I am looking at purchasing a road style bike. I have been commuting for 4 months on a Gary Fisher hardtail. I am thinking the road bike will be more efficient. I would love to get a Surly cross check or similar, but funds dont really allow for that. Here are some that I will be trying out this week. My concern is this, are these worth putting some time/money into? What would you recomend? Thanks for any help. https://s661.photobucket.com/albums/u...by-ricigliano/

When I started commuting, I tried my MTB and my '77 Schwinn Le Tour II. There was no comparison. The Schwinn, heavy though it was, was far better suited for my commute. Look for an older road bike that is priced decent and doesn't need a bunch of work (you can throw a bunch of money at an old bike).

An older road bike makes an excellent choice for a commuter but when it comes to road bikes there are sub categories... avoid racing and tt bikes as they do not allow for fenders and will not accommodate decent sized tyres.

Sport and touring frames are best as they do allow for fenders, have a more relaxed (and comfortable) geometry, and will run wider tyres with those fenders which wil really improve the ride.

Look for alloy wheels and a square tapered bb and cranks as the lighter wheels will increase speed and improve braking and a square tapered bb and crank is much more serviceable / upgradeable than a cottered or single piece bb and crank.

I understand, the problem is I am not sure I could tell one apart from the other. There is a link in my op that shows about 6 bikes that I am going to look at. Sure, some look too big, but they are all in one place, would you mind taking a look?

Before you start shopping you really need to know what size of frame you need... there is a wide variety of frame sizes being offered there and the taller framed bikes seem to have the nicest specs and seem the cleanest looking.

You'd have to have some pretty long legs to ride those.

I looked at your pictures, and none fit me.
Do they fit you?

Like 65'er says. Fit first. Find second.

Once you know what size, let us know how and where you'll ride, and we'll be all the help you'll ever need, more than you may want.

You just have to hold still while we set the hook......then you're a goner.

Where in B.C. are you ?

For me it would be a no-brainer: The Nakamura — for sure! And I'll go against the grain here: don't worry about whether it will mount fenders. Since I've gone to treadless tires, I've found that they are not as necessary as I once thought for commuting. If you are getting a rooster tail, a seat-post mounted MTB flap should suffice. The frame may turn out to be some flavor of double butted Ishiwata. Or maybe Tange. You'll need to pull down all the bearings and repack them. Apply a set of stirrups and straps, service the chain and you're off to work!

I think that Sheldon Harris has a blurb on the Nakamura in his review of bike marques. — Cheers ... Lorne

Hey Lenton !

I have to disagree with the fender thing as if BC has one thing that is plentiful... it's rain..unless he lives in the south central Okanagan where it's arid desert.

Fenders save you from the rain and do a great job saving the bike from rain related issues like drive train and headset contamination.

For commuting being able to run a 25 or 28 is a wonderful thing too.

Finding a nice double butted frame would be a bonus too.

Sheldon Brown? from Harris bike shop?

I am in the Vancouver area. I understand the frame needs to fit me, I was wondering if these brands were worth purchasing. The prices range from 175-300 on craigslist in this area. I only have mtb, I understand mtb well enough, road bikes.... not so much. I am wanting fenders, lots of rain here.

Check into the bike kitchen and other co-ops in the Vancouver area... you might save a ton of cash and be able to get a good deal of help with fit and sizing.

OK — change of tack. I understand your concerns about rain. Vancouver is my home town (galactic sadness ... never to return cuz of property/rent escalation a la London.) But as the rain is in Vancouver, you are soaked and blasted anyway. So guards?? ... well anyway.

My current ride (while my two road racers are being restored) is a very much upgraded 1995 Trek 930 MTB. I'm on Araya rims with 26x1.50 high pressure (~100 psi +) road practice clinchers. I'm in a road race saddle. Very powerful cantilever brakes. A much cut-down set of MTB straight bars. Sylvan light pedals with toe clips and straps (or whatever they call 'em these days). Suspension: R U kidding? Never considered it. This is an urban road warrior. Heavier than a road racer or lightweight touring machine — but once you get a backpack full of crud you need for work what is 3-4 pounds anyway!? I love the thing and have ridden it for 15 years throughout its evolution.

If you want a weather machine that is stable and yet a keen and fast urban bike for hill or dale, consider the custom hyrid. All you need to really find is a double or triple butted frame designed for no suspension. Hopefully it will have a decent BB and a crank-set with some life left in it. (I'd go with steel) The headset and stem may be a tank, but let's hope for better. Almost certainly you will be looking to replace and upgrade a saddle, post, peddles, clips/straps, wheels/hubs and tires — possibly brakes. Believe me, for a spiffy ride it will still be cheaper than a complete store bought bike — just get a good frame for peanuts. And so you will! Find a Gary Fisher or Trek ... blah blah.

You will have to study a lot of stuff on how to put this all together — like here at B.F., Park Tools and the archive of the late and much-missed Sheldon Brown.

