City Commuter

Hello all, this is my first post here. I was hoping you all could help me with this decision. I live in NYC and am uncomfortable riding a bike with drops around the city. I've done it (I have a Trek 520) but I'm really nervous and don't like being so low. I would, however, like to commute to work. I'm thinking of either getting a mountain bike or a hybrid (the Specialized Globe in particular) and am wondering what you all think between the 2 options. Would a mountain bike with front shocks prove to be too heavy/slow do you think? On test drives a mountain bike feels fine- very sturdy and comfortable, but I'm wondering if long-term I'd wish I'd gotten the hybrid with thinner wheels (the Globe also feels comfortable, but a little less solid).

Does anyone have any experience with mountain bikes vs. hybrids for commuting? Pros/cons?

Thanks for any help! This seems like a great forum.

definitely the hybrid for the smoother, lighter ride. MTBs are for the dirt, aren't they?

I had an urban commute for five years through DC. I found my Jamis Coda Comp was perfect. I highly recommend it. It's a hybrid. It replaced my mountain bike, and is much lighter and nimbler and easier to ride (and faster).

EDIT: Jamis Coda is actually more of a road bike with flat bars, so I guess technically it's a hybrid, but it's much lighter and faster than the clunkier hybrids. MuttNutt--I guess you need to define hybrid for us--what do you consider a hybrid??

Just depends on the mountain bike - I have an old Klein rigid framed mountain bike - it does have a suspension fork; but because it is an aluminum racing bike, it is very light, very nimble and I just put narrower tires on it since I had to replace them anyway. You can also buy mountain bikes without suspension forks (rigid forks) and can be pretty light. I myself prefer a bike that is quick handling so I would prefer my mountain bike over a hybrid for that reason.

So, all mountain bikes are not always heavy, cumbersome and slow. Just depends on what you particularly like and what you want to afford. All of that said, I would recommend Breezer bikes if you are just looking for an all around commuter.

spoke

I hate to ask the obvious, but do you have to ride your road bike in the drops? I rarely do on my road bike -- I get a better grip on my brakes from the hoods.

I do generally ride on the hoods on my bike, but even then I feel hunched over/low and not as stable. I used to commute by a mountain bike in Richmond, VA, but I sold that bike when I moved to NYC. I do remember it being slow as compared to my commuting buddy's bike, which was a road bike, but when I was riding by myself it didn't really bother me.

I'm really interested in your response, Spokewench- do you find hybrids to be less nimble than mountain bikes? The roads up here are definitely rough, and there are always a lot of cars to dodge!

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Originally Posted by tulip

I had an urban commute for five years through DC. I found my Jamis Coda Comp was perfect. I highly recommend it. It's a hybrid. It replaced my mountain bike, and is much lighter and nimbler and easier to ride (and faster).

EDIT: Jamis Coda is actually more of a road bike with flat bars, so I guess technically it's a hybrid, but it's much lighter and faster than the clunkier hybrids. MuttNutt--I guess you need to define hybrid for us--what do you consider a hybrid??

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I bought one for commuting. It's considered a flat bar road bike, but some call it a "hyper-hybrid". It's nearly as nimble as a standard road bike but with a more upright position. It's also got the eyelets for racks and fenders.

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Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

I bought one for commuting. It's considered a flat bar road bike, but some call it a "hyper-hybrid". It's nearly as nimble as a standard road bike but with a more upright position. It's also got the eyelets for racks and fenders.

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LOVE my Coda!

How about putting a pair of mustache bars on your 520? I switched out the drops on my Surly for a pair of mustache bars, particularly because of my needs for commuting.

If you are going to buy a separate bike just for commuting, I'd definitely go with a hybrid over a mtb. (I used a Kona Dew for a while, then a Kona Smoke briefly until my son wanted that bike, now a Surly Cross Check.)

I have turned my old cross-country racing MTB into a commuter. It is very light, has only a front end suspension and is very responsive. It's got a fairly aggressive geometry but I like that. Then I put on thinner/slick tires and I was good to go. The reasons why I liked it 1) I never worried about potholes 2) I could jump objects if need be to stay out of traffic or even onto the curb for quick evasive moves 3) it was lighter than most commuters but one should note that it was a $3000 bike new in 1998, so quite high end.

I would recommend looking for a high end used MTB, front end suspension or rigid and making the appropriate modifications.

