Adivce sought on buying a commuter

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:05 pm

I'm looking at options for buying a new commuter. Looking at a 40km+ round trip mainly on fairly flat bike paths in Perth. Semi-rural/suburban route rather than the CBD (Ellenbrook to Redcliffe near the airport via Guildford for Perthites). I figure If I'm going to be in the saddle for 2 to 3 hours a day I want to make sure the bike is comfortable and reliable. I plan to go through a LBS who can fit me up. Let's say budget is $1500, but for the right bike might go a little over that, but if something cheaper will do the job nearly as well I don't want to throw good money away.

My LBS has a [url http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/ci ... ync/lync_3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]Trek Lync 3[/url] for about $1400.
TBE has the [url http://www.tbe.com.au/products/giant-cr ... ped/189804" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;] 2015 Giant Cross City 2 Equipped[/url] for $1000 less.

Am I going to notice $900 difference between these?

I know I have to try before I buy, but that's easier said than done as I can't drive at the moment (medical suspension) so before I annoy the missus I'd like an idea if it's worth the trip outside my area. Not in a hurry (I'm still working on getting commute fit) but if it was worth looking at I might get something on special now.

That said, what I'd really like is an internal geared belt drive (Lync 5 although the Aussie models seem to have chain derailleurs for some reason), but they seem really hard to find and more expensive. So I guess a supp question - do they make a big difference?

Cheers.

jasonc
Posts: 12170
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby jasonc » Sat Aug 22, 2015 8:45 am

the gearing on both are more on mtb side which on long flat paths will end up annoying you
a flat bar with road gearing would be better suiting:
e.g. http://apollobikes.com.au/bikes15/flat- ... depepfFqpc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
50/34 on the front with 11/28 on the rear
even this would be a bit better
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/ro ... fx/7_5_fx/#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
48/34 with 11-34

Trevtassie
Posts: 825
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:57 am

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby Trevtassie » Sat Aug 22, 2015 9:14 am

I'd also look at getting a set of trekking (butterfly) bars on there. All the advantages of flat bars with extra hand positions. Have them sloped down at the front so you have a wind cheating position, with your wrists resting on the back section. You won't need to change any cables, the only thing you may need to change is the stem to something longer. You need the back position to be in front of the steerer. So all you'd need are: Bars, bar tape of your choice and maybe a longer stem.
Velogear have got butterfly bars for $25....

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Sat Aug 22, 2015 11:58 am

jasonc wrote:the gearing on both are more on mtb side which on long flat paths will end up annoying you
a flat bar with road gearing would be better suiting:
Ah, thank you. Makes sense.
Trevtassie wrote:I'd also look at getting a set of trekking (butterfly) bars on there. All the advantages of flat bars with extra hand positions. Have them sloped down at the front so you have a wind cheating position, with your wrists resting on the back section. You won't need to change any cables, the only thing you may need to change is the stem to something longer. You need the back position to be in front of the steerer. So all you'd need are: Bars, bar tape of your choice and maybe a longer stem.
Velogear have got butterfly bars for $25....
Thank you, that's exactly what I need. To compound numb hands I have bad shoulders so being able to vary hand position is important.

User avatar
cameronp
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:12 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby cameronp » Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:10 pm

jasonc wrote:the gearing on both are more on mtb side which on long flat paths will end up annoying you
Why is that? The gearing is pretty much identical to what I have on my touring bike, and that's good for anywhere from about 4km/h (in 24/32) up to maybe 60 km/h (in 48/11) for steep downhills. Far more versatile than road bike gearing, IMO.

jasonc
Posts: 12170
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby jasonc » Sat Aug 22, 2015 2:38 pm

cameronp wrote:
jasonc wrote:the gearing on both are more on mtb side which on long flat paths will end up annoying you
Why is that? The gearing is pretty much identical to what I have on my touring bike, and that's good for anywhere from about 4km/h (in 24/32) up to maybe 60 km/h (in 48/11) for steep downhills. Far more versatile than road bike gearing, IMO.
but when you're commuting you don't really need versatility. you need close gearing so depending on wind and fatigue (and how fast you want to go) you have a couple of gears to choose from in most situations

my flat bar has 50/34 with a 12-27 cassette and it just my commutes just fine. there are some gears I use more than others, but they are all there for if/when i need them. I can't remember the last time on a commute i was travelling at less than 8km/h

