Flat bar bike for road

M Powell

Having now put a couple of thousand miles on my 2003 Motobecane hybrid, I'm
starting to get a case of Bike Envy. My biggest problem with my bike is that
it weighs 33 lbs., along with the fact that all the components are entry
level. I know that I want to stick with a flat bar, and I'm not even certain
that I "need" a new bike... for a $325 bike it has done quite well.

But I'm looking at Trek 7500FX and 7700FX, and Giant Cypress SX & SL. Both
sets of bikes are about $300 apart, and the Giants are about $100 less than
the Treks. Have also looked at the Marin Alps models, but didn't especially
like the bikes or the LBS that has them.

So, questions:
-- How much trouble/expense would it be to help my Motobecane lose weight by
swapping out its suspension fork? I see sale items in the catalogues for
aluminum & composite forks, but is this a good swap?
-- Are there other fix-its or swaps that would help me to just keep the
Motobecane & be happier with it?

Or:
-- I don't really understand why, but I seem to like the Cypress models over
the Treks. I guess they seem a little less hybrid-ish. Is there anything I
should know about these brands before putting money down? Where's the $100
difference?
-- At what point is the $300 step-up absolutely worth it? I know the
components are better & lighter, but what performance & weight gains do you
really get?
-- Is there another brand or model that I should look at? Must absolutely be
$1,000 or less.

Thanks!
--Murray

davlbrown

M Powell wrote:
> Having now put a couple of thousand miles on my 2003 Motobecane hybrid,
> I'm starting to get a case of Bike Envy. My biggest problem with my bike
> is that it weighs 33 lbs., along with the fact that all the components
> are entry level. I know that I want to stick with a flat bar, and I'm
> not even certain that I "need" a new bike... for a $325 bike it has done
> quite well.
> But I'm looking at Trek 7500FX and 7700FX, and Giant Cypress SX & SL.
> Both sets of bikes are about $300 apart, and the Giants are about $100
> less than the Treks. Have also looked at the Marin Alps models, but
> didn't especially like the bikes or the LBS that has them.
> So, questions: -- How much trouble/expense would it be to help my
> Motobecane lose weight by swapping out its suspension fork? I see sale
> items in the catalogues for aluminum & composite forks, but is this a
> good swap? -- Are there other fix-its or swaps that would help me to
> just keep the Motobecane & be happier with it?
> Or: -- I don't really understand why, but I seem to like the Cypress
> models over the Treks. I guess they seem a little less hybrid-ish. Is
> there anything I should know about these brands before putting money
> down? Where's the $100 difference? -- At what point is the $300 step-up
> absolutely worth it? I know the components are better & lighter, but
> what performance & weight gains do you really get? -- Is there another
> brand or model that I should look at? Must absolutely be $1,000 or less.
> Thanks! --Murray

I just bought the Cypress SX. I commute to work and have tried a variety
of bikes, road and mtn. Need something durable and fast. The SX runs
about $600. The SL about $800. I prefer clippless pedals and will switch
out the clippless SPD pedals on my mountain bike or I would have gotten
the SL. The SL has a carbon fork and higher end shifters. Both have
Michelin Dynamic tires which I will immediately upgrade to something
more durable with a kevlar liner.

Have not taken delivery as yet. There were only 4 of these in the
country when I got mine. Will let you know in a week or so.







--

Badger_South

On Mon, 17 May 2004 14:19:31 GMT, "M Powell" <ppowellmrp@earthlink.net>
wrote:

>Having now put a couple of thousand miles on my 2003 Motobecane hybrid, I'm
>starting to get a case of Bike Envy. My biggest problem with my bike is that
>it weighs 33 lbs., along with the fact that all the components are entry
>level. I know that I want to stick with a flat bar, and I'm not even certain
>that I "need" a new bike... for a $325 bike it has done quite well.
>
>But I'm looking at Trek 7500FX and 7700FX, and Giant Cypress SX & SL. Both
>sets of bikes are about $300 apart, and the Giants are about $100 less than
>the Treks. Have also looked at the Marin Alps models, but didn't especially
>like the bikes or the LBS that has them.

I just test rode a Giant Cypress SX, and it was OK, but seemed like a 'toy'
for some reason, although it went up the incline in the shopping center
much better than the current ride, a 45lb MTN bike! <g>

Supposedly Giant is having a sale on or about the week of the 24th, or
maybe it's only my LBS (Performance Bikes), so you might want to check it
out.

The Trek shop was completely out of hybrids, having sold out all of them
last week, and only had a 7200 which -is- a toy (heh).

They didn't seem to understand why a person would eschew the fork
suspension and seatpost suspension until I said 'five pounds'. IMO, very
few people -need- that suspension, but it's hard to realize (it was for me
at first). Actually, I think the non-suspension versions (FX) are cheaper,
IIRC.

So it's 'wait another week' for me until the '05s come in. Meantime they're
going to try and find me a 7500FX, which is what I really want to test.

You've ridden both, I presume? What about the Giant was better, in your
opinion.

Best,

-B

David L. Johnson

On Mon, 17 May 2004 14:19:31 +0000, M Powell wrote:

> So, questions:
> -- How much trouble/expense would it be to help my Motobecane lose weight by
> swapping out its suspension fork? I see sale items in the catalogues for
> aluminum & composite forks, but is this a good swap?

Probably not. The suspension fork is a lot longer than almost any rigid
fork you can find, and so the geometry of the bike will be changed by this
switch. It _might_ be better, but probably not. Also, you won't save
enough weight. Going to a lighter bike overall can save you 10 pounds for
not that much money.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "Business!" cried the Ghost. "Mankind was my business. The common
_`\(,_ | welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and
(_)/ (_) | benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade
were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my
<business!" --Dickens, "A Christmas Carol"