Let me get started by saying I haven't owned a bicycle since I was around 13 so my knowledge is a bit outdated and limited to the bmx style Mongoose I owned.

I'm looking to get another bike with the mission being to commute to work and also do a bit of canal path riding. I've looked at the sites for some of the manufacturers names I found from a google search, Trek, Specialized, Kona, Giant. I also spent a little time in a local shop (Topath Bike) today and actually rode a Trek 7.4 (I think it was the 7.4, it had disc brakes and was around $749) I was hoping to spend closer to $500 but that was just the bike I happened to test ride to get a feel for that style (Hybrid he called it)

My commute is almost exactly 12 miles each way and I'm not interested in a traditional road style (we called them "ten speeds" when I was younger. I think a mountain bike would be a waste for suspension and I don't think the riding angle would be comfortable for 12 miles (maybe it would?)

The Trek I rode had what felt like a good seating position and nice hand grips that had a bit extra on the outside of the grip that the meaty part of your hand would rest on. I liked that. The seat was awful but I'm not worried about a stock seat being perfect as there are many aftermarket ones available.

The tires looked pretty narrow and as I browsed the bikes I saw some larger almost mountain bike width tires that had smooth tread. Would those be better for my goals?

Any advice on a good commuter bike around the $500 mark?

Thanks!

The Trek FX series is highly touted on these forums, and would probably make an excellent starting point. The 7.2 retails for $549 USD and has decent, entry-level components. Skinnier tires are usually fine... depending on riding circumstances of course. The 7.2 comes with 35mm tires, which are actually quite "fat" compared to many bikes out there. For the record, I ride on a bike with similar geometry that has 32mm tires and they handle my Clydesdale frame just fine. Saddles are a very personal choice, but keep in mind that wider is not necessarily better. A saddle that is too wide can push your thighs outward and make you a less efficient rider. Most bike shops worth their salt will allow you to try a few saddles to determine which one you like best.

Most importantly: Test ride as many bikes as possible! A bike that isn't a joy to ride will sit in the corner collecting dust until you sell it for a fraction of what you paid for it.

I can't comment on the Trek hybrid, but it sounds like a good fit for the type of riding you described. If I were starting over, I think I would buy used and ride it for at least a year before I invest in a new bike. I don't know where you are, but around here you can always find Treks on Craig's List. There's a 2009 7.3 for $450 out there right now. https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/d...316748058.html

You're right not to worry about the saddle. You'll probably buy a new one anyway. As far as tires go, you'll probably want at least 32mm wide especially if the tow path is gravel. My only other advice would be to make sure the bike can accommodate a rack and fenders for commuting.

I second what has previously been posted. Ride as many bikes as you can to figure out which works best for you in your financial frame. I ride a Trek 7000 and am very content with it even though an upgrade would be even nicer. If the saddle is too wide, it may cause problems later down the road which make cause you to be off for some time. Find both a bike and a saddle that are to your liking and enjoy the ride.

Another Rochesterian here.

I started out five years ago on a hybrid. They are perfectly serviceable bikes for commuting. I put 4,000 commuting miles on mine before I switched to a road bike.

The "thinner" tires on hybrids are just fine. You won't need fat MTB tires even on the gravel parts of the canal path. Even most skinny road bike tires are just fine on the gravel parts of the canal path.

Speaking as someone whose primary commuter has disc brakes (an '06 Trek Portland), unless you intend to ride regularly in the rain and snow, disc brakes just add unnecessary cost and weight. I haven't missed a commuting day since July 2006, so they make sense for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. But for most folks, traditional rim brakes are just fine and you can spend the savings on other accessories.

You were looking at the FX 7.3 Disc. The FX 7.1 is $450. A lot of that difference between them is in the brakes.

The FX isn't a bad bike for commuting. Its wear parts are inexpensive, it has front and rear rack mounts and it take fenders easily. I would lean towards the 7.2 at $550 for the component upgrades and puncture-resistant tires. Flats are not fun on the way to work.

Towpath Bike is a decent shop. I've had good experience there, and most of the staff are year-round employees, which is good.

You'll also want to visit Park Ave Bike. They're equally reputable, but employ some seasonal sales staff, which is sometimes hard on a newbie. I like working with Sam (Samantha) at the Cover St store.

If you live near Pittsford and commute 12 miles one-way, that puts you near the University or downtown, right?

Visit Freewheelers on Mt. Hope between the medical center and 390. The guy is a little quirky, but he's an excellent mechanic and fair businessman. A large percentage of his business comes from the University.

