Originally Posted by the sci guy (Post 15714094)

the surly crosscheck does indeed look like an awesome commuter bike. it's on my list of possibles (towards the top!) for when I get a new commuter hopefully in the next year.
only thing is there are no prices on the surly website, or on the dealer website we have here.

what did y'all pay for your crosscheck (if you don't mind my asking) ?

Originally Posted by PaulRivers (Post 15722839)

I also live in Minneapolis.

I totally hear where you're coming from. For me, with a 55 minute commute to work (or a hour 15 minutes the other way), and a commute that doesn't involve downtown, I prefer a relatively-upright road bike. If it's windy going home, it's a real p.i.t.a. with an upright handlebar bike. To be *able* to ride down in the drops for a lot of the ride is a big plus for me, and while I prefer a more upright style of road bike I still prefer the road bike.

I think there's pluses and minuses for **both**, and there's no clear cut "one is better than the other" call to make. Another advantage of a flat bar is that it's easier for most people to find a comfortable riding position. Just been my experience...

Originally Posted by spivonious (Post 15715285)

Trek Allant. I've been riding one since December on my 7 mile, hilly commute and it is perfect.

It comes with a rack and fenders, has a nice upright position, and has comfortable grips and saddle.

My only complaints are that it is a bit heavy and the upright position is not nice on windy days (20+mph).

Originally Posted by the sci guy (Post 15728452)

can anyone give and pros/cons for the surly cross check vs the long haul trucker for commuting? i don't carry a heavy load, really.

Originally Posted by Commuter16 (Post 15771340)

To add: I actually don't mind the bar end shifters now. On my commute, I don't need to change gears much, and for whatever reason, I like the click-click sound that it makes as feedback when I do change gears.

Originally Posted by Commuter16 (Post 15771312)

I ended up getting the Crosscheck. I've been commuting with it for the past week now, and loving every minute of it - well, maybe not the instance when I almost got "right hooked". :)
Thanks for the advice!

Originally Posted by Commuter16 (Post 15771340)

To add: I actually don't mind the bar end shifters now. On my commute, I don't need to change gears much, and for whatever reason, I like the click-click sound that it makes as feedback when I do change gears.

Originally Posted by PaulRivers (Post 15771374)

You should ride whatever you enjoy. :-)

I just don't like them myself...

Originally Posted by the sci guy (Post 15771625)

since i am heavily leaning toward a cross check can you tell me what about them you don't specifically like?

Originally Posted by agmetal (Post 15728141)

Depending on where in Malden you are, you probably won't have to deal with much of this path on your actual commute, but I took my Volpe on the Northern Strand trail this afternoon. It hasn't been properly paved yet, so it's all fairly hard-packed gravel...the Volpe handled it beautifully.

Originally Posted by PaulRivers (Post 15772139)

Some people say "I don't shift that often", but that kind of shifting, braking, and turning at the same time often takes place in the middle of an intersection - the absolute last place I need another distraction.

Originally Posted by the sci guy (Post 15771625)

nice. i really am curious about the bar end shifters - i've honestly never seen them on a road bike before (i'm just getting back into biking so i've missed a lot of stuff lol). did they give you options to upgrade to brifters at all?
overall how is the weight of the bike and how nicely does it take a rear rack and panniers - have you found it holds up enough for a regular to-work commute? would you be able to do some light touring on it?

i'd love to know your impressions about the whole thing.



since i am heavily leaning toward a cross check can you tell me what about them you don't specifically like?

Originally Posted by GFish (Post 15773041)

Agree, I too hate to shift around intersections. Which is exactly why I don't. Instead, I commute 30 miles round trip on a single speed. Mostly flat roads except for a few rollers and 2 bridges.

With the SS, I still make it to work around the same time as my old gear driven heavy steel MTB converted as a commuter and my geared road bike. So yes, I'm one of those who think that gearing and all the shifting is over rated. Except for climbing mountains and hills, or battling strong headwinds, I doubt most people need all those gears.

Originally Posted by Commuter16 (Post 15772534)

PS: There was no option to change the gear shifters on the Cross Check. Another LBS suggested the All-City Space Horse if I really didn't like the bar-end shifters. The Space Horse is at a higher price point, but he said it's very similar to the Cross Check and in general a better bike. I didn't get to ride it thought because they didn't carry one in my size.

Originally Posted by PaulRivers (Post 15772139)

You have to take your hands off the brakes to shift, so you can end up with your hands elsewhere when you suddenly need to brake. It's difficult to turn as well while shifting. I usually have a good grip on the bars while pedalling uphill as well - lots of shifting there.

Some people say "I don't shift that often", but that kind of shifting, braking, and turning at the same time often takes place in the middle of an intersection - the absolute last place I need another distraction.

Some people will say "you still have one hand on the brakes" - if you lock up your front wheel by accident (because you're used to having both hands on the brakes) you can flip yourself over the handlebars. I did that once on my mountain bike while stupidly trying to button close a pocket that had come open with one hand while not stopping. Ended up on my back, over the bars, in the middle of the woods. It's a lot less likely to happen on a skinny-tire bike, because of the lower braking power, but I'm not fond of it.

Look, non of this is a deal breaker. If I got this bike for free in college, I'd definitely ride it and everything. You just have to slow down and be more careful. But when I'm buying new - hell no. In fact in high school I did actually pay several hundred more for a bike with brake-integrated shifters rather than going for the bar-end shifter model that was cheaper. I just find barends very annoying.

