Hula_Girl

Aloha all - (been a stalker here for quite a long time and now I'm posting looking for some help)

Husband and I bought new custom Bike Friday's last June with the expectations that we would be traveling a lot with them. Turns out we did 2 trips and due to company moves/changes, we now work from home. Ha!

The Bike Friday's have sat in storage for the last 6 months. So we are going to sell them and replace them with something a little less "attention getting" in terms of theft.

I race and do triathlons so I'm saving for a tri bike. (already have a carbon road bike)
Husband tools around on a fully tripped out Big Dummy. (usually with me on the back)
We both want a touring/kick around bike in place of our Bike Fridays.

I LOVE the Orbea Carpe - but that's a bit much for my needs. (My road bike is an Orbea so I sort of prefer them.)

Husband in looking at Surly Long Haul Trucker. And I think he knows exactly what he wants so he's not the issue.

I'm finding that so many things cross over to what I want. I want panniers or a basket, for tooling around town/grocery shopping on my own and not the back of the Big Dummy. I could get away with a cheap beach cruiser. But I'd love a nice touring bike like the Long Haul Trucker. But I feel that's overkill and perhaps the stable is getting too big!

Bike theft is common here so I'd need to haul a big lock if I want to leave a decent bike anywhere. So that also makes me want just a junky beach cruiser.

We live 1 mile from the beach and .5 miles from town center. A Long Haul Trucker would and could double as a grocery shopper/touring bike if we ever DID jump the gun and do the Ride the Rockies ride.

You may ask "why not keep the Bike Friday?" It's too much of a draw for theft here and it's not a cheap bike by any means. I'd rather have something half the price that looks more normal so I don't feel as anxious with it locked up near the beach.

Any suggestions?

Mahalo!

Denise

NCbiker

I love my LHT. See if you can find one to test ride, they're great!

Hula_Girl

I'm seeing that you can't get a LHT in 700c tires for the size 50 frame. Poop! I'm not a fan of the fatter 26" tires.

Thoughts on the Cross-Check? Although I'm not a fan of the cantilever brakes (would love the Disc Trucker actually)

NCbiker

When I was shopping for the LHT I rode a Crosscheck also. Quicker and lighter than the LHT and would make a good grocery getter. It was a couple hundred dollars cheaper as well. If you have plans to do fully loaded touring the LHT would be your best bet, but I don't think you could go wrong with either bike. You might also check out the Jamis Aurora elite, very smooth ride with it's 631 chromoly frame and comes with disc brakes.

Clem von Jones

If you live near the beach you need a bike with cream-colored Fat Franks and cruiser bars

http://rideblog.files.wordpress.com/...22011ride6.jpg

prathmann

So why not check Craigslist and any local swap meets for something used that's cheap and already looks cosmetically beat up to reduce the theft potential? Almost anything could serve as a short-distance beach cruiser and grocery getter once you add a rack/bags.

FWIW, on the only club ride where we had bikes stolen my Bike Friday was left untouched while the two bikes next to it disappeared.

fietsbob 

N + 2, maybe a 3 speed coaster brake beach cruiser, or just a English 3 speed , since theft is an issue.

I use my Bike Friday Daily, Pocket Llama .. Its got an all weather setup,
but I live where you don't, and Visa-versa.

I carry 2 good locks.. different types ..

wahoonc

Hit up local pawn shops, thrift stores, rental places that are replacing fleets, etc. With a few minor additions like baskets and racks just about any bike can become a grocery getter....or in my case beer hauler.

This bike was purchased for $25 in 1982...30 years and some 30,000+ miles later it is still being used. I do have other bikes that I use too.

Aaron

Hula_Girl

Ohhh...nice.

Hula_Girl

We are in the process of building a shed/office/guest house in our back yard. Once finished, we will be building a nice bike shed outside as well. If we design it right, I might throw in a cheap beach cruiser. For now, I am looking for something that is a little more versatile.

And I should add that I work of a LBS that is a Surly shop so I am able to get a decent price on the bike. So I'll probably go that route. Husband is soooo happy with the Big Dummy that we want to continue to load the stable with Surly bikes.

Aaron - I do love that setup! If I have enough room in the bike shed I'll be looking for something like that! Stuff rusts out sooo fast here though that it's hard to find wheels that still turn at times!
Denise
I'm going into the shop today and will try the LHT if I have time. I'll have them bring in the X-check as well. (none in stock now)

Mobile 155

Something between a Beach Cruiser and a touring bike would be the Giant Cypress. Rides nice, has wider 700c tires and won't rust in salt air. Doesn't cost much either.

himespau 

The cross check sounds like it'd fit your needs for mainly around town riding and the much less common tour. Or you could go with their troll (I think) that can take the big tires for cruising the beach.

PhilJohnson

My vote is for beach cruiser all the way.

wahoonc

Not sure what the answer is to the rust issue. We had a beach house for several years at the Carolina Coast (still own part of one). I buy inexpensive bikes that stay down there year round. They get heavy applications of oil a couple of times a year and typically get replaced every 3 years or so. I used to buy them at the thrift store inland, but that source has pretty well dried up. The WM type bikes barely make it through a season. I do take my nicer bikes down there but am fanatic about cleaning them when we get home.

Aaron

bud16415

Aloha

I cloned a junk beach cruiser and a mountain bike to make this. With the 26x2.5 beach tires and mtn gearing, cruiser bars and upright ride it’s a fun all around bike. All you would have to add is a folding basket setup and it would fill your needs. Only thing I have added so far is a coffee cup holder per request of a member here and it’s been getting a lot of use.

Hula_Girl

Aloha all -

Got on a size 52 LHT yesterday. Wow. It's like riding a Cadillac! Smmmoooottthhh. I actually WANTED to go over pot holes in that thing!

Frame was a bit small for me and I learned that bar-end shifters must have been invented by the same folks that invented tri-bars! I'll have to swap them out as I found it just insane to be riding on the hoods and then having to move my hands to shift.

I think the LHT is too much of a touring bike for me. I hear the CC is more nimble and can still haul light loads. This is exactly the same set-up with had with our Bike Friday's - Husband had the heavier hauling one and I had the lighter hauling one. Worked very well for us when we needed it.

So I think I'm going to go with the Cross Check.

Thoughts on a brake upgrade? Something with a little more stopping power?