Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:47 pm
You could get someone to build a steel roadie to meet your specs fairly easily, just wouldn't be 1700 bucks at your door
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:08 pm
Plus after years of riding MTBs with one finger stopping hydro discs, road brakes scared me.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby queequeg » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:14 pm
AndrewBurns wrote:Maybe somebody knows if my ideal commuter bike is already out there or if parts of it exist (primarily the frame)?
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).
My commuter. As pictured, weight comes in at 12.2kg, even with a Ti frame and a Ti rack that weighs almost nothing.
Most of the weight goes into the Disc Brakes and the Tyres (which are 740g each!). SRAM Apex group eats 25% hills for breakfast, even with loaded panniers.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:19 pm
I think its time to get some for mine.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:32 pm
I got P35s to go with 28s (and now 25s). Stick with the website recommendations, can't go wrong. The guards are VERY flexible if you must bend them to fitMugglechops wrote:What size tyres and what width mudguards are you running?
I think its time to get some for mine.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:45 pm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby waramatt » Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:37 pm
Giant TCR Adv 0 Di2
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Felt Dispatch SS
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Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race. H G Wells
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby PB12IN » Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:48 pm
Ok, I want this bike. but then I get nervous about parking a $400 bike at southport, Don't think I would ba game to risk something like that.queequeg wrote:
My commuter. As pictured, weight comes in at 12.2kg, even with a Ti frame and a Ti rack that weighs almost nothing.
Most of the weight goes into the Disc Brakes and the Tyres (which are 740g each!). SRAM Apex group eats 25% hills for breakfast, even with loaded panniers.
ok I'm not certain of this (especially with carbon) but with an alloy couldn't you just get the mounts for a rack installed? shouldn't be to hard to drill a hole and fit mounts.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby queequeg » Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:13 pm
Marathon Plus 700x28c with SKS P45 Mudguards. Heaps of space, could go up to around 37mm with the P45s.Mugglechops wrote:What size tyres and what width mudguards are you running?
I think its time to get some for mine.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby queequeg » Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:18 pm
Thankfully I have secure parking at work!PB12IN wrote:Ok, I want this bike. but then I get nervous about parking a $400 bike at southport, Don't think I would ba game to risk something like that.queequeg wrote:
My commuter. As pictured, weight comes in at 12.2kg, even with a Ti frame and a Ti rack that weighs almost nothing.
Most of the weight goes into the Disc Brakes and the Tyres (which are 740g each!). SRAM Apex group eats 25% hills for breakfast, even with loaded panniers.
ok I'm not certain of this (especially with carbon) but with an alloy couldn't you just get the mounts for a rack installed? shouldn't be to hard to drill a hole and fit mounts.
I wouldn't be drilling holes in the frame. You could compromise the integrity of it. Best to make sure the frame has the mounts int he first place, or use p-clips etc to retrofit.
Definitely don't drill anything into a carbon frame!
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby PB12IN » Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:45 am
technically so do we, and have to pay $3 a day for cars. that didn't stop a heap of cars getting broken into and the company that owns the place saying, oh its not our problem, and no the security cameras don't work in the staff car park.queequeg wrote:Thankfully I have secure parking at work!
sorry for going off topic.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:53 am
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:25 am
Thanks mate.queequeg wrote:Marathon Plus 700x28c with SKS P45 Mudguards. Heaps of space, could go up to around 37mm with the P45s.Mugglechops wrote:What size tyres and what width mudguards are you running?
I think its time to get some for mine.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby PB12IN » Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:17 pm
I don't know about you, but to me $400 is a fair bit of cash, we can't all afford expensive bikes. If it goes missing I will have to save for a while to be able to replace it.Xplora wrote:Scared of parking a 400 dollar bike?! Typo?
If that ammount of money means so little to you how about i send you my address and you send me $400.
so how much should personal property be worth before someone should not want it stolen?
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mulger bill » Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:40 pm
Having had bikes stolen before, I recall the feeling of guttedness that comes from finding fresh air where the scoot once reposed. I would happily sign an "Execute all bike thieves on sight" petition without the slightest qualm.
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:08 pm
Don't get me wrong, I can't afford to lose any bikes, and I had to sell a car to get my Honky Inc - my point is simply that if you can't afford to take a controlled, measured risk with a 400 dollar bike, then you might need to give up cycle commuting and catch a train. Or walk... you get my point. I am fortunate to have reasonable parking facilities at work, and I intend on locking up my bike in the garage at home soon too. But I simply wouldn't do it if I could not expect the Honk to be there every day.PB12IN wrote:I don't know about you, but to me $400 is a fair bit of cash, we can't all afford expensive bikes. If it goes missing I will have to save for a while to be able to replace it.Xplora wrote:Scared of parking a 400 dollar bike?! Typo?
