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.

[Pax]

I went with a Trek 7.5, it rides really similarly to my road bike but the seating position is better for traffic. It also comes in WSD that fits my 5' tall SO nicely.

[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.

[Aggie_Ama]

Regina- Can you use a slightly wider tire? I am concerned about the amount of road debris.

I should have mentioned earlier I will only be riding about 2 miles of city and of that 1 mile is just a HUGE shoulder but there is a hairy intersection. Otherwise it is a huge shoulder I frequently ride on the weekends. I also work 7-4 and would be in moderate traffic. I will be at the office before traffic really picks up and the afternoon I will mostly be ahead of the traffic again. I have never commuted by bike so I am not sure what I want. I am liking the options so far!

[7rider]

Regina- Can you use a slightly wider tire? I am concerned about the amount of road debris.

I should have mentioned earlier I will only be riding about 2 miles of city and of that 1 mile is just a HUGE shoulder but there is a hairy intersection. Otherwise it is a huge shoulder I frequently ride on the weekends. I also work 7-4 and would be in moderate traffic. I will be at the office before traffic really picks up and the afternoon I will mostly be ahead of the traffic again. I have never commuted by bike so I am not sure what I want. I am liking the options so far!

My Felt can't really handle more than a 28 and that's my "winter" tire. It works fine for my needs. During the summer, I run 25's.
My DH has the Big Buzz....that bike is pretty slick. We're about to put some cyclocross tires on it...it has plenty of clearance. We'll put, likely, 32's on it. We also have a seatpost mounted rack for it and the disc brakes are da bomb! MDHillSlug has a Coda for her commuter. I think she also runs 32's on it, but can also put 28s (or maybe even 25's) on it.

[Crankin]

I got the Jamis Coda, with the intent of using it to commute (14-15 miles each way). I bought it because it has low gears and I live on a very big hill and an even steeper driveway. And, I am short. It makes it up both of these fine, but there is no way I could ride it to work and get there in decent time because it is SO heavy compared to my road bike, by the time i have the pannier on, even heavier. I love riding it into town and for short errand commutes, but I can't get my average over 12.5 on this bike. Maybe I am weak compared to some of you, but this is like 2.5-4 mph slower than on my road bike.
If I lived in a flatter area, this would be fine. I don't mind the flat bars, either.
But, it will be back to wearing the empty Camelbak as a backpack on my road bike.

[Zen]

I can't get my average over 12.5 on this bike. Maybe I am weak compared to some of you, but this is like 2.5-4 mph slower than on my road bike.

Sheesh. 12.5 is my top speed carrying nothing but water on my road bike
Just leave earlier

[NbyNW]

I actually just ordered my new commuter from Dahon, who makes the Fly By for Novara. I went with the Speed Pro which has a few more gears than the Fly By, which should be handy for Seattle's hills.

In my case I'm very concerned about storage and security since my last bike was stolen, and the idea of a folding bike that is multi-modal and can be stored under my desk is attractive . . . and a friend of mine has actually been at Dahon for a number of years so on a personal level I feel that it's a very good company that is always trying to improve their products and still keep them affordable.

I'll post when my bike arrives and I've had a chance to ride it a bit. Maybe that will provide some useful information for you.