Variable Terrain Commuter
#1
Timbike2
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lewis Center / North Worthington Area, OH
Posts: 27
Bikes: 2009 Specialized TriCross Sport
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Variable Terrain Commuter
Hello Fellow Commuters,
I am currently riding my old Schwinn Frontier MTB with higher pressure tires 14 miles each way. 1st 2.5 miles are rough gravel roads. The rest of the way is paved high-traffic roads with 4 pretty long hills along the way. Thinking of moving into a lighter/faster ride. With the gravel part----what are your suggestions. My thoughts are either light touring bike or cyclecross--although I would be using it strictly as my commuter. Budget wise, I'm looking in the $500-$1000 range. Thanks for your input.
Tim
I am currently riding my old Schwinn Frontier MTB with higher pressure tires 14 miles each way. 1st 2.5 miles are rough gravel roads. The rest of the way is paved high-traffic roads with 4 pretty long hills along the way. Thinking of moving into a lighter/faster ride. With the gravel part----what are your suggestions. My thoughts are either light touring bike or cyclecross--although I would be using it strictly as my commuter. Budget wise, I'm looking in the $500-$1000 range. Thanks for your input.
Tim
#2
genec
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079
Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times
in
3,158 Posts
Light touring may allow the wider tires... think of something like 38s or so and high pressure... my commuter uses 26 x 38 which I use to "meet any conditions on the road" and have used well on dirt and gravel roads. They are Armadillos which pump up to 80PSI and roll pretty darn nice on good pavement.
#3
VOTE FOR KEN WIND
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 984
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You may also want to consider a hybrid, such as the Marin Point Reyes. It has a rigid carbon fork and disc brakes, but it accepts large tires, fenders, and a rack.
Whatever you get, make sure it can accept big enough tires. I have 27" x 1.25" (rougly 32mm) tires on my touring bike that I use for commuting, and I don't feel comfortable going very fast on gravel roads nearby. The ride is pretty rough too. If I rode that sort of thing daily, I wouldn't use anything less than 700 x 35.
Whatever you get, make sure it can accept big enough tires. I have 27" x 1.25" (rougly 32mm) tires on my touring bike that I use for commuting, and I don't feel comfortable going very fast on gravel roads nearby. The ride is pretty rough too. If I rode that sort of thing daily, I wouldn't use anything less than 700 x 35.
#4
surrender to the flow
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 53
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Novara Safari https://www.rei.com/product/730480 I've been riding this for the last 4 months and love it.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,742
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,862 Times
in
1,439 Posts
I've got a Kona Jake, which I like a lot. I put 700x28 Gatorskins on it as soon as I bought, which makes it not good for gravel, but I've got pavement the whole way, so that pretty much works out for me. It comes stock with 700x35 Maxxis Locust CX, which would probably handle the gravel pretty well.