Either way, congratulations!
Your life is about to improve by drastic measures.
In order to assist you along in your journey, this is the beginning of what I'll call the commuter series. And without further delay, I present to you part 1 - the bike.
The Bike
Before I get ahead of myself recommending bikes that you don't need, you may already own a bike, or maybe there is an old steel bike gathering cobwebs in the corner of your parents garage. Mountain bike, road bike, cruiser, hybrid, etc. it doesn't really matter, if you have a bike - ride it. Unless you bike looks something like this, you should be able to ride it to work:
Now, if your only bike resembles that pictured above, or if you don't currently own a bike, or if you are just looking to upgrade, continue reading.
New or Used
The first thing you may want to decide is whether you plan to buy a new or used bike. If you are buying a used bike, here is a helpful link to Bike Snob NYC's Used Bicycle Buyers Guide. You can definitely save money buying used, or simply get more bike for the money you have budgeted to spend. But there can also be a lot of value in buying new from a bike shop. Here are a few advantages:
- You can try multiple bikes to determine which one you like the best
- Most bike shops include at least a basic fitting, so you can ensure you are getting the right size bike
- Most shops also include at least one free service / tune-up (my favorite-ist local shop, Pedal, includes free service within the first year!)
- Discounts on accessories
- Building a relationship with the people you may need to service your bike in the future
The decision is yours. Just please do not spend hours riding and testing bikes at your local shop, only to get a used bike the next day on craigslist. Also, if you are newer to the business, don't be too nervous about buying used. You can typically replace most low to mid-range components (chain, cassette, chainrings / crank, brake / derailleur cables) for close to $200.
In fact, to give some more support to the local shop, it's not a bad idea to budget $100-200 to have your used bike serviced prior to riding. You'll still be saving money and end up with a great bike.
Frame Material
In my reviews, I'm going to stay mainly in the sub-$1,000 categories. So your options are going to be steel or aluminum. Steel is steel, or something like that. But seriously, steel is probably going to result in a heavier bike, but it is also more flexible, which results in a more comfortable ride. Aluminum is lightweight but less flexible.
Just like we would all expect a professional quarterback to notice if a football he was throwing was deflated, the more experienced and professional cyclists would easily notice the differences in frame material. Well...you will actually notice some differences riding a steel vs. aluminum bike; however, more likely than not either one will be fine. And either one will likely outlive us.
Also, most of the aluminum bikes I recommend below have more relaxed geometry and wider tires (I run 32-35mm tires on my commuter, 25mm on my road bike, currently). Assuming you get a proper fit, you will be plenty comfortable.
Just to note some other materials you may find out there: carbon fiber, titanium, and wood...apparently?!?
(Only hardwoods have the ability to provide structural stiffness rivaling carbon fiber while smoothing vibration through the structure of the material itself. In 2016 we began testing wood for a new and exciting project, now available as the product of an unusual partnership between ourselves and Glenmorangie scotch whisky. Renovo has collaborated with Glenmorangie, creators of Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, to create the world’s first bicycle made from whisky casks.)
Who knew?
So if you have $7k laying around, I guess you can ride atop a bicycle made from whisky casks.
Type of Bike
Moving on...if you go to the website of pretty much any major bicycle company, you will notice there are approximately 17 different types of bikes. For simplicity, these types of bikes basically fall into what I consider 3 categories: road, mountain, and hybrid.
In the road bike category, I generally group anything with drop bars. So we might as well call this the drop bar category.
In the mountain bike category, this includes anything with wide, knobby tires and bikes with front and/or rear suspension, in most cases.
As you might have guessed, hybrid bikes fall in between. Hybrids are basically a road bike frame with entry-level components, flat handle bars, and clearance for slightly wider tires.
Before I move on to my picks of the litter, let me explain my methodology. Unless you happen to have off-road trails leading from your house to the office, a mountain bike is probably not an ideal commuter. So I will spend most of my time in the hybrid / road bike categories. I'll include hybrid options at the entry-level price point; however, I highly recommend spending a little more to get an entry-level drop bar bike.
Here's why: When hybrids came out, the main advantages were wider tires on a light weight frame, with a more relaxed geometry (more upright body position on the bike). In the past years, almost every bike company is offering an entry level drop bar bike with the same features: ability to run wider tires, light weight frames, relaxed geometry, plus the drop bar and slightly upgraded components.
