I have a race oriented bike I use for daily training/fitness/fun rides and I'm thinking I'd like to start biking to work a few days a week. My current bike isn't really suited to this as I have no way to attach a rack and I need an excuse to buy another bike.

I'd like to find a nice steel commuting/touring type bike. So far I only looked at a 2010 Jamis Aurora Elite and while I was impressed at first the various random web comments I've read give me pause. I did some googling but this isn't something I know much about so all the names were mostly Greek to me.

What are the "worthy of consideration" steel bikes I should look into? I'm thinking in the less than $1500 range and ideally would buy something on sale to get the most bang for the buck.

Thanks.

SOMA ES, Surly LHT. Both available as full builds withing your price range.
FWIW, although it's a bit heavyish, I do love riding my LHT .

Salsa Casseroll or Vaya.

Masi has a few steel bikes that would work for commuting like the Speciale Randonneur and the Speciale CX.

Let's not forget the Surly Cross check..

Could always poke around for a Trek 520 or Jamis Aurora (not elite).
Also the older Jamis Sputnik (steel) or Jamis Nova (I'm not a fan of carbon forks anymore but still a good bike) also come to mind.
Beyond that there's a plethora of old Japanese touring bikes available used & cheap that'd do the trick. fresh chain, fresh tires & brake pads & there ya go.

Salsa Vaya or Fargo. Hella nice but just outside your price range. Worth the extra $$$

I love the Soma Buena Vista I built. The mixte design protects your valuables from top tube abuse during frequent stops in traffic.It's light, sporty and fun to ride. It can easily be built up within your price range, but does not come built up.

https://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com...and-mixte.html

Marc

The Jamis Aurora is a great option. Also consider the Salsa Casseroll, Soma ES, or Gunnar Sport. I got a Casseroll in early April and it has become my regular commuter and favorite bike to ride in general. Very nice riding frame and extremely versatile with mounts for fenders and racks, clearance for larger tires, canti brakes.

Soma Double Cross. Not available as a complete AFAIK, but it could be built up nicely for $1500 or so especially if you're willing to buy used parts. Dunno how comfortable you'd be building it up though.

Civia Kingfield $1425

Salsa Vaya! Without a doubt the most comfortable and versatile bike I have ever owned...Sold my Pake C'Mute and my Cross Check and got the Vaya and couldn't be happier with a bike. I have run 28c Gatorskins all the way up to 42c Tour Rides and the bike is just killer.

Rene Herse, now Hand Built in Colorado, custom..

and Boulder Bikes , another product line , same company ..


Co Motion , in Oregon, I have a Bike friday , also made in Eugene, Of Steel.

Gunnar For the win!!

I have a Novarra 2010 Radonee, which is very much like the LHT, but with regular brifters. I am very happy with it and it has a major virtue for a commute. It was pretty cheap, about half of your budget.

Expensive bikes have a purpose (and only individual financial status can dictate what is expensive), but I would suggest not commuting on any bike that you would be traumatized if it was stolen or broken in an accident.

+1

I heard someone say Cross Check!?

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I think I like the overall specs of the Vaya and will head over to my LBS (luckily I have a local dealer) to check one out. However, I'm not enamored with the current orange color scheme. What year is your black one?

I used to have a cross bike that I commuted on but I think I'd like something with a taller HT for somewhat more comfort on longer rides, but I suppose each bike has it's own geo so I'll have to do some test rides.

Novarra Randonee for 2011 looks like it's more of a commuting bike that a touring bike to me (needs lower gears to pull full loads up mountains).

Fuji Touring is my normal commuter, but not too easy to find. Of course, neither are any of the other suggested "touring" bikes.

Windsor Tourist from Bikesdirect is pretty much the same bike as the Fuji

Redline Conquest Classic
Raleigh Clubman, Sojourn, or Port Townsend
Brodie Elan
Kona ***** Inc
Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30
Masi Speciale Randonneur
Torker Interurban (a lot of bike for the $$$)

Looked at a Salsa Vaya today and have to say it's a pretty sweet ride. It's more than I like to pay but really seems to have all the required features for the commuter and casual touring. Not an LHT but then that's not really what I need. The Vaya is pretty sweet. I can take or leave the disc brakes but I guess it's nice to have. Plenty of rack options, takes skinny or wide tires, like the 48/34 crank and the mountain cassette, has road brifters which I like, and the shallow drop bar is pretty nice too. I can't really see anything "wrong" with the bike other than maybe the price.

Can anyone rate this bike agains the Jamis Aurora or Aurora Elite? I initially liked the Elite but in retrospect it comes with too much crap (great if it's the right crap) which I guess saves money but not sure it's set up the way I'd want. Aside from that, how does the Jamis stack up against the Salsa? Should I be concerned by the chromoly vs reynolds steel or is that mostly marketing? Thanks again.

I'm a Salsa fan so this reply is gonna be a little biased so take it for what it's worth...

Can't speak on the Jamis, never seen one online or in the flesh. As far as the steel tubing, the steel frame tubing that Salsa uses (Classico/Kung Fu/whatever) is on par with Reynolds 753/853. I thought I read somewhere that it was sourced from Sanko of Japan. No need to worry about the quality of the frame. My two year old El Mariachi is made from True Temper tubing and my newer Ala Carte is built on Kung Fu/Sanko tubing. The ride quality is similar-nice lively steel feel. The complete bike comes in the orange, frame only is the dark charcoal color. I'm a bit partial on the latter color.

I thought the orange was pretty cool. Mine is the 2011charcoal color. It's pretty dark, but sparkles like crazy in the sun. I heard that orange bikes were completes and frame sets came in charcoal, but I'm not sure that is true. I built mine up myself with a triple 105/ultegra

My Surly LHT in her various incarnations over the years...











The best bike I've ever had. If the house burnt down and I could only rescue one bike it would be this one.