Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

Recommendations for a commuter bike w/ disc brakes?

Search
Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

Recommendations for a commuter bike w/ disc brakes?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-11-15, 01:59 PM
  #76  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: St. Pete Florida
Posts: 16

Bikes: Trek-FX 7.2, Trek-Lexa, Trek-Cali

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Trek 7.4 FX Disc $880
Trek 7.2 FX disc $600.
Hopem is offline  
Old 01-17-16, 04:38 PM
  #77  
Junior Member
 
ObiusX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 8

Bikes: Kona Kula Supreme, Trek Madone 4.5, Kona Dr. Good, Trek CrossRip LTD

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by jaxgtr
I have the Trek CrossRip...although highly upgraded....it's a very nice ride though.

What are you using to mount your lock to the rear rack?
ObiusX is offline  
Old 01-17-16, 05:57 PM
  #78  
Senior Member
 
jaxgtr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 6,881

Bikes: Trek Domane SLR 7 AXS, Trek CheckPoint SL7 AXS, Trek Emonda ALR AXS, Trek FX 5 Sport

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 766 Post(s)
Liked 1,739 Times in 1,013 Posts
Originally Posted by ObiusX
What are you using to mount your lock to the rear rack?

I used the block that came with the Krytponite lock that is used to wrapped around the Bike tubes. Just used it on the rack.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg
Rack Lock.jpg (99.3 KB, 32 views)
__________________
Brian | 2023 Trek Domane SLR 7 AXS | 2023 Trek CheckPoint SL 7 AXS | 2016 Trek Emonda ALR | 2022 Trek FX Sport 5
Originally Posted by AEO
you should learn to embrace change, and mock it's failings every step of the way.



jaxgtr is offline  
Old 01-18-16, 02:08 PM
  #79  
Senior Member
 
TexMac's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,602

Bikes: Ridley Noah fast, Colnago CLX,Giant Propel Advanced, Pinnerello Gogma 65.1, Specialized S-works Venge, CAADX,Cervelo S3

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 74 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by mrwheezy117
I currently ride a Specialized Secteur but unfortunately it can't handle disc brakes, which I hear are pretty handy for Seattle's hilly and rainy riding conditions. Furthermore, the frame doesn't handle fenders or panniers very well.

As much as I loved riding this bike for the past four years, I think it's time to give it to a family member or at least pick a new commuter that can help me do groceries and a 3-5 mile commute. I know that great bikes are pretty expensive and since I don't have a car, I'm willing to spend under $2000 for a road/touring bike that's durable, comfortable, light (within reason since I know most steel frame bikes can't beat an aluminium road bike), and can handle disc brakes.

I've considered the All City Space Horse but it doesn't allow for disc brakes. There's also Soma Double Cross Disc... Any other recommendations?
I ride CAADX 2015 and love the bike. Love the bike and cost $1200
TexMac is offline  
Old 04-29-16, 01:48 PM
  #80  
VTT
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: in the woods
Posts: 12

Bikes: Klein Pulse, Ellsworth Id, Trek 2300, Trek 7600, ...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Civia Hyland? Seems like a very well thought out bike.
VTT is offline  
Old 04-29-16, 05:24 PM
  #81  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,432
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 539 Post(s)
Liked 44 Times in 38 Posts
Originally Posted by VTT
Civia Hyland? Seems like a very well thought out bike.
I own one, they don't sell it any more, and it's not.

1. Max tire size 35c. Being that it's partially billed as a winter bike, that's rather constricting. Would be much better if it could get up to 42c.
2. They recalled the front fork because original carbon fork could break.
3. Also recalled the expensive stem they put on it because it didn't always match the fork and would dangerously let the wheel move indepently from the handlebars.
4. Recalled the fenders which were special made to attach to the fork, so you're suppose to use generic fenders now instead.
5. Alfine hub has worked well, but on my the shifter this year got gunked up and I had to take it in to get it cleaned out.
6. It's very expensive yet still remains a very heavy bike. They put a lot of high cost parts to shaved off a few grams, onto a bike that's still fairly heavy so it doesn't matter.

