Ok, so sorry for another 'which bike' thread, but I haven't seen any of these frames first hand and am hoping someone more knowledgeable might shed some light on my choices. I am about to put together a Pacific Northwest commuter bike and am looking for the right frame to get. The bike will be used for like 80% MUP commuting with very few stop lights (>13 mi round trip), 10% rec riding (during lunch or after work), and 10% light - medium touring. I want a 'road' bike, but something sturdy enough to handle extra weight of panniers and riding over curbs, tracks, etc. Since i will be mainly riding for commuting i would like something more aggressive than not.. no LHTs here, and want fenders, 28c's, and rear rack mounts. Oh, and I have an Ultegra triple group to put on it, so something that would fit with a road gear setup..

Here are the frames I have come up with:

Kona ***** Inc
This looks like a great option but am a little worried about fitting fenders on it.

Trek Portland
Looks like a great option, and fits well that i live in Portland

Soma Doublecross
Looks like a good all around bike that would work pretty well

Surly Crosscheck
This bike seems ok but i have test ridden some and dont think it seems to fit me all that well.. I wasnt super impressed with the ride.

Gunnar Fastlane
I have a roadie and love it.. I am a bit worried about durability of the tubes and of course when it comes down to it i cant afford a new Gunnar frame.

Most of these bikes have disk mounts and I do like that. I know its overkill for my use, but I just seem to like them for some reason (I also hate V-brakes). I also really prefer steel over aluminum.

If anyone has any suggestions to add or advice regarding these bikes it would be really appreciated! Thanks!

If you already have the lion's share of components (which you appear to have), I'd go with the Soma, or perhaps a Salsa Casseroll (non-disc, though) https://salsacycles.com/bikes/casseroll_double/frame/.

You can also get the Civia Bryant as a frameset: https://civiacycles.com/bikes/bryant/bryant_frame/#build

The Casseroll looks great, but how sturdy is the frame? I do want a frame that can take some weight and abuse. Are disk brakes really overkill for commuting and some touring? Should i be happy with v-brakes or cantis?

The Casseroll is Salsa's mix between a touring bike and a racing bike - sort of a sporty bike with utility. It would not be my choice for a multi-day camping trip, but would make a crackerjack commuter. The main reason I suggested that one over the Fargo, etc was your preference for an "aggressive" bike versus something more laid back.

Any frame from a reputable maker will stand up to typical commuting stuff - potholes, etc, which is what I'm assuming you mean by "abuse". If you mean that you are really going to bash around on the bike, then I'd recommend against spending the money on something nice, or get a mountain bike instead.
One thing to consider is tire size. For urban stuff like curbs and potholes, I would not go any narrower than 28-32mm. And I'm sure you know that, unless you are on a big travel freeride bike, few bicycles can take being ridden "up" curbs at speed without destroying the rear wheel. Proper technique helps ease or eliminate the "bash".
Anyway......

Discs are really nice, especially in rain or snow/crud, but are not absolutely necessary. I have them on my primary commuter and like them quite a bit. That said, rim brakes are fine for most commuting, but there are tradeoffs - namely rim wear (which takes years) and wet performance (which can become a non-issue with good pads such as the Kool-Stop Salmon-colored ones).

If you want a great all weather commuter with all of the traits you are seeking, plus some pretty cool benefits (belt drive and an IGH - internally geared hub) the Civia Bryant Alfine and Norco Ceres are really sweet rides. Of course, you already have some components, but I just thought I'd mention some options.

For disclosure, I've come over to the IGH side of the fence after many years of riding conventional drivetrains (road bikes, mountain bikes, you name it), and am a proponent of IGH's. I just want to be transparent on that.

There's nothing wrong with derailleurs.

does IGH make any sense in a place that doesn't get any snow? Well, maybe portland gets a flurry or two now and then, but probably not enough to bother with derailleur eating sand.

are there other benefits which make giving up a few gears and a little efficiency worth it? if i'm not mistaken you can shift gears at a standstill. i guess this would be nice in a busy urban commute.

How about the Lynskey Cooper CX? I've been researching the idea of putting together a commuter myself and was drawn to the Cooper. My commute would be 12 miles round-trip. I'm not sure what your budget is but the Cooper looks nice with disc mounts. The straight gauge titanium should be very durable and still light. Thanks for the other frame ideas also.

How about the Vassago Fisticuff?

I think some of this depends on your budget...in an ideal world, I'd want a Bilenky. In an even more ideal world, I'd want a titanium Bilenky to deal with the weather concerns.

Another option is to go with an older frame and cold press it to 130mm spacing...lots of 80s Japanese sport touring bikes fit your stated desire. If it were me, I'd get an older Miyata, because I LOVE Miyatas. Maybe a triple cross.

Others that jump to mind are the Lemond Poprad and Bianchi Volpe.

