I Need a Commuter!

[Aggie_Ama]

I need some suggestions on commuter bikes. A lot of the bikes marketed as commuters don't appeal to me because of the length of my commute. We plan on parking half way and an alternating who picks up the vehicle in the afternoon. My commute will be 12-14 miles to work and sometimes as far as 25-30 miles home. On the ride home there is one hill that is a piece of work, but it is more long than steep. To work there is one hill long gradual hill, but it is a low grade. I do not need my little ring for this route.

I was thinking a Cyclocross bike but here is the problem, I am short! The Kona Jake standover is 3cm taller than my bike, top tube is 2 cm longer than mine and I am already a little stretched. I would still like one if it is entry level and small.

I was also considering the new Novara Fly By folding bike. I have to admit the price ($599) is very favorable and would give me the option of taking the bus in the winter (the bus that picks up near my work lacks a bike rack).

Comments? Suggestions?

[GLC1968]

I had a similar length commute when I lived in NC (with plenty of hills that I needed gears for, though not a small ring)...and I'm also short.

I ended up with a Terry Classic (steel, used) on which I put gatorskins, fenders, a light and a rack. All loaded up, it was about 29 lbs...but still capable of longer distances and hills (and it was comfy and a good workout!). I put 32cm tires on it in the winter and 25's on it for the summer (when I could better see the road). It worked out really well (and the bike was less than $500 when I bought it). Of course, you could not take this bike on a bus...but I didnt' have that option anyway.

Now my commute is so short (1.5 miles!) that I'm also shopping for a new 'commuter' and I'm saving the Terry for light touring or bad weather rides.

And since pictures are always more fun...here it is set up for 'summer' commuting:

[KnottedYet]

Do you want an upright bike (like a Kona Dew or Kona Smoke) or a drop bar critter? (like a Surly Cross Check or Jamis Aurora)?

[Aggie_Ama]

GLC- Would the SusanB be equivalent? How hard (time and money) was it to convert to drop?

Knott- I would prefer drop bars or something I can convert like GLC did. I don't care about being more upright, just would prefer not to have flat bars. I also would prefer it accomodate wider than road tires.

My Cannodale is a 47 cm, I think it is the smallest road frame they made last year. I was really sold on the Kona Jake until I compared it to my road bike and saw I would be stretched out and probably not able to get my leg over. I have a really short torso and long legs (if you can call a 5'2" woman's legs long).

[KnottedYet]

Trek420 is 5 foot and a whisper, she was happily toodling around on a 42 cm Surly Long Haul Trucker. It had 26 inch wheels, she really liked it. She wants to get one for the next ALC. http://www.surlybikes.com/lht_comp.html

The Surly Cross Check goes down to a 42 cm, too. http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck_comp.html

Both do wider-than-road tires and are super comfy steel. (and have very lovely lugged forks)

[tulip]

I vote for taking a look at the Surly LHT. My next bike will either be a Jamis x-bike or a LHT.

[GLC1968]

GLC- Would the SusanB be equivalent? How hard (time and money) was it to convert to drop?

I think the SusanB is the *replacement* for the Classic...or as close as you'll get. It doesn't appear to have front rack mounts, but other that that, I think it's similar. Make sure you check out the buy/sell section on the Terry site...that's where I found my Classic.

The conversion wasn't too hard or expensive at all. BUT, I did kind of create a 'frankenbike'. I exchanged a few emails with Georgena about the conversion and based on what she said, I opted to go with bar end friction shifters for the front deraileur and STI for the rear. I don't know if the SusanB gearing would present a similiar need or not. Luckily, this made the conversion inexpensive. To accomodate a big mirror on the left, I put my front gear bar ends on the right...so it's a little weird. I like it though!

I'd say all told, the conversion was less than $150 with my stem being the most expensive item at like $70. All I needed were the bars, the stem, one STI shifter, one brake lever, cables (I had to replace both brake and shifting cables, but that may not always be necessary), the bar end and tape. I did it in less than a week working in the evenings for a hour or so and I had no prior bike maintenance experience. I did have DH looking over my shoulder to make sure I didn't really screw up!

I really disliked the flat bars and upright stance for that commute (which is funny, since that's the type of bike I now want for my current commute!), and I was VERY pleased with the bike after the conversion.

[Zen]

I second Queen's Trek.
having just bought one myself

[7rider]

I have a flat bar road bike for my 7.5 mile commute. I love it. Speedy like a roadbike, but with a heads-up riding position for in the city. I put bar ends on it and I've got multiple had positions. Some options I can think of would be the Jamis Coda, the Novara Big Buzz. My bike is unfortunately no longer being made (a Felt SR81).

If you like drop bars, a Trek Portland is pretty sweet. Compare to a Jamis Aurora, I believe.