If that ammount of money means so little to you how about i send you my address and you send me $400.
so how much should personal property be worth before someone should not want it stolen?
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:38 pm
Little cheaper than the Merida CX bike (even factoring in shipping, including current specials) with a mix of Apex and 105 compared to mostly 105, seems to have slightly better wheels though and a carbon fork. Not so crash hot about the BB5 disk brakes, they seem to get universally bad reviews when compared to the BB7's. Boardman also do a CX bike with the same frame and fork but BB7 brakes and SRAM Force groupo but it's $350 more and while that probably makes it a better deal I don't think I'd pay that much for a commuter bike.
Thoughts? I really don't need to buy another bike right now *repeat ad-nauseum*
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby PB12IN » Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:36 pm
So becasue I don't want my bike stolen I shouldn't ride it. I don't want my car stolen either, better not drive.Xplora wrote:Don't get me wrong, I can't afford to lose any bikes, and I had to sell a car to get my Honky Inc - my point is simply that if you can't afford to take a controlled, measured risk with a 400 dollar bike, then you might need to give up cycle commuting and catch a train. Or walk... you get my point. I am fortunate to have reasonable parking facilities at work, and I intend on locking up my bike in the garage at home soon too. But I simply wouldn't do it if I could not expect the Honk to be there every day.PB12IN wrote:I don't know about you, but to me $400 is a fair bit of cash, we can't all afford expensive bikes. If it goes missing I will have to save for a while to be able to replace it.Xplora wrote:Scared of parking a 400 dollar bike?! Typo?
If that ammount of money means so little to you how about i send you my address and you send me $400.
so how much should personal property be worth before someone should not want it stolen?
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:48 pm
Yep, I am glad we understand each other. Paranoia ruins lives. You can't control everything, so why bother trying?PB12IN wrote: So becasue I don't want my bike stolen I shouldn't ride it. I don't want my car stolen either, better not drive.
AB, don't stress too much about the brakes. Any disc brake will be pretty good, if you decide you want more, just upgrade. I bought the Honky Inc expecting BB7s and it came with Shimano discs. Try to remember that some people have VERY different expectations about performance. I bet a lot of BB5 haters are comparing them to top line hydraulic 185mm MTB discs, and of course they will suck in comparison. I was disappointed I didn't get BB7s, but I'm still using the Shimanos. No point in upgrading when the brakes pull up.
Get the upgraded bike, it will be better in the long term. You are saving hundreds by riding each year. You'll have "saved" this money to your bank account within 6 months. Don't stress.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Mugglechops » Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:36 am
The BB5's are not all that bad. I am 120kgs and they pull me up fine every time. They do require some adjusting but its not too painfull. So far 6000kms on the front pads and the rears lasted 5700kms.AndrewBurns wrote:On looking at the options around the Boardman team CX from Wiggle looks like the winner so far: http://www.this link is broken/boardman-road-team-cx/
Little cheaper than the Merida CX bike (even factoring in shipping, including current specials) with a mix of Apex and 105 compared to mostly 105, seems to have slightly better wheels though and a carbon fork. Not so crash hot about the BB5 disk brakes, they seem to get universally bad reviews when compared to the BB7's. Boardman also do a CX bike with the same frame and fork but BB7 brakes and SRAM Force groupo but it's $350 more and while that probably makes it a better deal I don't think I'd pay that much for a commuter bike.
Thoughts? I really don't need to buy another bike right now *repeat ad-nauseum*
BB7's are better but I wouldn't let that be a deal breaker.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby thomashouseman » Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:56 am
Me too! What's with that?!Xplora wrote: I bought the Honky Inc expecting BB7s and it came with Shimano discs.
I bought mine off spec. without seeing the bike first, and I'd specifically asked the bike shop if it matched the specs on the kona website BB7's etc and he said yes! When it didn't arrive with them he promptly posted me a set without complaint/argument. Now I'm wondering if all of them came with changed brakes!
T.
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:32 am
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby PB12IN » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:44 pm
Wow you should be a politician, you went from having a go at me to concern about my mental state.Xplora wrote:Paranoia ruins lives.
bravo!
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby AndrewBurns » Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:02 pm
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Re: Does my ideal commuter bicycle exist?
Postby Xplora » Mon Feb 13, 2012 4:08 pm
PB, I couldn't ride to work if I was that worried about being hit by a car, or falling off, or having the bike pinched. I would be incapacitated. So yeah, I'm concerned for you. I'm concerned all people that aren't my sworn enemiesPB12IN wrote:Wow you should be a politician, you went from having a go at me to concern about my mental state.Xplora wrote:Paranoia ruins lives.
bravo!
AB, Force is to Ultegra as Apex is to 105/Tiagra? I would definitely spend the extra money, it's really not much extra for a much better groupset.
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