Having said that, I have never ridden a hybrid so I can't really compare.

I like the idea of using a cross bike as well and switching out the handle bars.

Mtb with slicks is a great commuter. Shocks really help in the city. Try craigslist.com for bikes too, lots of older inexpensive bikes.

I let my husband try some thinner (1.3) slick tires I got for my Surly. I don't think I'm getting them back! :rolleyes: He rides an older rigid frame mtb to work and said the slick tires make the bike feel like a new ride. bikerHen

Thanks for all the tips/ideas- I'll keep you all updated on what I go with.

I commute on a Specialized Hard Rock from 1994, with rack and fenders and slicks. It has front shocks which I like. It's a really bombproof bike for city-riding, and I see a lot of others around and they have a good reputation for being indestructible. So if you're going used, look for early/mid 90s Specialized bikes - they were still steel then.

For new bikes, I've been recommending the Specialized Sirrus a lotfor urban commuting. It's light in case you have to bring it upstairs!

I have a cross bike which I've considered commuting on, but I'm too lazy to add fenders to it :rolleyes: SDER

Yes- I will definitely be hauling this bike upstairs! Thanks for bringing that up, a very good point. I'm excited, as soon as I get my bonus from work I'll begin bike shopping/scouring craigslist in earnest.

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Originally Posted by obie

I commute on a Specialized Hard Rock from 1994, with rack and fenders and slicks. It has front shocks which I like. It's a really bombproof bike for city-riding, and I see a lot of others around and they have a good reputation for being indestructible. So if you're going used, look for early/mid 90s Specialized bikes - they were still steel then.

I have a cross bike which I've considered commuting on, but I'm too lazy to add fenders to it :rolleyes: SDER

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Ohmygoodness, you just described almost my exact commuting bike situation, only my Hard Rock is from like 2000, and it's an aluminum frame. That thing is a beast to haul up stairs, though. I even have the cross bike, but I did put fenders on it and use it in the summer.

Let me contribute my own anecdotal evidence the indestructible thing. I rode my Hard Rock all winter last winter in Massachusetts, never once wiping off the road crud, cleaning the chain, or otherwise maintaining it. I left it outside (covered) every day. It has a few little corrosion spots, but otherwise, it's in great shape. Amazing.

My BF has the Globe and loved it (he has since switched to a fixed gear for his commutes). If you have to lug stuff around and aren't interested in it being attached to your body, the Globe is a great set-up for a rear rack.

I switched from a traditional road bike with drops to one with arc bars. I like that it retains the lightness of a road bike, but isn't quite as aggressive. I can still go super fast, but I have slightly better traffic awareness since I'm more vertical.

If you want to go fast and are used to a road bike, a mtb might not make you happy. I feel like a sluuuuug when I ride one on the streets, and you might benefit from thinner wheels. Try looking at some different bar combos on your road frame, And maybe some cyclocross tires if you want the knobbies.

After weeks of test riding, checking reviews online, etc. I finally ordered a Breezer Villager! It should get in sometime next week. I can't wait- thanks for all the help and advice!

If you can, pictures when it gets here :D :D :D

I'm gonig to be testing a folder soon. Three (working) bikes is not enough!

I must be a weakling; after riding my Jamis Coda twice (the last time for 20 miles), I have determined that I will not use it to commute this spring. It just feels SO heavy. I love the fit, but I am afraid it will add an extra half hour onto my commute that is about 14 and half miles. Last spring the ride took me about 56-58 minutes at a decent pace on my road bike (but not super fast). I don't average much over 12 on the Coda. It's perfect for toodling around town and it will get good use for that.

Hmmm.... make sure it's not somethign you can adjust for - like tire pressure. But I know what you mean!

Cool on the Breezer. Would love to see/hear a review (and pix, of course!).

Re: the Coda. I run 25's (at 105 psi) on my flatbar road bike/commuter in the summer, and put 28's (at 85 psi) on it in the winter. It's amazing what happens to my average speed b/t those two sets of tires. Cruising speed feels sooo sluggish with the 28's. Try thinner tires or higher air pressure.

