Need some advice, ladies.

[Blueberry]

No advice to offer on those models unfortunately. But I did want to say welcome! And good for you for wanting to bike commute!!

CA

[rij73]

I'm not an expert, but I do think that most of us would steer you away from a mountain bike for commuting. Bikes with suspension and fat, knobby tires really slow you down on the street. Something like a flat-bar road bike (Specialized Sirrus) or a hybrid would be a better choice. Also, for commuting, you may want to put a rack on your bike. If so, make sure the bike has the proper mounts for that. I *think* that most mountain bikes don't.

Good luck!

[Iris616]

Hi,
No advice on those specific bikes. But I wanted to say welcome.
Try a bunch of bikes, try different brands. Consider a preowned bike. The thing is: What is great for me, might be terrible for you. So take your time and try many.

[Becky]

Permanent fenders and racks are worth their weight in gold IMO. I'd make sure that any dedicated commuter bike could accept both, especially if your commute is longer.

Ditto what Iris said- try many bikes, and don't be afraid to buy something used. My ideal commuter bike is one that fits well and that I won't be heartbroken over if something happens to it. I bought a 15 year old steel Nishiki road bike on Ebay, and it's been perfect.

Welcome to TE too!

[TrekMom]

I bought a Trek FX 7.2 last year for riding around town and have loved it. The tires make a huge difference-- they are 700 cc x 35 so they are thicker than those on my road bike-- you get better comfort that way. They are also kevlar reinforced which must work because I haven't had a flat yet! Make sure that you are comfortable on the seat-- I did end up switching that out for one I liked. Good luck!

[Kano]

A couple of years ago, DH and I bought Expeditions. He loves it. I liked mine, but the more I rode it, the less I liked it. Not riding -- that bike!

Last spring, I bought a road bike, with the skinniest of tires, and this summer, I've gotten my old Trek hybrid out of storage, to use when I want to carry stuff with me, or do a bit of shopping.

The most visible difference between the Expedition and the Trek -- no suspension on the Trek. Something about that suspension fork and the way I sit on the Expedition compared to either of the other two bikes. I don't know, we just don't mesh. But like I say, DH and his Expedition, they're best buddies!

Karen in Boise