Should I buy a new bike?

[Ebrat]

I have a road bike that I got off Cragislist about 6 years ago. I'm a little attached to it because it was my first "real" bike it and want to keep it, but I've been thinking about getting something a little more commuter-ish for short rides around town and to work when I don't want to walk (1.5 mi each way).

I'm not a very confident biker, though I've done rides up to 50 miles, so something a little more upright and with slightly bigger tires is appealing. I test rode this bike yesterday: http://community.raleighusa.com/2015-bikes-road-women-alysa-2

At first it seemed too close to my current bike, but thinking about it more, it is noticeably more upright, and the tires are much wider (35c and would fit up to 40c, whereas my current bike has 25c and won't fit any bigger). It has disc brakes, which would be a benefit when riding in rain or snow, and I could also put studded tires on it for the snow.

My conundrum is that I would like to ride more in rain and snow, but will I really? I would like to start riding it to the grocery store (3 miles each way), but will I really? I'm afraid that I'll buy it with all these grand ideas of how I'm going to use it, and then it'll just sit there. Like I said above, I usually just end up walking to work. In fact, I walk just about everywhere because most of the stuff I do during the week is within a 3-mile radius of my house, and my husband has the car for work during the day. But often (especially during those wonderful midwestern winters) I end up just putting off errands, etc. because 3 miles is still an hour each way...

So, should I spend $429 on this bike, or should I just suck it up and get better on my road bike?

[KCM5]

If you do buy that bike to use around town for your main transportation consider that you're going to want the following:

Basket or rack with panniers
Fenders
Lights
Rain gear/rain cape

If I were you I'd check Craigslist first for a bike that fits your criteria. But if you want that new bike, it's not a bad choice. I also live/work within a 3 mile radius and I really appreciate how much quicker a bike gets me around. You'll get more confident with more riding. Granted, the amount of riding you'll do could depend pretty heavily on how bike friendly your area is. Do you think you'll feel comfortable riding more?

As a test, start riding your current bike more using a backpack or get a wald basket to strap to the front. Or a milk crate on a rear rack. See if you like it and think you'll continue. If you do, then invest in a city bike or similar.

[GuitarStv]

Confidence comes from experience, not the bike you're on.  Most bikes will work well for riding short runs in a city.  What's keeping you from feeling confident?

Clipless Pedals - Replace with studded flat pedals so you don't have to concentrate on unclipping.  Put the clipless pedals back on once you're comfortable in traffic.  No reason for a new bike for this.

Potholes/Falling - This is actually a somewhat valid reason to get a different bike.  Running a 32 mm tire is much more forgiving of cracks and bumps in the road.  Don't get me wrong, tt's totally doable to cycle around with 25mm tires . . . you just have to be a little more observant of streetcar tracks and potholes.

Fenders - These (and reducing your speed a bit) are the most important thing for cycling in the rain.  You can get fenders that will mount to any kind of bike these days . . . even the most hardcore road bike (Check out Crud Road Racers, and SKS Raceblades).  Just reduce your tire pressure a bit when it's wet out and take corners more cautiously and you'll be fine on your current bike.

Handlebar width - Road bars are narrower than flat bars, and this can make the steering feel a bit more sensitive.  You can pick up wider road bars for pretty cheap (usually 20$ on sale around here) if you think that making the steering less sensitive would make you more comfortable in traffic.

Handlebar height - If you want to experiment with slightly higher bars, most bikes allow you to raise the bars up a bit.  If you have a quill stem you just loosen the bolt on top and pull the stem up (usually you've got an inch or so of wiggle room at least).  If you have a threadless stem you can unbolt the stem and move spacers from the top to the bottom to raise your bar position.

Snow - You need a tire with some tread on it for cycling through hard packed snow.  Skinny tires actually work pretty well in slushy conditions in my experience because they punch through to the pavement below . . . but when you're floating along the top of the snow you need tread or you'll just have no traction.  There are tons of 32 mm tires that offer good treat patters or even studs (if you're riding on ice).  That's a valid reason for a new bike . . . but that said . . . winter cycling carries a few negatives.  It's a bit of a bitch until you figure out what clothing keeps you comfy, bulky gloves make working the shifters/brakes more difficult, you need to clean your bike religiously after every ride or it will disintegrate (salt and wet are brutally hard on a bike).  If that sounds like something you can deal with, winter cycling can be a lot of fun.



There's nothing wrong with getting a flat bar bike, and the one that you linked looks like it would serve you perfectly well.  I'd spend a few weeks commuting and running errands in traffic with your road bike first though, so you can really get a feel for exactly what you need and if you need a different bike at all.