While most people may only think of a drop bar as having aerodynamic advantages, which it does, it offers numerous hand positions. As opposed to one hand position on flat bars, which can literally be numbing on longer rides.
You can pretty much put your hands anywhere there is bar tape. Like this (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html):
Note: This is also why my recommendations work for commuters or anyone else (especially in the Kalamazoo area) looking for an entry-level-ish bike. Drop bar bikes with wider tires are perfect for commuting, trail riding (since most of the Kalamazoo area trails are paved or gravel), group rides, your first cross or gravel race, etc. The possibilities are endless...not to mention these bikes also have eyelets for rack mounts and fenders. But more on the accessories later.
Without further ado, below are my highly anticipated selections. Here are my top 3 road bikes in the $800-$1,000 range:
Kona Rove - starting at $849, aluminum frame & fork with Shimano Claris components, runs up to 38mm tires: "The Rove is Kona's essential drop bar all-rounder. Comfortable fit and stable geometry, the ability to take rack and fenders, and a no-nonsense spec make the Rove a great choice for commuting, weekend adventuring, or the occasional 'cross or gravel race."
Or for $1,099, you get Shimano Sora components (9 speed), fenders, plus it's orange:
Salsa Journeyman - starting at $899, aluminum frame & fork with Shimano Claris components (Sora upgrade is $1,099 similar to Kona), runs up to 50mm tires. This might be a little much if you only plan to ride on pavement, but I like the option to run wide tires especially if you plan to commute in winter. "Journeyman is our all road bike designed with the versatility to fulfill a wide variety of missions, from backroad wandering to bikepacking to riding or racing gravel."
Trek CrossRip - The CrossRip 1 is currently on sale for $909, aluminum frame and fork with Shimano Sora components and the ability to run up to 38mm tires. This is a pretty good deal:
The CrossRip 2 comes in at $1,259 currently, but you get a carbon fiber fork and Shimano Tiagra 10 speed components. I have Tiagra on my road bike and really like this package:
Honorable mentions within this category: (1) Specialized Diverge - I really like these bikes; however, they tend to offer the same components as the above models at a slightly higher price. (2) Jamis Renegade
If you don't want to bother with the gravel, a couple straight road bikes for your consideration would be the Specialized Allez (starting at $750 for aluminum frame, carbon fork, and Shimano Claris) and the Cannondale CAAD Optimo (starting at $950 for aluminum frame, carbon fork, and Shimano Sora). One thing to keep in mind is you do lose the rack mounts, so if you are looking for a commuter you will be backpacking it. I did this for 2-3 years and still do when I ride my road bike to work, but it's worth consideration.
If $800-$1,000 (or more) seems a little steep for you, here are my picks of some hybrid / road bikes around the $500 price point:
The "Big 3," Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale, all offer worthy options if you are looking for a hybrid. These usually start in the $400-500 range, and personally, I wouldn't pay much more than that for a flat bar hybrid. The models are Trek FX, Specialized Sirrus, and Cannondale Quick. The Trek FX 2 was the first real bike I bought 5 or 6 years ago and mine currently has about 6,000 miles on it. This model is currently listed at $439, here it is:
It's also important to know that you will typically find close to new hybrid bikes on Craigslist. I believe this is the default recommendation for people looking to start riding paved / gravel trails, at least in Kalamazoo. Then the people that don't ride them decide to sell after 1-2 years. Personally, I wouldn't go much over $200 to $250 if you are buying used in this segment. Here is one example:
They also noted the bike was purchased for $700, and they have it "priced to sell" at $450...but as I said, I would offer a solid $200 or so:
Hey, it's not my fault they didn't ride their bike.
Finally, here is a straight forward, steel road machine if $500 is your budget.
Pure Cycles Drop Bar Road Bike - Steel frame and fork, Shimano Claris components, 28mm tires, rack and fender compatible, and 3 color options:
Starting at $699, you can also get a steel version with wider tires (38mm) and disc brakes, still with Shimano Claris, or Shimano Sora for $799:
Now stop reading, and go buy a bike. Feel free to leave a comment if you have questions. Happy shopping, and happy Friday!
- Clay
No comments:
Post a Comment