Author Topic: Bikes: Are these good options?  (Read 15284 times)

ClarkKent

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Bikes: Are these good options?
« on: March 14, 2015, 05:56:15 PM »
I'm just starting the research phase of a bike purchase and have a lot to learn!  I emailed a local shop and stated that I'd like a bike that would be used for 75% pavement, 25% light trails and requested a hybrid.  Mainly to run errands around town and for exercising. I do a decent amount of traveling for work, most of it requires a car, but there are opportunities for me to drive my car to work 30 miles each way and park in the garage at work, then take the bike to a meeting in the city a few miles away, etc. vs. driving my car 3 or 4 miles to a meeting.  If anyone is familiar with central Ohio (Columbus Metro) area and has any suggestions on where to get a good deal, I appreciate the feedback.  What types of things should I be looking for when looking at a bike?  I also stopped by Dicks Sporting Goods and took a look, but honestly I don't know what I'm looking for. 

These were the three suggestions that were offered by a local bike shop:

Cannondale Adventure 2
http://www.paradisegarage.com/product/cannondale-adventure-2-211994-1.htm

Cannondale Quick 6
http://www.paradisegarage.com/product/cannondale-quick-6-196319-1.htm

Cannondale Bad Boy 4
http://www.paradisegarage.com/product/cannondale-bad-boy-4-211888-1.htm


I've only ever purchased bikes from large discount stores and have never had one last too long.  I appreciate any thoughts or feedback from the group.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2015, 06:17:00 PM »
Of those three, I would recommend the quick 6 because it will offer a much faster and more efficient posture. The first is a comfort hybrid, which may seem better at first, but as you get better at riding, the inefficient posture gets annoying real fast. The third one is more of a MTB than a hybrid, so less efficient on pavement.

But there's very few reasons to buy a bike brand new unless your local CL is just devoid of bikes. The most common hybrids available used are:

Trek FX (7300 or 7.2 and higher)

Giant Escape

Specialized Cirrus

Worth checking for on any hybrid is to make sure it has the brazeons and eyelets necessary to mount fenders and at least a rear rack. Many used hybrids will be sold with these already installed, as it's a common commuter bike add-on.

I bought a 10 year old FX 7500 for $250 (equivalent new is about $800). For my wife I scored a practically brand new Giant Escape 3 for $280 (retail of a bit over $500).

Hope that helps.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2015, 06:53:51 AM »
Thanks for the info Thegoblinchief.  When looking for a hybrid on CL, is there a particular brand that I should stay away from?  What about frame, should I be looking for anything specific?  Same with tires?


vhalros

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2015, 07:03:11 AM »
Have you been to the bike shop and test driven any of them?

The Adventure 2 is a  "comfort" bike, which will be a pain in the butt to go significant distances on, so I would avoid that one.

Of the other two, the Quick 6 will be a bit faster. The Bad Boy 4 is a little bit more towards a mountain bike; slower, but might actually be good if you are doing 25% trails; disc brakes will also operate better in bad weather. Either one would probably be a fine choice.


Thegoblinchief

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2015, 07:13:15 AM »
Thanks for the info Thegoblinchief.  When looking for a hybrid on CL, is there a particular brand that I should stay away from?  What about frame, should I be looking for anything specific?  Same with tires?

A really good primer, especially if you're unfamiliar with bikes in general is this article:

http://biodieselhauling.blogspot.com/2012/01/buying-bikes-from-craigslist.html

But I'll add a few notes

1. Very few ads mention hybrid in the title. So don't bother searching for hybrid as a keyword. With my bike, I knew I specifically wanted an FX, but my wife needed such a small frame size that I had to broaden it. On that note, know what size frame you want (google hybrid frame sizing or test ride a few at your local bike shop) With hybrids, usually it is given in inches from the center of the crank to the top of the seat tube. (small 13", medium 15", medium/large 17", XL 19"+).  Sometimes you will have to ask the seller what size frame it is, as they won't have it in the ad. Once you look at enough bikes, you can usually guess based on how it looks but nothing is worse than trying to ride a bike that doesn't fit you, so it pays to check before you go out to look at it.

2. What I found helpful in my market was to set a minimum price filter of $50-75 to weed out the junkiest bikes, a maximum of $1,000 to avoid the fancy carbon bikes, and then add (without quotes) '-kids' and '-26"' to try and weed out kid and MTB listings.

