Originally Posted by
eugene_b
Yeah, I'd love to have fenders. I did ride a bike without fenders at some point in the past and I was all covered in mud as a result so I'd like to avoid that
I mean even when riding on a normal but wet road, the back wheel was taking some water up and my back was all dirty as a result.
Fenders and mud don't play well together. Fenders are good if you are dealing with water but when you ride in mud, the mud just ends up clogging the space between the wheels and the fenders. Then you end up with the mud rubbing on the fenders...slowing you down...or clogging up the works entirely and you end up carrying the bike. A rack on the bike will act like a fender but it's not terribly effective. It doesn't clog because there's more distance between the wheels and the rack, however.
You can avoid the issue of muddy clothes by carrying a dry set of clothes. I don't ride to work in work clothes because bicycle clothes are cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Originally Posted by
eugene_b
That I am not fully sure of. The dropped ones don't look to comfortable, I am not sure I'll be able to ride in a bent position like that but in reality I've never tried that kind of bike so I guess I'll just stop at some shop and will test drive one of such bikes.
Drop bars are fine for road riding. So are flat bars. However if you going to ride off-road, drop bars require far more skill. Drop bars put you further forward over the front wheel. That makes getting your body over the rear wheel to keep it from lifting and throwing you over the bars harder. Braking with drop bars on an off-road bike can be terrifying...especially if you don't have good braking skills to begin with.
Originally Posted by
eugene_b
At this point I think I am more inclined towards a mountain bike however I am still not fully sure. The information everyone posted here has provided a lot of food for thought and also introduced me to bikes I was not aware of (cyclocross). I guess I'll need to test-drive one of those bikes too.
Along with the drop bar/braking issue, cyclocross bikes tend to have skinnier tires than mountain bikes. In slick conditions like wet muddy trails, the skinny tires don't leave much room for error. Even with knobs on the tire, they are harder to control and handle. A wider mountain bike tire has more contact with the ground (which is what makes them more difficult to ride on pavement and hard surfaces) so the control is better.
Originally Posted by
eugene_b
Basically what kind of features I should be looking for? As far as I understand I'll need ability to attach fenders and panniers. Have the ability to switch fat/road tires. If it has suspension systems, I should look for ability to adjust it so that it performs better on the road. Is that all?
Yes, you'll need something to attach racks to. See the fender comment above. Knobbie tires that are always off-road ready can be made more 'road' worthy by pumping them up to higher pressure.
Don't ride a mountain bike tire that is pumped up to 60 or 70 psi off-road however. It like trying to ride on a basketball. Lower the pressure for off-road to around 40 to 45 psi.
Or you could just leave them at 40 to 45 psi all the time. It makes them harder to pedal but you get a more intense workout that way.
Originally Posted by
eugene_b
Also I forgot to mention that I am relatively tall (6'3"), which bike parameter is responsible for that and which value would fit me? Also does wheel size generally matter?
Basically I am thinking of taking the list of parameters and features I need, as well as the suggested bike models to the local shops and test driving what they have. After I get an idea of how things perform, I'll probably rethink everything again and will either buy from that shop or order a bike online. I really appreciate everyone's help and all the suggested models and I am still going through that list and analyzing the options
As tall as you are, you should consider a 29er which is just a mountain bike with a taller wheel. Same tire width, just a taller wheel...perfect for a tall rider like you.
If you test ride bikes at a local bike shop (LBS), buy from them. On-line is cheaper but the LBS answered your questions, let you test ride their bikes, helped you with the selection, put the bike together and made sure it was road ready, etc. To then turn around and buy on-line would be rude at best.
That said, there are good LBS and bad LBS. If the shop answers your questions, is helpful in guiding you through the selection process, and seems like a place you'd like to do business with, buy from them. If they just shove a bike at you or roll their eyes at your questions, go elsewhere.
Originally Posted by
eugene_b
Also is it generally easy to disassemble a mountain bike to the point where greyhound/amtrak would accept it. E.g. is it enough to just put off wheels, lower down seat and put all of that in some bag?
It's just like any other bike.