RichardKorry

Sorry to start another thread on this topic.

I am a long time bike commuter in Seattle and I am ready to spend upto $1300 for a new bike. My current bike is a 1970s Sekai w/ various components and like a car w/ 250K miles on it I'm tired of working on t as everything is needing to be replaced.

I need a triple because sometimes I pull a trailer w/ kids or a tag-a-long plus I often commute with a fair amount of weight (clothes, lunch, books, etc) over the big hills here. The roads are often not great and I've been known to drop off curbs so I need something stable that can take abuse. I am not a weight freek yet I'm not looking to buy the heaviest bike around. As my kids get older I'd like to be able to take this bike on longer rides (e.g. STP 200 miler) and be able to bike tour again. So it would be nice if I could strip it down to get it to being enjoyable for riding a century.

I've been checking craigslist for months but nothing suitable in my size (~54cm) has shown up. If money was no object I would get a custom titanium frame from Davidson or someone similar. I'd prefer steel over alumninum. I've been looking at a custom build of a Surly Cross-check and at the Jamis Aurora Elite (2008). Are there other frame sets or complete bikes I should look at? I was looking at 105 range components but I don't want to put "fancy" components on a frame that can't take advantage of them. I've always used bar-ends (Suntour friction from the 70s) but friends with brifters rave about them.

I have the expertise to do most of this myself but w/ 3 small kids and full-time job I don't have the time anymore. However I have a choice of excellent LBS in Seattle (Recycled Cycles, Montlake, Free Range, etc.)

I've been checking the forums and Surly and Jamis have a faithful following. Any other brands or ideas I should consider?

Thanks

treed

I wouldn't look any further than a Surly. I picked up a LHT complete this spring. I commute daily with it and plan to use it for day trips on the extensive rail to trail system we have here. I carry a bit of stuff in rear panniers including an occasonal laptop. It rides so smooth I sometimes forget I am the engine. It replaced an older Fisher Katai MTB that was way too harsh a ride for streets. My LBS recommended it over the crosscheck for the daytrip or longer loaded component of my projected use.

CHUM

I commute, road train, and pop off centuries on my "cheapy" Cyclocross bike.....plus they are funner than heck to hit the local trails on......i ride an '05 Kona Jake....pretty low end on components...but has not given me any problems (and i've been blasted by a car on it).

Note - many cross bikes BB tend to be a little higher so sizing can be different (i ride a size 56 on a roadie....but a 54 on my Kona)

Schwinnrider

If I were you, I'd look at the 2008 Raleigh Sojourn.

https://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=427

Steel frame, discs, Brooks B17 AND Brooks bar tape, bar end shifters, Sora triple crank, rack and fenders---and a MSRP of $1100. Looks like a winner, and well worth the premium over the LHT just for the Brooks and discs. It's fully specced. If you buy the Surly complete LHT you'll still have to spring for fenders and a rack.

Mike

M_S

I vote Aurora Elite. It should be an awesome century bike. It's a rebranded cros bike so the chainstays are on the short side for a touring bike, but it's obviously got ful rack and fender mounts and a triple, so it's a good tourer too.

If you wanted dedicated touring bike the Long Haul Trucker would be my vote, but you're using the bike for other things too.

You could also look at the Specialized Tricross line. Ful rack and fender mounts. But they tend to be higher priced for the specs than Jamis. Trek Portland could work as well. No front rack mounts though. I saw several people dong STP this year on Portlands.

Mr,snailpace

Personnaly i suggest R I D E testing...pick the one u like best

teacher

i like my lemond poprad, steel cyclocross bike.

dynaryder

If there are any REI's near you,I'd go with a Novara Safari:



It'll take serious abuse,the trekking bar and adjustable stem will give you just about any riding position you'd want,the disc brakes make you all-weather capable and 26" wheels will let you roll tires to suit,and the touring triple with MTB rear will give you the gearing for hauling/towing big loads. I'm convinced that mine is the ultimate commuter/all-rounder bike. My one and only complaint was the twist grip shifters,and swapping to SRAM thumb triggers fixed that.

M_S

Yhere's a Safari regularly parked around campus. That thing is BEEFY (a good thing). If you want to do some loaded riding offroad, that's the best option I can think of.

Phantoj

That's what I was going to say. Discs are (were ) great in the Pacific Northwest. The Sojourn is also just a plumb handsome machine:

balindamood

Don't forget to look at the Novarra Randoneer (I can't spell it). In retrospect, I should have giben this one much more of a look than I did at the time.

Sammyboy

Oh my. That's a nice bike.....

InTheRain

I don't think I haul as much as you do, but I'm sure my bicycle could easily handle it. I have a Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30. It has a triple on the front (52-42-30) and an 11-34 cassette on the back - this gearing covers everything you need on the roads and will allow you to climb long hills. The bike is made from Steel tubing (Reynolds 853 - strong yet light.) It comes with Tiagra brifters (not the norm on touring bikes.) I run the stock touring wheels/tires ( Mavic A319's - 36 hole w/Kenda 28mm tires... it will take up to a 50mm tire) when carrying a heavy load, but lightened the bike up with Mavic Open Pro's (28 hole) and 28mm Continental Grand Prix 4 seasons for the STP. I do regular rides with the bike club on this bike. It's my commuter. It's my long distance bike. It's my touring bike. If it's versatility that you're looking for... I can't think of a better bicycle in the price range that you are looking for.

There are several threads on the Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 in the forums (do a search in touring.) People that own these bikes love them.

HardyWeinberg

Is that a tubus rack??? You would still want different fenders though (Cascadia!!!). But that is looking pretty sharp. I am still head over heels w/ my 54cm LHT. Not sure if you could find a complete in any kind of timely manner. https://www.surlybikes.com/surlyblog.html says they'll have more next year... But anyway I commute up and down hills, with loads, pulling trailers of kids and trailabikes, in the rain, on mine, still lots of fun.

wll

The Safari is very high on my list of ultimate commuter - survival bikes. I'm going to Hollywood Pro Bike Shop this weekend to see about a custom built Surly CrossCheck, but I'll see on cost, quality etc, etc.

The Safari has very good components, it is not just thrown together, the handlebars are very comfortable and the gearing seems right. REI has this bike, the Fusion, and the Randoneer. All three are VERY, VERY good Commuter - City - Touring bikes and are made of good components.


wll

dynaryder

Mine's been through hell and back. All weather commuting,grocery hauling,and bike polo. Had to have the wheels trued from polo(abuse,not normal wear/tear) and one of the pannier stays is bent(ditto),but otherwise not one single prob.

gulfcoast

+1 Aurora Elite

M_S

I saw that on the Raleigh website, but I like the Kona Sutra a lot better if that's where we're going...BB7s instead of BB5s, for around the same price. Other components are similar.

The sojourn looks better though.