Civia Bryant, anyone tried?

[sam]

Hello fellow commuters! I'm a long time commuter and am very practical by nature. I also love steel bikes, and for these reasons combined I'm very interested in the Civia Bryant, which is a steel drop-bar bike with disc brakes, an 8 speed internal hub shifter, and a carbon belt drive. It's like my dream commuter bike.

But the problem is that you can't find one in a shop to ride, much less a small (49 cm, which looks like it might even be a bit too big for my 5'3", normal to short torso frame). Have any of you ladies tried one?

The other bikes vying for my attention are 1) the Jamis Quest Femme in 48cm and 2) the Specialized Dolce Comp in 48 cm (which was a very surprisingly smooth ride for an aluminum bike).

Please let me know your thoughts if you've ridden a Bryant Civia or similar bike.

Thanks!
Sam

[7rider]

Hello fellow commuters! I'm a long time commuter and am very practical by nature. I also love steel bikes, and for these reasons combined I'm very interested in the Civia Bryant, which is a steel drop-bar bike with disc brakes, an 8 speed internal hub shifter, and a carbon belt drive. It's like my dream commuter bike.

But the problem is that you can't find one in a shop to ride, much less a small (49 cm, which looks like it might even be a bit too big for my 5'3", normal to short torso frame). Have any of you ladies tried one?

Beautiful bike. No experience riding one, but I did briefly toy with the idea of a Civia Hyland.

Conte's in Bethesda used to sell Civia. I've seen a few there. Don't know if they still carry them - it's been a few years since I've checked. Might be worth a call.

A poster by the name of Killroy on Roadbike Review forums posted in their Commuter/Touring section on buying a Bryant from Bikes Direct. Link is to the thread....lots of eye-candy pix, if you are a member there. You can PM him and ask about his experience.

[seraye]

Hi there,

I don't have a Civia Bryant, but I do ride a Gunnar Fastlane custom built for me that has geometry and specs that are very very similar to the Bryant. It is a wonderful commuter because it fits rack, fenders, and fat tires very well. I love the disc brakes for riding in the wet and snow, they do get loud when its wet, but they always stop on a dime, and I can absolutely depend on them to work in nasty weather. On the downside, the bike is a little heavy, as will be the Bryant, but it just means that it's more stable carrying panniers full of groceries. As for fit, I can tell you (because I also happen to work at a bike shop and I fit women all the time) it's gonna be close for you. I can't say that it will or won't work, but yes, you'll probably want to try it out. As for the Jamis Quest, I happen to sell that brand too, and it's a different type of bike all together, not even the same animal, it won't take fat tires, or carry heavy loads very well, and it certainly doesn't come with disc brakes. I don't recommend it for a commuter because it lacks versatility, but it will make a nice sporty frame for long rides or credit card touring.

What I do recommend: check out the Salsa Vaya, Surly Long Haul Trucker, and Gunnar Fastlane (with Gunnar, you will want a custom build, and I recommend building around 26" or 650b wheels). The Fastlane will be the most expensive , but if you commute a lot in inclement weather, it's a very sensible investment.

[sam]

Dear Seraye,

Thanks so much for your reply. It's awfully helpful, especially since you have experience fitting women AND know something about the probable fit of the Bryant.

As you can tell by my choices, I'm a bit torn about the type of bike to get. I'm increasing my commute to 15 miles each way and plan to do the round trip most days, in all weathers. So on the one hand, I am attracted to an all weather commuter with disc brakes and belt drive. On the other hand, 15 miles currently takes 1 hr, 15 mins on my Jamis Aurora (in the uphill direction---it's quite a hilly route). I would really like to shave off some time and hoped a speedier road bike tarted up with a rack and minimal fenders would perhaps allow me do shave off 10-15 mins.

But I've had lots of trouble with fit before. And my Jamis Aurora (50cm) has always been too big for me, so I worry the Bryant would put me in the same place, fit-wise.

So my ideal bike would: A) fit me! B) be faster than my Aurora over the hilly 15 mile commute C) be comfortable for 2 hrs of riding a day AND D) have a belt drive and maybe disc brakes. It's a tall order, I'm afraid. But if I can't have it all, I know I need to at a minimum have a good fit.

Thanks also for the recommendations. I've tried the Long Haul Trucker and even the smallest size was way too long in the top tube. At my LBS, I tried a Surley Pacer that belonged to the bike mechanic's petite girlfriend. I liked it, but as I remember it had no eyelets for a rack, which is a dealbreaker.

I would be interested to know the prices for the Gunnar and the Salsa, but of course you can't find that on the website. How much do complete bikes go for?

Thanks for any advice you care to share. This is a tough process.

S

[seraye]

Hi again Sam,

Just some ideas here...

If you are looking for something faster:
I don't recommend going with an Alfine, or any internally geared hub, while they offer sweet reliability and shifting, they are less efficient then derailleur set-ups. While, I can't say how much you'd notice this, it is a fact that they run less efficiently.

Next, evaluate the tires and equipment that you are using on the Aurora, the tires that are stock on the aurora are slow and heavy. My all-around favorite commuter/long distance tires are Panaracer Paselas, in either 28 or 32. They are light, supple, grippy, good for all surfaces, and don't get a lot of flats. You'll save a few ounces if you get the folding version (recommended). These will improve your ride and make your bike feel and be faster. You'll be amazed.

As for equipment - if you must ride with panniers, get a light rack with a narrow profile, like a tubus fly.

As for faster bikes, the Fastlane feels as fast as the tires I'm riding with. In general, some cyclocross bikes make good sporty commuters. You might consider:

Expensive ($2500-3800 )
Terry bikes
Gunnar crosshairs, hyper-x, fastlane.

Economical ($1100)
Surly Cross Check (they make some mighty small bikes, and this years colors include robbins egg blue!)

Now as for fit and misc:

The 49 Civia Bryant effective top tube is about 2 cm shorter than your Aurora, and about the same length as a Surly LHT 46cm frame if that's any help.

As for cost of the Salsa Vaya I believe it is around $1700.

You might want to go to the respective websites to find dealers in your area.



Good Luck!

[sam]

Dear Seraye,

Thanks again for the thoughtful and informative reply! Especially the tire info. I have definitely found that when I changed the Aurora's tires from the stock tires to Marathons, the ride suddenly became much harsher. Don't think it sped me up or changed the handling much, but I noticed more road feel, for sure. So I believe you when you say the tire can really affect the ride and thanks for the Panaracer recc.

And thanks also for the tubus recommendation. I can't stand backpacks or messenger bags, so panniers are a must. I've been looking for a good light duty, light rack.

Most replies on these forums are too general to be helpful----thanks so much for your really specific and tailored help!!

Best,
Sam