FWIW, I commute year round on road bikes with rim brakes (disks would be nice, but are certainly not necessary for wet/snowy weather).  I use 28 mm tires on my summer bike and 32 mm with fenders on my winter one.

[Ebrat]

Thanks for the ideas, even though I think I really just want you all to tell me to buy it :) 

My area is pretty bike friendly. I ride with a backpack when I go to and from work right now, so that's something I'm comfortable with. I'd get a rack for the bike. In fact, I'll probably get one either way.

I think you're both right that it's mostly an experience issue. I need to ride more. I'm kind of hoping the new bike would be a nudge toward doing so (if I get a new bike, then I have to ride it...right?). Aside from that, potholes and falling are my main concern, followed by snow. So the wider tires are the main appeal I think...

[mountains_o_mustaches]

I wouldn't buy a new bike - if you have a nice road bike that fits you and works you have all you need.  New bikes are fun for like a week and then the hedonic adaptation sets in and it's the same.  Commuters aren't that much different than your road bike.  You could always replace pedals or handlebars if that's truly a barrier to you riding and it would save you $$ compared to a new bike.

It's funny because I have a commuter bike similar to what you posted and every few months I think I should "upgrade" to a road bike, and then I have to remind myself that despite the marketing messages the road bike won't suddenly make me super fast and it won't really be much different than riding the bike I currently have.  I suppose the grass is always greener, right?

[GuitarStv]

I wouldn't buy a new bike - if you have a nice road bike that fits you and works you have all you need.  New bikes are fun for like a week and then the hedonic adaptation sets in and it's the same.  Commuters aren't that much different than your road bike.  You could always replace pedals or handlebars if that's truly a barrier to you riding and it would save you $$ compared to a new bike.

It's funny because I have a commuter bike similar to what you posted and every few months I think I should "upgrade" to a road bike, and then I have to remind myself that despite the marketing messages the road bike won't suddenly make me super fast and it won't really be much different than riding the bike I currently have.  I suppose the grass is always greener, right?

My road bike made me super fast, it just wasn't sudden . . . took about two years.  :P

[dodojojo]

Are you me?

I just went through this situation recently.  I'm in the same boat you are in that I live in such a walk and public transportation friendly area that I don't even bike all that much.  I also work from home 90% of the time.  But I had the yearning for a second bike.  And my rational was that I had stopped riding over winters because I got rid of my worn down beater bike 3-4 years ago. Little winter riding eventually led to little riding in general.  I also have a sentimental attachment to my road bike (my first new bike that I paid for ).  I'm not super comfortable riding it in the winter and/or bad weather too.  Used to ride in the winter when I was younger, but am a little more prudent now that I'm heading towards dotage ;)  It has 25mm tires and can't be bumped any more than 28mm.  I have over the years, transformed the roadie to be more commuter friendly, but can't do much about the narrow tires.

Due to my apartment situation and limited storage, I couldn't buy another mountain beater bike--unless I left it outside.  I live in a fairly low-crime neighborhood but leaving a bike outside on a full time basis is anathema to me.  No matter how low-rent it is.  Plus, my apartment building doesn't have bike racks/parking.  So not only would it have to be outside, it would have to be locked out on the sidewalk.

Long story short, I focused (more like, obsessed over) on buying a folding bike.  I had a spot in the living room for a tidy folded up bike.  Yes, they have smaller wheels but many use wider tires.  I bought a new one for over $700 but that was a bit of fiasco and I was able to return it with a full refund plus shipping costs.  I then parked myself on Craigslist until I found the right folding bike for the right price.  I bought a Dahon 20 inch wheel bike for $150.  That took about a month.  The tires are 1.75in width so I'm hoping it will be sturdy enough for crappy road conditions.  I stuck a small basket on the rear rack (the bike still folds pretty well!) and that makes it a proper town bike now :)

So yeah, if you want to dip your toes into a 2nd bike territory, especially one for hardy commuting, they're pretty easy to find on CL (making big assumption you have CL in your area).  If I can find a folding bike--finding old hardy steel mountain bikes will be a breeze.  A whole bunch of Trek 800's out there.  There's also eBay.  I bought my old beater bike off eBay for $40 and then spent about $100 for a tune-up and miscellaneous upgrades.  That was 12 years ago.

I'm paranoid about bike theft so it's a bit of a relief to have an older used bike that I can leave around town.  If it's the beater bike, it's going to be used and left all over town.

But...if you want a new bike...go for it.  I bought my roadie for $500 14 years ago.  At the time, it was such a big purchase.  Well, 14 years later, I think that $500 wasn't a bad expenditure at all.

