Originally Posted by
djkenny
Been shopping around. Debating on modifying my 1999 Hybrid GT Nomad Flat Bar Bike with more hand positions, maybe trekking bars. The bike feels a little short, I get some neck and back pain. But I like riding it better than the Surly bikes I recently rode.
I tried to ride various size Surly LHT bikes (52cm, 56cm... I *think* I am a 54cm so I will look at those too). I was thinking "I could" put different bars and stem, maybe a trekking bar like the Koga World tourist has. Butterfly bars look interesting to me.
Or crap... "GET" a Koga Miyata World Tourist?
Any shops in Oregon that carry those style touring bikes?? So I could actually ride one and see if it is a better match for me? I have a bad back from a car accident and just can't see myself on a LHT or the like. Unless they modified with a different set up.
It seems we are limited in the USA to what REI has, The Trek 520, or Surly LHT. Why is there so little choices here?
The Novarra Safari. I am going to take one for a test ride. They seem almost like a more affordable alternative to the World Tourist.
Thanks for any ideas.
Anything else outside the drop-bar style I might look at?
Citybikes Annex at SE Ankeny last time I was there had a few Jamis Coda Sport for sale. Reynolds steel and flat bar in all sizes and not a bad bike. They also have Surly LHTs as well, but I don't like their fitting myself.
Universal Cycles has some Salsa bikes you can take a look at by it seemed they had sold out a lot of the sizes of their popular series!
If you don't mind Bianchi, Lakeside Bicycles in Lake Oswego sell them with flat bars (hybrids) plus they throw in bike fitting as well.
Ultimately, it's not the drop bars that may cause to be uncomfortable but rather the length of the top tube. If you have back problems with disc problems, you might not be receptive to a stretched riding position with a lot of these drop bar bikes will ultimately put you into. You want a more upright bike with perhaps a suspension seatpost thrown in.
Don't limit yourself to REI, though the downtown Portland store is well stocked and the one in Tualatin is kind of small.