KingCrimson Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 I like the leather saddle..reminds me of my dad's old Cilo (sp?) Cork bar wrap. I agree though, it's more of a prettyboy than a bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Lincoln, Nebraska has terrific bike paths and is dead flat. I don't mind hills I actually prfer them and NEBRASKA???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 I haven't read all the replies...but for a commuter (assuming low to medium hills), I'd recommend a Redline 925 or 9 to 5, whichever you prefer to say Cheap, has all the fixings and very low maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingbat Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 ..... and NEBRASKA???? :lol: No need to thank me, it just warms my heart to have saved you the trouble of all that research!:rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gtanner Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Just picked one of these babies up this past weekend and what a sweet ride. So your comment about drop bars and brakes, well you can get some top mounted brakes stock on soem cyclocross bikes..or pick some up on Ebay or Performance and then splice the brake lines.... Also, the JTS has holes for Pannier (sp?) installation as well as fender mounts, which is nice for a commuter. I never thought I'd like drop bars, but now that I have it, I can't get enough. I have been bitten by the road-bike bug!! Good luck and happy riding. -Gord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 :lol: No need to thank me, it just warms my heart to have saved you the trouble of all that research!:rolleyes: There is a place in hell for people like you....they give you full access to Bruce, Chriss Sean Jeff and Fin and then put you on the beach in Guam so that you can admire your new toys...NEBRASKA???? cornfields no mountains to skate or snowboard...no curved roads no climbing...I feel sorry for people who have to live there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Maybe. But there used to be this little bar and pool hall in Chadron... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie00 Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Derf if you are willing to wait this fall for the bike, I know OPUS has his end of the year clearance sale on demo's and what's left in Ville St-laurent. I got my road bike that is worth 1799 + tx for 750 tx included. You should have to wish and hope they have the model / size you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingbat Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 There is a place in hell for people like you....they give you full access to Bruce, Chriss Sean Jeff and Fin and then put you on the beach in Guam so that you can admire your new toys...NEBRASKA???? cornfields no mountains to skate or snowboard...no curved roads no climbing...I feel sorry for people who have to live there Come on! NebraSKI is bound to re-open any year now. 200 vertical feet of sheer madness! As far as the skating goes, they have some hills that work quite nicely for working on your cross-stepping:biggthump. Hey, you want any Corian? I have scraps at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I haven't ridden any of the Surlys myself, but I met a bike shop mechanic who was touring on a CrossCheck a few years ago, and he raved about his bike for both touring and around town. I have heard that Surly's tubing is on the heavy side, but that's to be expected in that price range. Soma also makes some steel frames that might meet your needs, but I'm not sure if you could get one built up in your price range. Granted I have a much shorter commute than you (4 miles each way), but I've been pretty happy with my MTB and slicks. I use a very narrow (1.25 inches), high pressure (rated to 110 psi or so) tire up front and a slightly fatter tire in back for cushioning when I drop kerbs; it's been a great setup for me, and feels fairly efficient. What about your current MTB isn't working for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Come on! NebraSKI is bound to re-open any year now. 200 vertical feet of sheer madness! As far as the skating goes, they have some hills that work quite nicely for working on your cross-stepping:biggthump. Hey, you want any Corian? I have scraps at work. 200 feet:eek:Yawgoo has more than that (not by much but it does). Sating I prefer hills I can break 40mph using only gravity, and skate down for more than 20 seconds. I'll stay her in New England until I move all the way west. Corian is kinda sticky, though I have been on hills that it was perfect for, I prefer UHMW for my slide gloves most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 You guys are lucky. A commuter bike in Toronto needs to be ugly, old and beat to hell with absolutely no valuable components. Anything more and it will last a week at best before it is lifted or stripped. I ride a 15 year old Kona if I have to lock it anywhere. I paid $125 for it so if I lose it, I won't cry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 These bikes are extremely popular in Japan, mostly less than $100, and there are thousands of them...Every Train station has a guarded bicycle/scooter/motorcycle garage that cost less than $1 a day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 These bikes are extremely popular in Japan, mostly less than $100, and there are thousands of them...Every Train station has a guarded bicycle/scooter/motorcycle garage that cost less than $1 a day Wow, did you bring one home with you? Here's a photo gallery