G'Day from Ottawa, Canada, eh!
 

Came accross this site trying to find info about buying a touring bike... then spent the next three hours here! I've just finally gotten up the courage to bike commuting year round! Didn't bike today, though... actual excuse was a cold, but the absolute CRAP weather didn't help. Hopefully I'll be pedalling again by tomorrow...

I'm currently riding a 1998 (I think?) Gary Fisher Pirhana... However, the daily 13.5 km ride is slowly but surely plowing through the original parts.

I'm hoping to start piecemealing my way accross Canada in 2 week chunks starting this summer (I'm a deskbound working stiff... what can ya do?)... hence the touring bike. Anyone who knows of a good lbs to pick up a good touring bike (or assemble a surly lht) would be a great help!

Congratulations on the winter commuting. When I was living in Ottawa a couple of years ago I remember it being really, really cold and snowy. Good fun on a bike. The touring bike idea is a good one. I use a touring frame for my beater and it's pretty nice. Lots of tire clearance, stable handling, and room for fenders. It's always nice to get a shiny new machine, but I'd seriously consider getting something used-especially for the winter. Check the board at MEC, or see if there is a buy and sell newspaper in your area. I find the older steel touring frames with alloy parts are quite durable, and they tend to be simple and cheap to maintain-plus if your lucky you can pick one up for next to nothing. No one seems to want to steal my beat up steel commuter, that's something to consider as well-no one even looks twice mine. It is way quicker than a MTB-even an MTB with slicks, and the handling is better on the road. There is one dude in Ottawa that has a whole house full of used bikes that he sells-I can't remember the intersection at the moment. Ask around, and I'm sure someone will point you in the right direction. Good luck!

Jeremy

I think the place you're thinking of is Bert's Bikes on Bronson... I actually bought my old beater there... a 1967 Raleigh 3 speed for $75... Great bike! I had it for 2 years, and then it got stolen just last summer... from behind my house!

Anyways, the plan is to buy the shiny new touring bike for the spring, and convert the Gary Fisher into my winter beater.

I drove to work today, and the stupid car won't start, so I'm still stuck at work! Lesson learned... ditch the car, ride the bike!