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Sat Aug 22, 2015 2:57 pm

Thanks for the replies. Obviously gearing etc is an important consideration but comfort and ability to take racks and mudguards are more so. I know these things aren't mutually exclusive. I don't want to 'go fast' per se, but I do want optimal efficiency for the task.

jasonc
Posts: 12170
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby jasonc » Sat Aug 22, 2015 4:06 pm

what about
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/flat- ... /102560873" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/a/flat- ... /102704289" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Sat Aug 22, 2015 4:45 pm

The Comax looks sweet but probably a bit much (even with that discount), especially by the time I add fenders, rack and so on. The Cross City looks... serviceable (how is it meant to compete with a beast like the Comax?). Deore components are MTB aren't they? How sturdy is carbon fibre as per the Comax?

Is there a bottom once you start digging into these things?!

crazioldjane
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:41 pm

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby crazioldjane » Sat Aug 22, 2015 4:53 pm

can't go past a giant crx zero or one (unless its me pedalling of course,then everyone can :D )...ie http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/cairnlea ... 1087343806" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; they are the crosscity predecessor and have better bits...just throw marathons and a nicer saddle with a rack..puurfect and secondhand prices can be crazily cheap....i picked up a cracker zero in perth for $300 about 18 months ago...
" faith is the substance of things hoped for..the evidence of things not seen"

jasonc
Posts: 12170
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby jasonc » Sat Aug 22, 2015 6:56 pm

deore is mtb, yes

and no, there isn't a bottom. if you dig, your budget will expand. do you really need a rack? I ride with a backpack and have for 5 years now
in terms of carbon, it's fine. with commuting, it's more the wheels you have to be concerned about - extra weight (backpack/rack/panniers) add to the load on the bike.

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:03 pm

jasonc wrote:do you really need a rack? I ride with a backpack and have for 5 years now
I don't know if I need a rack. On a 35+ degree day pushing against a hot easterly I'd rather not be encumbered by a backpack, but I guess I can try it and add one if I need to.

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby Duck! » Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:34 pm

AlexHuggs wrote:The Comax looks sweet but probably a bit much (even with that discount), especially by the time I add fenders, rack and so on. The Cross City looks... serviceable (how is it meant to compete with a beast like the Comax?). Deore components are MTB aren't they? How sturdy is carbon fibre as per the Comax?
"Comax" is the material - predominantly carbon, but with an additional vibration-absorbing material incorporated in the layup - not a model, which will make it a considerably smoother bike to ride. The Fastroad is basically the higher-spec brother to the Cross City. Deore is a MTB group, basically parallel to Tiagra. Carbon is pretty robust; it's main enemies are massive impacts (which would break the frame, although a similar hit would bend an aluminium frame beyond repair) and concentrated impacts like dropping it on a rock. This latter type is very readily repairable. In normal use it's no less resilient than aluminium, and more durable in the long run because it does not suffer cumulative stress fatigue.

Anyone who tells you carbon is only good for a handful of years is talking utter bunkum.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

Trevtassie
Posts: 825
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:57 am

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby Trevtassie » Sat Aug 22, 2015 8:29 pm

Get a rack, hard to get a slab of beer you picked on the way home in your backpack...

jasonc
Posts: 12170
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby jasonc » Sat Aug 22, 2015 8:45 pm

Trevtassie wrote:Get a rack, hard to get a slab of beer you picked on the way home in your backpack...
Dan Murphy's deliver these days...

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9858
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby Duck! » Sat Aug 22, 2015 8:48 pm

Trevtassie wrote:Get a rack, hard to get a slab of beer you picked on the way home in your backpack...
Depends on the size of your backpack.... :wink:
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

Espresso_
Posts: 745
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 3:22 pm

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby Espresso_ » Sat Aug 22, 2015 9:01 pm

Just to throw something else in the mix, what about a Jamis Coda? Steel frame (R520), carbon forked commuter with support for racks.

This one includes mudguards...

E

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Sat Aug 22, 2015 10:02 pm

Espresso_ wrote:Just to throw something else in the mix, what about a Jamis Coda? Steel frame (R520), carbon forked commuter with support for racks.

This one includes mudguards...

E
I'd need to see if they're available in Perth - I want to try before I buy. Not heard of Jamis before.