3. On frames, steel and aluminum both have pros and cons. I prefer aluminum. Some people complain it is too stiff but I haven't found that to be the case when comparing my current aluminum ride to the steel bikes I've owned previously. If you end up with steel (bring a magnet) you specifically want chromoly or 531 Reynolds (older 70s and 80s bikes will be made from this). Check it over very carefully for rust and plan to buy a can of framesaver to spray in all the tubes if you buy it.

But everyone has their preferences. Many folks prefer non-suspension MTBs with road slicks. I prefer 700C tires between 28 and 35mm.

I then put the CL search in a tabbed window and refreshed it at least once a day to catch the newest listings. You can also get an RSS feed, but the volume of ads in my area make that annoying to me.

Feel free to throw links up and people will gladly dissect the ads for you. Plenty of folks have done this in the past.

... disc brakes will also operate better in bad weather.

Meh, not really. KoolStop salmon pads are awesome for rim brakes in wet/snowy weather, and disc brakes are far more annoying (to me) to service. But I certainly wouldn't avoid disk brakes either. Quality disc brakes usually put the bike in too high of a price range for me and they're still not too common on the used market here.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2015, 07:56:43 AM »
Have you been to the bike shop and test driven any of them?

The Adventure 2 is a  "comfort" bike, which will be a pain in the butt to go significant distances on, so I would avoid that one.

Of the other two, the Quick 6 will be a bit faster. The Bad Boy 4 is a little bit more towards a mountain bike; slower, but might actually be good if you are doing 25% trails; disc brakes will also operate better in bad weather. Either one would probably be a fine choice.

I haven't been to my local shop, just had an email conversation with them.  I'm so new to this scene I wanted to have a little bit of knowledge before walking in the door of my local shop.  However, I may run up tomorrow to have a look around.  Thanks for your insight. 

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2015, 08:01:51 AM »
Feel free to throw links up and people will gladly dissect the ads for you. Plenty of folks have done this in the past.

Thanks again for all the information thegoblinchef.  I've been looking at CL and live near a large metro area but this is one of the only Trek 7.2 or higher available and it seems like a high asking price, considering a new one is around $500 or so.

http://columbus.craigslist.org/bik/4923077005.html


I plan to research your link later and stop by a bike store to start to get a better idea of what I'm doing. 

spokey doke

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2015, 08:50:28 AM »
I wouldn't get too hung up on a particular brand, as most of the bike companies get their bikes from the same or similar factories overseas.  That said, I would avoid the stuff you find at WalMart and go with a name brand.

My recommendation would be to take your time unless you find something clearly compelling on CL.  Go ride a bunch of bikes from bikeshops, learn the different types of bikes and components (can get confusing), and increase you basic knowledge - most importantly about what you like and don't like.  This could save you buying something you regret.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2015, 07:37:52 AM by spokey doke »

Heckler

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2015, 09:06:43 AM »
In looking used, do you know what size you need?   Best to be fit by a proper bike shop to make sure you have the right size under you. 

MayDay

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2015, 11:11:14 AM »
I'm in the area (Newark) and am looking for the same thingm I haven't gotten farther than checking the local bike shop and rei.

Rei has a spring 20% off sale so if you plan to buy retail check them out.

I love the bike shop in downtown Newark (Downtown cycle). Very reasonable prices and they do some used stuff. Obviously buying yourself via CL is cheaper but I'm not that confident, so I may send up buying from them. I don't know if you live close enough to be worth the drive out.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2015, 11:41:05 AM »
I'm in the area (Newark) and am looking for the same thingm I haven't gotten farther than checking the local bike shop and rei.

Rei has a spring 20% off sale so if you plan to buy retail check them out.

I love the bike shop in downtown Newark (Downtown cycle). Very reasonable prices and they do some used stuff. Obviously buying yourself via CL is cheaper but I'm not that confident, so I may send up buying from them. I don't know if you live close enough to be worth the drive out.

Mayday....Newark is about an hour from here.  I will probably check out some of the local shops in around OSU campus.  There is a REI and Dick's around here that I will stop and check.  But like you, I'm not confident enough to make a purchase yet, especially on CL.  I'd like to save the money, but I don't want to save a few bucks to get an inferior product that I'll want to replace in a year or two.  I guess the best way to learn is to stop by local shops, test ride a few bikes, ask questions and go from there.  Good luck in your search and make sure you post back here to let me know what you ended up going with.

Janie

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2015, 11:43:27 AM »
In looking used, do you know what size you need?   Best to be fit by a proper bike shop to make sure you have the right size under you.

