Time to upgrade commuter...

veganopolis

I have been riding a single speed Schwinn beach cruiser for the past year, every day, to and from work. I put approximately 40mil/wk on it. I am starting a new job in a couple of weeks, and it is further than my current commute, so I am in the market for something a little more friendlier on my body.

Any suggestions? I don't really want to spend more than $500. But I do think it is time for a change. I live in Honolulu and have ridden my Schwinn to Sunset Beach twice: I have definitely gotten my monies worth out of it.

wmgardner

I don't know what your thoughts are on hybrid bikes, but I recently purchased a Trek 7200 and I love it. It's excellent for my short commutes (about 4 miles) as well as longer weekend rides. There's plenty of info out there on Trek's hybrids, and from what I've seen, mostly positive reviews.

veganopolis

Thank you. There is a local Trek dealer near me that I will stop by and chat with. What about comfort? I don't have a car, so this is my only means of transportation. Would you recommend this for someone like me? An everyday ride...

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veganopolis

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wmgardner

My Trek 7200 is comfortable and I only wish I had bought it sooner. I love the morning commute now.

I'm still pretty new when it comes to biking, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but from what I've heard the Trek hybrids are great bikes for everyday riding. While I'm sure that it couldn't keep up pace with a true road bike, it feels fast and smooth (I opted for the suspension upgrade due to some bumpy roads).

I love my bike.

veganopolis

Thanks for the advice. I will look into the Trek line.

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veganopolis

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craigstanton

My commute is longer than yours (I ride 32 miles each way), but I prefer a few things in my commute bike. First, it should have a steel frame for comfort. Second, the frame should have braze-ons should you want to carry packs without wearing a backpack. Third, I find that fenders are necessary in my neck of the woods, where we get bad weather on occasion. Fourth, it should be a bike that you aren't terribly concerned about adding such items as lights and flashers to. So, ultralight rroad racing outfits would likely be somewhat counterproductive (sort of like driving a Ferrari in a commute every day). I did quite a bit of research before buying my latest commute ride, and I was looking in a similar proce range. At your price point, I recommend buying a used cyclocross bike. Or, in the alternative, you could buy what I ride: a stock Bianchi Castro Valley commute bike. It's a bit more than $500, but you won;t have to throw in any extra cash on items such as lights or fenders, as the Castro Valley comes standard with both. See link:

http://www.bianchiusa.com/607.html