Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
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Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:25 pm
My ideal commuter bike:
- Has drop handlebars
- Has disk brakes
- Weighs less than 10kg including rack and mudguards
- Has a rack with rack-top bag and mudguards
- Conventional gearing probably preferred assuming IGH's would be too heavy/not work with drop-bar brifters
- 700c x 25 minimum
As some back story I'm currently commuting on my carbon road bike which weigh's 8.5kg and has 25c tyres. I love how fast it is, I love the drop bars and it's light enough to just barely get up the big hill on the way to work (up to 20% grade). I don't love that it doesn't have mudguards or a rack because that means the groupo gets covered in dirt in the rain and I have to carry a backpack. I also have a super crappy steel hybrid which does have a rack and mudguards but I find the flat bar upright nature of it too slow and at around 18kg all up it's just too heavy to make it up the hill.
I'm not really looking to buy at this point but I'm certainly keeping an eye out for something that ticks all the boxes, especially if it doesn't cost the earth (such as a custom Ti jobby might).
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby rkelsen » Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:46 pm
http://www.merida.com.au/2012-bikes/cyc ... ss-4-d.htm
OR
http://www.merida.com.au/2012-bikes/cyc ... on-5-d.htm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:53 pm
Only issue so far was I needed a new back rim at 4300kms. But that was replaced under warranty. I got 5700kms out of the rear brake pads and the fronts are still good.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:04 pm
Edit: Actually the one MuggleChops posted appears to have the correct mounting points...
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Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Kenzo » Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:11 pm
Then get a seat post mounted pannier. http://www.bicyclestore.com.au/topeak-m ... frame.html
You may need to get an alloy seat post if you are running a carbon post at the moment.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:14 pm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby boyracer » Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:37 pm
CBF weighing mine, columbus SL w/ rack/guards, randos, etc. probs 12 kgs. No discs, but salmon cantis are pretty damn good!
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby thomashouseman » Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:39 pm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby boyracer » Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:42 pm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mulger bill » Tue Feb 07, 2012 11:53 pm
I'd be interested in hearing of any non cf bike that fits the weight criteria, my Dew Drop hits around 11ish IIRC ready to roll without rack. (28mm Gators, multiple lights, saddlebag, pump, guards, Tiagra/105 triple) I could lose a bit with better wheels.
Shaun
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:18 am
That Merida had rack mounts on the back AND mudguard holes for the back. You could easily attach the guards through the rack hole.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:21 am
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:26 am
The Honky inc looks good too, I'd seen it but assumed that it would be too heavy, but at an apparent weight of 10.9kg it's not too bad. No doubt with lighter parts it could be lower too, too bad I can't just buy the frame and fork and kit it out myself (might be cheaper and I could use my preferred bits).
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:39 am
Weight is right on 10kg but the wheels are heavy and thefront fork is alloy.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby familyguy » Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:58 am
I've seen a few Honky Inc's about. If I was looking for another commuter, that'd be high on the list. Not long and super-stable like a full-stack tourer, but not pin-sharp like a roadie. Seems like a good option.
Jim
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby simonn » Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:24 am
~10.5kg naked. Add ~0.5 kgs for muddies and the same again for a rack (which I do not use). Minimum tyre with is 28mm (24mm rims... I think? Not road rims in any case). Oh and add <whatever> for pedals.
The problem with discs is that the wheels are going to be heavier, end of story, and that makes much more of a difference than the same weight elsewhere. However, this does not seem to have made a real difference to my actual commute time and I can actually stop in the rain now .
Did my first 200km at > 25km/h the other day on my roadie. Considering I had not done a ride longer than 24km for ~3 months, I reckon some of that has to be due to the fact I ride a heavier bike around most of the time now. So a bit of weight on a commuter may not necessarily be a bad thing.
Recommend going CX. They really are good jack of all trades bikes and CX racing is hilarious(ly hard but fun).
BTW, were you riding on the Epping Rd track today? Had a brief discussion regarding muddies with a guy on a carbon bike this am.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:54 am
The sub 10kg thing isn't really hard and fast, just a way of saying no boat anchors like my aldi hybrid. I only weigh 64kg so the weight of the bike affects me relatively more than a larger guy, there are a few hills in the area and one monster that I struggle on with my fairly light roadie so really the lighter the better within reason. My average speed on the road bike for the commute ranges between 28.2 and 29.3kph over 24km so you can see why I don't really want a flatbar, I'd be perfectly happy on the road bike except that I hate carrying the backpack and I often choose not to ride if it looks like raining because I don't really want to have to clean it all the time and have it wear out that much faster.
So far the Honky inc, merida CX and boardman CX bikes all look like equally good options. Honky being slightly heavier, steel and a little more expensive, the Merida and boardman bikes are much the same price and specifications. Perhaps I'll be keeping an eye out for one of them used, I kinda like repairing and servicing my bikes anyway so that would probably be the best value option.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby BeerRider » Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:54 pm
For the top rack, I used this one. It had a landing strip which attached to the rack and acted like a rear mud guard in the wet, even if you didn't take the bag. You needed it for London!! I didn't have a front mud guard though, but I reckon you'd be able to find one pretty easily. I also had the same brand of pannier bags.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Crittski » Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:53 pm
Volagi Liscio Ultegra
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Wed Feb 08, 2012 2:39 pm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:11 pm
You can buy the frame and fork from bike24.com
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:23 pm
Do you have a link? I just had a look and couldn't find anything on their website.Xplora wrote: You can buy the frame and fork from bike24.com
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Wed Feb 08, 2012 4:53 pm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby csy75 » Wed Feb 08, 2012 5:16 pm
I got sick of my flatbar bike and bought a 2nd hand ( but in fantastic condition ) giant defy 2 road bike.
its not carbon frame ( i wouldn't want one for commuting ) weighing in at 9.8 kg. I have chucked on my topeak rack and pedals and it's a svelte 11 odd kg...
no disc brakes and 25 mm vittoria tyres ( which i have done 1500 km on my other defy with no punctures )....
its much better to ride than the flat bar....could you go a less expensive road bike?
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:38 pm
My current road bike isn't too pricey, I got the frame direct from China and most of the other parts from the UK for cheap and built it myself so all up it probably cost me $1500. I've looked to see if any of the Chinese carbon frame makers do a road bike with disk brakes yet but none do, which is a shame because I've been completely happy with mine so far.
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