Hybrid with Disc Brakes for Commuting
 

I've just started making riding the last 7 miles of my 30-mile-one-way commute on my 5-year old Giant Cypress DX (32 lbs stock), and have decided I want to move up to a nicer bike. I feel like I could do without the suspension seatpost and fork in favor of slightly lighter bike with discs for the super-wet weather we have up here in the pacific northwest.

My commute ride is about equal parts bike lane, sidewalk, and gravel, and there are a couple of pretty challenging (for me) hills. I also ride around town here in hilly Olympia, WA, and do some longer bike path rides on the weekend with my ultramarathon-running brother-in-law.

My top contenders right now are Bianchi Backstreet and the Kona Dew Deluxe.

I've heard some great things around here about the Dew, but it seems like it might be built heavier than I want. The Bianchi looks sweet, but I haven't heard anything about it and I'd have to order one sight-unseen from the LBS. The Marin Point Reyes looks even better (mmmm, carbon fork!), but that would be pushing the top end of my budget. Is it worth the extra cash, or is there a better bike out there?

For reference I've compiled a rather obsessive spreadsheet of all the bikes I could find with these specs near my price range: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?k...ESXGkSl9re1gRA

Suggestions?

Lemond Poprad

Hello! I carry a heavy setup... Gary Fischer Kaitai 29", disc brakes, rack, Novara panniers and Topeak trunk. I carry my laptop every day, 35mm camera... all kinds of stuff. When I go grocery shopping, I hook up a Yak BOB trailer (15 lbs empty) and load it up to 60-70 lbs.

But them I'm not focused on speed but on functionality, and I feel by GF bike is sturdy enough to take a beating day in and day out.

GreenAnvil

Wow, that's a nice bike! I'd prefer a straight bar to drop bars, though, and it looks like it's way out of my price range ($800ish max).

I also have a cypress. I'm planning on just building a new front wheel. I figure I can do it and mount the front disc brake for just a bit over $100.
Given the sandy, dirty gravel roads I ride on and the crappiness of the stock front wheel, the front rim is half worn away by now anyway (10500 miles on the bike) so I need a new wheel anyway before this one explodes.

I am a bit impressed with some of the touches on the Bianchi Backstreet. Too many of this type of bike (read: Trek 7. whatever fx series) have aluminum forks, when a steel one gives a better ride. The front rack eyelets are a major bonus on the backstreet, if you ever want to tour, or just put on a front rack for everyday use.

I can't access your spreadsheet, it just takes me to the google spreadsheet homepae :(

I assume you mean the Dew Deluxe when you say "Dew," because it's the model that's closest in price range to the Backstreet.

Especially considering that the Dew Deluxe is cheaper, though, I think it has a better component group. For exanmple I'd take the Deore reaer derailleur on the Dew deluxe over the Bianchi's Sora any day, but that's just me. A lot of other stuff is the same on the two bikes. Same shifters, etc. As they are stock, the Kona is probably better off road, but that's mainly a tire issue. If you want to stick to the pavement, I'd reccomend getting apair of slick tires for the Kona. because both bikes are aluminum framed triples with disc brakes and steel forks, it's hard for me to imagine that either is significantly heavier than the other. I'd guess no more than a pund difference between them.

Basically, it should come down to whichever feels better, as each bike has pros and cons that mor eor less even out.

It's also worth mentioning the Trek 7.3 FX disc just because it's so popular, but at least for me, the aluminum fork is a turn off. You might appreciate the weight savings, however.

The Poprad is a nice bike, but this comment is unhelpful because a) it's not the type of bike the OP is asking for and b) it's almost twice as expensive as the bikes the OP was considering.

That sounds like a good plan! Do you have the SX that already has discs? Mine doesn't, so I'd have to replace the fork to put a front disc on, wouldn't I? Please excuse my newbiness with regards to the tech stuff. :)

Oops! Try this: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?k...ESXGkSl9re1gRA

Thanks, I hadn't seen the 7.3 Disc. On paper, it looks comparable to the Bianchi except for the forks. Plus I like my local Trek shop better - the guys at my Bianchi dealer have been jerks every time I've been in there. Are you saying the Trek would be lighter because of the Al fork, or the hydroformed frame?

