Hey there TohTruck!

I personally don't like the Carpe, it just doesn't aesthetically appeal to me. I'd rule both the Raleigh Misceo and the Trek DS out in preference to the Jamis Coda Sport, instead. In absence of the Coda, I'd go with the Misceo.

The Fuji Feather admittedly, is a very beautiful bicycle, but it has two things I thought you wanted to avoid, drop handlbars (for a more upright sitting position) and beauty (a target for thieves).

Phat Cycles is the name of the bicycle brand, but to which model are you referring us? We need additional information to extend an opinion, one way or another. Of course, at this point, I think you already have a pretty good idea as to which bike you really want

Hey, TohTruck!

No1mad has a great idea, I think! Just go to REI in Soho. Converse with the salesperson there who knows bikes and test-ride a few while there.

If you decide to make your purchase there and you sign up to become a member, you'll have the best warranty ever. If something should happen to your bike, like a cracked tube or something, they'll either replace your bike or give you a complete refund. That could be five or ten years from now. If you're a member, you don't even need a receipt, because it's already been saved onto their computer disc.

OTOH, if you really want that Brougham and your heart beats for it. True love just can't be denied!


- Slim

PS.

The Trek DS has a suspension fork. Bikes that cost below say ..$1000, generally don't have really great suspension forks, and are more trouble in the long run than what they're actually worth.

Thanks again so much everyone! You guys have no idea how helpful all the advice and information that I'm getting from this forum is.

So yeah, it definitely makes choosing a bike much easier knowing that for the most part the quality for most bikes around a certain price range is relatively similar.

****, I had no idea that REI was a bike shop worth checking out. I was just in that area and saw that place but didn't know that it was a bike place. I saw that they had bikes but dismissed as being some kind of EMS type place that happened to have some bikes as well. I'll try and stop by if I have time tomorrow. But yeah, that warranty policy sounds very tempting. But are they expensive?

Yeah SlimRider, I actually thought the Carpe was quite ugly as well. But I just wasn't sure if that was an important factor that goes into choosing a bike. Its good to know that aesthetics plays a major part in how people choose bikes. I didn't know if it could have been a thing where an ugly bike might be a good bike in terms of quality and performance.

But yeah, I like the simple look of the Felt Brougham (the one I saw at Velo was basically completely black) and the Pure Fix and Phat Cycle bikes.

I don't know the model name of the Phat Cycle. But it was a fixed gear/single speed. I'm assuming it's the "Phixie" as listed on the website, as the other bikes they have on the website looked nothing like the one I rode today.

I definitely like that it is the least expensive of the ones that I am looking at right now. But I don't want to buy it and find all the components breaking on me a few months from now.

The guys at Busy Bee told me that the Phat Cycle bike and the Pure Fix (also a fixed gear/single speed) aren't much different. So I could buy either or.

You know what's weird, I don't remember any of the bikes that I saw today having a suspension fork (that is one of those forks that look like they have some kind of spring mechanism in them used for absorbing shock?). But it looks like (at least from the Raleigh website) the Releigh has a suspension fork.

How would a suspension fork apply to urban riding? Or I guess what exactly is it for? To absorb shocks and stuff?

None of the stores had the Jamis Coda Sport.

I'm going to rule out the Trek District S, because its out of my price range.

But I guess I'll try and decide among the Phat Cycle Phixie (I'm assuming that's the bike that I tried today, as it's the only one from the website that looks like the one I rode on), Pure Fix, Raleigh Misceo, and the Felt Brougham.

Without quoting the whole post, OP asked if REI is expensive. They are like any LBS, in that they offer something in all price points. I included a link to the full Novara urban line in an earlier post, but as the OP has narrowed it down to SS models, here's the two Novara offerings (both of which are well within budget): Buzz One at $450 https://www.rei.com/product/808782/no...-one-bike-2012 and the Transfer One at $500 https://www.rei.com/product/825376/no...-one-bike-2012

And something else that might be appealing (or not) is the Globe Daily 1 from Specialized

^^^ Thanks, yeah I wasn't sure if the price differed at the store since the warranty and being that they have a store in New York City would have made it almost too good to be affordable.

Yeah actually, I vaguely remember one of the stores (I think it might have been Bicycle Habitat) showing me/mentioning a Globe Daily 1, but they ran out of stock or ran out of an appropriate size for me.