I mean...if it cost $800 don't let me stop you, but for the $2k they were asking for it...there's a reason they don't sell it any more.
PaulRivers is offline  
Old 04-30-16, 11:46 AM
  #82  
Banned
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 156

Bikes: 2015 Cannondale CAADX, 1994 Nishiki Performance Equipe

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by TexMac
I ride CAADX 2015 and love the bike. Love the bike and cost $1200
I ride a 2015 CAADX myself. Awesome bicycle. I got the Rival 22. The thing is a legend.
DosWheelsBtr is offline  
Old 04-30-16, 12:47 PM
  #83  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 855

Bikes: Surly Disc Trucker, Ribble Nero Corsa, Surly Karate Monkey, Surly Ice Cream Truck, Cannondale MT800, Evil Insurgent

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 186 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by spare_wheel
I would never buy a bike with mechanical disk brakes. They are the "freewheel" of disc brakes -- still manufactured but obsolete and inferior in every respect.
I really don't understand this comment at all. Mechanical disc brakes are superior in virtually every respect from the various types of rim brakes that were used throughout the vast majority of the history of the manufacture of bicycles. If hydraulic discs have rendered mechanical discs obsolete, any kind of disc brake has rendered every rim brake bike obsolete.
twodownzero is offline  
Old 04-30-16, 01:10 PM
  #84  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,355 Times in 862 Posts
Buy what you like in the shop you like , brands are many factories much fewer , making multiple brands for Export.

Don't like a specific component part? Buy something else , you do like better , and fit It...Instead.
fietsbob is offline  
Old 05-02-16, 05:45 AM
  #85  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5

Bikes: Trek Verve 2, soon to add Trek Crossrip LTD

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
3 weeks in to commuting with my new crossrip ltd and i would recommend it. Quick and responsive in traffic and fun to ride.
Mitchamaphone is offline  
Old 05-03-16, 12:32 PM
  #86  
Senior Member
 
TexMac's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,602

Bikes: Ridley Noah fast, Colnago CLX,Giant Propel Advanced, Pinnerello Gogma 65.1, Specialized S-works Venge, CAADX,Cervelo S3

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 74 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by DosWheelsBtr
I ride a 2015 CAADX myself. Awesome bicycle. I got the Rival 22. The thing is a legend.
Looks good too. Cannondale have done some good stuff
TexMac is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 05:47 PM
  #87  
VTT
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: in the woods
Posts: 12

Bikes: Klein Pulse, Ellsworth Id, Trek 2300, Trek 7600, ...

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Perhaps your commute is not the same as everyone else's. My girlfriend has been commuting happily on her $1500 Civia Hyland for years now, and it's never let her down. She loves it. But everyone has a different experience....

1) Over 35mm wide tires (what's "35c" ?) is overkill if you ride on pavement, even in winter. If one needs a mountain bike, then get a mountain bike.
2) My girlfriend's bike came with the steel fork that Civia moved to, and has never had any problems. It does worry me that production in China means the potential for hidden problems like this. But the race to the bottom never stops.
3) Any stem not properly torqued is dangerous. This problem never occurred to my girlfriend, though i think she swapped stems for sizing & aesthetics somewhere along the way. Easy and cheap fix anyway.
4) Fenders are cheap and easy to replace.
5) Alfine is one of the better geared hubs on the market, by all accounts. Not sure what your standard in shifting is, but any shifter or cable that gets grit in it will have problems, no matter what type it is.
6) Expensive is a relative term. In the era of a market flooded with cheap Chinese junk bikes, sure, the Hyland was not the least expensive, but compared to driving a car, ANY commuter bike is a steal of a deal.
VTT is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 07:43 PM
  #88  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,432
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 539 Post(s)
Liked 44 Times in 38 Posts
Originally Posted by twodownzero
I really don't understand this comment at all. Mechanical disc brakes are superior in virtually every respect from the various types of rim brakes that were used throughout the vast majority of the history of the manufacture of bicycles. If hydraulic discs have rendered mechanical discs obsolete, any kind of disc brake has rendered every rim brake bike obsolete.
That's your opinion that they're superior. They have a number of drawbacks.
- More expensive
- Rubbing if you take the tire on and off, the tolerance is mm's, also makes swapping between 2 wheels much more difficult
- Squealing when braking, especially if they get wet
- Slight additional weight
- Apparently they may be more likely to cause injury to the rider in front of you, according to recent stuff from bike racing where they've been testing them

