Chosing a Commuter Bike
 

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and new to bicycling really and I need help (as the thread title says) choosing a commuter bicycle.

Now, I think I would like something with road tires that aren't too narrow (like a cyclocross, but they are all to expensive for my budget) that also has mounts for a rear rack, but I am still somewhat up in the air on what exactly I want. I really only have a 2 mile commute so it's likely to be used more for recreation than commuting, but commuting is it's primary function as I have no car.

Aside from that, my biggest concern is what should the source of the bike be. It seems like going with an online purchase of something from Bikesdirect is one of the more economical ways to get a bike, but there's a lot of people saying that the LBS is the way to go. There's also used, which I think is hit or miss.

Now, I can understand that LBS will give less service to people who didn't buy a bike there, but how often would I really need to go to an LBS other than to purchase a part? I'm fairly mechanically inclined having been the previous owner of a motorcycle which I did all of the service on myself. Would it really be necessary to go to an LBS in my case?

Also, what about Used bikes in regards to the LBS. It seems like buying used would be the same as buying from a mail order retailer.

So what would be my best bet, go with an online retailer brand like motobecane and get the good components for fairly cheap, or go with a LBS on the promise of good service (Assuming I can find one that gives good service around here) and just accept that I'll have to ride a name brand bike with sub par brakes and SRAM derailleurs or shifters.

Since you are just starting out and your commute is only 2 miles, I'd say to start off with a cheap used bike. Get a friend who knows about bicycling to help you pick out something off craigslist and go with you to pick it up. After some time, you'll get to know more about biking first-hand, and can then knowledgeably upgrade to something better.

Or if money's not a big issue, you could go straight to an LBS but make sure its a shop recommended by a fellow commuter. LBS's can be hit or miss. Without knowing much about bicycling, I went to get my first bike at an LBS who promptly sold me a bike that was way too small, too expensive, and not comfortable in retrospect.

BikesDirect has good prices but the same caveat applies to the other person who asked about buying online, - you can't try the bike first and if you end up not liking it you've got to ship it back or just live with it.

It's not that I would never consider buy from BD but I'd do so knowing it was somewhat of a risk. Even a used bike I can try first.

As far as the LBS attitude toward the bike goes, they'd probably see BD as direct competitor in a way that they wouldn't a used bike, - since they may sell used bikes themselves.

I would not call SRAM sub par.

In my opinion, if this is your 1st bike, you want to go to an LBS. There are lots of people who love BD (I own a Windsor the Hour myself) and who like to buy used and have great experiences.

However, if you have no idea what kind of bike you like, what size you want, what geometry works for you, what good parts are/aren't, etc., you can figure all that out at the LBS by riding the bikes and talking to the people at the shops. There is no better advice than riding several bikes back to back to back and figuring out what you do/don't like.

You'll pick up the wrenching part quickly if you're so inclined, and then can order on-line next time around if you're comfortable with that.

commuting bike
 

I was new to biking until about 2 years ago when I bought a new Raleigh Mountain Bike with Hybrid Tires. I have been on a few trails, but for the most part have used it for a 3 1/2 mile commute to work each way. I bought it from a local bike shop and this is the way to go in my opinion because you can get custom fitted for the bike and get local service if your bike needs work and along the way. My local bike shop offered free inspections and tune ups the first year.

Of the last four bikes I've owned, the two that were the "bad buys" were when I went into a shop and let them sell me a bike. In both cases I got what they had, and was talked into accepting a bike that just didn't fit. In both cases the shop was large & well known, and in both cases I was pretty excited about buying a bike and not very patient 8-)

The two good bikes were the result of buying a used bike (was mostly an accident) and my recent LHT which was thoroughly researched, and then test ridden in multiple frame sizes at a dealer who was enthusiastic for me to have the right size and made a point to stock them.