Lighter bike with discs. No price range was given.

Nice spreadsheet - cheers. I'm partial to the Scott range as they have chainstay Disc mount and may even be avaialble in New Zealand!. Just need to find a nearby dealer now....

Yes, I like the SUB10, but unfortunately it's out of my price range... :(

http://www.bicycleblowout.com/jamis.htm

See 2005 Coda Elite. $749 shipped, $450 off the 07 price. No difference. Well...color. Test drive a Coda locally for size. Looks like they just ran out of 17.5s. Hopefully I got one.

I don't have discs, but my fork has disc mounts. I'll need to build a new wheel with a disc hub; about $20 for the hub, $20 for the rim, and another $15 for spokes. Then $60 or so for the single disc brake and rotor.

It can be difficult fitting a bike with disc brakes with a rack, so take that into consideration if you plan on using a rack. I guess there are a few companies making racks specifically for bikes with disc brakes, but some of them aren't as durable according to a few reviews I've read.

Oftentimes we who ride outside of races can save lots of time by sacrificing some lightness in favor of durability and features that add safety or convenience.

Its not as wet here in MI as where you are, but rainy days are pretty common. If I have trouble with braking in the rain, I'll try out special pads, I think I read Kool Pads are supposed to be good for regular rim brakes in wet conditions.

On the rear. I wouldn't bother putting discs on the rear; the rear brakes are mostly useless anyway. It's front brakes I care about.

Discs rock. I wouldn't commute on anything but.

Heh. I own or have ridden alot of the bikes on your list. My views:

BBU - sweet bike,can take 700 or 26" wheels. Suspension can be locked out. Mounting front fender a pain due to air chuck for Headshok.
Sub 10 - very similar to my Pt Reyes. See below.
Coda - very nice ride;steel frame + carbon fork = sweet. Fast and good handling. Will take wider tires.
Dews - great all-rounders. Think rigid MTB w/700cc wheels. At home on street and trails. Can take wider/narrower tires depending on need. Deluxe is the better deal for the price.
Pt Reyes - mine in an '04,which is spec'd better than the current models(equal to Sub 10). Great handling bike. Will take fenders and wider tires. Mine doesn't have a carbon fork,but still rides good,so the current model's carbon should really smooth things out.
Buzz - awsome urban toy. But stock gearing is low,and you can't fit full fenders unless you go down to 1.5" tires.
Route 24 - nice enough for the price,but kind of heavy.
SU200 - never rode one,but not digging the straight blade alloy fork.

For what you're looking to do,I'd suggest the Coda or one of the Dews. The BBU is nice if you can afford it. If you'd like more in depth reviews,let me know. Also,if you need more hand positions,or want to cheat the wind,all of these bikes wll take a trekking bar.

idcruiserman: test rode a Trek Portland,which has the same fork as the Poprad. Hated it. So rough it felt like the fork was alloy. Hopefully the Poprad's steel frame makes up for this,but with the hills in DC I'm no big fan of cross gearing.

I've never heard a bad word about a Coda. I had one of the first ones they made years ago, and loved that bike. I've heard they have only gotten better.

You guys bashing the ride quality of aluminum forks are off-base.


In Damon Rinard's fork deflection test, the traditional steel forks were the stiffest, while the Kinesis aluminum fork was very similar to carbon fiber in stiffness.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/rinard_forktest.html


Personally, I think that anybody who has a problem with the fork or frame material on a fat-tired commuter is suffering from Princess and the Pea Syndrome...

The alloy forks on my old Absolute and Cross Comp,as well as the one on my Big Buzz were all very harsh. My Point Reyes is ok,but it's got 1.5" tires to soak up the bumps. I've never felt a harsh steel fork. And I'm basing my opinions off actual riding,not from flexing a fork.


Traditional as in,old? What about modern ones? Like a Kona Project 2,for example. And the Kinesis is one alloy fork. There's really not enough data there to draw conclusions from. Test the forks off many current bikes and it would be more useful.

You've never heard of carpel tunnel?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpal_tunnel_syndrome

...on the "placebo effect".

:)

While the fork material might not make a world of difference when using 32s, it might if the OP decides to go down to 28s or smaller for some speed.

At the end of Rinard's write-up...