Bicycles

[thrifty++]

Hey folks.
Im looking at getting a bicycle. I don't necessarily need one yet as I live right downtown and have little need to leave the city limits. However my city is going through a massively exciting transformation into a cycling city with new cycleways all over and in and out of the city being created. I want to explore them as transport options and also look at some point at moving out of the city to somewhere on a cycle track for cheaper rent (without transport costs). Also the leisurely cycling will just be so nice. Even in the interim I will start using the tracks to start transporting myself to beaches and to visit people etc where I would otherwise take a bus or not bother going to such places.

Im looking at getting a second hand bike. So I am wondering what sort of things people would recommend that I look for, for a bicycle which I might ultimately end up using for daily round trip commutes of around 30 kilometers? Something reliable and easy to cycle on roads long distance of course.

[henrik]

You might want to take a look at this thread

[sky]

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/city_bikes.htm

This general type is good. A three speed internal hub is nice.

[Gilberto de Piento]

A 30km (18 mile) round trip is a ways on a bike. Assuming you have nice weather, roads in good condition, don't have to carry much and are comfortable with the forward riding position I'd recommend a road bike with fenders, a rack and panniers. This will be the most efficient, fastest option but it won't work in snow, it will get flats or bent wheels on rough roads, won't carry much, and will be relatively uncomfortable.

If you need to contend with snow or rough roads I'd recommend a touring bike or cyclocross bike. Get something with disc brakes. A mountain bike with road tires would also work (that's what I commute on) but it's less efficient and an 18 mile round trip could take a long time. There are a lot of trade offs with bikes.

If you're shopping for a used bike make sure it fits you properly and look for one that was never really ridden. You don't want something that's already been well-used even if it's been rebuilt. Lots of bikes are bought and never ridden. A few years old is ok, for example, a 27 speed drivetrain will work just as well as a 30 for commuting. You don't need to be on the cutting edge.

Be sure to get a helmet and lights (if you will be riding after dark). Clothes that are appropriate for cycling will also be helpful but you will have to figure out what clothes work best for you.

[thrifty++]

Thanks Gilberto. Very informative. It never snows where I live. The worst I will have to contend with is a bit of rain.

[jacob]

@GdP - Why disc brakes? They're more complicated to service and commuting likely won't require that much braking power (unlike steep downhill or heavy weight).

[Toska2]

I can't recommend Trek 520 bc full fender issues. There's nothing a Surly lht that Surly Ogre (26") can't do better.

Assuming the ability to swing by a grocery store on the way back, a cheap mtb, smooth tires, and homemade corrugated plastic fenders. What you give up in speed, the ride smoothness is a great tradeoff IMO. Any sidewalk or gravel rides makes this apparent.

[Scrubby]

@GdP - Why disc brakes? They're more complicated to service and commuting likely won't require that much braking power (unlike steep downhill or heavy weight).

These may not be the same reasons that he has, but normal brakes will wear out the rim of the wheel fairly quickly because of salt and dirt (about 3 years for me). Also, if you get ice or snow trapped in them they don't work. You don't need those fancy oil based disc brakes for commuting, cheap wire based ones will do. The braking power is lower, but still much better than normal breaks on a bad day.

The ones I had hardly required any maintenance at all, I just changed the pads every 2 or 3 years. I rode about 8 km pretty much every weekday all year, and because of the terrain I used the brakes much more than average.

[Gilberto de Piento]

I prefer discs because commute in snow and the discs never stop working. V brakes, cantis, road brakes all fail when snow builds up on the rim.

If you don't have to contend with snow discs are much less important but I still prefer them. The pads seem to last forever in a commuting application, they are very powerful, and they aren't bothered by a bent rim. The Avid BB7 model is the one I recommend.

[enigmaT120]

The cantilever brakes on my old Rocky Mountain are much more complicated to set up than the BB7s on my Salsa Fargo, and have worn out the rims on it. They do work fine even when wet with Koolstop Salmon brake pads.

I have about 6,000 miles on the original BB7 pads on my Fargo. My commute does involve steep descents but I try to avoid using my brakes on them.

[Pedal2Petal]

I actually saw my friend's disc brakes catastrophically fail right in front of me as he was braking down a very steep hill. The bike was brand new and not a cheapo either. He had to tear up his fancy bike shoes on the road surface to stop him from careening into the car ahead of him. It was a close call and quite scary.

It's cheapo cantilever brakes for me forever, thank you very much!

[Gilberto de Piento]

I actually saw my friend's disc brakes catastrophically fail right in front of me as he was braking down a very steep hill.

What failed? Both brakes at the same time?

[enigmaT120]

Having a rim fail would be even worse. I really need to round up a new set for that Rocky Mountain, as I sometimes bomb stupidly fast back down the logging roads which I so laboriously pedaled up in the first place.

[Ego]

Funny, I was thinking about this thread this morning while braking on the downhill portion of my hill repeats. I've heard people talk about rim failure but I can't remember ever a having seen one. FWIW, the rims on my Schwinn Paramount are more than 40 years old and get a lot of use but I can see little abrasion. I do keep them clean and it rarely rains here.

[Dragline]

I would get something used and cheap to start and then trade up later after you move.

But go to a bike shop and try out a few different models to see what feels most comfortable to you in terms of seats, frames and handlebar configurations. Bikes are like clothes. You should try them on before you buy.

[Scrubby]

Funny, I was thinking about this thread this morning while braking on the downhill portion of my hill repeats. I've heard people talk about rim failure but I can't remember ever a having seen one. FWIW, the rims on my Schwinn Paramount are more than 40 years old and get a lot of use but I can see little abrasion.

I think modern bikes have aluminium rims while old ones are made of steel. The old ones never wear out, but it actually fell off on one side when a friend of mine had the tire changed on his modern bike.

[Pedal2Petal]

What failed? Both brakes at the same time?

Yeah apparently the back brake was already a bit dodgy due to being bent somehow, so perhaps all it took was the extra stress on the front brake to cause it to cease gripping altogether. I don't know the ins and outs of how disc brakes work - and that's part of why I won't use them. V brakes are dead simple - I understand them perfectly.

[enigmaT120]

Sometimes I think about V brakes for my Rocky Mountain, but I've read that I can't use the same brifters as I have with my cantilevers, and I like the ones I have. I got the brakes working fine, I'm just not sure how I did it. It was not intuitive for me, but I've been working on disk brakes for my motor vehicles (except my old Triumph Bonneville) for years so I am comfortable with them.

[steveo73]

My e-bike had the back wheel blow up the other day. I'm actually serious as well. I think what happened is that the rim just fell apart or better put a chunk of metal on the rim came off the bike. I actually think the bike is ruined now because I'm not sure how much it would cost to replace the back rim as the motor appears to be in there.

The back brake uses v-brakes however it was also a real cheap bike.

[wheatstate]

steveo: Either you or a local bike shop can make a rear wheel reusing the original hub.

Sheldon Brown has excellent tutorials for doing it yourself.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

I would ballpark estimate $50 for rim, $50 for spokes, $50 for labor.