So, my advice would be to make sure that whoever you work with while shopping for a new bike has the bike in multiple sizes, and make a point to ride bikes that you suspect won't fit so that you KNOW what a poorly fitting bike feels like. Particularly if you haven't ridden in a while. I'm convinced that there's people who'd rather talk you into a frame that doesn't fit than risk adding inventory by ordering the right size. In some cases (like the LHT) the sizes are close enough that the differences are subtle, but become important over time. Knowledge (from test rides) and patience on your part are your best allies.

Frame size is also not an exact science. Some people prefer small, zippy, and light as possible, where as others (like me) go with big as possible so that it rides like a big comfortable cadillac. So unless you already know what style u like, which it takes a few years of biking to really know, then you are leaving it up to the LBS's discretion anyways, which usually means (a) they will size it on the smallish side cuz most LBS's I've been to think with racing parameters in mind, or (b) more cynically, they'll recommend whatever size is in stock like swduncan says.

The sizing write-up that works best for me is the one at rivendell's:

http://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_...g_a_frame_size

You're going to depend a lot on test rides to find one that feels right for you. So I'd suggest you suck it up and buy from a local shop that has the one that makes you grin the most. Yes it'll cost a little more but you'll get something you won't regret. I'm all for saving money but buying and then modifying the heck out of something typicall costs more in the end eve with cheap internet prices than just paying a little more up front and getting what fits you right off the bat.

Thanks for the information:

If SRAM isn't low end, then I'm tempted to pick up the 19in M Street from Target.com...

I'm still leaning away from a LBS for largely the reasons that have been mentioned.

a) I don't know what a bike fitting or not fitting really feels like, and I've read the sizing guides but I don't think that is going to help me determine what it feels like when a bike fits, unless I simply ride tons of bikes for an extended period of time, which isn't an option really.

b) I don't feel like I can trust sales people to sell me a bike that fits, which means i'm back to the dilema of "feeling" what fits, and my initial thought on that could be wrong.


As far as Geometry goes, how does an adjustable neck go to mitigate the geometry issues? (I know it doesn't help foot position relative to seat position.)

Sorry Hachi, you're right. I should have been more specific. All companies make high end and low end components. SRAM does make cheap stuff and they also make good stuff, just like Shimano and Campy.

As for fit, have you ridden a few bikes? I have to assume not, because your point "a" is wayyyyyyyyyy off. I'm not saying it is perfect, but if you get on a Surly Crosscheck and then get on a Breezer and ride both for 10 minutes, you will know right away which one you prefer. Then you get on a few of the style you like and figure out your size for each brand. Each brand is different. A 54 is not always the same, nor is a "L". You need to ride them to know. Once you know a bike you like (lets assume it was the Crosscheck), then you go to the bikes website and see what the geometry is on the bike...how long is the top tube, the headtube, what are the angles, etc. Once you know this, you can compare apples to apples.

Good luck. I'm not saying LBS's are perfect. They want to sell stuff just like websites do. However, if you take the human doing the sales out of the equation, you still get the benefit of riding the bikes at the LBS. This is important for a 1st time buyer. If you find your dream bike and think the LBS is ripping you off, by all means, go on line and see if you can find a better deal...but don't expect the LBS to treat you equally when you bring in your online bike and ask for advice on a repair. If you can do the repairs yourself, GREAT, but first figure out the geometry that works for you.

Having said that, your commute is 2 miles...less than 10 minutes...why not go to Walmart and buy a crap bike for $100. Then, if it gets stolen, who cares?

if you want new, the kona smoke is about $350 if you look around you might find a shop that sells it in your area so you dont have to pay shipping. or maybe someone has a link?

http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/01/19/kona-smoke-2-9/

http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/03...ke-2-9-review/

oh and you should have no problem learning to wrench your own bike, get a bicycle repair book (or watch videos on line) and a toolkit. you'll find that working on a bicycle is a little different than a motorcycle but nothing you can't handle at all.

I've ridden a couple of bikes, one at a bike shop a while ago and one that my dad just bought for himself when I visited him. I have no idea which one fit me better though, no idea at all. Neither one was particularly uncomfortable so I would be inclined to say that both bikes "fit" me.

