HardyWeinberg

Come on, ya sissy. Get a 2nd hand rigid-rigid mtn bike like a 1990s rockhopper, put slicks onto it, and you're good to go. And better off, I think, than with a new hybrid. You can put dropbars onto it and make the slicks skinny if you really want it to look more like a roadbike. It would basically be a functional equivalent to a pretty cool touring bike at that point, long as it has eyelets for fenders and racks. I would be surprised if you couldn't find and trick out one of those as fine as you could imagine for well w/in your budget.

jschu

I was never planning on buying from them, actually, I just wanted to test-ride their bikes. He said I had to either be eighteen or have someone over eighteen w/me who would cover for me, as legally if I fell and got hurt on a test-ride, he would be responsible. It struck me as slightly BS, but it's not a huge deal. I'll test-ride later when I go to buy.

Leiniesred

I helped out on the "White Bikes" program at the University of Kansas. Holland style, we painted a bunch of bikes white and let people use them on the honor system. It didn't last very long as people on the honor system seemed to enjoy the honor of ghost riding the bikes into Potter Lake or hammer throwing them into the trees. Maintenance quickly grew tired of retrieving the honorable white bikes from the trees and lakes and the program ended with a lot of bent, rusty white bikes.

So much for the honor system.

Being a 2nd, 3rd, maybe 10th owner of a "classic" mountain bike that I ride 500 miles/month, I say yeah, get an old(er) used, quality mountain bike. Ride the pee out of it and if it gets ripped off, you don't have to spend your student loan money on a new bike. Just go get another used mountain bike.

climbhoser

came accross another really cool bike.

Redline 925. Except for the 120mm spacing on the rear it's a pretty sweet bike, and it looks cool, too. For $499 it can't be beat. I rode one after work last night and it was FAST. Has braze ons for fenders and/or a rack and it's so so comfy and smooth. Plus it's a flip flop, so you get two gears to choose from.

I also like the looks of the Raleigh One Way, but it's more expensive. Still, it looks good and I bet it rides like a dream.

jimmuter

Hey OP - aren't you glad you posted your questions here? You asked about some specific bikes and you got lectured about crime (by the way, my sister-in-law goes to Sewanee and your characterization is correct - everyone knows everyone there so there is very little crime). It's one thing to post once about buying a nice lock, but come on folks. Then you were told to look into buying a mountain bike which you clearly indicated you did not want. Luckily you got a few helpful replies.

Incidentally, I've had a Trek hybrid for the past 10 years that is serving me well. I think mine is similar to the 7.2FX which looks to be a pretty nice bike. I also think you can't really go wrong with any that you listed. Perhaps Chattanooga has more shops and that's pretty close to you.

14R 

Graduate student here. 16 years in academics. Best thing you can have is a high performance folder.

jschu

Hehe, yeah, not quite the responses I expected, but I did get some help. Thanks for the advice.

discosaurus

IF you insist on a new hybrid, the 7.2 is nice. I ride mine kind of rough--lots of curb hopping and bad pavement. I haven't had any problems because of it, but I'm small so ymmv. You might also appreciate that it's built more like a mountain bike than a comfort hybrid, and you can adjust the bars pretty low (but not much higher without replacing other hardware). I have my bars about level with the saddle, so it's a nice bent over position, but not squashed. The longest ride I've done on it so far is 17 miles, and it was comfortable all the way. It's nice and light, too, easy to haul up and down the stairs.

I don't know how big you are, or if you're a girl, but I got the 7.2 WSD which is awesome. It's not as awkwardly proportioned as other small frame bikes. I had to narrow the handlebars a bit, go one frame size down from what I thought I'd ride to get the seat/handlebar position I wanted, but otherwise perfect. Plus it's black and pink!

All that said, I second the suggestions to get an older road/touring bike. You can probably score an old Schwinn for under $100, a good bike that's not a theft-magnet like a shiny new hybrid, and it would be a good way to learn a little about mechanics and maintenance. Or you can do like me, and get both the Trek and an old bike.

jschu

The problem with the whole getting an old bike idea, good as it may be, is that I can't buy my bike until I get to college, and it's a town of about three thousand, not a huge used bike market really. I might get lucky, though. I don't have to have a new bike, it's just that it's about my only choice.

As for size, I'm male, 5'11 140

climbhoser

Have you thought about craigslist or ebay as a possibility? Some really good finds there.

If you would seriously consider a single speed the more I read about the Redline 925 the more I like it. And it's $499 new. The Bianchi San Jose is an amazing steal, too, as I mentioned before, and you could get that at the bike shop in town.

Scott430

I don't really understand why you HAVE to buy a bike there. I understand that you said you won't have room to carry one, but really they're quite compact if you take it all apart. If you don't think you will be able to find the bike you want there, there's no reason why you can't buy a bike here, take it apart, and put it in a bike box or something. Or, if you wouldn't mind paying at or under $50 shipping you could send it to your college in a bike box and pick it up there. Just some ideas that could open up more possibilities for bikes.

jschu

Shipping is a possibility, I suppose, but unless I want a big box on my lap for twelve hours, there's not way it's going to fit in the car...I might look into shipping to see how practical it'd be.