On South Ave near Gregory St is Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport. As with Towpath, most of their staff are year 'round employees, which makes a world of difference. Better still, they know commuters and commuting.

Hope this helps!

Craigslist around here is mainly MTBs, BMX and POSs that have been rusting in people's garages for 25 years.

Tons of great info in here, so thank you for all the replies.

Yes another Rochesterian! My 12 mile one way trip would be from Macedon to Pittsford\Victor area on route 96 near Garnsey. A couple of large hills on the routes I've tried to figure out.

Thanks for the bike recommendations, I was going to stop by Park Ave bikes on Clover today after work and check out what they have to offer in my price range and then pull the trigger on something from either them or towpath (trek vs whatever park ave carries as their main brand, specialized?) One thing I did like about the Trek I test rode was the hand grips had some extra support under the "meat" of my palms, that was nice. I'm guessing other brands have something similar or at least I could put something aftermarket on?

I will probably start out having my wife drop me off with my bike a few times and riding home to see how long a "normal" ride home would take and then switch to riding into work and getting picked up. I'm not sure my body is ready for 25miles a day, or maybe it will be easier than I think. We'll see.

I'll post back when I actually buy something.

I like the look of the Cannondale Quick 5 but I don't know how it stacks up component wise with the Trek FX 7.2, I'm still learning the hardware of these bikes so I'm not sure if one is a better bang for the buck over the other. Thoughts?

I ride a Trek FX 7.5 to work (15 miles round trip) & love it. If you like the style (flat bar road bike) the Trek FX series are nice bikes.

For $500 you can get a good basic hybrid (7.2 FX, etc), which I think is a good style for your needs. The hybrids tend to be efficient and comfortable, with excellent utility for bike commuting needs (can accommodate racks, fenders, etc).

Rule #1 - FIT - make sure you dial in your fit. a poorly fitting bike is worthless at any price.

I think that having a little flexibility with price (as it seems you have) can be helpful in finding and buying the "right" bike for you. If you know what size you need then you might be able to find a great deal on Craigslist, or perhaps a carefully chosen bike from BikesDirect such as this one.

Bear in mind that the bike is only part of the total cost of getting set up for commuting, but the added bits can be purchased/installed as time and money permit. These items (in order of priority, as I see it, coming into the summer months) can include:

Immediate/with bike purchase:
1. Front and rear "blinkie" lights for better visibility to traffic (especially in daytime). The brighter the better. THIS video does a great job to demonstrate how invisible we can be. Blinkies help tremendously.
2. Repair basics: Basic multi-tool, patch kit, spare tube, pump (CO2 is for racers, IMO)
3. Saddle of handlebar bag for #2, or these can be stowed in your backpack/panniers

Helpful/Convenient to have soon (if not right away):
1. Rack/panniers OR bike-compatible backpack (ventilation, good weight distribution, etc)
2. Fenders - in Upstate New York, this go to the top of the list, IMO. Fenders make life so much better in rainy/slushy conditions
3. Rain gear (if you don't already have something that can fill the need). There is an excellent thread about jackets HERE. Rain pants aren't really necessary (IMO) in the summer, but come in handy below 55-60F and also serve as an outer wind layer in the Winter.

Things to consider before October:
1. Good headlight
2. Studded tires
3. Bike-functional clothing - gloves, balaclava, etc



Finally, if you've been away from bikes for some time, take some time to focus on learning some basic maintenance (like fixing a flat and adjusting derailluers) and riding techniques (like avoiding "cross-chaining", cadence awareness, etc), which will help get you started in a good way.

There is probably a local co-op or shop that offers some basic bike maintenance courses.

Good luck!!!

You can change the handlebars, the grips on the end, and pretty much everything else on a bike. You can do most of it with tools you probably already have, or can get for $20. This stuff is for road bikes, and works pretty well - you could probably get the gel inserts and make them work on a flat bar hybrid, if you don't find something else.

there are Trek FX 7.3 and 7.5 in a disc Brake version,
Adding disc brakes improves wet weather braking
as the wheel edge is continually getting wetted in the puddles,
and drying the surface of the rim is step 1 of getting the friction to stop the bike..
racks, kickstands mudguards and head and taillights all add to the year round functionality.
and good locking system,
[more important , if working in a College area.. ]

Yep. These grips are an easy add-on if the bike you choose does not have them. By no means should their absence be a deal killer on a bike you otherwise love.

