Brad Smith

I've been cycling regularly since May of last year. Initially just to and from work on a hybrid, but within weeks I started doing some shopping on the hybrid and taking the hybrid out on road rides with the cycling club. In October, I purchased a road bike and have been riding it quite often on road rides multiple times per week. My interest continues to grow.

Here are my current bikes:

HYBRID
2006 Marin San Anselmo

I currently have it outfit with a Old Man Mountain rear rack, fenders, lights, etc. It is used as my primary commuter and around-town riding. I currently am using Bebop pedals, but also occasionally use SPDs as well.

ROAD
2006 Specialized Roubaix Comp Double

This is the smooth road ride (equipped with Speedplay X2 pedals at the moment) I have currently.

So here's the problem... After riding the road bike a lot, getting on the hybrid feels like a tank. With the winds I get on my commute, the ride is becoming more of an annoyance. So I'm considering getting a bike that will handle the commuting and shopping weight I put on it, work for the occasional light touring, and have a more aerodynamic position.

Any recommendations? I've been looking at the TriCross from Specialized because of my great experience with the Roubaix. Seeing as I already have a good road bike, is that too much of an overlap?

Jeprox

May I suggest this instead?

Brad Smith

I have knee issues, so not having to mash on hills or with heavy loads would be an important thing for me. That pretty much rules out a fixie.

531phile 

You got two aluminum bikes. How about steel, titanium, or carbon framed bike?

531phile 

sorry about that, how about steel or titanium framed bikes. that specialized is a carbon isn't it.

7rider

Bianchi Axis

Problem with me is that my Trek Madone 5.2 SL is so much more livelier and fun to ride, I prefer to ride it over my Axis when the weather's nice.

During rainy season though, the fenders on the Axis are indispensable.

Falkon 

KnoxBreezer

So if I hear ya right, you're looking for something to do most of your commuting and errand running around town, but like the light road bike feel and fit?

The 2006 Bianchi Castro Valley comes to mind:



It's a 1 x 9, so 9 speed with no front derailleur. Nice steel, light, room for fenders, rack mounts, drop bars, ect.

Apparently Bianchi really changed this bike in 07, so if you dig this, try calling around to see if anyone has 06 stock they are looking to dump.

CBBaron

You are asking for what I consider the ideal commuting bicycle.
My favorite is another Surly, the Cross Check. Available complete and is a very versatile bike. These are not usually in stock but nearly any bike shop can order one.
A Jamis Aurora and Bianchi Volpe are good light tourers/cyclocross bikes that also fit the bill. Most dealers that carry these brands will have at least one in stock.
The Trek 520 is the vernable touring bike. A rugged touring bike with a proven design.
All of the above will easily handle decent tires, fenders and a rack. In addition they should all be quicker than the hybrid.
Craig

Bklyn

Well, it rules out a fixie with a tall gear and no rear brake. But my old singlespeed conversion has fast become my favorite. With no derailleurs and only one cog, it's so much lighter than a hybrid, plus — the biggest selling point — it just about never needs adjustment. You've already got a bike built for speed, so a singlespeed with, say, a 42X16 would let you take hills pretty easily and go at a decent clip on flats. Plus it's a lot cheaper than the other options!

elbows

If you like specialized, you might also consider the Sequoia. It's basically a road bike, but a little more relaxed, and fits a rack and fenders.

Brad Smith

The Sequoia is probably too much of a normal road bike for me considering I already have a good one.

I like the TriCross because I love the look.

The Surly Cross Check and Bianchi Volpe both would work great, but I am not a huge fan of the colors and the basic look. Doesn't mean I won't get one.

The Felt bike looks interesting. Must investigate that more.

modernjess

No major manufacturer makes the perfect bike you seek. But you can build it up. Start with a Surly cross-check frame.

No, it's not flashy, and the colors are plain. (which I like) But you can build it up into anything you want it to be. Geared, single to triple front rings, single speed/fixed, internal hub, drop bars, flat bars. Fenders racks or not. You are limted by your budget and your imagination.

Build the bike you dream of. The one that will do the things neither of your other bikes will do.

BluesDawg

The TriCross should work pretty well for faster commuting and light touring. I'm partial to steel, so I'd look at a LeMond Poprad or build up a Gunnar Crosshairs, a Surly Cross-Check or a Soma Double Cross. A touring bike like a Trek 520 or a Surly Long Haul Trucker would be another possibility.

AndrewP

The cross bikes are nice but if you have knee issues and want to be able to carry things up hills, you will want a triple.

Brad Smith

So I am currently very interested in the Cross-check. I'm thinking of building one custom with drop bars and STI shifting. The only thing I dislike is the plain look of the frame, the color (though I will probably opt for black), and the Surly logo (definitely not stylish). I love the Tri-cross's look, but am wondering if it's not worth the cost compared to a well-built up Surly.

