hows it going guys
i need some help choosing a bicycle for a business purpose involving fire watch and response

i need something more designed for street and speed as opposed to something with more drag and resistance
the bicycle will be used in both metro and suburban areas

so here goes

- looking for a good value up to $1500 maybe (cant really swing 6k bicycles right now)
- looking for something more modern by design with good aesthetics if possible (again for official business use)
- ability to add front and rear led lights for safety and legal compliance
- abilty to mount a tablet to the bars between 11" and 12"
- ability to mount a gopro or similar camera to the front and rear of the bicycle
- need something i can actually get as soon as possible insetad of waiting 3 months for delivery

its not required but it would be cool if there was a suggestion out there that matched all this plus allowed for easy plane travel.. might be traveling to some metro areas by plane sooner than later and would like to ride my bike right out of the airport loading zone in those areas

i like the idea of 700c or fixie bikes but i dont know much about this scene which is why i am asking.. thanks much guys..

It sounds like you might be looking for a bike that many police departments use. You might check with them.

https://www.policebikestore.com/allbikes.htm

Dan

hey thanks for responding so fast... yea i checked on police bicycles but i dont know if they are designed for fast cycling.. they have thick tires so i think they would create a lot of drag and resistance but they definitely are designed for utility without a doubt..

You should visit a bike shop.

i could if i could find one that was worth visiting but why i mean theres more inventory knowledge and order reach on the internet than a local bike shop that only stocks 30-40 models.

Rolling resistance is real, but it's easy to overstate it's importance. Once you get over about 15 MPH, aero drag is what is holding you back more than everything else combined. If you want to go faster, work on your aero position on the bike.

But with all the equipment you’re going to mount on it…I don’t think you can expect it to be extremely fast. I think you’re going to have to surrender some speed with all that stuff. Your best bet might be a flat bar road bike. That police bike outlet store might work with you to create the exact set up you’re looking for.

Dan

yea im looking for carbon wheels disc brakes the whole works i want it all baby ill keep looking eurobike has some of these options cheap but not sure if theyre worth buying

that tablet will negate any speed you are looking for, you might as well be hauling a refrig on your back. I used to use an old mountain bike as a commuter and putting on street based tires made a huge difference. I generally rode 17 mph on that bike and that was hauling a side mounted rack bag and hauling 10 to 12 lb of stuff in that bag.

You seem to be more interested in visual appeal over function, but hey, whatever, not my cash.

Bike Friday NWT. A little out of your price range with a full travel case and trailer, but the only bike you ever need. Fold it and store it under your desk or hotel room so won't get stolen. Made in the USA. Packs into a ordinary suitcase so I've never paid an extra airline fee, and if you're brave you can assemble it at the airport and ride out (I've never done that, but it's possible.) As fast as your touring bike, normally I can cruise at 18-19mph on mine.

Well, yeah. Except a local bike shop will help you get the correct fit which is probably more important than most of the other criteria in your original post. Do you know what size bike you need? If you buy from an LBS, they often do follow up maintenance and adjustments at no charge for the first couple of months. And you will establish a relationship that will prove valuable as you need advice, parts, or help with issues.

BIkes purchased on the internet will probably need some assembly and adjustment initially and then some adjustment after the first hundred or so miles. Are you comfortable doing that yourself? Sounds like you want a technically sophisticated bike. Do you know how to service disk brakes? Adjust derailleurs?

Although I don't recommend it, visiting a bike shop first is a good idea even if you eventually purchase online.

As to speed, your level of fitness is the engine that drives the bike. Most any modern road or touring bike will go as fast as you can pedal.

I wish my Neighborhood Watch would buy me a bike! Folks are always posting about dogs on the loose and escaped chickens (no happy ending for the chicken....) I'd get something with a motor so I could go fast.

All your requirements at your price is a hard ask. A folding e-bike sounds most like it, but won't be <$1500

Except for your budget this sound like a good use for an ebike. Other than that where are you? Someone could recommend a shop within an acceptable drive. I say a flat bar Trek FX bike or equal. Speed of the bike won’t make as much difference as the operator.

Also would help if you described the typical use. Like are you patrolling or on call at a station. What would be typical urban distance. Would a small motorcycle be more efficient.

Carbon is probably the worst material on a bike which is going to be used for work and see frequent travel.

Spend more money get an e-bike

Carbon wheels also jack the price up of a bike as the wheels alone cost $800+. No bike under $1500 is going to come with carbon wheels. Disc brakes, yes. But definitely not carbon wheels. Also, to reiterate wolfchild's post, carbon wheels on what sounds like a commuting/cargo bike is a poor investment. There have been good suggestions above as to which bikes you should look at. Any hybrid bike, Trek FX, Specialized Sirrus, Cannondale Quick will do the job and be within your budget.