[Ebrat]

Are you me?

I just went through this situation recently.  I'm in the same boat you are in that I live in such a walk and public transportation friendly area that I don't even bike all that much.  I also work from home 90% of the time.  But I had the yearning for a second bike.  And my rational was that I had stopped riding over winters because I got rid of my worn down beater bike 3-4 years ago. Little winter riding eventually led to little riding in general.  I also have a sentimental attachment to my road bike (my first new bike that I paid for ).  I'm not super comfortable riding it in the winter and/or bad weather too.  Used to ride in the winter when I was younger, but am a little more prudent now that I'm heading towards dotage ;)  It has 25mm tires and can't be bumped any more than 28mm.  I have over the years, transformed the roadie to be more commuter friendly, but can't do much about the narrow tires.

Due to my apartment situation and limited storage, I couldn't buy another mountain beater bike--unless I left it outside.  I live in a fairly low-crime neighborhood but leaving a bike outside on a full time basis is anathema to me.  No matter how low-rent it is.  Plus, my apartment building doesn't have bike racks/parking.  So not only would it have to be outside, it would have to be locked out on the sidewalk.

Long story short, I focused (more like, obsessed over) on buying a folding bike.  I had a spot in the living room for a tidy folded up bike.  Yes, they have smaller wheels but many use wider tires.  I bought a new one for over $700 but that was a bit of fiasco and I was able to return it with a full refund plus shipping costs.  I then parked myself on Craigslist until I found the right folding bike for the right price.  I bought a Dahon 20 inch wheel bike for $150.  That took about a month.  The tires are 1.75in width so I'm hoping it will be sturdy enough for crappy road conditions.  I stuck a small basket on the rear rack (the bike still folds pretty well!) and that makes it a proper town bike now :)

So yeah, if you want to dip your toes into a 2nd bike territory, especially one for hardy commuting, they're pretty easy to find on CL (making big assumption you have CL in your area).  If I can find a folding bike--finding old hardy steel mountain bikes will be a breeze.  A whole bunch of Trek 800's out there.  There's also eBay.  I bought my old beater bike off eBay for $40 and then spent about $100 for a tune-up and miscellaneous upgrades.  That was 12 years ago.

I'm paranoid about bike theft so it's a bit of a relief to have an older used bike that I can leave around town.  If it's the beater bike, it's going to be used and left all over town.

But...if you want a new bike...go for it.  I bought my roadie for $500 14 years ago.  At the time, it was such a big purchase.  Well, 14 years later, I think that $500 wasn't a bad expenditure at all.

I think I am you! I also work from home a lot, probably average 70-80%. But I have a garage and basement, so no storage concerns currently.

The wider tires are the biggest draw for me. I'd like to be able to do things like hop over the drop from the rail trail into the dirt next to it, go over gravel, etc. I feel like the wider/knobbier/studded/etc. tires that the new bike would fit would allow more flexibility in where and how I ride? But maybe with experience I could get most of that on the road bike tires.

The pedals on my road bike are two-sided: one side is the clipless mechanism (which I kind of gave up getting comfortable with), and the other side is a regular pedal. So that's not a factor. Handlebar height/type is secondary, but I like the idea of different/higher handlebars and some of the other suggestions to make the road bike more commuter-friendly.

I've looked at Craigslist a few times but haven't seen much, which is weird because I live in a metropolitan area with a decent bike culture. Maybe I just need to be more patient.

I have a 25-mile ride planned tomorrow, so I'm going to use it as an opportunity to think and assess whether the road bike is fitting my needs/wants.

[dodojojo]

Once I decided to go the CL route, I pretty much checked it constantly...and I was patient, passing up on a number of folding bikes, until I found the right one.  Then you have to pounce.  Someone actually pounced before I did for my bike but it turns he couldn't meet the seller that day...whereas I could and did.  But yes, patience, grasshopper.  I gave myself a very long timeline.  I started looking in early August and since the bike was for winter riding--I had the mentality that I had plenty of time to find the right bike at the right price.

I ended up with a used bike but still I spent some dough and spending some more for slight mods and accessories.  There is some spending creep there.  But I'm of the mind that sometimes the one bike just isn't right for everything.  That's okay to have specific bikes for specific needs.  I started biking in southern CA and I could ride my road bike in shorts all year round.  Well, I moved east and all of the sudden, I had to wear long pants, booties, etc for cold weather riding.  That's when I bought my winter beater bike.  So if I have to modify what I'm wearing for the change in scenery, why not modify the type and number of bikes?  I think it's entirely appropriate.