What does the BF community think I should get on my Cross-check knowing the following information:

- I have a road bike already (Specialized Roubaix)
- I have a hybrid with suspension (Marin San Anselmo)
- My commute is 12 miles round trip, potentially more if I move (fairly flat with moderate hills)
- I'll need fenders and a rack
- Use it for basic shopping (groceries and the like)
- Credit card touring and short several day tours
- Use on limestone trails (potentially long distances)
- Area is very windy where I live, and even more so out of town
- The road bike will continue to be used for club rides and other road rides/races
- The hybrid bike will either remain outfitted as a commuter for days I feel like riding it, or be converted to more of a mountain bike

Any thoughts on how I should build this bike from the base Cross-check frame?

hairlessbill

That sounds exactly like my situation. I have a 12 miles round trip mostly flat commute too. Also already have a dedicated road bike and lots of other bikes (see signature). The Surly will definitely fit your needs as far as fitting fenders and racks on it. I recommend the SKS fenders (no rattling and easy on/off). I built mine with riding some fireroads in mind but with mostl road riding so I chose the same size as my road bike. Very comfortable for long rides. I usually prefer it over my RB-1 and I LOVE my RB-1 so that's saying something. If you run cantis or vbrakes you can get very wide tires in there. This is not the way it looks now (has B17N and SKS fenders now) but it's pretty close.

Brad Smith

A related question to the above... if I build it custom, is it likely to be more expensive than the pre-built ones?

grolby

There's no reason to go to a cross bike to get what you want. Get a sensible road frame. I've noticed that "road bike" is really meant to be a synonym for "racing bike." It shouldn't be. The kind of bike you want can take a rack and fenders and has clearance for wider tires (28-32mm), but is still pretty fast and smooth. The Surly Pacer is a perfect example of this kind of frame. I think that this or a similar, practical road bike is a much more sensible choice than a cyclocross bike. You don't want off-road geometry. You'll be faster and have better handling with the low bottom bracket than you would on a cross bike. A light touring frame would also be a better choice than a cross bike. Heck, it doesn't even need to be a particularly light one. You can build a ~26 lb Surly LHT commuter bike that'll be pretty quick. That's not the route that I took with mine, but even a real burly bike like mine can be quicker than you expect (though I'm probably at the point of being slower than a cross bike ).

Anyway, I'd recommend a practical road bike. You'll have stable-but-quick all-day geometry, reasonable weight and a nice, low BB. All that with fenders and a rack to keep you dry and carry your stuff. No need to sacrifice optimum road handling. I think that the cross bike is really over-touted as the solution to all problems. Get a road bike that isn't a racing bike - that's the real solution. It's just a shame that it's not a popular an option among major builders these days. But they're out there, so go find one.

Brad Smith

grolby: Interesting. Now on my Marin, which may be a tad small for me, I occasionally have heel clearance issues. This is primarily because the cleats on my shoes are positioned centered on the balls of my feet, which are abnormally far forward. The Pacer is 0.4in shorter in the chainstay than the Cross-Check.

M_S

Unless you're hellbent on dropping another 1000+ dollars on a new bike, you could just put bar-ends and/or aero bars on the hybrid. You could also get a rigid surly fork to replace the suspension one. All of these would quicken the bike.

Or you could look for used touring bikes on craigslist/ebay. Craigslist will nab you cheap 80s bikes that work well, potentially.

Oooor if you still want another new bike, and want to carry cargo, it sounds like a touring bike or "light" (light as in heavy, not so much for competition) cyclocross bike. So far all the basics here have been mentioned in this category. Various models will be more adept at cargo carrying or will be lighter/sportier, but there are several that would fit the bill, ranging from about 750 to 1100 dollars.

huhenio

No single speed?

Bianchi San Jose, or just go Lemond ... you will thank me later

bmclaughlin807

I was looking at a Sequoia... how you can POSSIBLY say they have room for fenders is beyond me. *boggles* That's the main reason I ended up going for a used touring bike rather than buying a new Sequoia.

I love my Randonee, by the way. (got it used, with a blue frame, not the ugly coffee they're selling now)

knobster

The Volpe looks like it would be the best fit for you. It's steel, geared well and not terribly heavy. It's classified a cross bike by Bianchi, but would work well for light touring as it has the eyelets for racks and fenders. I would look for a used one as the 2007 model doesn't have rack eyelets on the front fork. I bought a 2006 model for $650.

jeff-o

It sounds to me like someone is in need of a recumbent... Maybe a nice Bacchetta or an Optima? Hmmm...