Good advice here. Definitely to try out some options at your LBS or REI

JLee

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2015, 11:47:37 AM »
I found one of these for $200 - my brother now uses it to commute 12 miles (each way) to work. He went from 1hr25min to 55min on his first day riding it.

Glenstache

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2015, 12:05:27 PM »
1. Based on 25 years of riding bikes, disc brakes a far superior option. Not a critical issue, but they work better and lead to longer wheel life (Let's hope you ride enough for this to be an issue!). I actually find them to be easier to adjust properly than caliper brakes, but they are different so YMMV.
2. The single most important metric for bike sizing is the effective top tube length. However, frame "size" is usually indicated by the seat tube length for historic reasons. Most manufacturer pages will have this information or bring a tape measure with you.
3. So, what top tube length do you need? This page has a more detailed fit calculator than you really need, but will spit out a top tube fit range that will be close enough. http://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp
4. The importance of bike fit increases with distance that you ride. If you are only going 2-4 miles, as long as the bike is physically comfortable for you it is close enough at this point. The most common mis-fit is a saddle that is too low, which both makes you work too hard and puts more strain on your knees. Shift the saddle around so that you get about 80-90% of your full leg extension at the bottom of your pedal stroke, and so that with the crank arms level, your knee is more or less over the ball of your foot. This will get you about 80% of the way to a decent fit. A bike shop can do a better job than what I described above, and if you buy from a shop you should have them help you fit it. 

Enjoy! Bikes are fun and just plain make life better.

Glenstache

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2015, 12:09:01 PM »
I found one of these for $200 - my brother now uses it to commute 12 miles (each way) to work. He went from 1hr25min to 55min on his first day riding it.

Bikes direct does have some great deals, mostly through having no retail stores to support. The motobecane frames are actually pretty decent for the price point. For commuting use, I prefer cyclocross bikes over traditional road bikes due to the more urban-friendly geometry. At a similar price point to the OPs initial listings, this looks like a winner:
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/gravity/liberty_cxd.htm

Syonyk

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2015, 12:39:58 PM »
Meh, not really. KoolStop salmon pads are awesome for rim brakes in wet/snowy weather, and disc brakes are far more annoying (to me) to service. But I certainly wouldn't avoid disk brakes either. Quality disc brakes usually put the bike in too high of a price range for me and they're still not too common on the used market here.

Look at the roads in the winter.  If they're very gritty, you might want to avoid rim brakes, simply because the road grit plus pads does a serious amount of damage to wheels.  If the ride is mostly flat, it's less of an issue (so in Ohio, it might not be a huge issue), but I've destroyed wheels in the Seattle area with nothing but rim brakes and winter grit - it chews into the wheel and eventually becomes unsafe to ride.  This is one of the big reasons my current build has disc brakes.

But, it depends on your riding.  I never had problems destroying wheels with my brakes in Iowa (though, to be fair, this was more due to my bad habit of destroying wheels in other methods first).

dungoofed

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2015, 05:39:36 PM »

darkadams00

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #17 on: March 15, 2015, 07:55:35 PM »
A few factors to consider--

1) How much time are you willing to spend learning to fix/upgrade/maintain your bike? 1970s-1990s bikes might require much more upfront work simply due to age and questionable usage/storage. A bargain bike that you can't fix/upgrade yourself will likely be more costly than if you had just bought a newer bike with a slightly more expensive price tag.

2) Do you plan to ever haul stuff? If so, buy a bike that has rear eyelets for mounting a rack. Planning for a rack before the purchase is better than trying to figure out a workaround later.

3) Do you plan to attach fenders? If so, buy a bike that has clearance for fenders.

4) Do you plan to ride quickly and/or for more than 2 miles one-way? If so, avoid city/cruiser-style bikes with upright seating. You'll be faster within the month and won't have to resell your bike when you find out it is too slow to do faster or longer.

Other than that, I would only be concerned about fit. You can change a painful seat, torn grips, sticking cables, and worn-out brake pads. Those are basic maintenance items that you should learn how to repair/replace regardless of your final purchase. Brand? Just stick with a major bike-store brand (Trek, Fuji, Giant, Specialized to name a few---and I didn't even promote the brand of my own Suburban Attack Vehicle). Brakes? Pros and cons to each style, but the used market usually has fewer disc bikes. Frame? Don't sweat steel vs aluminum for an around-town go-getter.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2015, 10:24:52 AM »
First of all, thank you all for your input and insight.  I'm grateful that you've taken the time to educate me.  I did have a chance to visit a couple of LBS today and have narrowed it down to these two bikes.  Both are in my price range and after reading some of your posts I realize that I'm not handy enough to pick an older bike and get it up to par, as I just don't know enough and am looking to get on a bike and ride.  I learned that I do not like the upright riding style of the comfort hybrids.  I also fit into a 17 inch or medium bike frame.  I did look for disc brakes but they were only on bikes that were out of my price range, at least what was offered at the shops.  So any thoughts or assistance on these two options?

