Originally Posted by elad
Hi,
I have a few questions regarding a commuting bike for long distances.
I would like to build a bike for long distance commuting and long hours on the bike,
My priorities are not on speed and flashy looks any more( I am 37 getting old) However I am very interested in the durability of components. Does any one have inside information regarding the longest lasting components. Basically I will take a nice steel frame with a rigid fork (kona or kelly) and build it up with mountain bike parts and thin tires.My question is are xtr hubs and cranks going to be more durable than Lx or xt. Which cranks and hubs will last the longest and be the most reliable? DO I really need chris King Hubs and carbon cranks or will the lower end cranks hold up - do the higher priced parts really last longer?
I would appreciate any feedback,
First of all, 37 is young so if you're in shape you can still enjoy nice equipment and smoke plenty of active twenty somethings for years to come.
Once you get to a certain point, more money doesn't really buy more durability -- rather it pays for less weight or styling. I absolutely would not bother with carbon anything on a commuter bike that's going to be abused year round in slop. Some components are inherently tough, so I can't see any point to expensive cranks on a commuter.
What kills commuting bikes is all the grime and dirt in combination with water -- it basically acts like grinding paste that can and will eat through just about rims, tranny components, and just about everything else where there is contact.
When you say you plan on putting on thin tires, I hope you just mean slicks. Tires are no place to go lightweight on a commuter. Unless your path is really clean, heavy tires that are resistant to glass cuts are an absolute must.
As pinkrobe says, there's something to be said for just buying cheaper stuff and replacing it more often.