I've used mechanical disc brakes on several bikes and had most of the above issues, they're always more hassle than rim brakes. Bottom line is that for a road bike there's much benefit to having them compared to rim brakes, if you don't ride in the rain. Some improvement in modulation. Not necessarily worth the additional hassles you list above.
PaulRivers is offline  
Old 05-08-16, 08:10 PM
  #89  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,432
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 539 Post(s)
Liked 44 Times in 38 Posts
Originally Posted by VTT
Perhaps your commute is not the same as everyone else's. My girlfriend has been commuting happily on her $1500 Civia Hyland for years now, and it's never let her down. She loves it. But everyone has a different experience....

1) Over 35mm wide tires (what's "35c" ?) is overkill if you ride on pavement, even in winter. If one needs a mountain bike, then get a mountain bike.
2) My girlfriend's bike came with the steel fork that Civia moved to, and has never had any problems. It does worry me that production in China means the potential for hidden problems like this. But the race to the bottom never stops.
3) Any stem not properly torqued is dangerous. This problem never occurred to my girlfriend, though i think she swapped stems for sizing & aesthetics somewhere along the way. Easy and cheap fix anyway.
4) Fenders are cheap and easy to replace.
5) Alfine is one of the better geared hubs on the market, by all accounts. Not sure what your standard in shifting is, but any shifter or cable that gets grit in it will have problems, no matter what type it is.
6) Expensive is a relative term. In the era of a market flooded with cheap Chinese junk bikes, sure, the Hyland was not the least expensive, but compared to driving a car, ANY commuter bike is a steal of a deal.
Lol I'm not going to get into how you're mixing your feelings with the bike with your feelings for your girlfriend there, that's dangerous territory.

I just don't agree with most of your stuff above, I feel like you're making excuses rather than reasons. I don't think it's the worst bike ever or anything, I still own it, I just think it missed it's marked as a high end winter commuter by a lot, and I wouldn't recommend buying it at anywhere near the kind of cost they were charging, as someone who owns one. I'm most disappointed that the specs say it won't fit their 38c gravdal tires which I find very interesting. But the number of things that aren't quite right or potentially defective was absurdly high in my opinion for the price. (To be fair to the company, I have nothing against them as they obviously did care enough to issue the recall and pay for the fix, I just think this particular model missed the mark).
PaulRivers is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 12:35 PM
  #90  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 855

Bikes: Surly Disc Trucker, Ribble Nero Corsa, Surly Karate Monkey, Surly Ice Cream Truck, Cannondale MT800, Evil Insurgent

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 186 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by PaulRivers
That's your opinion that they're superior. They have a number of drawbacks.
- More expensive
- Rubbing if you take the tire on and off, the tolerance is mm's, also makes swapping between 2 wheels much more difficult
- Squealing when braking, especially if they get wet
- Slight additional weight
- Apparently they may be more likely to cause injury to the rider in front of you, according to recent stuff from bike racing where they've been testing them

I've used mechanical disc brakes on several bikes and had most of the above issues, they're always more hassle than rim brakes. Bottom line is that for a road bike there's much benefit to having them compared to rim brakes, if you don't ride in the rain. Some improvement in modulation. Not necessarily worth the additional hassles you list above.
I really don't think any of these are relevant criticisms. Disc brakes are more expensive because they are an emerging technology that is not yet universal. Once they are common on all levels of bicycles, they will be cheaper than rim brakes. All brakes squeel when there is vibration between the brake surface and pad, so this complaint is not unique to disc brakes. I haven't examined the weight, but I suspect that taking the braking force off of the rim and spokes is going to go a long way to bridging the weight gap. And everyone already knows the rotor cutting that guy's leg argument was bunk right out of the gate--nobody can prove that his leg was cut by a brake rotor when there is a chain and gears on every bike.

Disc brakes are vastly superior in performance to rim brakes. One day, a bike with rim brakes will be looked at like a big wheel bicycle as a remnant of a bygone era. People always regard new technology with skepticism, which is natural and healthy. Disc brakes are not only here to stay on high end bikes, you can bet that they will trickle down to even the bike shaped object one day.

