_en/product/11304/64991/221851) (Step-through style)
Scott Sub10 (http://www.scott-sports.com/gb_en/product/11279/65013/221820)

To name a few.

If you really want something fun, you could build up a Soma Buena Vista (http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/buena-vista) with a Nexus 8 speed for under $1500 if you kept the parts mix reasonable. The mixte will have a longer effective top tube, so you'd have to keep that in mind when selecting stem and bars.

Mustache bars are cool, too, but you'd either have to switch your brake levers/shifters or find a mustache-style bar that is the correct diameter for the current levers/shifters.

Thanks for all the advice! I think I'd like to try the mustache bar swap, but a few technical details to work out first. Baxter specs say the stem clamp diameter is 26.8mm, while the handlebars themselves (http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product_info_a.php?cPath=2465_2570&products_id=1090) are advertised with a 25.4mm center clamp diameter. Which clamp diameter should I be looking at? If it's the handlebar-stated 25.4mm, I think I'd be looking for a mustache handlebar with the 25.4mm diameter clamp size and 22.2mm bar width, which is a surprisingly difficult combination to find.

If you really want something fun, you could build up a Soma Buena Vista (http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/buena-vista) with a Nexus 8 speed for under $1500 if you kept the parts mix reasonable.

I was definitely toying with the idea of custom building a mixte, but don't have the funds! Maybe one day...until then, I'll settle for something pre-specced.

Thanks for all the advice! I think I'd like to try the mustache bar swap, but a few technical details to work out first. Baxter specs say the stem clamp diameter is 26.8mm, while the handlebars themselves (http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product_info_a.php?cPath=2465_2570&products_id=1090) are advertised with a 25.4mm center clamp diameter. Which clamp diameter should I be looking at? If it's the handlebar-stated 25.4mm, I think I'd be looking for a mustache handlebar with the 25.4mm diameter clamp size and 22.2mm bar width, which is a surprisingly difficult combination to find.

Moustache bars are usually designed to be used with road components, hence the 23.8mm grip diameter. A moustache bar made with a 22.2 (mountain) grip diameter wouldn't be able to take road brake levers, wouldn't have hoods, and wouldn't really be a moustache bar.

^^^
Exactly. I don't think that you're gonna find 'stache bars that'll fit the shifter/levers that come with the Baxter. I've done the 22.2 mm (MTB standard) bar to 23.8 mm 'stache bar conversion; you need to get new levers and a shifter. Since the Baxter has an Alfine, the only shifter options are the two that I mentioned earlier. If you were going from a larger diameter bar to a smaller diameter bar, you could shim the shifter/levers, but this isn't the case unfortunately.

The bar that comes with the Baxter (the 'Hoopty' :D) looks like a North Road style bar. If this is the case, then I think that canyoneagle was right with the straight bar suggestion. The difference between a straight bar and a North Road is huge (my commuter conversion went: straight-->straight w/bar-ends-->moustache-->North Roads). You will have a much more aggro position just switching to a straight bar, and you can still use the same shifter/levers that come with the Baxter. If you still want a more stretched out position, you can get a longer stem; if you want more hand positions, you can mount bar-ends (which are great for aggressive climbing, btw).

There's always the Trekking bar option also, it'll add about as much reach as a mustache bar and fits MTB controls.

http://www.velorambler.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/img_0544.jpg

Here's a setup I have on one of my bikes. I had to shave down the barends a bit to get the controls on but makes for a nice riding position, IMO.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5270/5676096328_dcc10a41a2_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesterofpuppets/5676096328/)
Controls on the barends (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesterofpuppets/5676096328/) by Lester Of Puppets (http://www.flickr.com/people/lesterofpuppets/), on Flickr

I'd ride a bit with the stock bar placing your hands in the flat area to get an idea if a flat bar would give you plenty of reach first, then consider other more "reachy" options.

Ok, good to know! I'll try it out with all the stock components first, and if the position is really bugging me I'll take it from there. Thanks a ton for your input, and nice setups you have there, LesterofPuppets.

FYI: Soma makes a mustache for MTB levers, http://store.somafab.com/so3spmoiiha.html

I have a pair of flipped north roads on my '68 dunelt (ralrigh sports) and I am way faster on it than my other sports with upright bars.

I have a pair of flipped north roads on my '68 dunelt (ralrigh sports) and I am way faster on it than my other sports with upright bars.

Flip them, that's a brilliant idea. I had a bike with flipped north roads and it was awesome. I like the combination of short reach and aggressive drop, plus, it uses parts you already have.

I like the idea of flipping the bars (and stem), I'll give that a try...after it's assembled...Thanks for all the tips!

Hi IHwang,, Kona has a Mixie,, along with Rivendell. Soma might. Once they were common as bugs,,now a high end frame,,if you can find one without breaking the bank. The Swobo Crosby is a single speed//fixed cyclocross bike too. Chris