Selling Bike Friday's and replacing with???? Help!

[Kiwi Stoker]

Choose something that looks butt ugly or is a strange colour like pastel pink. I would say most bike theives would be male so anything that looks "hello Kitty" would be a turn off and hard to flick off.

I heard this works for mobile phones.

[Owlie]

I'd go with the beach cruiser, honestly. The LHT is a little too much bike for me to be comfortable leaving outside. If you decide to do Ride the Rockies, then you can get the LHT.

[Catrin]

The LHT is great for tooling around town, rack and fenders enable you to make it a good utility bike. This bike is bomb proof, so it really serves well as an urban bike as it can handle crap*y roads. it is heavy, my 46cm LHT with rack and fenders weighed 35 pounds, but it was all-day long comfortable and smoothed out any road surface.

Personally I think it makes a fine urban/utility bike. The weight does make a difference in the hills, but it also gives you options if you want to go play in the country or do even light touring.

There are many good options out there. Don't discount the 26 inch wheels on the smaller Truckers, as a shorter person I find I strongly prefer the smaller wheels. Besides, with the weight and geometry of the bike it isn't made for speed anyway

In the end it is about what you want and the kind of riding you want to do. Good luck and have fun with whatever you decide to do!

[Blueberry]

Take a look at a cross check. They have full braze ons, and have 700c wheels in all sizes.

[Becky]

Honestly, I think I'd buy 2 bikes if I were in your situation: a cheap singlespeed for errands and beach trips, and a nice steel road bike with "road sport" geometry for long road rides and light touring. Something like the Gunnar Sport or Soma ES would fit the bill (for me). Of course, this all hinges on having enough storage space.

Have fun shopping!

[tulip]

I would consider any Soma to be mighty steal-worthy, if I were one to steal bikes, which I am not. Just sayin. If you want a bike that will not be attractive to thieves, get an old beater bike. Anything else is going to be shiny and worrisome when you leave it somewhere.

[hulagirl]

Ahhh....I forgot to mention that I can get quite a nice discount on the Surly bikes as I'm working for a LBS that is a Surly disturb. This is also motivation to want a Surly. ;-)

I'm going to ride a LHT today and then research the heck out of the X-check. I think the head instructor in the ladies cycling group I belong to rides a X-check until Tri training when she busts out her Orbea road bike. I'm going to talk to her tonight.

Anyone know the weight difference between the X-check and the LHT in the same size?

Denise

[rubysoho]

Honestly, I think I'd buy 2 bikes if I were in your situation: a cheap singlespeed for errands and beach trips, and a nice steel road bike with "road sport" geometry for long road rides and light touring. Something like the Gunnar Sport or Soma ES would fit the bill (for me). Of course, this all hinges on having enough storage space.

Have fun shopping!

Ditto.

[hulagirl]

My new Surly is on her way. Cross Check in Robin's egg blue is on her way. Updating her to STI shifters with S105. Can't wait!

Denise

[hulagirl]

Choose something that looks butt ugly or is a strange colour like pastel pink. I would say most bike theives would be male so anything that looks "hello Kitty" would be a turn off and hard to flick off.

I heard this works for mobile phones.

You do not know crack heads then. They don't care about color - they just spray paint it turd-brown, orange or matte white.