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Just a thought, are you moving to Boulder for this job? It's a bike town. If you can get by on a cheap old klunker for a while, you could do some leisurely "shopping" by looking at what sorts of bikes are being used, and think about which features you'd like to have on your new bike.
And the klunker will always serve you later if you want to take it somewhere with minimal risk of it getting stolen, or it might become your winter bike. |
There are basically two approaches to this. A good hardtail 29'er mountain bike with quality fork and components will run you about $1000. That should be ideal for anything other than highly technical trail riding. It will also work well for commuting.
Option A: Commute on hardtail 29er. Option B: Commute on a cheap bike (<$400), buy a quality bike for trails. Main advantage is that the commute bike is cheap and easily replaced in the event of accident/theft. IMO the only way you can really go wrong is spending $500-800 on a hybrid/city bike. Ultimately, those bikes aren't suitable for real trail riding and are overkill for a 1.5mi commute. Most of the lower tier mountain bikes are meant for trail riding, on semi-paved paths. For any serious MTB riding you want a air suspension fork, which requires moving up to better bikes (and ideally Deore+ level components). Most coil spring forks are optimized for heavier riders, at your weight you won't be able to compress a coil fork. Even ones with adjustable pre-load won't go low enough without changing to a different coil spring, which will cost extra. Depending on the bike storage situation, there's nothing wrong with getting a cheap bike to start, then buying a better bike for trail riding. For reference: Shimano components: Altus/Acera/Claris/Sora - city and light trail bikes, entry level mountain/road components (usually 8 or 9 speed). Deore/SLX/XT/XTR -- MTB components in order of quality (all are 10-speed). SLX is basically just as good as XTR, just heavier. Tiagra/105/Ultegra/Dura-Ace -- Road components. Similarly, 105 is almost as good as Dura-Ace, just heavier. 105 and up are 11-speed. |
Originally Posted by tjspiel
(Post 17502974)
How would a city bike be ideal if he also wants to go mountain biking?
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Originally Posted by CrankyOne
(Post 17503180)
Just giving some options. If OP wants to ride to work in normal clothes then a mountain bike, or any bike with an external derailleur and exposed chain, could be a bit more difficult
Originally Posted by CrankyOne
(Post 17503180)
Just look at the thread on getting ready in the morning — it's complicated for people with recreational bikes and much simpler for people with city bikes.
Originally Posted by CrankyOne
(Post 17503180)
It's quite difficult to keep grease off your pants even with straps or clips to hold your pants in, completely a non-issue with a full chaincase.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...L._SL1500_.jpg Rolling up my pants leg works for me. As bike enthusiasts, a lot of people in this group fall in to the N+1 camp, and I'm a little guilty of that as well. However, I think for most people having a single bike that can meet their needs is a less complicated solution than owning and maintaining two, three, or more. Since the OP is interested in off road riding and his commuting needs are about as basic as you can get, a mountain bike is by far the best choice (in my opinion). |
Originally Posted by Shadoninja
(Post 17501781)
1) Are you planning to do any other riding in addition to commuting?
Mountain biking is something I am very interested in, but will getting a nice mountain bike make it unsuitable as a 15 mile-a-week commuter? Let's assume there is indoor parking. I don't know this for sure, but my office is really nice and has a bike pool for people who want to ride into downtown for lunch (haven't seen this area yet). I am open to riding in any weather, but if that limits me I will make this answer a "no." I like riding my bike in the rain as long as my hands are freezing. I may be weird, but it is fun battling the elements sometimes! I didn't plan on "gearing up" for this ride. Am I a misfit for the commuter section of this forum? I do like mountain biking. So you are suggesting buy a bike for the trails and double it as a commute bike 5x a week? will 15 miles of road riding every week wear out a set of trail tires? I am very on-board with buying a mid-grade bike right off the bat. Used is fine, but I have a sack of garbage already (not saying your link is to a bad one, but I have a bigger budget than that). New will provide the satisfaction of buying a shiny new toy, and help establish a relationship with a bike shop (free tune-ups and accessory discounts are typically included in a new bike purchase). Either way, be prepared for the possibility that you won't quite buy the right bike for your needs, because you don't even know what the needs are yet. They'll evolve as you get more into cycling. Your first bike is rarely the perfect match -- but it teaches lots of valuable lessons. So, don't obssess over it too much: buy and enjoy. :) If biking becomes a passion, you'll know what you'll want in your next bike a few years down the road. I don't think I will be changing upon arrival (based on some of the people's responses so far). |
Originally Posted by mcours2006
(Post 17500886)
^^What he wrote. Great stuff, Chephy.