The first one is an SE Monterey 24 speed and is a hold over from 2014.  So it is new and the shop has one left in my size.  This bike was nice and is $379, which is about $100 cheaper than the 2nd bike listed below.  This bike rode a little bit stiffer on the road.  The shop is a local shop that also sells used bikes and they offer a free tune up that can be used anytime after purchase.  They'll do minor tweaks for free.  Their tune-ups are generally around $80. This bike has quick release rims on both front and back.  If this bike sells, I'd have to try to locate elsewhere or pay more for a 2015 model.

http://www.sebikes.com/archive/2014/monterey-242

The second bike is the Cannondale Quick 6, 21 speed and is a 2015 model (mentioned in my first post).  This bike is new, in stock or can be ordered and is $489.  I prefer the comfort of this ride, it handled bumps better and the tires seemed to be a little wider.  Otherwise the components seem to be on par with the 1st bike.  This bike also has quick release rims on front and back.  This is also a local shop, they sell new bikes only and offer a lifetime "lite" tune up package that values $40 and can be used as often as needed.  If I want a more extensive tune-up I can subtract $40 from the cost.

http://www.paradisegarage.com/product/cannondale-quick-6-196319-1.htm


Can you all take a look at these options and let me know if there is something important that I'm overlooking?  I don't trust my "butt" test and want to make sure that I won't regret going with the stiffer ride once I'm more comfortable riding.  Also, the 1st LBS does allow trade ins in the future, but I assume I could trade in any bike, not necessarily just the bikes I buy from there. 


Thegoblinchief

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #19 on: March 16, 2015, 03:12:36 PM »
I've never heard of SE bikes but the components seem solid. $379 is a decent price for a new bike with that hardware. I'd nab it.

Most "tune ups" aren't worth the price. YouTube and Sheldon Brown's website are great resources for when things need adjusting or break. But this way you have a bike that you know is solid to start.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #20 on: March 16, 2015, 03:31:20 PM »
I've never heard of SE bikes but the components seem solid. $379 is a decent price for a new bike with that hardware. I'd nab it.

Most "tune ups" aren't worth the price. YouTube and Sheldon Brown's website are great resources for when things need adjusting or break. But this way you have a bike that you know is solid to start.


I thought it seemed like a good price.  The LBS said that SE is owned by Fuji.  Is the fact that the tires are thinner than the other bikes listed something I need to be concerned about?  Meaning, is this something that can be changed in the future if I decide to go with a wider tire?  Also, this Fuji is on sale and I liked the ride also...any thoughts?  I've tested out a couple of Fuji, Trek, Cannondale, and the SE today so they were all similar to me.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1147168_-1___400784


Glenstache

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #21 on: March 16, 2015, 04:12:46 PM »
I would go for the Fuji. Fuji has been a great price point for a long time and that looks like a reasonable bike for the price. You are in a part of the bike market where spending an extra $100 makes a big difference in bike quality.

Yes, you can change tires as long as you have clearance in the frames. Pretty much all of these frames are likely to have enough room for tires you would reasonably put on them. You should expect to have a flat tire and be ready to repair it (it is easy once you know the steps). If you can repair a flat, you can change a tire.

If you have problems with lots of flats, there are things than can be done to help, but don't fix that until it's broken (if it ends up being a problem at all).

jmusic

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #22 on: March 16, 2015, 04:26:24 PM »
4. The importance of bike fit increases with distance that you ride. If you are only going 2-4 miles, as long as the bike is physically comfortable for you it is close enough at this point. The most common mis-fit is a saddle that is too low, which both makes you work too hard and puts more strain on your knees. Shift the saddle around so that you get about 80-90% of your full leg extension at the bottom of your pedal stroke, and so that with the crank arms level, your knee is more or less over the ball of your foot. This will get you about 80% of the way to a decent fit.

This.  It makes me laugh when I see peeps riding bikes with their knees practically hitting their jaw.

