Help me choose my first Commuter please!
 

OK so i am in the market for decent entry level bikes that are no more than 550 CAD I am a student so money is hard to come by. I have done a lot of research and i think i have a general understanding of my choices in Toronto. I have found 4 options but they all have good stuff to each of them. So far my #1 choice is gonna be the Trek 1.3 FX 2009 model for 400 dollars TREK 7.3 FX - 2009 Hybrid in great condition Though i am not sure how good the parts hold up to today bikes and if this bike is a good deal or a bad one.

My second choice is a cyclocross bike called an Aquila Pave Lite *NEW* AQUILA PAVE (SMALL) - SHIMANO, AVID, FSA CARBON PRO, +++ , i have never heard of this brand and can not find any forum post about it or YouTube videos and the guy said he got it for 999 plus tax and is selling for 500. Which seems strange to me as it is a 2014 model and he claims to have never ridden it and he has no reason for selling it and i asked for a proof of purchase and he said he lost the receipt. I really do not want to buy a hot bike so what do you guys think? Is this bike even that good or just over priced and if you think it isn't stolen then should i go for it or the FX 7.3 2009.

My third choice is to buy a brand new Trek FX 7.0 Trek 7.0 FX 2014 That will cost around 520 with tax and such and i have been comparing parts and to my general knowledge the 7.0 is gonna be 120 dollars more and some of the parts are no name so i would really appreciate if someone could elaborate what would be better a 2014 model 7.0 or a 2009 model 7.3 Or the Aquila Pave lite.

I was originally gonna get a road bike but i decided since Toronto has some half cement and half rough dirt trails that a road bike would be too much of a hassle for a commute to be so careful of pot holes and i was once hit by a car and was in the hospital for 6 days so i ride on the sidewalk because of my part of Toronto the cars travel fairly fast around 40 km/h not like downtown. Ok well i guess that's it any response is greatly appreciated thanks in advance :thumb:

The 7.3 would be my choice. It has an alloy fork, but that's life in that price range. Five year old parts will hold up just fine, as long as they're not wiped out now. There hasn't been any major advances in lower lever stuff in a long time. It takes time for top line technology trickles down. And usually doesn't reach the lower levels intact.

I've never heard of the Aguilla and am not going to search. You didn't find anything, so that's that. At that price and description I certainly would take a look.

One bike is listed as "20 inch/51cm" and the other as "small". It's not really a "which one should I buy" but a "which one fits you". That would be the one to buy.

A small frame doesn't reach 20 inches--both bikes are not suitable for you. You need to start your search with bikes that are your size.

I ride a small/17" bike, in that style.

Thanks for reply though i am confused about how the size on these bikes work because in this chart http://hybridbikesquad.com/wp-conten...ng-Guide-1.jpg it says 50-52 cm is 15-16 inches when 50 cm is 19 inches not 15 are they measuring like width and lenght? Sorry if coming off like an idiot.

Welcome to the forums. :)

40 kmph (25 mph) is not fast, at all, in fact its the lowest speed main roads can be in north america.

It really sounds like you need to map your routes better and work on situational awareness, as well as realize that bikes come in sizes like shoes and you should never be riding anything other than the correct size as it can cause joint issues and can be unsafe.

You really need to do a bit of homework before you even begin to look at bikes.

Bicycle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hope you sort things out & find the thing that works best for you once you have some knowledge. I encourage you to poke around on this site as well for the numerous good threads and countless juicy tidbits on what works or doesn't & why/why not. :)

- Andy

Thanks and what? lol there are streets 30 km/h in Toronto my street is 30 Km/h and i may have understated the speed they go fairly fast i have never seen a biker in the flow of traffic on the main streets they are always on the side of the road unless downtown. And i know i need to do some homework in certain areas that's why i signed up lol i thought some people could answer questions like the one guy did not just link Wiki articles lol. I am also only 14 years old and have a lot of growing to do my current height is 5'4 and these bike size charts such as this one Sportchek Bike Sizing - SportChek.ca say a 52 cm is exactly what i need and then other ones say completely different so i was looking for some opinions. Like is road bike sizing similar to hybrid or completely different.

Lyte, I disagree that Toronto Sucks at Cycling. I have cycling in this city for over 28 years and it just keeps getting better and better. There are lots of bike routes, MUP and side streets to get you where every you want to go. Pick up a Toronto cycling map and have a look. I can understand that you want to ride on the sidewalk but this will eventually get you a ticket, especially during the the blitzes they have. Expect one in the next two weeks when school starts. They go after the cyclists not the drivers so be prepared. I cycle all year round and typically have very few problems.

Your first order of business is looking for the right size. Go to a few bike shops and get a general feeling of what would work for you. Then go from there.

I am a strong advocate of buying a new bike especially your first rather than second hand. The Trek 7.3 is a five year old bike, and I think even if it fits, the price is too high. Size is an issue, it is too big for someone who is 5' 4". At your height a hybrid would usually be 15 inches, but this can vary from bike to bike, just ballpark.

The Aquilla is the best price and the bike I would buy if it isn't stolen. No paperwork on a brand new bike? You could always phone Racer Sportif and ask them about that bike, they will remember. For the record, no one sells that bike but Racer Sportif. They have that brand manufactured for them so you are not going to see it anywhere else. That bike could be ridden all winter no problem, just put on studded tires and you would be ready to go. Even thought they are the only ones that sell that brand, it really is a good bike. I have never seen an Aquilla that people hated or was a piece of crap. So I wouldn't worry about that.

I like your third choice, as it new, you will get free tune-ups and they will fit you properly at the Trek Store. It still comes with Shimano derailleurs etc, nothing is really junk here.

A few bike stores that I think you might want to look at and are quite helpful: My number one choice is Urbane Cycles on John Street, near Much Music. It is a co-op run store and they are very nice people and they will help you out. One thing I like is they hire lots of women in their shop, so it represents the general population. They concentrate on commuter bikes and affordable bikes. Not one carbon bike racing bike will be found there. Second Bikes on Wheels on Augusta in Kensington Market. Third would be the Trek store, tied with Cyclepath. Bateman's would be another I would look at on Bathurst.

Buying used is a gamble. But if you know your size and what bikes are good, then it can be an alternative.

After you get the bike buy the best lock and make sure it is an Abus or Kryptonite or you can kiss your bike goodbye. Learn to lock your bike properly, so it stays yours.

Good luck with what ever you decide. I love Toronto, and I love cycling in it and I really like Cycle Toronto, they are doing a lot to make the city a better place for cyclists.

When i was in Toronto, it seemed ideal for biking. I stayed in Hamilton for a week, and it also seemed pretty good for biking aside from negotiating the escarpment.

- Andy

Thanks for the reply and Toronto is nto that bad but i went to montreal for a week once and we rented bikes and it was amazing cycle lanes litteratly every street as Quebec takes a lot of influence from Europe.

And yes i do plan to go to some bike shops and thanks for that Trek store i did not know they had an individual store in Toronto and the free tune ups sound awesome i am probably gonna go with the 7.0 or 7.1 because i may need double wall rims for some small dirt trails just in case. I think i am definitely gonna go with a new bike with warranty and stuff and urbane has some bikes but none really under 500 which is what i am looking for. I think this trek will work fine as they are a bigger company and can get discounts on better parts plus i am a total noob to tuning and i would like to ride it home so if they could do that it would be great! And yeah buying used is a gamble i saw someone selling i think a Giant Seek 3 or something and they said it was a 2012 but it was actually a 2009 and they were charging insane price for it glad i avoided that one. I am gonna go to a lot of Cycle shops and decide what i like and get back to this and post picture of the new bike thanks a lot!!!