mack_turtle

i am selling my fixie, it's just not for me. that will give me a limited amount of money to spend on a new bike for riding to work. i have the option of buying a GT legato (flat-bar road bike) that would be perfect for commuting.

however, i have limited funds and limited space for bikes at my apartment, so i would like to get a bike that could serve the dual purpose of transporation and off-road fun. i was thinking about getting a mountain bike and a spare set of road-ish tires for commuting and knobbies for trails.

would riding a bike with a suspension a fork be terribly difficult on the road? i have never ridden a suspension fork (i come from the world of BMX), so can i just make the fork more rigid for the road and loose for trails? what else would i have to do to make a mountain bike road-friendly?

these are the two best cadidates i have found on my local craigslist that i can afford:
KHS Alite- https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/bik/833435911.html (not sure of the size, might be too big)
Schwinn Moab- https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/bik/831729600.html (17" should be just about right for me and I can probably afford it.)

nahh

short answer: you can commute with a mountain bike. a lot of people do. A hardtail isn't near as bad as a full suspension mtb. if you just want to ride on the road, get a road bike. but if you want to ride off road a hardtail mountain bike serves the dual function pretty well. IMHO, better than a hybrid. they're not good for road, or trail.

Hirohsima

If it were me I would get a single speed MTB or Bikesdirect.com Single Speed Cross bike(coincidentally I am converting my Surly 1x1 for winter commute duty). Neither have suspension so they will make great commuters. Both are very capable off-road and FUN too! (but to be fair I have never ridden BD's CX bike, just commenting on CX in general). Its not that you don't want to commute on a suspended bike, its just not ideal IMHO. I ride my hardtail MTB on the road with my daughter and its fine, but then we are only going 15mph max. Commuting, I like sharp and quick steering, neither of which is in abundance on suspended bikes.

One other option is to just throw a Shimano/ACS freewheel on your fixed gear and keep riding that. It will only cost you $25 for the part and you can save your money for a better bike that will keep you happier for longer.

My motto is to buy something once. If you buy a not-so-great bike to start with, chances are you will want to replace it soon, and then you loose money again. I am all for supporting the economy, but more money in my pocket is generally my end goal. HTH.

mack_turtle

actually, the whole point of me getting a new bike is that i want a bike with multiple speeds. i have a freewheel in my closet that i could put on my fixie right now but i had tried that and hated it too. i do like the simplicity of a single-gear bike (I ride BMX!) but i want a faster, more efficient way to get around town. my knees are falling apart, so i want to be able to climb hills more efficiently. i am on a regimen of glucosamine now under doctor's orders and working on my quads, but continuing to ride a single-speed bike would be a step back in my recovery. i guess that's not "hardcore" but i want to have knees that still function past the age of 60. at the rate i am going, they won't last me to 40. (I am 26 at the moment.)

if i am lucky, i might have $300 to spend AT THE MOST. so a new bike is out of the question.

Hirohsima

Well then, I think the KHS you have listed does not look bad. Knees are important I hear. Something about only being born with two and replacements are both painful and expensive.

I still vote for no-suspension. Slicks for the road will make a huge difference. I ride 1 1/4" on my MTB but that will mean you have to buy two sets of tubes which is expensive and a PITA. I have 4 tube sizes for my bikes and its a pain.

Also note, you can get a brand new MTB w/ front suspension from BD for $299 shipped..... so don't just jump on the first sub $300 bike you find.
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ne_300HT07.htm

climbhoser

I grew up racing MTBs in Colorado, and after years on full suspension bikes I'm back enjoying fully rigid, no suspension bikes for trails. It's just more fun!

I almost think that inferior front suspension, especially without rear suspension in conjunction, is worthless and counter-productive.

You could probably find a frame or full bike on craigslist that would fit the bill, honestly.

Check this out: https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/bik/824846280.html

Though more than you want to spend: https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/bik/830320430.html that is a great deal if you can plunk down on a new chain/cassette. ($30 at most)

Not bad here, either: https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/bik/833435911.html

Lotsa crap to sort through on CL.org without a trained eye, though

mack_turtle

yes, i have my eye on that KHS! it's going to be that or my friend's GT Legato.

starla

I have commuted on two MTBs -- an '08 Trek 820 and an '87 Stumpjumper. I like both of them very well even though I know a lot of people hate commuting on a MTB. The 820 is a hardtail with knobbies, and the SJ has no suspension, is lighter, and I put Big Apples on it. So I'm pretty happy with that as my commuter for the present. I got the SJ for $160 and it's been worth every penny so far. But I'm not really about speed. I just want something that is reliable, comfortable, and that can ride on the road and on gravel equally as well.

But you may not want to trust my opinion...after all, I have a hybrid on order as my next bike.

BBnet3000

as long as you follow through with that you are say you are going to do, having seperate wheels/tires (i would do wheels, changing wheels is easy and quick but changing tires all the time would suck) for the road and for off road it should be fine. obviously you will be a bit more upright than many would prefer to be.

Big_e

My mtb sees double duty as commuter on weekdays and more commuting/ trail bike on weekends. You should check craigslist for good buys. I just snagged a Gary Fisher Wahoo for $120. Now I have a weeday mtb and a weekender too.
Ernest

bikinpolitico

A suspension fork on the road is less efficient, but it certainly shouldn't be a nonstarter if you can find a quality bike within your budget. I do think it would get real old for longer commuting. How long is your daily ride?

While I usually recommend road/touring bikes or Dutch style bikes for transportation, I agree with the earlier post to bypass the hybrids for a hard tail mountain bike as you've suggested. With slicks, it will ride about the same as a hybrid, but at least you'll have a mountain bike for trails.

Jerry in So IL

I just sold my GT Nomad Hybrid. It was my one/twice a week long commuter and everyday bike. In fact, it was my only bike, besides a crappy SS conversion 80 junker 10 speed I did half drunk.

I got two '90 Hardrocks off of Craigslist for $200. I probably would have gotten only one, if I bought the last one first (serves me right). They are stock with 26" knobbies, one is SS and the other stock 18 speed. BOth are hardtails and no front suspension.

I rode the SS today and after a few blocks, I couldn't go back to the Hybrid. They are lighter, nimbler, faster, and just plain funnier. I was able to actually mount racks and bags without heel strikes or $25 in after market hardware. I'm going to buy an extra set of wheel for the slicks and use the knobbies for the singletrack. Stick with what you have. Spend your money on upgrades.

Jerry

iamjethro

I commute on a KHS Alite 300. Slick tires , different handlebars etc. I love it. solid bike for the money. In fact I never really off road at all.

The 500 would really work for you I think.

mack_turtle

i just sold my old bike for $150, so now the quest begins for a new bike for exactly $150. i am pursuing some of those CL links you folks posted, thanks. if those don't pan out, i am going to buy a GT Legato from a friend.