Just curious, Chephy, where's your commute? How about yours? I'm always curious about the commutes of my fellow Torontonians. P.S. It's a she. :) |
Originally Posted by Shadoninja
(Post 17501781)
If you read all that, thank you. I am impressed with the amount of people that replied to my open-ended question.
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Awesome help guys! Thank you all so much! I will be using all these posts to decide what bike is best for me at this point. I will most likely go used (probably going to start perusing craigslist in a week or so). Definitely going to get the mountain bike and use it as a commuter. Not worried about the chain situation. I will probably drop my budget a little bit for this first one so I can minimize any buyer's remorse that is on it's way. Then bike #2 will be when I spend big.
I will be keeping the the suspension info that gsa103 talked about in mind. I also will be going through the posts that talk about the proper height of the bike for me (I'm 5'8"). You guys have really helped me out through all of this!
Originally Posted by chephy
(Post 17503528)
We are a helpful bunch. But you realize we are not doing this for free, right? YOU OWE US PHOTOS. Once you buy the bike, you better show us what you've got! :D
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ah I thought of another question! Should I care if my mtb has rear suspension? I have used bikes like that in the past and found them quite nice on the bumpy trails. |
Originally Posted by chephy
(Post 17500707)
Welcome! Always nice to see another commuter join the ranks!
You can do 1.5 miles on pretty much any bike. You can, in fact, do it reasonably quickly without a bike. So a few questions to help narrow things down a little bit: 1) Are you planning to do any other riding in addition to commuting? 2) What's your budget? 3) What's the parking situation like at your place of employment? Can you bring the bike inside? 4) Are you planning to ride only on nice days, or in bad weather as well? Backpack will work fine at the beginning (just make sure it's waterproof if you do ride in the rain). It might be fine forever, for a commute that short. If you decide you want to switch to something else, you could always upgrade later (just be aware that some road/racing bikes might not have eyelets to attach a rack, which could limit your options). Here are a few sample scenarios; it'll help you figure out which situation is closest to your own: 1) Are you planning to do any other riding in addition to commuting? YES, LEISURELY MODERATELY LONG RECREATIONAL RIDES ON BIKE PATHS: Urban, comfort, or hybrid bike YES, FASTER PACED AND/OR LONGISH RECREATIONAL RIDES: Flat bar road bike, cyclocross bike, touring bike YES, FAST ROAD RIDES: Flat bar road bike, road bike, cyclocross bike, touring bike YES, UNPAVED, SOMEWHAT TECHNICAL TRAILS: Mountain bike NO: Any bike that looks good and feels comfortable. I'd go with the cheapest bike that satisfies those criteria 2) What's your budget*? UNDER $100 - Used is your only option. Check out craigslist. You can get a serviceable beater for this price. UNDER $350 - Used, craigslist. You might be able to get a decent hybrid/mtb for this price. New is possible, but pretty entry-level. UNDER $500 - You can get an okay/decent bike shop bike for this price, or a nice used bike UNDER $1000 - You can get a very good new hybrid/comfort/mtb, an entry-level (mind you, still pretty good) new road bike, or a really sweet used bike of any kind ABOVE $1000 - Lucky you! :) Lots of choice. Definitely an overkill for a 1.5 mile commute though, so make sure you do something else with that biek! *Note that your budget should include a few things beyond the bike itself, namely: - helmet (mandatory if there are helmet laws; otherwise, read the helmet threads to form an opinion) - pump (pretty damn necessary, unless you already have one or live across a bike shop that has a 24 public-accessible pump) - flat repair kit (though you could always walk your commute, and get a bike shop to repair your flats.. but doing it yourself is cheaper and generally faster) - fenders (if you plan on riding when the ground is wet, you'll need them) - rack and bike bags(optional, but you might want to go there eventually) - lights (a must if you're riding within an hour of sunset or sunrise) - multitool (comes in handy) - lock(s) (how big and expensive will depend on how expensive your bike is and what the parking situation at work is like) 3) What's the parking situation like at your place of employment? Can you bring the bike inside? SECURE INDOOR PARKING (preferably right by your side in an office) - Lucky you. OUTDOOR PARKING - Two issues here: the climatic elements and the criminal element. The less secure and more exposed the parking area, the more conservative you want to be with the kind of bike you chain outside for the day and the better you want to lock it. How often do you expect to ride on rainy days? How is your area for crime? 4) Are you planning to ride only on nice days, or in bad weather as well? This will help determine whether you need to bother with things like fenders, waterproof bags etc. Also, you don't want a really nice bike sitting outside in crummy weather a lot. In fact, if you want a nice bike and you want to commute in all weather and leave your commuter outside exposed to rain and vulnerable to theft, you might want to get two bikes: "the commuter" and "the nice bike".... But we all know where this is going... the n+1 bike fever. Once you start adding bikes to the stable it never ends. ;) Just be warned. Be courious ,i want to know what bike do you ride ? |
Originally Posted by Paul.