No experience with REI, but from what I gather (and those who have dealt with can chime in):



-Warranty- is the same for members and non-members. It's their "100% Satisfaction Guarantee" program. Main difference is that non-members have to show a receipt when returning; members don't.
-Didn't see anywhere that prices vary by location or that the store wouldn't match the website- unlike Wal-Mart.
-You don't need a membership to buy from them. Membership does offer up a few perks, like 10% of eligible purchases back annually. So if you signed up for membership at the time of buying the bike- and didn't buy anything else- the cost of your membership would be free, and maybe a little bit left over would come to you. But you'll be in the market for locks, lights, tubes, tools,...

I would say that before you buy anything you test ride every model on that list and see what you like best. My choice was the Trek however you might like the Phat bike the best, we can only suggest, we can't say what is best for you. Ride all of them and see what suits you best.

Thanks, yeah that makes the most sense of course. But I just wanted to know in terms of quality and reputation of the parts, components, and durability among the companies and models.

Like, I've heard of Trek as a bike brand before. But I've never heard of Phat Cycles, also was a little worried because it seems no one else on the forums or any of the other stores have heard of Phat Cycles. And, at some of the other employees from other stores have also at least heard of the Felt brand name.

Hey there TohTruck!

IMHO, if you're going to buy a single speed, I think your best bet is the Novara Buzz One from REI. As a matter of fact, I'd say you should try to make your purchase at REI anyway, because of the 100% satisfaction guarantee they offer. If you're a member, you get other perks and discounts, as well. There's no warranty on this planet like an REI warranty!

However, sometimes warranties don't mean that much to people who desire a specific design of product.

Novara is the generic house-brand for REI bicycles. They all have a great reputation for being reliable. Also, while your there at REI, I would suggest that you test-ride the Raleigh Detour 4.5. It's an eight-speed, but it's a really nice bike.

If you don't want to go with REI, then of course for single speeds, my first choice remains the same. The Felt Brougham is tops!

- Slim

PS.

The Raleigh Misceo has four models. All of them have suspended forks, except for the one at the bottom of the Totem Pole. That one is acera/altus equipped and has a rigid fork. All of the Trek DS models have suspended forks.

* Eventhough the Raleigh Misceo is on the bottom, it still has acera, which is really not that bad of a rear derailleur. Raleigh is a great bicycle manufacturing company.

I'll check out REI, I kinda don't like that the handlebars aren't flat. But I'll see if I can test drive it and see how I feel.

I imagine the Raleigh Misceo they were showing me was probably the bottom of the totem pole model.

So, if it came down to the Raleigh Misceo and the Felt Brougham (and I realize they are two very different bikes), what would you folks go for?

I got a Scott sub 50, sadly they stopped production but it's a cheap bike and lasts well. I leave it out in the rain when I'm at school because the bike racks don't have shelter =(. It's a single speed hybrid and it works like a charm for under 500 bucks, only the nuts rust but not any major frame components. I use it for long distance and the tyres are wider than a road bikes so it's more suited to pavement terrain, really adaptable bike.

If nyc is really super flat, ur really going to enjoy ur single speed. Riding a single speed isn't really all that hard core it's actually easy. Finding the right gear ratio is good too but don't worry about that now, you'll know when u've been riding it for awhile and the manufactures get the right gear ratio usually.

Really a bike for commuting, if you get it from a bike shop it should be pretty reliable and at your price range it should do fine for what you plan to do.

This is my ride ^^

Hey there TohTruck!

For some reason, I just think there's a special place in your heart for that Brougham. That's alright! Having a single speed in New York, if nothing else, will both train and teach you, that more gears are needed. For true single-speedsters, they never get to this point. They're eternally satisfied with their single speed and that's it! You just might be one of those single-speedsters at heart.

So therefore, the Felt Brougham is at the top of my list, accompanied by the Schwinn Madison, and the Raleigh Back Alley.

In terms of single speeds, you can't go wrong with any of the above recommendations.

Sorry about the Buzz One handlebar. I truly missed that one. I thought it was flat. I'm with you there. I would only want a flat handlebar with a single speed for some reason.

- Slim

Handlebars can be swapped out easily enough. If the bar is the only thing about a bike you don't like, let the LBS know and I'm pretty sure they'd be more than willing to help you choose an alternate.

REI is awesome. The price might not be but service is. If I was more interested in Scott CR1 vs. Addict I got... I would have gotten it at REI (they don't carry Addict...)
Case in point. I got Gore bike wear jacket from REI about a year and half ago. I took spill on road and the jacket got damaged couple months later. I took it to REI so I can get some advice on repair/replacement part (removable arm portion is what got damaged). Cashier cheerily asked me if I would prefer cash or credit...
They beat even Costco in return/warranty policy AFAIK.
I think it is working for them as I've but many more stuff from them when the price differential of item I am getting is... "negligible".... around 15-20% difference from on line. (I have life time membership).

