docomodeb

Hi,

Planning to commute, need a bike! I need a bike for commuting to work about a 1 hour ride. (1 way) So a smooth, quick ride, lightish and strong enough to pull my daughter in her chariot. Ideally I prefer to buy second hand, but it seems difficult to find my frame size (s, 16inch) If I buy new somewhere around 5- 700, would be in my budget.
What do you bikers think of hybrids?
road bars or flat bars?
disc brakes, whats the deal?

The bikes I have seen are the kona, Dr. Dew, Gary Fisher Utopia (suspension? not sure if this will waste my energy on commute) or GF Mendota.

Any thoughts here would be mucho appreciated. Plan to buy this week coming up! Got to get geared up.

Thanks in advance.

docomodeb

wyeast

That depends greatly on the conditions you ride in, frame geometry, etc. Hybrids are fine, but be aware of their limitations. Flat bars can get uncomfortable after an hour of riding - you'll probably want to consider a touring bike or at the very least some bar ends or a trekking bar.

Discs are nice, but if you're not riding in bad weather a lot (and even then to some degree) you can do fine with a good set of V-pulls. Some downside to discs are they're harder to mount racks to, and can stress out the wheels if you're riding with a lot of loads. (re: dietrologia's Dr. Dew a year later thread)

Both the Utopia and Mendota are "Genesis" frames, which can feel a little goofy geometry-wise. Works for some, not so much for others. For me with stubby little legs and a long torso, it worked fine. If you can find a used touring bike in your frame size, I'd say go for it, but it sounds like you're kinda under the wire for time and budget, so your choices may be limited.

Best advice I can give is to spend some time and test ride the bikes. Ultimately it's going to come down to what feels comfortable for you because you're gonna be on there 2+hrs a day.

AlmostTrick

If you're going to be riding on roads and smooth trails stay away from any suspension. It will only steal power from your pedal stroke and add weight/cost/complexity. Suspension is only needed for serious off roading, or REALLY crappy roads. Swapping out a suspension fork for a solid one is a popular modification.

WonkerJaw

These guys are right on target. From what you have said above... get a road bike. Even if it is used and needs work. The money you will save can replace/upgrade needed parts. I'll say it V-pull brakes kind of stink. If you put on bags and/or a trailer you will want more stopping power. I upgraded my commuter to Linear Pull Brakes and I could not believe the difference. I ride 11.2 miles one way to work on an old C'dale w/front suspension. I never use it. I keep it locked out. If you ever decide to ride longer distances you will be glad you got a road bike... trust me.

Good Luck!

Industrial

I started commuting(26 miles a day) with a hybrid because I didn't even try a road bike and I thought to myself "I'd look goofy on it" and "I could never be comfortable on those". A month after commuting I couldn't stand how numb my hands would get and how a headwind would just murder me. I ended up trading in a month old bike for a cyclocross bike losing ~$200 for a months worth of riding. The cross bike is much faster, far more comfortable and I'm really couldn't be happier.

I ride through pouring rain, mud and this winter I plan to ride through snow. So far, the cantilever brakes have been good enough for all those conditions(cept snow which I havn't tried yet). The disc brakes on my mountain bike blow away all other bicycle braking systems I've ever tried but as I see it, I don't need that kind of braking power on my commute. The place where real disc brakes(hydraulic) shine is when your descending down some long rough singletrack and have to regulate your speed constantly. You're basically on your brakes at 20-80% power, the entire ride down which can last several minutes. I hardly ever use my brakes on the road compared to when I'm doing real mountain biking. I highly recommend you stick with regular brakes for a bike unless you plan to do alot of fast downhill riding in adverse conditions.

I'd recommend a touring bike or cyclocross bike. Try taking a kona jake for a spin. Don't worry about hauling your kids around on a road bike, my buddy hauls 2 of his kids around on a $$$ carbon fiber road bike and it holds up just fine.

RonH

+1
I'm 62 years old and my commuter is a cyclocross bike. See pics in my signature.

docomodeb

Thanks for the advice.

thedarkhorseman

Hey, I just started commuting too (my first post, actually..)

I really didn't buy a bike to start commuting.. I really just wanted something I could ride a lot (and just about anywhere) so I bought an 07' Tricross Comp Triple. Well, that being my first new bike ever, since my $10 POS garage sale bike when I was like 13 or 14, I just can't get out of the saddle!! It's been about a month now and I'm already training for my first metric century (gotta start somewhere) and I commute 95% of the time because it just makes sense!!

But yeah, the tricross kicks arse as a commuter (imho)

docomodeb

Ok,

Sooooo I bought a Dr. Dew 2008, 1st ride out, chariot in tow, the pad fall out of the disc brakes. In addition the chariot arm was a major pain to put on, because I put on a bag rack specific for disc brakes that is in the way of the pin for the arm. Hating disc brakes. So I am taking it right back. The PHD by kona is my new thought as it is v brakes, and it has a carbon fork. Do these carbon forks really help out that much with absorbtion or are they primarily just light? Since this thread has lead me to the cyclocross, the bike shop is building me a few in my size. I like the configuration of the cyclocross but the low end ones have poorer components then I would get with the PHD.

Give me the skinny on carbon forks, and the cyclocross configuration.

Cheers

docomodeb

I found my ride! The 2008 Jake. I am good to go. Put in a ladies headset and I am dialed. Happy biker.
Thanks for the cyclocross recommendations. v. happy

Docomodeb