twinpuller

I'm looking for a hybrid that I can ride around with the kids in and take to work. I have a road bike already, and would really like a flat bar cyclocross style bike, so I'm thinking of getting a road-ish hybrid and putting cyclocross tires on it. I don't want to get a drop bar because it'll be too close to my road bike so I'm just looking for something different. So far I'm stumped between these options:

1. 2005 Brodie Dynamo - seems like it's been outside for awhile, and it appears that the components are in working order. There is some surface rust on some of the parts but nothing major. It would need some service on the BB as it's wobbling, cables and housing, and a good cleanup. I'm comfortable doing most of the work on the bike, and I wouldn't mind taking on the challenge. I can get this bike for $100. I'm thinking that for another $150 I can get a decent bike out of this with used/new parts found online. I would probably change the derailleurs and go with a 9spd conversion at some point. Another possibility is new wheels as the ones that come with it are mis-matched and these kind of things bug me.

https://www.brodiebikes.com/2013/arch...dynamo&year=05

2. 2011 Brodie Energy
https://www.brodiebikes.com/2013/arch...energy&year=11

This one is asking $540 and basically I can buy it and ride it tomorrow. Overall it's a nicer bike but it may cost a fraction more. Your thoughts?

pierce

gear conversions almost always end up costing much more than you think, unless you have a complete drive train as a transplant, including shifters.

otherwise, you're looking at $50-100 for flatbar 3x9 shifters, $100 or more for a crankset, $20-50 for a front derailleur, and $30-100 for a rear. adn 50-50, you'll need a new bottom bracket, as either that new triple crank won't be square taper, or the chainline offset will be wrong. and of course, a rear cassette, and is your rear wheel 9-speed compatible? 8 speed wheels are, so are newer 7's, but older 7-'s aren't. so now it a new wheel, ka-ching-ka-chung.

twinpuller

I factor in those costs as it is likely I will have to replace the cassette and chain anyways. Also since the bike has been outside for a while, how would parts like levers and shifter hold up? Can they be serviced back to working condition?

pierce

with a good dose of lubrication and cleaning, most anything can be resurrected unless its a ball of crumbling corrosion. I tend to use wd40 and steel wool on the rusty stuff.


those are both pretty nice bikes, I have to say, even tho the older one has a nicer crankset and Sora roadbike gearing, the newer one is pretty sweet looking and has Deore grade bits, which are quite good too. are they both the right size for you?

twinpuller

Yes both bikes are the same size and fit me well. I could also go with the smaller frame but would have to increase the length of the stem.

pierce

well, I'm a sucker for curved top tubes, so I'd say the new one.

twinpuller

LOL me too! But the slope isn't really visible on the actual bike...pretty straight top tube.

cs1

I like the look of the new one too. Does it look like it might have some toe clip overlap though?

twinpuller

I think if I went clipless it would have a bit of toe overlap. I'm not planning to get clipless for this bike since it will be ridden in the city. It's actually one of the main reasons I dislike commuting on my road bike. I dont like walking in my cleats and constantly getting in and out of my pedals at lights.

twinpuller

Went with the energy. Got it for a great deal too! Thanks for all the input.

teicher

Cool bikes, never heard of Brodie until you posted the links.

pierce

indeed, they are nicer equipped than the typical base model specialized/trek/giant, with deore or sora instead of tourney/altus/acera. the frames look pretty generic.


edit: ah, I looked around the Brodie site. the current Energy model, midline in their 'express' series of 'flatbar sport bikes', is $1000 MSRP. Its cheaper cousins are more like the base model bikes I describe above. so $450 for one of these a couple years old, yeah great deal.

twinpuller

My original thought was to buy a cyclocross bike and put flat bars on it. But I figured it be cheaper to get a road like hybrid with disc brakes and slap on some cx tires. Made more sense!

pierce

yeah, switching from drop to flat bars means new brakes and shifters and cables ... unless you have that stuff around (and the right gearing, and brake pull type), it gets expensive

btw, folks I know with cyclocross bikes that they use for non-CX purposes tell me, the CX tires wear out pretty fast on pavement. I take 700x32 touring tires on all sorts of easy dirt on my hybrid. also, a true CX bike is race oriented, won't have fender or rack mounts, and other niceties.

johnread

Pierce, I use my Specialized Crux as an all-around fitness/recreation bike, mostly on pavement and MUP's, and the knobby cyclocross tires looked like they would wear quickly. And noisy? - neighborhood dogs ran for shelter when I was still a block away! So I changed the tires out for kevlar-beaded Schwalbe Marathon Supremes and all is well - the bike handles superbly, quietly, and the dogs chase me now!