Hi,

I'm brand new to this forum so forgive me if this question has been asked many times before. I would appreciate some suggestions on a new bike

Usage: 5-6 days a week 10 mile round trip RAIN or shine. I live near Portland OR so rain is a part of life. I do a week or so of medium to light touring during the year 30-50 mile days. I usually run 14 - 18 mph. Last year I put over 3K miles on my bike.

Current Bike: Cheep '95 Shwinn Frontier LE Mountain bike with 26" Nimbus Armadillos and gel filled tubes. I keep the wheel ~80 - 100 psi. It has junky plastic fenders and a rack with saddle bags in which I keep my rain gear. The saddle bags stay on all the time except during the middle of the summer. This bike was 'end of life' 3 years ago but I've limped it a long because I didn't have the time and energy to research what I needed or wanted.

New bike Needs:

Rugged! I hate cleaning my bike. It gets filthy in the rain. I'll clean the chain every other week in the rainy season but every day is out the question.

I would like 700 tires. The new bike needs to accept quality fenders and a rack with saddle bags. I'll probably just transfer the rack and bags I have now.

I prefer the mountain bike handle bar stance but could be talked out of that.

While I can't say $ is not a consideration. I am willing to spend $ to get a bike that will meet my need for the next decade.

I'm more interested in Rugged over light but that doesn’t mean I want another pig like I have now.

Thanks for the help,
Jon

PS. Sorry if message sounds a little truss. I just commuted in a down pour and I'm a wee bit wet.

Hi I tend to favor old mnt bikes for commuting. They are high quality but you can score they for cheap on Craigslist. Craiglist is excellent in your part of the country. I need 2 bikes for my commute and bought a Spec. Stumjumper mid 80's, deore comps for 70.00, and a Gary Fisher 80.00. I've used these bikes for the last 4 years commuting in kinds of crap weather and they keep on ticking. I just rebuilt the GF as it is the one that gets the most mileage. The bikes together have about 12,000 miles in the last four years. I wouldn't buy a new shiny model as it will attract thieves and you'll worry about rain/snow/salt.... Here's one for cheap:
https://portland.craigslist.org/bik/100871292.html
Things too keep in mind, clearance for fenders(this is easy if you go to skinnier slicks) and eyelets to attach fenders and a rack(unless you use backpack).

Let see: rugged, MTB style, low maintence ---
I like the Burley Runabout 7:
7-speed hub gear with hub brakes for low maintence drive train and braking, Front disc brakes for improved wet weather stopping. Racks included. Just need to add some decent fenders and lights.
My choice in similar situation would be a Surly Crosscheck built up as a fixed gear with moustache bars. I don't like flat bars but want a wider bar for handling in the snow. The Crosscheck frameset has plenty of room for fat tires and fenders, and has horizontal dropouts for fixied or hub gears. This may require more effort on your part because you have to chose/find all the parts.
Craig

You might want to look into a touring bike. I commute(and do almost everything else) on an '83 Nishiki Cresta. Its an old steel touring frame. Its has enough room for my 35mm tires and fenders, you can mount studded tires for the winte too, if that suits your fancy. The cantilever brakes have good stopping capabilities even when im loaded with groceries or whatever. you slap on a flat bar and use mountain levers and shifters if you want, but id suggest at least trying a set of drops. if you have the skills or desire to build it yourself you can do well on ebay, if you are patient. If you want a new bike, or a newer bike, there are several good options like the trek 520, bianchi volpe etc, which have all been covered in detail elsewheres. I simply love the geometry and the ride that a touring bike gives you. I also am a huge fan of a fixie for a winter commute, if you are dealing with a icy roads and snow, but i dont imagine that is a big concern for you.

I think I may be interested in a hybrid or a touring. I would like the skinnier tires. But I still want to retain a low maintenance lifestyle.

I should correct myself. While this is my primary commuting transportation, I don't do snow and ice. Thankfully, these conditions are rare. However, the junk they call gravel, when they gravel the roads due to ice, is more like sharks teeth. I get more flats from that junk than anything else. Even with my Armadillos.

Tell me about disk brakes. What is maintainace like on these? Is there a significant benifite for the extra $$?

I had disc brakes on a recumbent for a few years. I loved thier stopping power and the brake pads last much longer. They do make tire changes a little trickier as you have to be careful with alignment. Once I had them setup I didn't find that I needed to do any more adjustment. The biggest advantage is that they work great in wet conditions and don't eat rims like rim brakes can when used with wet dirty rims. I think you will see conflicting opinions on whether disc brakes are worth it but most of the one who like them ride in wet conditions.
Craig

For the cleanest bike, go single speed or internal hub.
Disc brakes are cleaner, u don't get that black mud that comes out of rim brakes, plus stopping power in the rain.

If single speed is your thing check out the new fisher "urban"

If you want 700 tires and disc brakes (they are much better for rain) I think you should get a cyclocross bike with disc brakes. I bought a frame from Airborne (carpe diem) and built one up from there with Avid road discs. I also have fenders and a rack. Since the frame is aluminium which is stiff and transfers road vibration, I used a carbon fiber seat post, front fork and handlebar to take the vibration out. I went with slightly fatter tires than my regular road bike for a little more traction in the rain, it makes more friction but grabs better in moisture and can handle pot holes better.

If you're really going to ride rain or shine, you need at least two bikes. So make one your rain bike. Rain is murder on the bike, so you don't want anything fancy. Your Schwinn sounds like it would make a good rain bike. Lube everything with a goopy greasy lube like Phil's Tenacious. Mount lights full time, and use them in the rain. Then get yourself a fun bike that you baby by never riding it in the rain. For your "dry" bike you can use a wax-based lube and it will stay cleaner and run better longer.

Once you've justified two bikes it's easy to extend the logic to a dozen or two.

Urg. THe fisher is actually called a "triton." Its new this year.

I have a Giant Cypress, which is a hybrid.

Haven ridden it about 4000 miles now, here's my opinion:

I personally want a primary commuter which has 32mm+ tires. Given another chance I wouldn't bother with the suspension fork up front. I didn't take care of mine, it froze solid and I really didn't notice, so I guess I wouldn't miss it, and it'd knock a pound off the bike.

Whatever I get MUST be able to mount FULL fenders and mudflaps. I was starting to think about a touring frame, looked at the Trek 520 and there's NO room for a standard front fender there, so it's not for me. It's hard for me to understand why anyone would make a touring or commuting frame that couldn't mount full fenders.

I'm intrigued by internal hubs. I'd like to test ride one someday. Not sure what I'd think. Not sure if the efficiency drop would bug me.

I don't personally want a mountain bike as almost all of my riding is rural on flat pavement in good shape, so not much point and it's a lot more effort to get there.

I'm thinking about converting an old steel touring frame I've got in my garage to a single speed to mess with in the summer, but if I only had one bike, something like a hybrid would be it.