What's the best quick commuting bike?
 

Hi All,

I ride every where, and I'm upgrading from a Trek 3500 (entry level mountain bike) to something better. I need a quick bike that can handle urban commuting with a week of groceries onboard. Any of you guys have any ideas? I was looking at the Surly Cross Check, the Bianchi Volpe, and the Kona Dr. Dew.
I've read in previous posts that I should test ride first, but being out here in Hawaii in the middle of the ocean, and being 6'6", I have a limited selection of bikes at hand. So what do you guys think?
I've got about $900 to $1000 to spend on the bike, inclusive of set up and tax and what not.

Thanks

Offhand, I would say that any bike not carrying a week of groceries is pretty quick. :)

As for what is best for you, it depends. What will you wear while riding? Are there lots of hills? How long is the trip? How often does it rain? Will youi need lights?

Paul

Cross Check.

Good one.

I'll say the Volpe because that's the one I own but the Cross Check is not a bad choice. I suspect any one of the bike he selected would fit the bill.

Is the stock built up Cross Check a good build up, or are there some items (other than fit like seat, stem, etc.) that are good to change out. I like the the ideas of the stock build up as I think I will quickly need a new commuter/firetrail bike. Unfortunately I'm not gonna be in the position to do much thought & time on a custom build-up.

Al

I have a stock Cross Check (my LBS led me to believe that they had bought the frame and built the bike up themselves, but I just recently decided to check my bike against the Surly web site and found that it is *identical* to the stock build, so I guess that's what I've got!).

The two things that were changed out when I bought the bike were the stem and the pedals -- it had a flat stem, and after comparing the Surly with a Kona "Jake the Snake", I said that I liked the slightly more upright position on the Kona, so he switched out the stem (sorry, I don't know the specs on the new stem). And I also had them switch out the stock pedals (no idea what they were) for the Shimano SPD pedals that have a cleat receptacle on one side and a regular pedal surface on the other so you can ride with regular shoes. That was a $20 upgrade, I think. (I just looked at the Surly web site, and pedals are not included, anyway, so that factor will be up to you and your LBS).

Otherwise, I'm perfectly happy with the stock build. I've tried to figure out the logic behind the mishmash of componentry (Ritchey Logic headset, Deore hubs, Tiagra derailleurs, Salsa chainrings, Tektro brakes), and all I can figure is that they chose individual components on their own merits (price/value) vs. choosing an entire group. I've added a few lights, a Jandd rear rack and REI panniers, and it's making a great commuter ride.

One thing that may become an issue in the future is the rear wheel; I'm pretty big (230+ lbs.) and carry another 10-15 lbs. in my panniers, and I don't know if the 32 spoke wheel is going to hold up without going out of true every few weeks, but we'll see. I don't ride off-road, so that will probably help.

All in all, the worst thing about this bike is that I think it's so pretty, I'm worried about scratching it up on bike racks and such. I'm having a hard time letting my bike be a bike!

EDIT: Just wanted to add that this bike replaced a 1992 Bianchi Volpe, which I loved, and it is a very comparable ride. And the Kona Jake the Snake that I test rode was also very nice, but the steel frame on the Surly gave a nicer feel to the ride.

Thank you that was helpful. You are right, the stock build does not come with pedals (maybe thats what the LBS meant by they built it up ;) ) I'll put double sided SPD pedals on it (right now I use 520's, so either those or a better model)

How do you like the bar end shifters for commuting? I've never used any other shifters than the kind with two levers under my thumb with my flat MTB handlebars and down tube shifers on my very old road-bike.

I too wonder about the wheels, but really don't have any knowledge or experience on what the practial strength difference is (I weigh 200 lbs & only carry 10lb or less bag) I will ride non-tech off road.

I do prefer a less upright position, like a road bike.

How much did you pay at the LBS? I see they go for around $800-900 on-line before shipping cost. If I buy at LBS (which I much prefer for fitting, service and supporting local) I expect some mark-up, etc. but want to gauge what is reasonable.

