New Commuter

benm80
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New Commuter

Postby benm80 » Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:09 am

Hey All,
I am looking at possibly getting into commuting next year and am curious about choices of bikes.
I have hasseled the guy at my LBS who has been super helpful and just looking for some extra thoughts.

At the moment the weapon of choice is looking like a

Kona 2011 Jake the Snake

I will be looking at commuting about 20-30 Km each way probably everyday once i get going. This seems to be an ok mix of road ability with some slight offraod mixed in

The other thought was a 29er with slicks something like a GT Zaskar

Anyhoo thx for any time and thoughts given

zero
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Re: New Commuter

Postby zero » Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:17 pm

I think the cyclocross bike is perfect for the task. As my MTB is a dual suspension example and carries a lot of performance penalties in road riding, it ultimately lead to me buying a road bike for some road riding tasks.

Had I owned a cyclocross bike from the start, I might have been able to stave off n+1 for even longer.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Boognoss » Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:39 pm

zero wrote:I think the cyclocross bike is perfect for the task. As my MTB is a dual suspension example and carries a lot of performance penalties in road riding, it ultimately lead to me buying a road bike for some road riding tasks.

Had I owned a cyclocross bike from the start, I might have been able to stave off n+1 for even longer.
+1. Review of mine here - http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 44&t=14311

In it's 2 years and almost 16000km there's not much that I haven't upgraded or replaced but I love it for commuting. I must update the review with a 2 year update at some stage.
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baabaa
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Re: New Commuter

Postby baabaa » Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:40 pm

I have a 29er and a “few” cx bikes.
The cx bikes just seem right for commutes around that 60 ks a day mark. Not a road bike or a tourer just a bit of both that seems to work. I really do like (and use) the option of wider tyres and mudguards.
Does the new Jake have rack mounts? I was very close to a jake a few years back but went for a steel salsa la cruz with cable discs which I do like in the wet. What about a salsa vaya?

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Fred Nurk » Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:09 pm

Merida's got a new cyclocross bike with disc brakes, the Cyclocross 4 disc.
Looks alright for the spec.

I commute on a GT Avalanche with slicks, the extra weight means that a drop bar bike would be quicker. A cross bike with cross tyres is probably about as good (read: fast for commuting) as you get if the off road stuff is just fire trail.

Otherwise the Zaskar 29er would certainly be appealing.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Aushiker » Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:21 pm

baabaa wrote:Does the new Jake have rack mounts? I was very close to a jake a few years back but went for a steel salsa la cruz with cable discs which I do like in the wet. What about a salsa vaya?
Hi

Looking at this photo it does seem to have rear rack mount but it does appear to have mudguard mounts; on the front at least. Someone?

Also it has cantilever brakes. I wonder if they are really ideal for commuting?

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Baalzamon » Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:55 pm

Looking at the high res pic from kona's website it doesn't appear to have mudguard or rack mounts. Kona Jack the Snake 2011

Andrew what year bike is that as 2011 colour scheme is Blue/White/Black?
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Re: New Commuter

Postby Aushiker » Sun Dec 26, 2010 6:00 pm

Baalzamon wrote:Andrew what year bike is that as 2011 colour scheme is Blue/White/Black?
It might be a 2009 or 2010. I just did a quick search for the bike specs; really didn't take much notice of the model year.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Mulger bill » Sun Dec 26, 2010 8:41 pm

Jake is Konas cyclocross line, looks like the 2011 has its full race face on, no mounts.

The older versions fitted a rear rack but it's hard to see dropout holes in that pic.
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Re: New Commuter

Postby DrJay » Sat Jan 08, 2011 2:53 pm

I've been looking at that one for a while. The older ones had rack mounts, the new one doesn't. Can be worked around with some clamps and an appropriate quick release such as the Tubus racks setup. The rack costs more though.

