[jrussell6]

so, since i saw it and know that more that a few of you guys know your stuff about the unmotored two wheelers. i'm thinking about getting one, from looking at other reviews and what not i was thinking about either a trek 6700 or a cannondale "bad boy ultra". i want a rough commuter, i want to be able to hit a trail on the way home, maybe, but i also want it to be snappy on my 7 mile commute.(i'm losing my license here for awhile) so i would be putting slicks on the trek, me thinks hardtail with a stiff front suspension would be ticket. i have tried a full out road bike, but couldn't do it. i want to touch the ground while on the bike, anybody got a suggestion?

ps, which one of these is easier to wheelie?

 

[zooplancton]

go for a gary fisher (ditch the trek) - other good bikes are:
- salsa (great steel frames)
- yeti
- bontager (great steel frames)

they make great tires that will allow you to go from street to trail with no probs. try to find the knobbie that is closely knit and not too big.
way easy rolling surface and good for the trails. just air up on your commute, then let a hair of air out before you hit the trail.

you can find totally equipped used bikes that will have phil wood hubs, nice levers and bottom brackets. (sealed bottom brackets and hubs are key)

good luck!
-b

[ This message was edited by: zooplancton on 2007-01-11 11:20 ]

 

[Euro]

You're looking at pretty expensive bikes for your first bike that you will be using as a commuter. Trek is good, and so is Gary Fischer, because I think they are owned by Trek. The thing that helped me make my choice is the fact that most bike frames are made in China, until you get into the real expensive stuff. The Trek 6700 is most likely made in China, there should be a sticker on the front of it if it is. That's one big reason I went with cannondale, because they're all made in the USA. I don't know about everyone else here, but I tired of everything being made in China. China just needs to be lifted up into outer space and shoved off. :hammer:

 

[Euro]

Btw, hard tails are a lot easier to wheelie. Dual suspension bikes can wheelie, but you need one with a lock out to make it easy.

 

[superduty]

On 2007-01-11 11:16, jrussell6 wrote:
i have tried a full out road bike, but couldn't do it. i want to touch the ground while on the bike, anybody got a suggestion?

Not sure what you mean. If you are sitting on the saddle and have both feet on the ground then your pedaling position will be all wrong. If you can't put one foot on the ground AND keep your butt on the saddle your pedaling position will be all wrong too. One case the saddle is too low and other the saddle is too high. Doesn't matter what type of bike you're on.

In any case sounds like a city bike might be more up your alley

 

[jrussell6]

On 2007-01-11 13:00, Euro wrote:
You're looking at pretty expensive bikes for your first bike that you will be using as a commuter.

I used to do alot of mountain biking, was even on a team, so it's not per say my first bike, it's just my first bike in a few years, i also suspect that i'm going to be riding it at least 20 miles a day, so i want something that will put up with my abusive tendancies. potholes curbs, and i want to be able to do some trail riding as well, i don't think i'm up for the technical down hill that i used to do, but if the path less taken is there, i want to be able to take it. i just visited a local shop and was impressed with the cannondale, but was also shown a similar gary fisher "29er" i believe it was the x caliber model, similarly priced as well, the sales person suggested that i could put slicks on that and it would quicken up a little bit.

although i generally agree with you about the china thing, i don't think we've seen anything yet,


when refering to (touch the ground) i guess when i got on the road bike (messenger kids) i felt very unstable at low speed, i also felt like someone was doing something naughty to me. and i didn't like it, to stop meant hopefully narrowly missing my nuts on the top bar. i guess this bike was more that a little too big for me because i certainly couldn't get a foot on the ground while sitting on the seat..i just don't want stoping and going to be a pain in the ass, i'm also going to be in some nasty traffic, so i want to be comfortable on it. and stylistically i'm hoping it matches speedy of course. i dont' want to "worry" about it,, i want to "abuse" it, i want strenghth.
but i dont' want to work to much harder on the street than i have to, and i'ld like it to ride quickly.

[ This message was edited by: jrussell6 on 2007-01-11 14:30 ]

 

[Matt_the_Rat]

I finally got my wife on a bike. For christmas i got her a purple Schwinn Stingray. Not that OCC *****, an old school.
It has a slick on the back. it's cool. She looks groovy on it. :razz:

 

[zooplancton]

seriously, you can get an older used "nice" bike for cheap. people that have them, keep them up. it's a great way to own yesterday's porsche. (when i say yesterday, i don't mean late 80's - but stuff that's recent and on par.)

i bought a completely set up bike for $400. bucks. ti skewers, phil wood hubs and BB, mavic rims, nice stem and components. the forums are priceless.

 

[nfriday]

Get a cyclocross bike.

Examples:
Felt F1X
Kona Jake or Jake the Snake
Trek X01 or X02
Giant TCX
Independent Fab Planet X (a little pricey)
Lemond Poprad
Novara Element
Specialized Tricross

Look on ebay for a 2004, 05 or 06 for the best deals.

 

[bubble]

Cross bikes are good , road bikes are good, any bike is good! It all depends on your use for it? I've been in the bike biz for 18 yrs now and I think you should get the bike that gives you most for your money!! Yes you can buy a Fischer but it is still a Trek cause they own them as well as build there bikes. So what if it's made in CHINA what isn't these days and if you want American your going to pay for it or get a lesser spec of a bike. The 6700 is a great bike! and putting a set of slicks on will make for a better road ride and you will also be able to go Mt. biking if you choose!! Bikes today have come along way and there are alot of good choices out there. Again you need to buy on price, spec, and most important color!

 

[kwajazz]

Cyclecross bikes are cool, if you want some speed and some ability on dirt. I really like my Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra for that reason. You can adjust the bars if you want a more sit up position, but I like mine pretty flat. It's got good susp up front and you could put a susp seat post on and pretty much be ready to rock. You might find a Bad Boy Scalpel around used on ebay to get susp on both ends.

The only thing I don't like about the bad boy is, I'd prefer a road gearset rather than mtn. I end up topping out around Dallas when riding on the road. Very few remedies exist, really only a slightly larger chain ring on top. The frame design (chain stays) prohibit putting on a convention road crank (per Cannondale engineers).