How about a little more detail on the firewatch and response issues that you'll be dealing with that necessitates you having a bicycle; you might be using those terms differently than they are usually used. That would determine what type of bike you need, not the aesthetic 'official business' parameter you mention. And if you need to get somewhere quickly by plane, realize that you'll be disassembling and packaging it to get on a plane, then unpackaging and reassembling when you get to your destination (and however long that travel takes on the airplane(s)), so the whole speedy travel and travel-by-plane idea will slow you down.

Tires can be changed

This seems like a troll thread to me. Need carbon wheels, gotta look good, don't want to spend much...and no one seemed to catch the eurobike comment.

This all seems half baked. "Fire watch and response" sounds like serious business. If so, you don't need to be screwing around on a bicycle. Get a motorbike, or better yet, use your phone to call a responsible adult.

You should consult with your CPA as perhaps you need not be so concerned with trying to find a needle in a haystack with your search for the "greatest bike" on a severely limited & possibly unrealistic budget at this time given Covid pandemic's limited supply and still strong demand for specific bikes
Given that the new bike would be for business use, there may be factors that somewhat mitigate the somewhat higher cost for a better and probably more suitable bicycle.

Your need for speed as well as the need to outfit it with so much accessory equipment(......do ya remember the Beatles' Abbey Road album.....".ya gonna carry that weight, carry that weight, a long time..." ) The suggestion that others have made about considering an E-bike does certainly make practical sense.
Only you know exactly what your business might need from any particular bike or e-bike. My opinion is that when it is for something important for your business, you neither want to approach it foolishly or cheap-out with some second rate substitute solution. You also do not want to lose sight of what is most important. All flash and visual rarely works unless there is also solid practical functionality with that business vehicle too. For example, ABC Pest Control Company would likely be throwing money away if they opted to use a fleet of Escalades, or Hummers, or Lincoln pickups. It might be a cool promotional advertising gimmick if your pest control company is based in and serves Palm Beach, Florida, etc, . Ordinary millionaires and folks that probably earn less than 3 million dollars a year after taxes are likely more concerned that you are the best pest control service and still relatively competitive in total cost to your competitive peers. Certainly folks don't expect your pest control trucks to look like they have been past entrants in a demolition derby, but they all see that there is no common sense reason for their pest control's service truck to be luxury vehicles or something equally ridiculous. One does not need to be too bright to compute that "said hugely & significantly higher , fleet operations cost" will be passed along to the consumer as much as reasonably possible. Was it Johnny C. who said that if it don't compute, then you must dispute.

Ultimately, you should look at exactly what will be the most beneficial for your business at this time, and steer in that direction on the particular product that you should acquire. To rule out any seriously practical solution prematurely on either the basis of it being too costly or because you think it is uncool, is probably an immature short-sided viewpoint that will likely cost you much more in the long run. Everyone at one time or another experiences the "price of an education" because nobody comes close to getting a perfect batting average on business decisions and the choices that they make. Don't worry about that, but just make a concentrated focus on what is the most important one now for your business and try to select the best bicycle or e-bike currently available that can do that for you.

ok first off..

there's nothing trolling about this post.. i was being sarcastic when i said i wanted it all.. i realize the challenges of finding all that in one package which i had already mentioned in my first post.. so just please stop making the same forum assumptions all too common across the net..

secondly the fire watch is obviously a pretty committed responsibility but this is primarily on commercial sites where a motor vehicle isn't practical as we move in between commercial units on the same property..

i mean if thats your suggestion why not just buy a surplus fire truck or water tanker.. theres a reason im looking for a service bike im not here to waste your time or just make things up.. i always consider aesthetics whether it be a vehicle bicyle motorcycle boat etc.. its just how i was designed.. it doesnt mean i settle for less because of the way something looks but lets face it..

some of these modern bikes look pretty nice whether you want to admit it or not.. and the only reason i said eurobike is because i found one on amazon and i figured the quality of the bike probably isnt going to deliver that of a $5000 product but the design of the bicycle is interesting to me..

perhaps one thing you overlooked is i dont work 247365.. so i do plan on using the bicycle for personal commute locally around town as well.. and yes i really need all that equipment mounted to the bike..

so for those of you making serious suggestions i appreciate it and for those playing with my thread theres plenty of other people to mess with out there.. quit trespassing here if you have nothing positive to contribute because frankly i really dont see any other point of commenting here than doing just that..

Get A Small Motorcycle.

Thanks for clarifying. So you are hoping to be a night watchman in an area that is too large to patrol on foot. Since industrial areas are generally flattish, a single speed will be sufficient, reliable and cheaper. Should help narrow your search, though something like a Honda Cub would make more sense.