Igo

I'm enjoying this little hybrid as much as any bike I've ever owned (Giant Escape 1) so I dropped some bucks on it this weekend.
It sees very little dirt and I want to explore more of the city on it so I'm dropping the OEM tires (32c and 60psi) for a set of Panaracer T-Serv 28c at 105psi. Roll resistance is the only set back I see in the Escape. I'm going to see if I can step it up a bit. Wish me luck. The upgrade costs about 25% of the purchase price of the bike.
Also bought a 2W Planet Bike blaze headlight for it yesterday

fez_

I had been thinking of putting on 28c tires on my Escape for the longest time. Recently I took the bike on some unpaved/unpacked trails and have been considering something wider or even 32c cyclocross tires.

jbchybridrider 

Good choice with the Panaracer's there well regarded tires.

Igo

I don't commute on dirt. I am looking at mountain bikes for weekend dirt riding though.

Igo

I think they will complete "the truck."

fez_

How are you liking the Escape? I put a shorter stem on mine and it feels and handles better now. Need to find a decent rack, so me and my gf can bike to the grocery store.

Igo

I think this bike is amazing. Incredible deal.

Here's your rack....

fez_

What kind of rack is that?

Igo

Topeak Explorer one of the matching clip on trunks.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...eywords=topeak

addictedhealer

Nice bike, I have the same rack. Like the bar ends, I have some and I enjoy having them for added comfort. Do you actually use the saddle bag? I have on but figured its useless with the trunk on.

Igo

This particular trunk does not have saddlebags but I do have on that does. So far, I've never used the trunk with saddlebags/panniers. I use this one everyday.

PatrickGSR94

He must have meant the bag hanging underneath the rear of your saddle. I'm with him, seems useless when you have a trunk bag.

Igo

I live in the Mohave Desert. You don't get on a bike that doesn't have minimal emergency repair on it at all times. There may be 25 miles between any kind of resources and I only use the trunk when I'm commuting. What is really useless is moving your tire kit between bags every time you want to ride.

no1mad 

More like a waste of time. I currently only have one bike and it's used for commuting and nothing else. The flat kit stays on the bike wehether I'm using a trunk, pannier, backpack, or mess bag.

Igo

Yeah. I suppose I could take it off and toss it in the truck so the bike looks right but I don't see the point. Most of the time the trunk is not on the bike.
And for the same reason I always have a flat kit on the bike I always have 2 big bottles of water. You don't mess with the desert and there are few means for bailout.

cs1

Honestly, the Escape City version comes out of the box with everything you'll need.

Igo

It is a great deal. Commuter in a box. I liked the Topeak set up much better because of the interchangable trunks. There is also no need for fenders in my part of the country.
There was an address correction at UPS for my house so my new tires won't be here until Tuesday. Rats, I was hoping to install them on Monday. Panaracer T Serv.
Now I'm buying new tires for my road bike.

erg79

Igo, did you ride the Escape City before you got the Escape 1? It's $40 more in MSRP versus the Escape 1, with a rack and fenders already on. The differences are SRAM Via derailleurs versus the SRAM X4 rear and Shimano front on the Escape 1, and a SRAM crankset vs. the Shimano on the Escape 1.

I'm wondering if there's any difference in ride quality between the two. Your praise of the Escape 1 has definitely got me putting it on my mental list for a bike to check out.

Igo

I've never bought into really expensive bikes, not yet anyway but I own SRAM Apex 11-32, Shimano Tiagra and SRAM X4. Of these 3 I am astounded with the shifting on the X4 and it is the best I've used. I'm an industrial mechanic and love doing my own precision work. My bikes are always in excellent tune but something about that X4. I don't know how it will hold out in the long run but there is nothing in profiling the mechanics that suggests it will decay in short order. It may be no more than the fact that the bike is geared low but all I have to do is think it (almost) and I can rifle to the gear I'm needing. Now keep in mind, I have most Park Tools and the Park Tools stand and the Big Blue Book of bike mechanics and as soon as I get a bike I really dial it in to as perfect a tune as I think is possible. And a couple other things I've done that you might think about before buying. I use this bike to commute, not my road bike. I wear mesh lined street shorts rather than bike shorts to work. I can't wear bike shorts to work for the usual conservative reasons. For these reasons I changed the saddle. Now for what is probably very good reasons, many here switch to the Serfas RX seat, both on the Escape and the nearly identical geometry Trek FX. I'm not sure how that came to be but the seat that will most maintain the original ergos AND has the higher customer satisfaction per Serfas is the Serfas Lycra Dual Density Saddle which is on sale this weekend at REI here: https://www.rei.com/product/736826/se...ty-saddle-mens . I've owned 3 and won't put anything else on my commuters. A second feature to 40-60 mile exploration comfort is a pair of gel fingerless gloves. I use IQ Bravos.
How could you not buy a Trek FX with all the praise? I just happened to ride the Escape before the Trek and I knew in minutes it was my bike. Even though they are different bikes, I like my Escape over my Trek 2.1 if for no other reason than the versatility of the Escape. Of course I like my Defy over the 2.1 as well. Maybe I'm just a Giant fan.
I paid $450 for the Escape 1.

Igo

Oh. Sorry. No I didn't ride the Escape City. I don't think I've ever seen one here in Las Vegas. There's just no reason to ride a bike with fenders here since it hasn't rained 3 days in the last 5 years. LOL.

erg79

Yeah, not all that crucial for Southern California, either, but there's always the chance of puddles. Thanks.

Igo

and as long as I'm at it, I just bought a set of Continental Gatorskins for my road bike. I would have done it the first day but I was seriously looking for anything but an orange sidewall for my grey and black bike.

cs1

I bought my son the Escape 2. My brother liked it so much he bought the Escape City. I can't tell the difference in shifting or braking.

Igo

15 minutes ago I finished changing over to the Panaracer 28c tires and just ran it up the street for a test ride. Much less roll resistance but certainly not as stiff as my roadies 120psi 23c tires. Still comfortable.
I won't be able to give the more road like tires a full report until I've done a proper commute on then Monday morning. They look good. I thought the narrower profile might take something away from the look but they didn't. The bike still looks sharp.

brandini

I have the Seek 3 with the Maxxis Detonator 32s and I run 90psi (100psi max) and it's pretty darn good. We have cobblestone where I am and it does a pretty good job of protecting my bits from the jarring ride. I think any name brand tire would be better than OE Giant tires. Rule of thumb: wider the tire, the less roll resistance, but more wind resistance, and better ride.

My next mod is taking off those plastic overshift protectors. They just look so goofy.