I visited Proteus Bikes in College Park, MD last night http://www.proteusbicycles.com/, and rode the following bikes:

Jamis Coda ($400) http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/bikes/...es/08coda.html

Kona Dew Deluxe ($500, I think) http://www.konaworld.com/bikes/2k7/DEWDELUXE/index.html

Bianchi San Jose ($600) http://www.bianchiusa.com/06_san_jose.html

Bianchi Castro Valley ($850) http://www.bianchiusa.com/07_castro_valley.html

First, let me say Proteus Bikes rocks! It may be the coolest LBS I've ever set foot in. The owner and staff were very knowledgeable and super friendly. The place itself is like somebody's living room - complete with leather chairs, a cat, and a fireplace! Oh, and the bike selection is large, too.

Now, to the bikes....

Jamis Coda - I read great things on this board and was excited to ride it. I wanted to look at the Coda Sport, but they don't have in stock. The owner actually said she thought the Coda was a better buy, but would order the Sport if I wanted it.

Pros: I like the steel and this seems like a good choice. Comfortable setup, good feel, responsive, fairly light.

Cons: shifting was just okay. I liked the bike, but didn't love it. Seem to be between sizes, but looks like we could dial the fit in on either the 17.5 or 19.5.


Kona Dew Deluxe - really wanted to like this bike because I've been thinking hard about discs. Just okay. Harsher feel than the others, chain jumped off twice, and cockpit just didn't feel comfortable. Immediate elimination for me.


Bianchi San Jose - This was the most fun to ride!

Pros: Steel frame felt great, setup was most like a road bike, which is what I'm used to, and the single speed was just plain fun!

Cons: I have a couple of large hills to contend with on my commute and am afraid I would struggle getting uphill once I add the weight of things I might want to carry other than myself! Oh, and I have some knee problems right now. Setup is more road like, and less upright. I count this as a con, because I think for commuting in a high traffic area, I'd like to be more upright, but boy is this bike fun to ride! (Maybe I should buy two additional bikes. Hmmm.)


Bianchi Castro Valley - Same frame as the San Jose, so that's a plus.

Pros: Good feel, smoother shifting than the Jamis. Shifting and actual shifters are better than the Jamis. I like that it comes with fenders, and found the hub-powered light cool, though the output was just okay. At least as comfortable as the Jamis, and maybe a tad more so.

Cons: Has a compact crank, with a double instead of triple. (Can someone explain compact crank to me? I just know it felt a little different, but maybe that was the double when I am used to a triple.) LBS folks did the gearing calculations and said the range works out to nearly identical to that of the Jamis, but I found it a little more difficult to get up the 'test hills' on this one, and none of those hills compare to the ones near where I live. Also, don't know if the light is easily removable, and wonder how long until someone would rip it off. Most expensive of the bunch ($850), though it comes with the light, fenders, and spd/platform pedals....As a side note, the hub powered light worked well next to my Dinotte which I brought along since I was test riding after dark.


Summary: I think at the moment, it is between the Jamis Coda and the Bianchi Castro Valley. The salesperson thought the Bianchi would hold up better because of better components, but I guess you also have to expect that response given the Bianchi is double the price of the Jamis. In some ways, I want to like both bikes more than I do. I'd give the slight edge to the Bianchi because 1) I liked the frame a little better - both feel and looks (it is shaped with a flat-bottomed top tube), 2) I felt marginally more dialed in position-wise, 3) better components = smoother shifting. I could take or leave the dynamo front hub.

I intend to test ride the Trek 7.3fx again this weekend, but think I am now sold on a steel frame, especially since my training/racing bike is an aluminum frame with carbon fork and stays, and I really want something different for a commuter bike.

Any thoughts/experiences with the Jamis Coda compared to the Bianchi Castro Valley? Is the Bianchi worth the extra $450? Anybody have a hilly commute and use a Bianchi San Jose?


Thanks!