what bike to get?
 

Just had my bike stolen last night. I live in Minnesota & commute (not far) every day year round.
Am looking to get a new bike in the $300+ range.
I like the raised handlebars (bad back), Grip shift (easier to shift when I'm wearing big leather mittens in the wintertime), and something not too heavy.
I've seen:
Specialized crossroads sport $319
Giant Cypress DX $299
Raleigh 2004 SC300 Comfort bike $399

Any opinions on these or others that I should look at?

thanks

Go for the crossroads - cheezy to begin with, but very comfy and you can actually turn 'em in to pretty nice rides.

Zach

Have you looked on Craigslist for used?

Who knows, you might see your stolen bike there too. :(

Anyway... I vote used too - either an old steel mountain bike (when they still made them with rack and fender eyelets) or a touring bike.

The term "comfort bike' scares me because I think "slow and heavy". I understand the upright riding posture may suit you. The Raleigh has much fatter tires that will slow you down, so personally, among those three, I'd go for one of the others since they have faster wheels.

i'd go for an older hardtail mtb in that price range, you'll get better componentry and a bike that's probably "lightly used" but cost 3X when it was new.

ZachS , re: turning Crossroads into a nice bike.. I love this one:
http://fixedgeargallery.com/2005/aug...ewBenardis.htm

Wow, that's bad news about your bike...they get to be a member of the family.

You are riding every day of the year in Minnesota? January? February? I'd be inclined to get a mountain bike. A $300 mountain bike from Trek, Specialized, or Giant is simply a much tougher, more reliable bike than a $300 hybrid. The big, beefy tires will provide a stable ride and good braking on ice and snow. In the summer, put on light weight slick tires.

Many of the bike delivery guys in downtown Houston prefer mountain bikes over road bikes for deliveries. Tough enough to handle broken pavement and potholes. No road too rough. No broken spokes or rims going out of true. FASTER A to B over a five mile distance because you can ride a straight line on the shortest route...no need to be steering around obstacles...just ride right over them.

Quite a bit like mine, actually, 'cept it's not a fixie and all of the components are different. And the b17 is black, but the frame's dark green. Maybe it's not really that similar, after all... but same spirit.

Also it's completely beat to hell right now. I suppose I'll need some pics now that I'm on here.

Zach

My 2 cents. I have a tempermental back due to an injury from high school.
What I have found is that an upright riding posture actually worsens it. All your weight sits square on the sitbones. Consequently, that tightens up everything and causes your back to worsen.
Researching drop handle bikes, I have learned that the geometry is such that your weight is carried by other parts of the body taking the strain off of the back. Plus, not all drop handle bikes have a racing posture. Cyclocross and touring bikes have a more relaxed lean to them.

Just my 2 cents.

Anyways, that sums up one of the main reasons I intend to ditch my hybrid for a drop handle bike asap.
The other being increase comfort for the 70 Mile RT version of my commute.

I've got back problems, too. No cartilidge between L4-5 and S1. I stretch daily and it's manageable.

But I ride in the upright position. I feel it is better for my back! I'm enough forward so that I don't have a 90 degree angle. I think it all depends on the injury and how you ride.

Alanbikehouston takes the point.

I checked Craigslist. Found a Trek 7300 for $250 and a Cannondale H200 (ugraded to V-brakes) for $200.
Either of these good?

At that range anything with a good drive train is a decent bet. My gut sez the C-dale. Some metro shops have used bikes as well. Might be worth poking around a bit.

Any thoughts on a Trek 2120 for commuting?
I found a used one for $300