Originally Posted by
Versking
Thanks for all the advice so far. After reading what you've written, I've taken a closer look at the Allant, and I'm not sure I need the fenders and rack initially. The research I do is computational, so I pretty much never have to take anything physical to or from my lab, and in inclement weather, I can remote in and work from my apartment, so I'll likely not be riding in anything but great conditions, and if I do end up needing those features, I can add them to the 7.2. Also, I'm not so sure about the handlebars on the Allant. What's the difference in experience between the flat, straight bars on the other bikes and the swept-back ones on the Allant?
Based on your advice, I've eliminated the Target bike and the Mongoose Alta. At the moment, I'm leaning toward the fx 7.2 for the reasons given above.
Since many of you have asked about my height, I'm 5'11, and the bike store suggested I try out things in the 19''-21'' range.
Rack is useful for commuting, or even just riding around. I put basic racks on most of my bikes. Think about all of the little stuff you might need to take with you like a jacket, change of clothes, some food, laptop, phone, keys,, tire levers, spare tube, pump or CO2, mini tool, and tire levers. It is much more handy to mount a basic trunk bag to a rack than to carry all that stuff around in a backpack. Your choice, though.
advantage of swept back bars is they put your wrist in a neutral position compared to flat bars. You really need to test ride both to know what feels best for you.