zorak8me

I'm indecisive. I'm also buying a new ss soon, but I'm not entirely decided which direction to go. I can't decide whether to go with a track(-ish) bike like the Rush Hour, or a cyclocross bike like the San Jose. I had a little more fun on the Rush but the San Jose might suit my needs a little more (8-16 miles a day between home and work). Then again, the San Jose is a little 'loud', aesthetically. I hate to say I wouldn't want to ride a bike because of how it looks, but I'm not going to lie to anyone either. I mean, yeah, I have a little kid now, and a mini-van would be more practical than a corolla, but there is just no way I'm driving the minivan. I know a corolla isn't the pinnacle of cool (it is somewhere above the trough, slightly beyond the minivan), but at least it isn't a minivan. Maybe when I have 3 kids and they're hanging out the windows I'll get a minivan...but right now I'm thinking either a Suburban or an F350 quad cab with ginormous tires.

I use these two bikes as examples because they can be purchased within 50 miles of me. I'd love to consider your personal favorites, but I'm not buying anything from a non-local dealer. Support your local bike shop!

And don't forget Crit Mass this Friday.

sloppy robot

8-16 miles is no big deal on the rush hour..

and minivans are cool now.. didnt you get the memo?

chicagoamdream

Hey, aesthetics are important. If you're really just going to choose between those two, I'd say go with your gut (Rush Hour). The stock components of both seem to be pretty equal qualitywise.

spud

people are only crying because 165 was handing out facepunches like beads during mardi gras

turd

get the rush hour and throw some wood panelling on the side

zorak8me

Great advice so far...minivans are cool, go with your gut, wood paneling, facepunches. check check check check.

So the components are fairly comparable?

chicagoamdream

Yes. The San Jose's might be a bit nicer (I can't find full specs for the RH), but not by much. Entry-level stuff from Sugino (Bianchi) and TruVativ (Raleigh). Say it with me: nothing amazing, but you ought to be able to get through a season without needing to upgrade anything.

zorak8me

Thanks for the advice. I'm in northern Florida, so I kinda fool myself into thinking that the year is just one big hot season with a cool spell and some drizzle in the middle. At least that's what I tell myself. This way I won't get the urge to upgrade very often. As long as nothing is rattling/rubbing/etc., I'll be happy with my bike...which is precisely why I can't handle a geared bike any longer.

chicagoamdream

That's one nice thing about buying a new bike locally...a good shop ought to offer some kind of tune-up service, where you can just wheel on in and have them tighten/adjust/whatever, like Boulevard Bikes does in Chicago.

jim-bob

I like the San Jose, but I'm a sucker for cantilever brakes.

zorak8me

What are the advantages/disadvantages of canti brakes vs. caliper?

fixedpip

cantis - give you a lot more clearance for tires and don't get clogged with mud. Huge range in the settings so are very tolerant of component changes. Can ride very wide tires and still easily take the wheel off. PITA to get dialed in depending on the brand.

caliper - Give you a lot more breaking power. Can be tricky with wider tires (may have to deflate). Stiffer, much more responsive. Fairly limited setting range.

YellowFixedGear

haha.. Love it!

marqueemoon

If you're just looking for a singlespeed, the San Jose is a more versatile bike. However, the San Jose does NOT have a flip flop hub.

I was looking seriously at the Redline Monocog 29er for my next bike, but I'm back to the San Jose again because of the fender eyelets and because the tire clearance is probably good enough for what little trail riding I'll end up doing on it.