The other solution is to throw money in some direction and hope that it comes back to you in some form that you will like. The problem is this: in terms of how I understand your cycling history and aspirations, (I could be wrong) you may not be satisfied by that solution. I've yet to see a hybrid bike on the display floor that is really what I think that you need or want — especially these days of carbon this and suspension that!

Yet another solution is a lightweight touring machine. Well, you don't live in Surrey England or Connecticut USA. Pretty slim pickens in B. C. ... I would think, anyway.

With some very big research on your part, and some scouring around the Lower Mainland, you should be able to rig up a cool, lighter, enjoyable steel hybrid ride. Just my 2-bits, but I hope that it helps one way or another. I know that this may seem provocative, but the center of what I am talking about may fit your bill.

How tall are you knuckles?

If you are about 6'1 or so, get that Nakamura. It is straight up fire and has fender tabs so just change the bar tape to all-black, get a black saddle, some black fenders and it will be the awesomest commuter in the city.

Find a touring bike? Add fenders, slightly more modern components, and your choice of handlebars. Throw on some fatter tires, ad you're there. This my usual commuter, but I have been taking different bikes lately since the weather has improved. Variety is fun, hehe. I agree, find your size first. Stand over the frame, if you don't have a measuring tape with you. Take an allen wrench with you, to adjust saddle height to your leg length. If you find yourself leaning on the hard on the bars, it usually will not be a good fit. If you do a little research first, knowing what size bike to look for will be as natural as buying a new shirt, hehe.,,,,BD

The ubiquitous Peugeot UO-8 and Raleigh Gran Prix (preferably Super Course) make superb commuters, as do various mid-level Nishikis and the Schwinn Super Sport. I would avoid a Varsity or Continental, unless you have a cheap source for aluminum rims.

My hybrid conversion... perhaps the best all round bike I have ever built.

There has been much interest here on such conversions and many threads on the topic.

Trek took 65's advice and created the FX series of bikes.

My wife's 7.5 FX


Has 700 x 32 tires, rack mount points front and rear, room for fenders. Fast, too.

There's a lot of old rigid fork mountain bikes out there that could easily be converted to a commuter. Narrower, slick tires, rack and fenders and off you go. Cantilever brakes are good stoppers and not too expensive if you need to upgrade/replace.

And yet... my royalty checks have not started rolling in.



I am a fan of the fx series and their close cousins like the Portland which my bike is probably closest to.

If I lived in a wetter climate I would probably be running disc brakes which are an excellent choice for a bike named after that rather humid city.

Here's my commuterized early '70's Motobecane Le Champion. Nexus 7 speed hub in back, Sram dynohub in front, lights and fenders...perfect for dark, wet rides.

Thanks for the help, everyone. I am wanting a road bike, dont really want to convert a mtb. Jet, I am 5'7".

Most of those bikes are going to be too big for you. You are going to need something around 56cm. The Norco, Nakmura are 62-62 cm The Blue bike is about a 58cm and you might get away with it if you have long arms.. The appolo is probably a 52cm and may be too small unless you have short legs.

That leaves the Green bike and while that might be a good bike to restore with the wingnut wheels I think I would pass on it for a dedicated commuter. I'd look for something mid to late 80's. That is mid 60's I would think. Mid 80's is when 700c started to be the norm and a lot better tire selection these days.

For the prices you are stating that guy is flipping bikes. If he is putting new tires on them and doing a full service the prices may be in-line but a lot of those bikes look in as found the condition with old tires and I pick up for $10-30us before tune up and new tires. You take that to a bike shop and get a tune up and tires expect to drop another $100-150.

Too bad you are not down here. I just picked up a SWEET 1988 Trek 360 to flip that would be about right size for you. With tires I'll be asking about $150us.

dck — GREAT machine! A masterpiece of its kind! Congrats!

A. Winthrop wrote: I agree. Living in Japan as I do, I see them, although here in Northern Honshu it is not like down south in Kansai where I saw a lot more sporty commuters. (The Japanese are expressly prone to committing old bikes to the scrap/recycle heap, or loading them on freighters bound for North Korea.) May I add in the name Miyata. This is a venerable, old brand. These can be very nice machines for exactly what busted knuckles wants. Tange tubes in some flavour — and they look good — the lines I mean. And you should be able to get one for beer money! I have one in storage back in Vancouver. I wish it were here. It feels good on the road.

Someday I want a Centurion. — Lorne

I often tell people that as far as production bikes go there are few better made than Miyata and would add Kuwahara / Apollo to that list as Kuwahara made some extremely nice road bikes for themselves and for other companies as well.

Western Canada has a high number for these as they were widely sold and distributed, Fred Deeley Cycles in Vancouver was the distributor for Apollo / Kuwahara (Apollos were made by Kuwahara).

They have high quality tubes, beautifully brazed lugs, and finishes to die for.