A lot to be said for a folding bike,
those don't have to be left heavily locked up on the NYC street,
then you bring it inside..

Yeah, I thought about a folding bike at one point.

Do they perform and last just as well and just as long as non-folding bikes? Or do the parts and components compensate in quality to make up for the fact that they are designed to fold up?

This also just might open up another can of worms for me. I'm already kind of confused as it is.

Yeah, for some reason I really have a gut feeling about the Felt Brougham.

Nevertheless, I really just want the best bike for my buck and something that I can bare to look at and feel comfy on.

I'm going to try and find time today or over the weekend to stop by REI and check out the models everyone recommended (Novara Buzz One and Raleigh Detour 4.5) and try to find a Jamis dealer in my area (I actually found one thats a few blocks away) to check out the Coda Sport.

I think I'm going to strongly opt out of the Phat Cycles and Pure Fix. I'm kinda nervous that people don't know much about them and something about their websites gives me the impression that they aren't a practical bike for me.

Tohtruck says:

Personally, I think folding bikes would serve a cyclist best, if he has to park his car some distance from some main event, like school or place of employment. It may also be useful when having to take public transportation and the last stop provided by public transportation, proves to be too far away from your destination.

Here in the Bay Area, it would be ideal, because one is required to cross a portion of the Pacific Ocean in order to get from the cities of the East Bay to San Francisco. Parking at an East Bay Bart station, grabbing your folder out of the trunk of your car and boarding the train to San Francisco, could prove to be very convenient. You could then just make the appropriate adjustments on your folder and ride to your ultimate destination in San Francisco.

I can't really see a folder as a recreational bicycle. IMHO, the 700cc wheel size is really the only way to go for me!

Yes indeed, it's statement of class, all by itself!

Hey, that's why we're here!


Actually, this is the very best thing you could ever do, because on paper,
things can look really impressive. However, in reality things could be
drastically different. When you test-ride, that usually places an exclamation
point on your suspicions, one way or another. If I were you, if I had the time,
I'd spend three or four days doing nothing but test-riding different bikes.


I don't know about either of these start-up companies. Pure Fix only usues hi-tensile steel for frame material. Phat Cycles uses chromoly steel. Phat Cycles appears to be the better of the two.

So at the end of the day, nothing can take the place of hands-on investigation and exploration. Get out there, visit as many bikes shops as possible, including REI and the Jamis dealership. Test-ride whatever you can, carry pen and paper with you so that you can record your conclusions. Then you can return to BF to report your findings!

Aren't folding bikes a little gimicky? Yes, they take up less space, but I just don't see the problem with throwing a bike on your shoulder, or just rolling it by your side.

Folders make great sense for multimodal commuters. If you bike/bus and the rack on the bus is full, often times you have to wait for the next bus or start peddaling. Some light rail won't allow full size bikes on board during peak (rush) hour. A folder can be folded and carried on without much fanfare. Easier to arrange transportation if inclement weather forces one to accept a ride from a co-worker- I've had to leave my bike at work before because nobody had a rack on their vehicle or it wouldn't fit inside either.

They also take up less space for apartment dwellers.

Let me post a shameless plug for my blog, that, sadly, hasn't been updated in a loooong time. It's the NYC Bike Commuter link in my signature. I have several writeups there targeted at beginners including some general info and introductions to bikes and bike commuting. All writen from my own experience.

True. I forgot about peak hours on the subway. In my city, it's not really enforced, although it is a very reasonable law.

Again, thanks for all the replies everyone.

Slim, you've especially been really awesome in replying to everything I've been posting.

So about the folding bikes. I almost don't even want to consider them, as I think I might start pulling hair out of my skull. But to humor the notion, what brand of folding bike is the best for my $600 and under price range? I realize the wheels are smaller on folding bikes. How exactly does that translate to performance when riding on flat terrain in the city compared to a 700cc wheel size? Does it make it harder to pedal or slower?

I thought the folding bike thing was a bit gimmicky as well, but again, I don't know anything about bikes.

Yeah, the Pure Fix and Phat Cycles seem okay, but even the dude at the bike shop said that at some point I will probably end up wanting something better. He even said that if I got one, it would most likely quickly become a beater bike as I become more educated on bike matters. Not bad, but not exactly what I am looking for either.