Al

2mtr-

If i were looking at those bikes i'd try to get a bike with disc brakes that work on road handlebars. Disc brakes can stop well in the rain (so you can go faster safely) and road handlebars allow you to easily shift your weight over the pedals (that is, when you put your hands on the drops) without standing up. More weight over the pedals means that it's possible to pedal hard more efficiently, and bending over reduces air resistance a bit.

Oh, and don't forget to budget for a 20-30$ pair of fenders. :)

Just curious, if one commutes where a shower and a change of clothes are available before (and after) work and your bag is waterproof, are fenders still a good idea?

Al

Depends. Do you want to have to wash muddy stripes out of *everything*? Will it bother you to have every mystery road substance you encounter on your commute sprayed up onto you? If you answered "yes" and then "no", save the $20! ;)

I think Surly does a good job with their stock build. I built mine up myself and wanted to include components like: XT hubs, Ultegra cranks/bb, Ultegra and XT derrailleurs, and Dura Ace bar end shifters, in addition to a 36 hole front and rear wheelset (Mavic Open Pros). I put an emphasis on durability over weight or price as I weigh 255 lbs and will use this bike for commuting as well as off road and loaded touring. As a result my final cost estimate is right around $1600 (I think). The ride is comfortable and fast and should be competent for all kinds of riding. I initially chose the bar end shifters for: reliability and ease of service and access to parts, and price (Ultegra STI-expensive). If your handlbar height is sufficient you'll enjoy these shifters. They are more of a reach that STI and as such you think someone else may outshift you, but if you're in the drops or on the hoods and hammering, they work surprisingly well. I've discovered that, for normal riding, you'll be somewhat discouraged from frequent shifting, but I think my legs are stronger for it. The frame is taught but forgiving and the horizontal rear dropout allows you to position your wheel for different types of riding (it does make a difference in terms of comfort and agility). It is a beautiful bike and I'm hesitant to get it too dirty (although I accidently dropped it yesterday and scuffed up the rr derrailleur-oh well).

I have not ridden in rain for 5yrs. Really. It just doesn't rain much here. I have been near storms and just missed them, but thru luck haven't been caught in one. But right now we are in the season when a later afternoon storm can hit - but mostly they come after my commute home is done, around sunset and later.

So I ask about fenders as I just have no experience with rain. I keep telling my wife that if I am home when a storm (without lightning) hits, first thing I'm going to do is get on my bike and cruise around the neighborhood so I can get some experience with rain, wet brakes and pavement and how my bike responds - before I get caught during my commute home with zero experience.

I do occasionally ride thur a giant puddle on the way home, it soaks me with nasty warm water that has been sitting in the 110deg sun for three days (that how long it take to dry this puddle up after a storm). But its only 1/2mi from home so I jump in the shower right after.

Al

I'd say so, although maybe not in your case. On a fenderless bike, there is a steady stream of water mixed with grit directed right at the chain and bottom bracket. This mixture has a high content of dirty, black oil from cars. Even if you change afterwards, you may not want whatever you are wearing to acquire a black oil stripe down the back.

On the other hand, neither rain nor road grit are an issue in much of AZ.

Paul

While what is typically considered road grit may not be a problem in AZ, a layer of dust on the road (which IS quite common in the desert) can be problematic as well. I spent a few months in West TX a few years ago and had one significant spill caused by a layer of dust on a dry road. I lost it in a turn, but I was going no faster than usual. I didn't spend enough time there to determine the effect of the dust/dirt on the drivetrain. I would also be wary of rushing out to test the conditions right after the start of a rain. Usually that's when traction is worst.

I understand that for almost all roads the first few minutes after a rain is the slickest due to oil/grime/dirt buildup being released, but not yet washed away.

