I bought a bike (and now I want another one!) Recommendations?

[roguedog]

I think you're preference for Campy seems to narrow the field a lot unfortunately.

At least I don't see Campy on a lot of stock bikes outside of Bianchi. And even Bianchi only offers it on a few models. Maybe others know of some stock bikes that are women friendly that offer campy.

The other route you can go is to acquire an older frame (i'd go steel but that's my preference) and build it up with some older campy group. I suppose if you've got the $, you can get a new frame too if you don't have the patience to wait for something to come your way in your size.

The latter seems like more fun as you can customize as you like.

I guess you can get lucky on the bay or on craigslist where someone might have customized an older bike to have campy parts and such.

Good luck.

BTW, welcome to the land of somehow acquiring more bikes. :/

[Zen]

http://www.google.com/search?q=how+t...L_enUS344US344

[Biciclista]

Roar, if you're in Seattle (sure sounds like it) there are lots of urban bike shops that specialize in what you're looking for!

[Roar]

Thanks for your replies. Roguedog, it does not have to be Campy, though that would be nice.

If I bought a frame, or even went sans-campy and bought a whole bike (possibly my preference because building up seems like it could get expensive), then would I be looking for a cross bike or touring bike or something like that? For something zippy that would take panniers??? Is that what I should be focusing on?

And re welcome to the world of buying bikes, ahhhh, yesssss..... I can see how people get addicted to this. This would be bike #4.

Thank you very much for your input.

[MartianDestiny]

Salsa's new road tourer might fit the bill:
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/vaya/

Or maybe the Fargo (less zippy, more durable/beefy):
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/fargo/

Or the Casseroll (less touring type, but still commutable):
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/casseroll_double/

I'd also look into Kona's offerings as they have some small touring/cross/commuter type bikes. None are going to come stock with campy though.

[Roar]

Oh, thank you. I will look at your suggestions.

(The Campy really is not a deal-killer. Just a wish, if possible, which I am now thinking is not gonna happen.)

[Cataboo]

You know - if part of the reason you don't want to ride your road bike is because you don't want it to get stolen at work - you really don't want to spend a lot on your commuter bike.

I have a surly pacer frame that I built up with spare parts that I used to make a commuter - then I realized it really was a little bit too nice to leave chained up in the rain.

So now I have an old steel trek mountain bike (rigid fork) that I've upgraded the components slightly with stuff I had lying around (not campy by any means), put faster thinner slicker tires on it... and it does. And while i'd be mildly irked if it was ever stolen, I know for less than $200 or so, I can get another.