ok_commuter

I haven't ridden a comfort/dutch bike in a long time, but lots of people seem to want to be "upright" and I always wonder how much more upright anyone needs to be than riding on the hoods of a properly-fit road/cross/hybrid bike with drop bars. I'm more comfortable and see better from the hoods than on my hybrid w/straight bars, and I'm 39 with a history of back problems (2 herniated discs).

My $.02,
c.

donnamb 

Very good point. I think a vintage 3 speed makes a fine 2nd bike. You get the opportunity to learn first.


Have a pinched nerve in my shoulder, even the hoods of drop bars are unpleasant for me.

wahoonc

I am in a similar boat like donnamb, I have a pinched nerve that keeps me from having full movement of my neck sometimes, an upright riding position is safer for me because I can see things better. No it isn't as aerodynamically efficient as drop bars...but then again I am not qualifying for the TDF. To many cyclists in the US have a fixation on going fast or getting there in a hurry (I realise to a certain point it is embedded in society) I can still ride a drop bar bike on occasion if the bars are high enough, but much prefer the comfort and pain free riding of my uprights, I may be a bit slower, but I am still riding and getting where I need to go.

To each their own; also to the general public an upright bicycle "appears" more comfortable and hence may induce them to ride.

Aaron

sciapod

I'm sticking with new stuff and getting the local store to help out. I visited shops all over LA this weekend, and decided the local store owner seemed to show me the bikes I liked best. He's building a few for me to try next weekend: Breezer Freedom and a Bianchi Milano. And he also wants me to check out something very different - a KHS Urban Xtreme. I'm open to his suggestions, he seems very good at figuring out what I like. And the bikes will take into account my insistence on granny bike bars, although they may end up being adjustable.

The stingy part of me is irritated that I seem to basically like an old bike concept, something found in a thrift store. However, I just don't want to dodder around trying to select a quality used bike. Seems like too much of a long shot for someone who knows as little as I do. Plus, although I get a little obsessive with research, I don't actually like shopping, and enjoying the act of shopping is essential for the true bargain hunter. I just want a nice bike to ride.

old_alfie

Roger-that; you'll get a good selection of bikes to choose from shown by those bike shoppes, Brooklyn Bridges, Grand Canyons, and mebbe even one Lakefront Lot.
alf

ratell

I think the KHS bikes are a great deal. Steel frames and decent components. The Bianchi and the Breezer are both great bikes, but if they're out of your price range the KHS is a fine choice.

margoC

Riding my road bikes is becoming more difficult with time because of my degenerated disks in my neck, and also whatever I did to my shoulder. I hadn't ridden at all in over a year then out of guilt from my short trip to work, I got a {gasp} "comfort" bike. Now I am wondering where all the comfort hate comes from. And what's up with the "serious" bicyclist comments. It sounds like the harley vs rice arguements that come up on motorcycle forums.

I would rather be able to ride my other bikes more, I don't like all my wt on my butt, but my butt will adapt easier than my neck or shoulders, which do not appear to be adapting at all.

I'm not as fast, I can't ride as far, but I can still ride pretty far, a lot further than you would think by reading posts on comfort bike hate. It's a lot easier to hop on it and run to the store, go to work, go for a ride, than on my other bikes. I can spin just as fast on it as on my road bikes so it seems like I am getting decent exercize.

I just spent the day in edisto sc which had bike paths all over the place. I didn't see any "serious" bicyclists but I did see a lot of families out bicycling together. A goodly portion of the bikes did not look to be cheap rentals but nicer bikes, I assume they were vacationers that haul their bikes around with them. For the most part they didn't look like fat slobs either but folks that like to ride for recreation. The paths were long enough and not so crowded that I had wished I had been able to bring my own bike.

Back in the olden days you could be a "serious" bicyclist and still ride in relative comfort. Now that I have ridden over to the dark side I wonder what all the hoopla is about. Not everyone that gets a comfort bike parks it in the garage, but I'll be folks that get an aggressive road bike before they are in the shape to ride it might.

huhenio

road bike with more slack geometry?

to me is all about to keep tires narrow and overall bike weight under 25 pounds

sciapod

OK, so I got a KHS Urban Xcel. It's a little more downward in posture than the Dutch style I'd originally envisioned, but it just seemed to move along the road effortlessly. I rode it today and the trip to work seemed easy enough. I'm trying not to have buyer's remorse, but for some reason I feel like I'd rather have the Breezer...

Update: I returned the KHS for the Breezer. Very excited!

windbent

in l.a. there is 60 + second hand stores average price is 40 if you know what you want!

uke

Truly! I'm still surprised at how loud the road bike chorus is here, even in the commuting forum. You'd think the only choices for getting to work were machines fit for the TDF and machines fit for five-year olds, with nothing in between. And when you add to the fact that road bikes are the most expensive category of bike while providing the least visibility (after recumbents), it's little wonder many get intimidated by the prospect of cycling to work. Getting a flat bar commuter was the best decision I've made in weeks. There's nothing wrong with getting a road bike with drop handlebars, but I firmly believe if more people saw more people riding more upright bikes, they'd be more inclined to try it out for themselves. At any rate, as you said, get what works for you, and don't let people talk you into something you're not comfortable with.

wlhutch

This is my commuter-- it's comfortable, reasonably priced and best of all--I look forward to riding it home after a long day of work.

Take your time, test ride a variety of bike types/frame styles and pick the one that's best for your needs and requirements. You will never get a perfect bike, but get as close as you can.

bragi

That's the best advice of all....

OK, I can't help myself, I have to offer an opinion: Dutch-style bikes are very cool, and they're very comfy, but they're soooo slow, really heavy, and, due to the upright position, a total ***** in headwinds. And, partly because of the weak Dollar relative to the Euro, they're very expensive. For the same money, you can get a more-than-decent starter road bike, a nice touring bike, or a couple of hybrids, all of which will be lighter, faster, as comfortable, and more practical in almost all conditions. I have a touring bike with drops now, which I love, but until this summer I rode an 80's-vintage hardtail mountain bike with road tires, and it worked well for me.

Anyway, do what donnamb suggests and ride a lot of bikes before you buy, be honest with yourself about what you need, and you can't go wrong.

tjspiel

I'm sure it varies by region but road bikes are definitely in the minority in this part of the world. You'll see few if any road bikes at the places where most people buy bikes, - Walmart, Target, REI, or other sporting goods stores. If I had to guess, I think most people contemplating commuting already own a bike and it's probably a commuter/hybrid/city bike or mountain bike.

Anyway I really doubt that having fewer road bikes on the street would encourage more people to commute. I think having people see more bikes of any type on the streets is what will accomplish that. Just like different types of cars appeal to different types of people, there should to be different types of bikes available for people to buy.

It happens with all types of bikes I'm sure but I see a lot of misconceptions about road bikes perpetuated here (uncomfortable, meant for racing, can't mount fenders or racks, too fragile, etc., etc.). So while I typically won't try to push anyone into any particular style of bike, if somebody tries to talk someone out of a road bike based on what I see as less than accurate information, I'll often respond.