(Post 17503654)
what you wrote were so greet !
Be courious ,i want to know what bike do you ride ? Specialized TriCross Comp - For longer rides in nicer weather. My "good bike". A couple of low end beaters for back-up/guests. I also own a Kona Dew City - a more upright hybrid, but that bike lives in the summer home, a thousand miles away from my normal location. |
Originally Posted by CrankyOne
(Post 17503180)
Just giving some options. If OP wants to ride to work in normal clothes then a mountain bike, or any bike with an external derailleur and exposed chain, could be a bit more difficult. Just look at the thread on getting ready in the morning — it's complicated for people with recreational bikes and much simpler for people with city bikes. It's quite difficult to keep grease off your pants even with straps or clips to hold your pants in, completely a non-issue with a full chaincase.
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For a short commute and mtn biking aspirations, I would be looking for a new or used hardtail 29r. Or at 5'8" maybe a 27.5"/650B wheel size.
New will get you a real decent bike that will last a while, but you'll probably be looking at better bikes in very short order. Used, you can find the better bikes more in line with your budget, but ideally, you'll want a bike 2-3 years out "barely ridden." Stay away from bikes which look like they've been through the wringer. There are also Dual Sport bikes out there, like the Trek DS series, which tries to split the difference between on- and off-road, but from your input, I'd steer you toward a straight out hardtail mtn bike. Post in the mtn bike subforum for better suggestions on such... |
Have you ever ridden a decent road bike? I ask because I was all about mountain bikes my entire life, because that's what I was comfortable with. I tried out some road bikes last year at different bike shops and there's no going back for me now. The light weight, the raw speed, the agile cornering...it's a different experience. If you've never ridden a decent road bike I'd suggest checking out some bike shops and test riding one or two. You might end up feeling the same way as me.
Not to say you shouldn't get a mountain bike at all, just that you might like a road bike better for city use. I know I do!
Originally Posted by tarwheel
(Post 17501021)
Unless you plan to do other recreational riding, touring, etc., I would simply walk to work for that distance. It would be just as much or more exercise, and much simpler and cheaper. A reasonably fit person should be able to walk 1.5 miles easily in 30 minutes. It probably would take almost that long to ride a bike when you factor in the time taken to get prepared and pack your gear in the morning, ride to work, and lock it up.
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Just for the short commute a Folding Bike will be fine and You can take it into your Job and your apartment to not get stolen or ugly .. left out in all weather
and not take up Much Room when brought inside on Both ends |
Originally Posted by Shadoninja
(Post 17503563)
Ah I thought of another question! Should I care if my mtb has rear suspension? I have used bikes like that in the past and found them quite nice on the bumpy trails.
I think your plan of commuting on a decent used 29er hardtail is an excellent idea. If you find you really get into mountain biking you'll probably want a better no what you buy. Make sure to figure that you'll likely want to spend ~$100 on any used bike for a tune-up and any potential replacement parts. Not a 29er, but a decent example of what you can probably find: https://boulder.craigslist.org/bik/4842797064.html I'll post for others to offer comments. |
Originally Posted by chephy
(Post 17503522)
Right now it's temporarily in Charlottetown, PEI, but for the last few years it's been 10 km on the Martin Goodman between south Etobicoke to the foot of Bathurst. Sounds like a commuter's dream, but I actually enjoy urban traffic riding, so at times I found myself bored by the trail.