Originally Posted by Commuter16 (Post 15772534)

I carry about 10-15 pounds to work each morning on my water bottles and rear rack. I don't feel the weight at all when I'm riding, and the bike feels quick and nimble enough - however, my point of comparison is to a old heavy department store MTB that I used to ride as a kid, and I think anything feels quick and nimble compared to that!

I've attached a couple pictures - one without and one with the Topeak bag/pannier. I think one could do light touring without any problems. According to the LBS, one of the pros of the bar-end shifters is how robust they are, and they specifically mentioned how that's great when touring and in the middle of nowhere, to have reliable gear shifting system.

PS: There was no option to change the gear shifters on the Cross Check. Another LBS suggested the All-City Space Horse if I really didn't like the bar-end shifters. The Space Horse is at a higher price point, but he said it's very similar to the Cross Check and in general a better bike. I didn't get to ride it thought because they didn't carry one in my size.

Originally Posted by PennyTheDog (Post 15773357)

I also bought a cross check this year for everyday commuting. I had an aluminum/carbon road bike with brifters, and I really didn't notice any convenience issue switching to barend shifters. People sometimes complain about cantilever brake performance, but they've worked fine for me too. One benefit of them is that they can travel a lot farther, so you don't need them to sit as close to the wheel. Consequently, you don't have to fiddle with their positioning as much-- they never rub.

As far as carrying loads for touring, I really can't imagine a load big enough to cause a problem. I don't have a front rack, but I've frequently carried $100 of groceries on my 10-mile commute (including beer, gallons of milk, watermelons... heavy stuff) and I've never had a problem.

My only gripe is that my stock bike had its steerer tube cut too much for my taste. It felt right to me at first because I was used to the road bike position. But once I went through the effort of raising my bars a bit, I realized I will never go back! That's not a problem with the cross check, because the uncut steerer tube is plenty long. But if you buy the complete bike they seem to always set it up with a really agressive position. You might want to ask them if they would leave the bars a little higher. You can always cut more later, but you can't add it back, and a new fork is $100.

Overall I've loved the bike, and I'm very happy. Oh, and I paid basically list price for it in Minneapolis.

Originally Posted by bikemig (Post 15773432)

I like cross bikes for commuting and I even like bar ends but everyone's tastes differ. I'll 2d the suggestion for a mountain bike for commuting in a town like Boston. It's a busy city and having bulletproof wheels is good. If the OP has any mechanical skills, he or she can pick up a prima vintage rigid mtb for a heck of a lot less than the $1200 that the cross check (or a similar bike) runs and have plenty of money left over for a front wheel build with a generator hub, panniers, etc.

Originally Posted by the sci guy (Post 15773556)

no, i totally understand. i often shift up one gear to the 2nd smallest cog so it's just a tad easier to start off from a stop sign or the red light, as i approach the intersection. right now i have the rapid fire thumb trigger shifters on my MTB, and i find that so ridiculously convenient and easy. i can see how having to completely move your hand and arm quite a distance to the end of the bar could pose a problem.
for the same reason i was never a fan of the old-fashioned shifters mounted on the down tube. they're so far out of the way it was uncomfortable. i didn't end up getting the bike simply because of that.



i have the topeak rack/bag w/fold out panniers system as well - awesome to see it in use on the bike. thanks!
what size frame / tires did you get? how tall are you? I'm 5'5", but I like a slightly larger frame than I should be fitted to.
i definitely don't carry more than 10 pounds to work with me. just simple work clothes, and papers and a lunch. so iguess i should be fine!
i will say i am kind of annoyed you can't upgrade the shifters - but i guess that's also surly's thing - this is the reliable bike you need that will just keep on hauling so here it is take it or leave it.



awesome - thanks for the feedback!
with the bar end shifters sticking out do you ever accidentally hit them when you're riding, or loading/unloading the bike from a rack? i look at them in pictures sometimes and i just say "man they look like they're going to be in the way!"
do you flip them down to shift to smaller cogs, and up to the larger? also how do they function? is it a simple click and you're there, or is it like the old fashioned ones on 90's MTBs where you had to move that damn thumb thing to just the right spot of it didn't shift or it made a clickety clackety sound

there is only one bik shop here that carries surly's and i have not had a chance to go see them, it's not a convenient store location at all. also i won't be buying one until after we move to another state anyway - just trying to get a feel for the bike and if it's something i really want to check out!



right now i commute on a late 90's giant rincon MTB. but i'm looking to extend my options and try something new with a little more umph!

Originally Posted by GFish (Post 15773041)

Agree, I too hate to shift around intersections. Which is exactly why I don't. Instead, I commute 30 miles round trip on a single speed. Mostly flat roads except for a few rollers and 2 bridges.

With the SS, I still make it to work around the same time as my old gear driven heavy steel MTB converted as a commuter and my geared road bike. So yes, I'm one of those who think that gearing and all the shifting is over rated. Except for climbing mountains and hills, or battling strong headwinds, I doubt most people need all those gears.

And in case someone mistakes me as an elite cyclist, don't. I'm not that strong of a rider, almost 57 years old and still have some pounds to lose.

Since bar ends are supposed to be very reliable, these should work well on a commuter, and if safety is a concern, just limit the number of shifts and shift only when it's safe.

Commuter16, nice bike, congrats! And good for you to start commuting.