carfreephilly

After several years of commuting and trying out all kinds of bikes, I'm ready to save up for my first (and hopefully last, for a long time!) build--a city commuter/utility bike/car-replacement that is low-maintenance, versatile, comfortable, and easy on the eyes. I'm planning way ahead, so I can figure out how much money I'll need to save up, and so I'm well-informed when I visit my LBS to start the process. I'm planning to sell my 3-speed commuter and utility bike to help finance the build, and expect the finished product will serve as a nice replacement for both.

After quite a bit of research, I've set my sights on a Surly Cross Check. It's really tricky to find a frame that fits my body (5'3" with short legs) and riding style, has everything else I want (IGH compatible, rack/fender mounts), and is available locally so I can test ride before I pull the trigger. The CC meets all of those criteria. So now on to some questions for you knowledgeable people Sorry, this post is kinda long...

Brakes: I want low-maintenance brakes that are effective in wet weather and don't attract grime like rim brakes...which leaves me with drum brakes, since the CC frame doesn't have disc tabs. I am considering going with a dynohub/drum brake up front, and an IGH with drum brake (not a coaster brake) for the back. I've never used a drum brake before. It seems like people either love them or hate them. I'm interested to hear from anyone who commutes with drum brakes, especially about how they fare in an urban setting. I am aware that they are rather heavy, aren't recommended for mountainous terrain, and aren't nearly as responsive as disc brakes. That's OK, but I do need to be able to stop quickly if a pedestrian steps into the bike lane, a driver cuts me off, etc. I see that Torker stocks its popular commuter, the Graduate, with front/rear drums, and have a friend with a drum brake-equipped Workcycles FR8 (too big for me to try) that he rides all over the city, so that makes me think they can't be all bad.

IGH & shifter: My next question is, assuming I go with drum brakes, which IGH would you recommend? I want a minimum of 7 gears, as my 3-speed is just not cutting it for me. It looks like these would be my options, since the Alfine is sadly not compatible with a drum brake:

Nexus 8 "Red Band"
SRAM S7
SA X-RD8

I've ridden my girlfriend's Alfine-equipped commuter and have a Nexus-3 on mine, but have no experience with any of the above, so any info would be fantastic. I definitely want a thumb shifter, so maybe that narrows it down? I have a twist shifter on my 3-speed and can't imagine how irritating it would be to use one on a 7 or 8 speed hub. I know the Nexus is compatible with a thumb shifter; the others I have no idea.

Wheel size: And finally, a question about wheels. I spend about half my time on 16" and 20" wheels, and the other half on 700c. I prefer the smaller wheels by far. Due to my height and need for a small frame, 700Cs just make me feel cramped. I think I would probably enjoy the feel of 650Bs, but have never had the opportunity to try them out. I know the 650b tire selection is limited, though getting better as they (re)gain popularity. I also know 650b tires are fatter/cushier, which is great for me as the roads I encounter can be pretty rough. Any other considerations here that I'm missing? Anyone here build up a CC with 650Bs?

Thanks for reading through all of this. I have plenty of time to think this stuff over and change my mind, but I figured it couldn't hurt to start obsessing now!

alan s 

You may want to look at the Surly Troll. Frameset availability is mid-January 2011, having already been pushed back from December. I have one on order, and will post more when it finally arrives.

carfreephilly

I've definitely looked at the 1x1 and the Troll...I'm just not crazy about the MTB geometry. I'll be interested to see how your build goes, though.

fietsbob

I added a Schlumpf mountain drive to my 3 speed , it's a second planetary gear in the crankset.

now I have 6 ratios .. low is 250% of direct so a 3 speed will work ...

a 50t chainring acts like a 20t cog when in low range,
so hub low in direct range is followed by hub high,
in crank low reduction gear range.

YMMV

you can figure out which on your list will work for you
with learning the ratios in the hubs ,
and calculating what you need for chain rings and cog on the hub.
to best utilize those ,

get the gear range that works for you,& where you live.

sort out the external cog and chainring choices for your wheel size,
with Sheldon's site https://sheldonbrown.com/gears/internal.html