Ergon makes excellent quality ergonomic grips ranging from $20-$50 depending on model. There are other brands, too (Portland Design Works "Dapper Dan", etc), plus cheap slide-ons (not recommended).

For saddle, bear in mind that there will be a physiological adjustment period on ANY saddle, which includes some soreness as your butt adjusts to the new pressure points. Most competent shops can help guide you on saddle choice depending on your own sit bone spacing. I highly recommend a saddle with a "cutout" or channel to alleviate pressure in the perineum, or a traditional leather saddle (such as Brooks B-17).

Victor? Why didn't you say so? See either Steve or Victor at Trailblazers.

The hills around there can be a challenge (Not climbing to Woodcliff, are you?) but otherwise, I find a dozen miles twice a day to be just about perfect in the three-seasons. If you can leave your car at work overnight, you can alternate without troubling the spouse. Drive in, bike home, bike in, drive home.

I started commuting on a "ten-speed" that I had for some decades and that was the only kind of bike I could get at the time I first got it. When I replaced it, I tried the upright hybrid and the semi-bent-over mountain bike. The upright, in contrast to the road-bike style, felt too upright, so I went with the mountain bike. After some years of that, I found it too bent-over for my liking and replace the stem and handlebars for a more upright position. The point being, I think that the hybrid felt too upright only because I had been too used to the road bike. And, thinking back to 40 years ago, I remember that I never liked the road bike style anyway, it just was all I could get and I eventually got used to it. So to restate what was said by others, try lots of bikes.

It is possible that after a certain age, the riding position of the road and mountain bikes, where one is bent over and then has to tilt the head back to see where one is going, is hard on a person. I was down for two months last year while a chiropractor fixed up my back, neck, and left arm. Right after that is when I got my new upright riding position. I go only 12 miles round-trip.

It seems that many of the mountain bike styles do NOT have attachment points for front fenders. Watch for that. I personally think fenders are essential.

Riding position on a bike has to be a compromise between comfort and efficiency. Too upright, and you are very slow, which will make your commute tiresome and frustrating. Too low, and your neck and shoulders will get sore. A commuter bike should have the handlebars at about the same height as the seat, so your back is slanted forward at about 45 degrees. That way you can keep your head down a bit for reduced air resistance and slightly better speed, but still comfortably see where you are going.

For you.

Respectfully, I disagree with all blanket statements such as that. It's all about personal choice and preference.

There are many, here and in the real world, who prefer something bolt-upright--witness the Dutch bike. There are others, like me, who prefer a drop bar road bike with pretty good saddle-to-bar drop--especially on my winter bike, where it keeps me out of the January and February winds from across the lake. (And don't give me any crap about age being a factor. I'm in my 50s.) Your preference is somewhere in the middle.

My point is that it's all good. Whatever you prefer is right for you. Personal preferences stated as all-encompassing facts are counter-productive.

My comment was directed to new riders, where too much choice can also be counterproductive, and I said "about" (twice) which still gives a lot of latitude. If you're a seasoned rider my comments wouldn't apply to you. Do you think you would have started off okay on that road bike with the low bars right from the beginning, or was it actually better that you graduated to it after riding the hybrid for a while first?

drop bar road bike. I know you don't think you want one but you will. :-)

Go to every bike shop and try all their bikes. Go on long test rides and put the bikes through their paces, and ride on the kind of surface you will be using the bike on. Make sure the frame is the right size for you, this is the biggest thing.

picked up the Trek 7.2 FX tonight. Rode it down the canal path a bit near the store and it felt good. He sized me up for a 17" frame and threw in a bottle and bottle holder, what can I say I'm a sucker for free stuff.

I asked some basic questions about shifting and what gears should be used for "normal" riding. He broke it down for me so I think I have a handle on it but I'm sure it will take some trial and error, hopefully I don't do anything that would pop the chain off.

The tires are pretty narrow but I think that's just my perception of what my brothers mountain bike tires look like. They look fragile but I'm so new to bikes I'm sure it's just me.

I'm going to try to get out on this weekend and sneak in a couple miles and see how I feel. The bike store said to come back after 30 hours of riding and they'll give the bike a once over and make sure nothing loosened up, a quick tune up I guess. He also said I can get 15% off accessorize up until that point so I think after riding a bit I'll come up with some things I'll want, maybe a light, rack, fenders etc. The seat is pretty hard but I'm hoping I'll get used to it.

Thanks again for all the help!