I also hear a lot of trash talk about mechanical disc brakes, but if the principle of operation of a mechanical disc brake were meaningfully in question, all rim brakes would suffer the same fate (I've never seen hydraulic rim brakes, have you?). Mechanical brakes will always be a simpler and perhaps always a more economical option and so I don't see them going anywhere. Rim brakes are going the way of the dodo bird though, you can bet on that.
twodownzero is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 02:57 PM
  #91  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,432
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 539 Post(s)
Liked 44 Times in 38 Posts
Originally Posted by twodownzero
I really don't think any of these are relevant criticisms. Disc brakes are more expensive because they are an emerging technology that is not yet universal. Once they are common on all levels of bicycles, they will be cheaper than rim brakes.
Your claim was "Mechanical disc brakes are superior in virtually every respect from the various types of rim brakes". That may or may not happen, but it's not that way right now.

Originally Posted by twodownzero
All brakes squeel when there is vibration between the brake surface and pad, so this complaint is not unique to disc brakes.
It's waaaay worse with disc brakes.

Originally Posted by twodownzero
I haven't examined the weight, but I suspect that taking the braking force off of the rim and spokes is going to go a long way to bridging the weight gap.
Again though you claimed "superior in virtually every respect". This is probably the least important element to me, but I'm just sayin' they technically still weigh a tad more.

Originally Posted by twodownzero
And everyone already knows the rotor cutting that guy's leg argument was bunk right out of the gate--nobody can prove that his leg was cut by a brake rotor when there is a chain and gears on every bike.
Lol I imagine that's still up for debate. It's not one of the top issues for most people as they aren't riding in a pack.

Originally Posted by twodownzero
Disc brakes are vastly superior in performance to rim brakes.
That's just plain wrong. A skinny tire road bike on a dry day, it's the same. You don't gain any performance.
The advantages of disc brakes are in the rain, with fatter tires, and possibly better modulation. However if you don't ride regularly in the rain it doesn't really matter.

Originally Posted by twodownzero
One day, a bike with rim brakes will be looked at like a big wheel bicycle as a remnant of a bygone era. People always regard new technology with skepticism, which is natural and healthy. Disc brakes are not only here to stay on high end bikes, you can bet that they will trickle down to even the bike shaped object one day.
Not really relevant speculation to what I was responding to.

Originally Posted by twodownzero
I also hear a lot of trash talk about mechanical disc brakes, but if the principle of operation of a mechanical disc brake were meaningfully in question, all rim brakes would suffer the same fate (I've never seen hydraulic rim brakes, have you?).
That says the opposite to me, that they never had to make hydraulic rim brakes because mechanical rim brakes worked well and wouldn't benefit from hydraulics.
In contrast mechanical disc brakes worked poorly enough that they needed to come up with hydraulic versions to fix some of their issues.

Originally Posted by twodownzero
Mechanical brakes will always be a simpler and perhaps always a more economical option and so I don't see them going anywhere. Rim brakes are going the way of the dodo bird though, you can bet on that.
Mechanical rim brakes are simpler yet, and more economical as well.
I'd say it's more likely to see mechanical disc brakes go the way of the dodo, with bikes only coming with mechanical rim brakes or hydraulic disks after the prices come down.

Disc brakes just don't have any "huge" advantages over rim brakes in the conditions most people ride in for road riding - skinny tire good weather. The small advantages they have are balanced out by small disadvantages. They're not "universally superior" in any way I can see. Not saying they're bad, just not nearly as over-the-top superior.

Last edited by PaulRivers; 05-09-16 at 03:00 PM.
PaulRivers is offline  
Old 05-09-16, 06:51 PM
  #92  
Senior Member
 
Andy_K's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744

Bikes: Yes

Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times in 1,439 Posts
I love my disc brakes, but I'm with @PaulRivers on this one. I've got daul pivot calipers on my road bikes, and I never find myself wishing they had disc brakes. Never.
__________________
My Bikes
Andy_K is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
BigMo59
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
29
06-30-15 04:06 PM
RaceVW14
Road Cycling
104
09-03-13 07:56 AM
reptilezs
Commuting
9
07-10-13 03:09 AM
jcorn427
Pacific Northwest
0
03-21-12 03:53 PM
Jedi391
Mountain Biking
8
10-26-10 02:04 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.