I wanted to test ride some bikes today but ran out of time during the day extremely fast. REI, suggested I come back to test drive the Novara Buzz One when it wasn't dark outside. So I will come by over the weekend. They didn't have any adult sized Raleighs. But yeah, in terms of aesthetics, its more colorful and eye-catching than I was hoping. It's definitely a beautiful bike, but maybe too beautiful in terms of looks. Nevertheless, the consumer co-op thing and satisfaction guarantee policy is ridiculous!!! I almost want to drop cash in that store and buy a bunch of dumb **** just because of that policy. I could even buy the Buzz One and hold on to it for a year or two and return it one day when I get bored. It almost doesn't feel right.

They said they could switch up handlebars to a flat one. LoL, why the **** are the rims blue???

I will definitely give it a test ride over the weekend.

I stopped by another bike shop today that is a Jamis dealer. They did not have any Coda Sports =( , but said that most likely their other locations would have them and they could have them brought over given a day or two. However, they did have a Redline 925 in stock for $480. I will set up a test ride for the weekend so I can check out the Coda Sport and the Redline 925.

Unfortunately, while I was there the dude (who was helpful) started showing me some more bikes and stuff. I didn't write all of them down, because I am going to go crazy. But one of the models he mentioned that I guess I will test ride when i have time is the SE Draft Lite for $330 (specifically its a black one with red grips and I think a red crank). It's very inexpensive, is that worth looking into?

It seems like almost all the stores I've been to have the same 3 year policy on brake and gear adjustments. How important are these types of matters?

NYC Velo, offers a free brake and gear adjustments for a lifetime which definitely appeals to me since I am liking the Felt Brougham that they showed me. And REI of course seems to have the best policy which is everything for the life of the bike basically.

Does anyone know about this thing?

https://times-up.org/

Apparently among the various things that they organize is a free fix your bike workshop in LES Manhattan and Brooklyn. They supposedly had one today, and I was going to stop by, but got a little creeped out when I walked over to the location, it was supposedly in the basement of some creepy looking abandoned building and I didn't really see anyone hanging around there and was even too scared to peak inside. I was hoping maybe I could stop by and ask some people questions and look to it as a resource for riding and meeting cyclists and learning more. If anyone is familiar with this non-profit direct action organization, can you offer up some info on it and their workshops and events?

So yeah, I will spend a good majority of my weekend test riding bikes. Specifically I will definitely try to test ride:

Felt Brougham

Novara Buzz One from REI

Jamis Coda Sport (hopefully, they have it when I come back)

Redline 925

Raleigh Misceo

and I forgot to ask around if anyone had the Surly Steamroller, but I'll see if anyone has that for me to test ride as well.

Thanks again, everyone, I hope my thread isn't becoming annoying. It's just that I rapidly start to get obsessed when I'm about to make a big purchase. I'm always uncomfortable about not being a well-informed consumer.

I will check out your blog AdamDZ, thanks for that.

I think that the Steamroller is going to be out of your price range. If that 925 fits, do give it a good, looong test ride- it gets much love in BFSSFG here (and elsewhere), but is no longer in production .

As far as tire sizes go, the smaller the diameter of the wheel, the faster it accelerates and generally more nimble when turning. Drawback is that they don't maintain the speed very well given the same amount of effort compared to larger wheels. But if you're going to be riding in very population dense areas...

As far as best bang for your buck folders, you might ask the folks in that forum.

^^ Thanks for the heads up.

Yes, I'll give the Redline 925 a strong consideration. Actually it was around my size, according to the dude who was helping me out. But it was also hanging from the ceiling so I didn't get a good look at it.

Again, I don't think I'm gonna get into the whole folding thing. I'm just gonna end up spending the next couple of months looking at bikes, reading about bikes, posting about bikes and then never getting a bike lol.

So... about helmets... I'm not sure where to post my questions about helmets. The Safety forum seems to be focused on accidents and public bike policy. Is there a forum dedicated to safety equipment?

I want to buy a good protective helmet with a very low-profile. I was reading a bit about the Pro-Tec helmets (had an old one when I used to skateboard as a teenager). So, apparently they make a model or a couple that are meant for the Department of Defense and Military Personel. Is that true? And are they good for cycling safety?

Otherwise, where should I post my above questions about bike helmets?

There is a helmet thread in A&S, but from what I gather, you kinda need a thick skull to go there.

Here's Sheldon's take on helmets.