I think alot of it is personal preference, though I do not feel that the ONLY reason to get an IGH is for snow.
I like the simplicity and cleanliness of the IGH drivetrain, regardless of weather. My home is in the deserts of Utah and Western Colorado, and IGH isstill my choice and will continue to be my preference (even for mountain biking).

I do not notice a loss of efficiency on the Alfine, so whatever the loss is, it is not worth sweating IMO.
As far as gearing goes, I can tackle any road or hill on my Alfine (as it is set up) that I could on a road double. sure, I give up 15 or 20 inches of development at the top end, but I can spin up to about 30mph, at which point I tend to coast and enjoy the ride (I'm not racing). My only gripe with the gearing in the Alfine is the notorious 5-6 jump. I would have far preferred a more linear distribution with a "bail out" jump to first gear (such as the upcoming Alfine 11).

Downsides to IGH? Sure, nothing's perfect. while the drivetrain is simpler on the outside, it is REALLY complex on the inside, so if it does fail, there isn't much of a roadside workaround. As noted, there is a measured loss in efficiency, though it is not perceptible to me on my choice of hub - as with anything YMMV depending on factors like brand/model/bike setup/riding style/etc.

+1
I forgot about that one.
The Jabberwocky would also make a hell of a commuter build.

Edit: Oops, I see now that you asked for frames... sorry. Looking back now, building my crosscheck was alot of wasted hours though.... of course, that's hindsight for you.

Raleigh Sojourn, only because you want discs. Otherwise, the Clubman.



Either way, go see Corey at Seven Corners Bike shop in SE PDX... even just for advice, or whatever. Good guys down there. (no affiliation, satisfied customer)

Do you want a frame or a bike built up ?.

Reason I ask is the following companies sell frames in the style you are looking for - Gunnar, Rivendell, Soma, Surly, Salsa, Velo Orange, Masi, Kona (Maybe), Bob Jackson - if anyone carries them anymore, Bruce Gordon (tourers) and maybe just a few others.

2nd question is do you want a cross, tourer or randonneur ?. Cross bikes sometimes have a high b-bracket which makes handling a bit different and some models don't have attachment points for fenders and/or racks. One very cost effective model owned by a buddy is a Specialized Tri Cross, that is a good value.

Tourers tend to be heavy, due to the beefier tubing and both cross and tourers generally come with V brakes. Note about bikes with disc brakes. I like my discs on my mt. bike but in general, a well adjusted set of V brakes offer as much stopping power, except when the rim is wet. I also had a hard time finding wheels designed for 700c that had disc hubs, though I believe the 29'er standard is the same as 700, so in theory any wheel designed for a 29'er mt. bike with a disc hub should work on a bike designed for 700c.

Or a randonneur, whose new term is Sport/Tourer. Usually a bit more relaxed geometry (Then typical road racing), longer wheelbase, longer chainstays (then on a road racing and which helps with heel clearance if you use panniers), clearance for larger tires, fender and rack attachments. Such bikes can be had with either long reach dual pivot road brakes - 57mm, or standard 47mm, with some frames accepting up to 28mm tires with standard reach brakes, or 32mm with 57mm reach brakes. Surly Pacer, Rivendell Rodeo, Gunnar Sport, Soma Smoothie ES or Stanyan, Velo Orange Rando all come to mind.

I just built up last week a Soma Smoothie as a fast commuter, with my Miyata tourer my slow bike for when I need to use the panniers. A welded Tange Prestige steel bike, the Smoothie accepts 28mm tires, or 25 with fenders, has a rack attachment, and is more a road racing geometry, just a touch of Randonneur in it. Easy build up, looks great, rides wonderfully 100 miles later and thus I highly recommend you looking at the Soma line. About $570 frame and fork delivered

Some pictures here, with the photo's showing the clearance of both a 28.5mm Avocet Cross tire and a 27.5mm Rivendell/Panaracer Ruffy Tuffy tire(s) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/54042690@N02/

Steve B.

I would like a frameset over a built bike. Partly because I already have the groupeset, and also because I really enjoy piecing my bikes together. Of these I dont want a straight touring bike. Since I will rarely be doing touring and never be doing extended touring, i would like something more peppy. It seems like the randonneur category would explain my preferences a bit better. I currently commute on my road bike and enjoy the speed and agility. Also, since the good riding around here is closer to my work than home, i want something that i could take out during lunch or after work to get some recreational time in.

I like the looks of the Trek Portland alot. It seems like a sporty bike with all the add ons I am looking for.. Drawback is that the frame is aluminum (i love steel) and it doesnt actually come in a frameset. Beyond that, many of the frames listed above look great. I like the Casseroll and the Soma bikes alot and have not yet heard of the Vassagos. I wish I had enough money for a Lynskey, but unfortunately I am trying to keep the framset at or below $450.

Thanks again for all the help and ideas!