And I really dont know which SRAM parts are good and which ones are bad, so I just assume when the more expensive bikes on most websites have Shimano parts on them and their most budget bikes have SRAM parts, I naturally assume that SRAM is generally low end and if I can get the same Shimano parts that are on the more expensive bike, for cheaper I feel like I've gotten a good deal.

I was thinking about that, but I also want it for recreational riding as I need to be in better shape, and so I want something that isn't trash. Where I'll be riding to for work the bikes are locked up completely so it's fairly secure and it getting stolen will be more a concern if I ride the bike to go buy groceries than ride it to school.

That said, I hate cheap stuff and don't feel like I would be getting the most out of my money if I got a crappy bike at walmart, even if it is super cheap I would still feel ripped off.

My budget is around $400 though.

P.S. for semi new bikes, 1-4 years old, is it typical for bikes to go for 25% off of MSRP ?

I'm not going to be party to this. I quit.

Lets change the name to BikesDirectForums and be done with it please.

Good luck with your sales.

I bought my bikes off craigslist.

One was a second hand bikes direct bike .

Neener.

Theres a shop near my house but they only sell diamondback and raleigh. Everything else is about a mile away, which isn't that much of a hassle but it means I cant really hit up more than 2 or 3 bike shops in a single day. This bike was reccomended to me on another forum though.

Oh yeah, also I'm opposed to grip shifters. I don't like them as much as the other type that you have to 'click' rather than twist. I just dont think it's very comfortable.

Quite the accusation.

I assure you everything I wrote was genuine.

if ur at a $400 limit and u want a quality bike, you'll probably need to find something used. probably need to find something for $300, and then spend $100 in incidentals. just a guess.

I know the used market varies a lot but there's some things I am worried about. I don't want to end up buying a stolen bike and when I see an awesome deal on Craigslist that's the first thing that pops into my head. Any tips for avoiding a stolen bike other than asking for a receipt or invoice?

I've sort of come to terms with the fact that I'll have to buy used, but the other thing is that it seems like a lot of people want a lot for their used bicycle. Particularly where I live and have lived (SF and Portland) the bike market seemed pretty active.

I really meant it before, is it normal for a fairly newish bike (1-5 years old) to sell for 75% of MSRP? Would that be considered a good deal if the bike was in good condition?

How quickly does a bike lose value?

[QUOTE=Hachi;6991408]Theres a shop near my house but they only sell diamondback and raleigh. Everything else is about a mile away, which isn't that much of a hassle but it means I cant really hit up more than 2 or 3 bike shops in a single day. This bike was reccomended to me on another forum though.

Oh yeah, also I'm opposed to grip shifters. I don't like them as much as the other type that you have to 'click' rather than twist. I just dont think it's very comfortable.

Have the LBS swap out the grip shifts for some trigger shifters. Do it at the time of sale. Cheaper that way than doing it later on.

A couple of other bike suggestions (that come w/o grip shifters): The Kona Dew and the KHS Urban Xpress.

Yes, yes, and not very fast. (different areas have different norms, but Madison is pretty bikey, so used bikes run high and tend to be in good shape. good for noobs, bad for someone looking for a "deal".)

If your commute is short (say, 3 miles or less), any bike can do the job. So if that's your situation, don't angst about it. Pick up a used bike that feels decent, and ride. A $500 bike that you ride every day is a better deal than a $100 one that you don't ride. Fit does matter, but a lot of fit is figuring out that some part of your bike's setup is hurting you... and that bikes should never *hurt*.

The more you ride, the better a deal your bike is. And the more you ride, the better you understand bike fit, the stuff *you* need for your commute and the stuff you *like* for your commute.

If you haven't done a lot of bike repair, you're best off buying a bike in person after a test ride. Figuring out that the brakes work and the gears shift and the seat adjusts is easy in person, even if you don't know much about bikes. If you buy online, you need to assemble the bike yourself (or pay someone else to do it), and that's not a good plan for a lot of people... even mechanically inclined ones.