The Merida is higher spec for the money, but I don't know how they really compare.
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Re: New Commuter

Postby familyguy » Sat Jan 08, 2011 3:29 pm

Aushiker wrote: Also it has cantilever brakes. I wonder if they are really ideal for commuting?
Andrew
Do you ask this because of the growing prevalence of discs available on road-oriented bicycles capable of being racked? I debated this point prior to fitting my Fuji up, but the cost was prohibitive, and as people said, the Jake is the 'cross bike in Kona's range more than a road-commuter.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Aushiker » Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:59 pm

familyguy wrote:
Aushiker wrote: Also it has cantilever brakes. I wonder if they are really ideal for commuting?
Andrew
Do you ask this because of the growing prevalence of discs available on road-oriented bicycles capable of being racked?
Hi

No; stopping power.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby jugglingogre » Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:32 am

Aushiker wrote:
familyguy wrote:
Aushiker wrote: Also it has cantilever brakes. I wonder if they are really ideal for commuting?
Andrew
Do you ask this because of the growing prevalence of discs available on road-oriented bicycles capable of being racked?
Hi

No; stopping power.

Andrew
Canti's on my Masi CX have heaps of stopping power with the stock pads. I'll be getting some kool stops soon as I'm nearly through the stock pads. The Masi has rack and fender mounts but the front wont take fenders with the stock 35 tyres. I commute on 23c but I reckon 25's or 28's would be fine.

As for what a CX can handle on a track, green and blue single track should not be a problem for an experienced rider. Loose stuff is what unsettles my girl as the tyres are only really treaded on the outer edge so they roll wonderfully. Mud on the other hand....awesome. The big wheels and narrow tyres just dig straight in and get traction.

The steel frame is nice and forgiving and the 105/tiagra group set is a great mix for what I got her for and a heap cheaper than a Jake.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby familyguy » Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:10 pm

Aushiker wrote:
familyguy wrote:
Aushiker wrote: Also it has cantilever brakes. I wonder if they are really ideal for commuting?
Andrew
Do you ask this because of the growing prevalence of discs available on road-oriented bicycles capable of being racked?
Hi

No; stopping power.

Andrew
Thats kinda what I was getting at. The growing trend towards discs on tandems and tourers isnt without reason.

Jim

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Aushiker » Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:17 pm

familyguy wrote: Thats kinda what I was getting at. The growing trend towards discs on tandems and tourers isnt without reason.

Jim
hi

Okay I am with you.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby il padrone » Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:43 pm

Hmm.... not having too much problems with my V-brakes, whether commuting, touring or tandeming. Wet weather and dry.

Discs are great for MTB trail riding, but overkill for most road riding, IMHO.
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Re: New Commuter

Postby il padrone » Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:45 pm

Oxford wrote:with the weather we're currently having, when it was similar and I had rim brakes I would go through front pads about every 3 weeks, the silt and mud just grind away the pads,
You need better pads*. Standard Shimano black pads are made of some form of meringue I believe :mrgreen:



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Re: New Commuter

Postby Mugglechops » Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:48 am

I pick my Merida Cyclo Cross 4 on Saturday. I compared a lot of CX bikes and found this one to be the best spec.

Plus I couldn't see myself going back to canti brakes after not using them since 1997.

The lack of rack mounts doesn't really worry me as I leave my work gear at work so only need to take my lunch and a t shirt with me, so I just use a back pack.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Mugglechops » Sat Jan 15, 2011 10:56 am

Mugglechops wrote: The lack of rack mounts doesn't really worry me as I leave my work gear at work so only need to take my lunch and a t shirt with me, so I just use a back pack.
Just to quote myself :D Got the bike today and it has rack mounts, even though every shot I have seen of one doesn't have them.

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Re: New Commuter

Postby Boognoss » Sat Jan 15, 2011 11:38 am

Lucky stuff there Mugglechops.

Merida's model-naming department was on fire the day they came up with your bike's model name hey? ;)
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Re: New Commuter

Postby Mugglechops » Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Boognoss wrote:Lucky stuff there Mugglechops.

Merida's model-naming department was on fire the day they came up with your bike's model name hey? ;)

Yes they earnt there money that day :lol:

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