Originally Posted by Mars
Thanks for the input everybody. I'm a little unclear though: Do you think riding lowracers in traffic is a bad idea Magilla?
Based in part upon everybody's wisdom here, I am veering away from the pure lowracers and am now looking at the Bachetta Corsa, Challenge Hurricane, and HP Velotechnik Speed Machine. Anyone have opinions or experience with these bikes?
I've ridden the Speed Machine in traffic - a little unnerving not to be able to look drivers in the eye, but in general I got more respect from motorists than on my DF. The full suspension was glorious, but it was a dog uphill. My Rotator Tiger is only 2" higher than the SM, but I've got the seat at about 40 deg vs. 30 deg on the SM, which puts my head a fair bit higher and makes maneuvering easier. The Tiger also climbs quite a bit better, which is a big deal in the Seattle area where I live. The Bacchetta's are great bikes - if the bus weren't a necessary part of my commute, I'd have bought one. Unfortunately , the B's are several inches too long to fit the bike racks on the front our buses. You need to get down to about 42". If you like the dual-26 bikes but need a short wheelbase, consider the Rans Force 5, which has a wheelbase that will fit the racks and is stiff and light enough to excel up hills. Different "highracers" ride quite differently, so try more than one if at all possible.
Have fun,