I agree with this. If you buy from a LBS I doubt you will be unhappy with what you bring home. It may hit you after getting it home what you will buy next, but you will still end up with a bike that will do the job you bought it for.

What I did
 

One of the things that I did was I found a frame on Craigslist and just purchased the parts that I needed from Ebay. Granted that they are not the best name brand parts and that they are not all exactly what I want but in the end I have a road bike that is exactly what I need to get the job done.

If you are inclinded enough to work on a motorcycle, something with more moving parts then anyone is willing to count, then building a bike from just a frame and a crankshaft will be a piece of cake. Now the biggest thing that you have to worry about, even if your commute is only 2 miles is the type fo seat that you will be sitting on. One thing that I have noticed in all my riding is that the seat is the first thing that people really remember when they ride. I know that I do. If you are just starting out you might find a comfort seat more to your liking then a standard racing or tourng seat.

Have a good ride.

Buying a bike should be fun. Find 4 bike shops in your area. Take four evenings. Go to each one. Say you want to buy a bike to ride to work. Buy the one you like the best from the store you trust the most. Bike are fun dang it.

If you chose the route of buying used, the LBS is going to be helpful they will charge you for stuff and labor. They will service your bike, but it will cost something. They like selling parts, too, not just bikes.

Thanks for the recent posts everyone. It's much appreciated.

I'm going to look at bikes / shops between today and saturday.

Today I'm gonna look at a used Smoke for 350 (I know this is retail) it comes with a Kryptonite lock, a rear light and a rear rack (sounds about $100+ in extras) but I figure I should give the twist shifters a chance for now. It's 18in so maybe a bit small for me but we'll see.

Then I'm going to look at a Specialized Allez also, 2002 Also for $350. This looks like it might be a better deal to me just because, but unfortunately the guy cant show it until saturday. It's 54 cm so it also might be a little on the small size.

I was going to look at a GT Transeo 2.0 Disc for $450, but it is a 50 minute public transit trip away and I don't have time to check it out today.

Aside from that I'm going to hit up 3 bike shops

Do any of those bikes stand out as either fair or good deals?

So I visited 3 bike shops yesteday and looked at the kona smoke (18 in) The seat was simply too low and the bike was way too small for me I have a hard time believing it's actually an 18 in bike.

The shops i visited stocked Raleigh, Giant and Scott bikes. The cheapest bike of All the shops was the Raleigh Sport. The first shop was pretty good but had a terrible selection (only like 5 bike lines total, and 4 used mtb's).

The first shop had the Raleigh Sport at $520 the second shop showed me a fairly nice Giant bike for $950 as their "entry level" bike, and the cheapest bike in the shop was on sale for $650 the salesman there was more pushy than helpful though. The third shop was the most dangerous, as I really really fell in love with the scott bikes. Particularly the Scott SUB 10. Unfortunately, it is double my budget. I test rode a Sportster P4 (that the salesman did a fantastic job of setting up for me) but unfortunately that was also out of my budget by at least $200.

What I felt like was that none of the bike shops really had any bikes IN my price range and I guess that's obvious if my price range is $300-400.

One thing I'm interested in looking at or getting is a Scott SUB 30. On their website they list it at $579 and most of the bikes in store (and at REI.com) were selling for around $100 less than retail. Unfortunately, REI doesn't seem to carry the SUB 30 and I didn't see any at the bike shop that carried it. Is it common practice for shops to order bikes? If I could get the SUB 30 for $470 I'd be sold. But I foresee that maybe being impossible.

If you are in SF, check out one of the local bike co-ops and see if they've got any sweet used bikes for sale. They should also be able to help you figure out what you may like more in terms of fit. We have a great fledgling bike co-op in our town (Santa Barbara) and it's far and away the best "live" resource I've found for bike info & insight.

HTH,

Steve