User avatar
cameronp
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:12 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby cameronp » Sat Aug 22, 2015 10:58 pm

jasonc wrote:but when you're commuting you don't really need versatility. you need close gearing so depending on wind and fatigue (and how fast you want to go) you have a couple of gears to choose from in most situations

my flat bar has 50/34 with a 12-27 cassette and it just my commutes just fine. there are some gears I use more than others, but they are all there for if/when i need them. I can't remember the last time on a commute i was travelling at less than 8km/h
Ahh, gotcha! I think that goes to show how personal bike choice can be - I've never once thought "gee, I wish my gears were closer together" on a cassette with 8 or more gears. When I started bike commuting a few years ago, I was on a three speed "ladies bike" (complete with basket). Three gears was plenty and the massive jumps between them never worried me. Hell, I reckon I'd happily do my (flattish) commute on a single speed or fixie.

I'm also pretty firmly in the panniers camp for commuting. I get shoulder pain when cycling with a backpack for longer than about half an hour.

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Sat Aug 22, 2015 11:04 pm

cameronp wrote:
jasonc wrote:but when you're commuting you don't really need versatility...
Ahh, gotcha! I think that goes to show how personal bike choice can be... I'm also pretty firmly in the panniers camp for commuting. I get shoulder pain when cycling with a backpack for longer than about half an hour.
Haha. So I'm back to the beginning - try a few and pick a bike I like! This discussion has opened the field up for me, though. Thank you for the disagreement - it's really helpful to get a variety of perspectives :)

Espresso_
Posts: 745
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 3:22 pm

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby Espresso_ » Sun Aug 23, 2015 6:12 am

AlexHuggs wrote:
Espresso_ wrote:Just to throw something else in the mix, what about a Jamis Coda? Steel frame (R520), carbon forked commuter with support for racks.

E
I'd need to see if they're available in Perth - I want to try before I buy. Not heard of Jamis before.
Ride before you buy is important.

I think Jamis are a sizeable brand. This US list puts them at number three in the biggest bike brands of 2014 but it also seems highly non-scientific.

The quote says the Jamis Coda has been the biggest selling hybrid for the last 18 years.

Ps I don't and have never owned a Jamis.

E

User avatar
AlexHuggs
Posts: 376
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:12 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby AlexHuggs » Sun Aug 23, 2015 11:55 pm

Is this worth considering? I like the idea of a simple internal hub and quiet belt drive. I know I won't have the full range of gears of other bikes, but I'm not sure I'll need them either. (Been training on another bike and haven't gotten out of the middle chainring on that one). And the price is tempting - end of season specials and keeps the missus a bit more happy.

User avatar
rangersac
Posts: 1438
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 11:01 am
Location: Southern Tasmania

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby rangersac » Mon Aug 24, 2015 8:28 am

AlexHuggs wrote:Is this worth considering?
Ticks pretty much all the commuting boxes. Disc brakes, room for guards and rack, low maintenance and the eight speed hub will be enough gearing for around your area. The only question marks (and I speak from reputation as I've never owned a belt drive) are the ease of removing the rear wheel when the puncture fairy strikes, and the belt tensioning system as this can allegedly be tricky.
De Rosa Macro | Intense Primer | Wayward Cape York | Cotic Rocket

User avatar
DavidS
Posts: 3632
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:24 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby DavidS » Mon Aug 24, 2015 6:12 pm

On the gear question, as a daily commuter I have moved to closer together gears, I now run 50/34 on the front and 12-25 on the back with a 10 speed cassette. Of course you get to choose once you wear out the first cassette so not that big a deal what the bike comes with. I got a commuter with 105 gears and that is serving me well, nice shifting.

I am really unconvinced by belt drive, seems a solution looking for a problem and there is the issue of getting the belt off as, unlike a chain, you can't simply remove the connecting link, you have to have a way to get the belt past the frame so the frame has to be able to come apart in effect.

Still, have a ride around and see what you like. The clincher for me was getting geometry which suited me so handlebar to saddle distance and the like was my main consideration.

DS
Allegro T1, Auren Swift :)

jasonc
Posts: 12170
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Adivce sought on buying a commuter

Postby jasonc » Mon Aug 24, 2015 6:56 pm

+1 to david's comment. commuting is hard on wheels. depending on your weight you may make a mess of the original wheel quickly. an old workmate had to have his rebuilt a couple of times before it was right. me? I just buy cheap and strong wheels for my commuter (which is probably the same price as a rebuild, but i get a new wheel)

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users