My point was to get out in the rain immediately for the very purpose of learning how my bike handles in these worst conditions. My neighborhood has very little traffic and it would be OK for me to wreck. (In fact in dry conditions I've done the same, practiced emergecy manuevers, controled endos, etc. so I became more familiar with my bike)

I rely on by bike to commute. In this season a storm/rain could come up half way home. Having the controlled experience in rain will let me be prepared for when in matters.

Al

My stock cross check was $750 at the LBS last fall. I think that was $100 mark-off from the list price. Then I added pedals, a rack, saddlebags, reflectors, front and rear lights, and fenders. It might be tought to do all the add-ons under $1K, but you might be able to, especially if you use a messenger back instead of the rack and saddlebags. I haven't had any problems with the bar-end shifters. You'll get used to them. It shouldn't have any problems with 210 lbs.

When I am riding through town in the wet, I feather the brakes to clean the rims, then try to keep the rims dry with a light touch of brakes. There is something really spooky about making an emergency brake and having no stopping power for 2 revs of the wheel. Its a really good ideas to practice if this has never happened to you.

Thanks - the cross check is the bike I want based on paper only evaluation. But once I get seriously into looking into options and actually trying them out, I'll see. Unfortunately there is no LBS around here that has the cross check in stock - 10day delivery time. I will be very surprised if they will quote less than $900+pedals. I already have all the accessories I need, so its the stock bike cost only I care about.

Al

I ride in rain often and have been caught in heavy rain on a fenderless bike. If you get up to any speed on a road bike, you will have to lean to one side or the other to avoid spraying that road dirt & grit up into your face. There was also the dark stripe of up the back of my jersey that was hard to wash out. Don

I'm not sugesting that my choice is necessarily best for you, but I have been pleased with the Trek 520. It is a much faster ride than a MTB, and can accomodate heavy loads, if you need to stop for groceries on the way home from work. Of course you could go much lighter and quicker, if you never will have to transport more than yourself and a small kit.

Noisebeam, I've put a little under 2k miles on my stock build cross check in about 4 months and have been very happy with it. I'm about 6'3" on a 58cm frame and wanted a slightly higher position so I switched stems too, but the bars are still probably 4" below the seat. I also switched out the seat for a Brooks and got a set of 700c 25 tires for smooth road commuting. The stock Alex rims are rated for 23-32 tires. I weigh 215# and have taken the bike through some rocky mtb trails and the 32 spoke rear has held up with no problems. I had kind of wished I checked into 105 components, but the tiagra has worked fine. I bought mine stock cause I wanted to start riding that week ;) Fenders are very nice for rain or wet roads, but where you live it doesn't sound like a big deal. The double chainring is fine for me, but if you had big hills or envisioned loading it down for touring you might want to consider a triple upgrade. I paid $900 at the LBS and am still very happy with the bike, very verisatle and some style too. I picked it over the Lamond Propad and Jake the Snake.

Personal preference, I guess. I haven't been bothered too much by riding in the rain without fenders. I expect to get nasty sweaty anyway, and the rain is refreshing in comparison. A rack in back and thick aluminum frame tube up front block a lot of it.. I also have to slow down in the rain anyway since I wear glasses, which get harder to see through as they collect raindrops. Hilo streets are pretty clean, too, since nature provides multiple daily washings.

bkr

I ride my Cross Check 16 miles to work and 16 mile home each day. My rear rack keeps most of the crud off of my back. I slow down for the puddles mainly because I can't see if there is debris under the water and don't like flats anytime and certainly not when it is raining.

I changed the front fork and ahead set to pull the bars up and back so that my neck won't hurt so much on longer rides. I use 25 cm tires. It came with 35 cm cross tires. The bike is basically stock.

I have seen them run as high as $1,200 new. On eBay they usually sell for around $535 if you can find one in your size. I live in Chicago. There are 30 or so good LBS's here. Not one of them has a Cross Check in stock. They all order them.

Tom O.