Short of that...think of your commutes as handicapped training rides. All those miles on a heavy bike...think how light (and FAST!) your road bike will feel when you get back onto it! It's like running up hills carrying weights. Then drop the weights and FLY! :D

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Originally Posted by Robyn Maislin

I must be a weakling; after riding my Jamis Coda twice (the last time for 20 miles), I have determined that I will not use it to commute this spring. It just feels SO heavy. I love the fit, but I am afraid it will add an extra half hour onto my commute that is about 14 and half miles. Last spring the ride took me about 56-58 minutes at a decent pace on my road bike (but not super fast). I don't average much over 12 on the Coda. It's perfect for toodling around town and it will get good use for that.

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This is very surprising. The Coda is not a heavy bike. Check tire pressure as suggested, and for rubbing brake pads.

When you did the ride on your road bike, did you actually do the commute during the week (with traffic, etc.) or on a weekend with no traffic? Are you in the same strong shape now as you were last spring? My overall speed on commutes is lower than when I'm riding my road bike on back country roads. There are lights and traffic and all sorts of urban happenings on the commute.

I don't know how urban your commute is, but I had a commute of the same distance as you for five years through Washington, DC. When I first started, I was slow, then I got stronger and faster, then I got a new bike (the Coda--upgraded from 1980s mountain bike) and got faster still. I got it down to about 1 hour 10 minutes, which doesn't look good on the computer but I can't synchro the traffic lights. There's only so much speed to be gained on an urban commute. It was still faster than the Metro, and often faster than the car (when I take into account the 4 times a day I had to move the car to avoid getting a parking ticket).

Tulip, the Coda is heavy compared to my road bike, which weighs 14.6 pounds! It's about 30 with my pannier on it. I am in OK shape now. Not perfect (it IS February), but I have done some intensive nordic skiing and I was fine there, and I have been riding indoors or doing other winter sports about 5 times a week. My husband felt the same way on his Coda, too. My commute is during the week and is suburban, almost country. When I said 56-59 minutes, that's riding time, not total time. When I leave it's very early AM (5:45), not much traffic. There are 2 stop lights, one without a sensor I have to wait for. The way home is about half a mile longer and I have to go up 2 good hills; it adds about 1-2 minutes, depending on how hot it is. There's a couple of spots where there is some traffic in the PM, but this is not city riding by any means.

Right now I have 28's on it. I could change them to 25s when the weather improves.

Plus, you have to remember that your weight matters when looking at bike weight. A 30 lb bike isn't that heavy to me. It might be to someone who is smaller (100-120 lbs).

Just a thought...

CA

I'd use a road bike if I had a non-urban commute. The Coda was great for my commute, but I don't go out in the country and ride it; I ride my road bike then. I hope you like it for 'round town, though.

Now that I don't commute anymore (I work from home), I use my Coda for exploring the city and errands. The closest healthy food store is about five miles across town, and it's a great little ride on the Coda with my panniers. I just have to make sure I don't buy too much because my panniers are small.

I also love alley rides through historic neighborhoods. Coda's great for that.

CA, I never really thought of that. Yes, I am a light weight, at barely 5' 1" and 107 lbs.
Tulip, I am going to use the Coda for exactly the things you describe. I live about 4-4.5 miles from Concord Center and about 6 miles from West Concord, where there is other shopping. I don't do my "big" grocery shopping in these places, but I do go to the natural foods store, restaurants, and other shops (including the bike store) here. It is also where I can catch the train into the city and there are places about 4-9 miles away in neighboring towns that I can ride to, for errands. Anything to not use the car once in awhile. I try to not use my car once a week, which is realistic for me. I live just far enough away that walking isn't a quick option, but the bike is.
I love both my bikes and I made my commute as light as possible last year, by taking the bladder out of my Camelbak, and using all of the space as a backpack. I do have to bring my clothes to work ahead of time, but I leave a lot of supplies there, so it doesn't require too much planning.

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Originally Posted by Regina

Re: the Coda. I run 25's (at 105 psi) on my flatbar road bike/commuter in the summer, and put 28's (at 85 psi) on it in the winter. It's amazing what happens to my average speed b/t those two sets of tires. Cruising speed feels sooo sluggish with the 28's. Try thinner tires or higher air pressure.

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I'm not sure about the thinner tires--I seem to remember somebody posting an article that basically indicated that thinner tires aren't necessarily faster (this was a reply to a post of mine about my speed or lack thereof and whether the 38s I have on my hybrid were part of the problem).