How about yours? I'm always curious about the commutes of my fellow Torontonians. P.S. It's a she. :) That is a great ride, but if you ride it enough times any route gets a bit boring. At least you don't have to deal with traffic. I used to ride that trail in my youth, all the way from Kew Beach to the Humber Valley Trail and beyond. My current commute is from Markham (Woodbine and Maj. Mac to Markham Rd and Finch). I'm constantly trying to find a better route to take. |
Originally Posted by Shadoninja
(Post 17503563)
Ah I thought of another question! Should I care if my mtb has rear suspension? I have used bikes like that in the past and found them quite nice on the bumpy trails.
Beyond the low end of the MTB market, where it gets serious, you will find them categorized by intended event use; length of suspension travel; type of swingarm; and frame material. Cross country (XC) mountain bikes are built to go fast on a long course or many laps. They have suspension travel of ~3-4". They have been hardtail but some newer and more expensive ones are full suspension. Trail bikes have ~5" travel and are your general go-anywhere bike. All-mountain, enduro, or freeride bikes have ~6" travel and are for jumps and drops. "Enduro" specifically refers to an event format that has timed stages, "Freeride" to tricks that are judged. Downhill bikes have ~8"+ travel and look funny since they're sloped back. The suspension might be single or dual pivot. Dual pivot is more expensive and complex, and improves efficiency. The frame might be aluminum or one of several grades of carbon fiber. |
Originally Posted by mcours2006
(Post 17505681)
My current commute is from Markham (Woodbine and Maj. Mac to Markham Rd and Finch). I'm constantly trying to find a better route to take.
Originally Posted by mcours2006
That is a great ride, but if you ride it enough times any route gets a bit boring. At least you don't have to deal with traffic.
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Any bike can be used for 2x 1.5 miles.
Look at the ratio of cycling duration vs prepping time: you want a grab-and-go convenient bike. There is simply no advantage to riding fast at the expense of convenience. Fit fenders and possibly a chain guard. Ride in work clothes. Fit Schawalbe Marathon Plus, the most puncture-resistant tyre (no repair kit needed). Fit dynamo (hub) lights. Fit-and-forget, always available, no removal needed. Fit front basket or rear rack. Get a lock that stows for quick access. Pick transmission suitable for the terrain: 3x9, 1x8, 8-speed internal (IGH), 3-speed, singlespeed. |
Originally Posted by chephy
(Post 17507019)
That's a respectable distance! Through GTA's glorious urban sprawl! :D At least looks like most of it can be done on secondary roads.
[/QUOTE] I don't have to deal with motor vehicle traffic. Pedestrian traffic, however, is a completely different matter... On a nice warm sunny day, the Humber portion of the trail that runs by all the apartment buildings is overflowing with joggers, families, dog walkers, recreational cyclists most of whom are blissfully oblivious to their surroundings. Sometimes I take Lake Shore and/or the Queensway for a bit just to avoid that stretch.[/QUOTE] Yes, I had forgotten about that. Pedestrian traffic is much more frustrating to deal with. Traffic along Lake Shore is pretty fast, like 80+ sometimes. I don't have enough faith in drivers driving at those speeds. I'd tolerate the annoyance of the pedestrians before riding on Lake Shore. |
Originally Posted by Shadoninja
(Post 17500563)
Hello guys! I am starting a job in Boulder, Colorado. The company I will be working at is located right off of the town;s main strip, so it's safe to say I will be riding the city streets on my way to work. The ride will be about 1.5 miles from the apartment I am currently looking at. I plan on carrying my laptop and other miscellaneous things with me to work in a backpack (maybe this is bad?). Any advice for what bikes to look at? I glanced through the stickies on this sub-forum and didn't see where to start. I'm probably blind.
EDIT: 5.8 134lbs For your commute, I'd second many of the recommendations already posted. Something simple, upright, with rack. You'll be able to get to work with out working up a sweat, comfortable and ready to start your day with a smile. Here's my Globe Daily: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v...170516_018.jpg |
Just get a mountain bike with lockable front suspension. Get the best one you can buy with your budget, ride it all the time and have fun.
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1.5 miles? walk it
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
(Post 17508339)
1.5 miles? walk it
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
(Post 17508808)
It should only take him 6 minutes to run it
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