I just bought a Novara Safari (updated picts)
 

I just got home and am setting up my bike for my commute tomorrow. I got several things that I knew I would need, but they didn't have the fenders I wanted in the store so I am going to order them online. Also, before Friday I will have a smaller set of tires on this beast. It came with 700x44s and I want to use something in the neighborhood of 700x35. Shoot, I also need a bicycle lock now. Does anyone know of a good, bright, and rechargable headlight I can start saving for before the winter months?

Here is some of the other stuff I bought while I was there.

http://www.rei.com/product/604989

http://www.rei.com/product/786534

http://www.rei.com/product/793233

Pictures or it didn't happen!

I am in the process of building up my 2010 Raleigh Sojourn. It has about 75 miles on it now... I just ordered some Conti's and I am removing the nearly new Vittoria Randonneur Cross 700C X 35 I would pass them on for a sweet deal if it is something you can use...

http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSCN0563.jpg

As regards the light, I like the Cygolite MilIon. Meets all of your criteria.

I like my Dinotte 200L headlight. It holds a charge well and is incredibly bright. I have had some mechanical problems with it, though. (To their credit, Dinotte has fixed every problem without charging me a penny.)

I thought the Novara Safari came with 26" Wheels? Maybe I am not up to date on the latest model....

Here is the proof
 

Today I replaced the horrible 700x44 with some 700x28s I had laying around. I have ordered some 32s to put on shortly.

Today I rewraped the bars, added the stem riser, and attached the new pannier bags. I also remembered how much I hate the twist shift crap. I need to add some trigger shifters or friction shifters SOON.

I never did like those when I tested it...I did like the butterfly bars....

Your bike looks great... very different for me to see it with the bags and the thin tires..

Enjoy
Mike

Good luck. I hope it fits.

New 700x32 tires, fenders, super grips on the pedals, and new trigger shifters.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/...895e103a_b.jpg

That is a beautiful bike. Navara continued to make it better each year. Very sharp.

I'm a lowly part-time flunky at an REI and it amazes me that this bike doesn't sell better than it does. It's a well thought-out, hardworking mix of components at a great price.

Your bike looks very sharp, well done.:thumb:

A friend was looking for a new bike. For the riding that he does, I suggested the Safari. But the local REI store does not stock it and he did not want to buy a bike without testing it first. Maybe it would sell better if more REI stores stocked it.

When I first started looking for one I noticed they don't even sell the Large and X-L online. I went to the store in ATL and they said it isn't online because they have made all that they are going to make for the year and the only way to get one is to see which store still has one in stock and they could send it to me. Luckily when they checked another REI about 20 miles away still had 2 in stock. The Large was on the floor and they Medium was not even put together and was still in the stock room. The guy who worked there said they usually sell out in the early spring and I was lucky any store had one left, but I am sure he would say that about any bike he was trying to sell.

Reluctance Catch of not having one to test Ride, in stock, at an REI store with a Bike Department.
should be overcome rationally, by ability to return any REI purchase for a Refund,
don't you think, ?? Seems Risk Free.. by design..
... won't be stuck with it , if the Ordering person who doesn't like it gets a money back refund, then there will be one in stock. for someone else to,test ride ..

I also bought a Safari this year. Pretty happy with the bike so far. One feature that attracted me was the offering of a "29er" wheels on the Large and XL frames. Ended up the Medium was the "correct" size for me. The M bike is spec'd with 26" wheels. Overall I like the bike. I did notice the extra weight of the wheels when accelerating the bike and so just as happy I ended up with 26 vs 29er wheels. I do notice the lack of a second water bottle mount on the compact style frame on the bike.

Congrats on the new bike. I would like to get one also. Does your larger frame have 2 spots for water bottles?

My Safari has been go to commuter for 3 years now, I've put roughly 5000 miles on it and only replaced brake pads, chain and recently rear casette. I thought I would do more touring but that did not pan out. My only complaint is I wish they would make it with a steel frame like the Randonee. If it was steel, 700 tires, and disk brakes, it would be a great commtuer for me given the perilous poor quality MUPs and roads I ride on.

It does have two water bottle spots, I am adding the second today as well as getting my first Brooks saddle. I will post an updated piture later today.

Wait, if you have almost 5k on it and it has held up perfectly then why worry about what it is made of? Steel vs Aluminum really would never come to my mind unless I was going to tour outside of the US and Canada. I am sure if needed, I can easily find someone who welds aluminum.

I think you misunderstood me. I'm not worried about what it is made of in terms of the bike holding up or in terms of it needing fixing. I just feel like the aluminum frame contributes somewhat to the jarring ride. The ride is jarring because the MUPs are very poorly maintained around here. If I had a smooth surface I was riding on all the time, it would not bother me.

As far as a headlight, Think about the magicshine its freaky powerful. I bought one and the tailight and it lights up the dark in a way I never saw in anything other than a car or motorcycle. You will be seen with the tailight too it blinks in several modes and the only drawback is that there are no markings as to which mode you are in the outer ring on the light serves as a switch so thats kinda cheesy but doesn't bother me. One of my co workers stopped me in the aisle the other day and says Holy (*&^ that $#$%^ tailight is bright I could see that thing a mile away. I say Good thats the idea.

New B17 as promised.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/...81bf230187.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/...68f23b61_b.jpg

That is a really sharp looking ride. I ordered a honey b17 this week and it should be in tomorrow, I can't wait. Again though, I really like the Safari and yours looks really nice. Do the spokes that stick out from your fenders not get in the way? I know I had to dremel mine off because I kept hitting them if I was pedaling in a slow turn (size 13s).

I haven't had any trouble with my feet hitting the fender spokes. Then again, I wear size 9.5 shoes.