of Japanese bikes for the hardcore bike geeks, including a really cool folding bike design: http://gamingjapan.net/blog/031122/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Not for me but for my mom...I don't think I have ever seen her smile so wide...she rides it nearly every day from spring to fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 You guys are lucky. A commuter bike in Toronto needs to be ugly, old and beat to hell with absolutely no valuable components. Anything more and it will last a week at best before it is lifted or stripped. I ride a 15 year old Kona if I have to lock it anywhere. I paid $125 for it so if I lose it, I won't cry. That's not unlike the realities here in NYC. I still have a nice bike though, I just lock it up with two different locks, each through both wheels and the frame, one of them is a heavy-duty kryptonite bike chain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I spotted the chain in the background! Great for bugging Superman, eh? It looks like you have a QR on your post clamp, your seatpost hasn't ever gone missing? Sheldon Brown has an awesome guide to locking up http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I spotted the chain in the background! Great for bugging Superman, eh?It looks like you have a QR on your post clamp, your seatpost hasn't ever gone missing? Sheldon Brown has an awesome guide to locking up http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html I run a cable and lock it to the frame, or I take it with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Portable seating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vapor Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 Bikes are like boards,they perform better in certian conditions but still can have fun on then in terrain thats not ideal.The other option is to buy more bikes:o Here is my commuter that can pass as a half decent trail cruiser when i throw on a 34 tooth chainring and some knobbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derf Posted July 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2008 Granted I have a much shorter commute than you (4 miles each way), but I've been pretty happy with my MTB and slicks. I use a very narrow (1.25 inches), high pressure (rated to 110 psi or so) tire up front and a slightly fatter tire in back for cushioning when I drop kerbs; it's been a great setup for me, and feels fairly efficient. What about your current MTB isn't working for you? My current MTB has a front suspension, which weighs a lot and does nothing. I have found out that a front suspension on a city/commuting/road bike is quite useless. When I bought the bike, I thought that I could replace it by a rigid fork, but I found out later that the angles won't work (too steep) unless I get a longer rigid fork that is meant to replace a front suspension but then, it would be a hassle to install fenders. My current tires are 26"x1.5" flat resitant Kenda Kwest/Specialized Nimbus inflated at 75 psi. They roll OK, but are not the best. I read several times that 700c tires roll better, even if there is no scientific proof to support this. In addition to my bike commute being long, I do more and more long rides (100km 2-3 times a year) and a MTB is far from good for this. I don't want to get a road bike just for those rides for space and money reasons. I am very picky about what bikes I ride (geometry, components) just like some of you are picky about what boards you ride. I like how my current bike rides, but it feels "wrong" for it's purpose. If I used it as a mountain bike, it would be a great mountain bike (for the price), but I don't use it for that now as I have an old mountain bike that I just love: a 1994 Rocky Mountain Équipe (with upgraded suspension and brakes). It has a great geometry and feel and it is a steel frame. Its one and only drawback is that the frame is not disk brake compatible (but I'm wondering if I can have a disk brake support installed by a local custom frame builder). If I had the money and space, I'd have about 6 bikes (compared to 2 or 3 snowboards), but for now I limit myself to 3 bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted July 12, 2008 Report Share Posted July 12, 2008 Brake adaptor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vapor Posted July 12, 2008 Report Share Posted July 12, 2008 One of the reasons i kept the suspension on my bike is for the hydraulic brake. They,re great in messy weather.the down side is yahoos playing with them when your front wheel is off and locked up.Its only happened once but will really piss you off when it happens. I build my commuters from spare parts, but see a trend out there building with bikes with mechanicals/700c wheels and flat bars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted July 13, 2008 Report Share Posted July 13, 2008 Your brakeset can't be removed from the fork and put on a rigid fork with the mounts? 700c argument- the spokes are longer, so any hub drag is lessened by the leverage the spokes have. Complete BS really..the only time most of those comparisons work is 29er mtb versus 26. BB is higher up, so you can use longer cranks too..but a bigger wheel rotates more slowly, so in the end it's all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 13, 2008 Report Share Posted July 13, 2008 Nice Z1 BAM on that bike. What a classic fork. The original Z1's were so far ahead of their time. Everyone else, sorry for the interruption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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