Although once you get the seat high enough, the next issue is handlebar distance ("Top tube" length) and height.  If your wrists/hands start hurting AT ALL during a short test ride, the handlebars are probably too low.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #23 on: March 16, 2015, 04:28:47 PM »
I would go for the Fuji. Fuji has been a great price point for a long time and that looks like a reasonable bike for the price. You are in a part of the bike market where spending an extra $100 makes a big difference in bike quality.

Yes, you can change tires as long as you have clearance in the frames. Pretty much all of these frames are likely to have enough room for tires you would reasonably put on them. You should expect to have a flat tire and be ready to repair it (it is easy once you know the steps). If you can repair a flat, you can change a tire.

If you have problems with lots of flats, there are things than can be done to help, but don't fix that until it's broken (if it ends up being a problem at all).

Glenstache,

Once I get into the $500 range, I would also like your thoughts on the 2015 Trek 7.2 for $489 vs the Fuji? 

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/city/fitness/fx/7_2_fx/

Also, can you provide specifics on what components you like on the Fuji listed above versus the components on the SE Monterey? 

Thanks.

jmusic

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #24 on: March 16, 2015, 04:44:16 PM »
I would go for the Fuji. Fuji has been a great price point for a long time and that looks like a reasonable bike for the price. You are in a part of the bike market where spending an extra $100 makes a big difference in bike quality.

Yes, you can change tires as long as you have clearance in the frames. Pretty much all of these frames are likely to have enough room for tires you would reasonably put on them. You should expect to have a flat tire and be ready to repair it (it is easy once you know the steps). If you can repair a flat, you can change a tire.

If you have problems with lots of flats, there are things than can be done to help, but don't fix that until it's broken (if it ends up being a problem at all).

Glenstache,

Once I get into the $500 range, I would also like your thoughts on the 2015 Trek 7.2 for $489 vs the Fuji? 

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/city/fitness/fx/7_2_fx/

Also, can you provide specifics on what components you like on the Fuji listed above versus the components on the SE Monterey? 

Thanks.

The Trek and the Fuji are practically carbon copies. The SE Monterey has slightly skinnier tires, so it may have a bit harsher ride.  Looks like the crankset is a bit cheaper too.

Seriously, just try each of them out, and buy whichever you like better (assuming proper fit).

Glenstache

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #25 on: March 16, 2015, 04:46:26 PM »
What jmusic said. I also like the seatpost head on the Fuji/trek over the SE. The two-bolt designs are easier to adjust and have stay in adjustment.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #26 on: March 16, 2015, 05:22:59 PM »


The Trek and the Fuji are practically carbon copies. The SE Monterey has slightly skinnier tires, so it may have a bit harsher ride.  Looks like the crankset is a bit cheaper too.

Seriously, just try each of them out, and buy whichever you like better (assuming proper fit).
[/quote]

Thanks jmusic, glenstache, and thegoblinshef  I have tried them all out and I noticed the harsher ride of the SE but the price kept it in the running.  I then tested the Cannondale, the the Trek then the Fuji.  They were at different shops, so not side by side but they seemed similar to my untrained butt.  I also like the Cannondale Quick 6.  This is a whole new world to me and I'm surprised at how many configurations are out there!  The final three seem pretty similar to me. 

Everyone that has posted with information has been a great help.  I appreciate any additional feedback anyone has to offer.

ClarkKent

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #27 on: March 19, 2015, 05:31:03 PM »
Just wanted to update this thread for those that took time to reply and provide information.  After over-thinking the process and researching every possible detail....in the end, I simply went with the bike that felt the best to me.....the Cannondale Quick 6!  I picked it up today and hope to have a chance to ride it in the next couple of days to try it out on an extended trip.  I appreciate all the help and advice that was provided.

jmusic

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #28 on: March 19, 2015, 08:22:27 PM »
Nice! 

Agreed that it can be overwhelming.  I'm a bike store junkie though, and sometimes just go for fun to idly look around and see what's new. 

Once you start commuting with it, I recommend getting a rear rack and panniers (the saddle bags if you're not familiar with the term).  Keeps your body light and your back free of sweat vs. a backpack. 

Also, there is a proper strategy to lock up your bike.  It makes all the difference...

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html

a moist sack of nickels

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #29 on: March 19, 2015, 11:42:00 PM »
Locking pins for the wheels and seatpost also are pretty handy for keeping the bits secure.

The sheldon brown method is okay, but flawed.

http://youtu.be/H9fLtdZyX-A

jmusic

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #30 on: March 20, 2015, 08:30:14 AM »
Locking pins for the wheels and seatpost also are pretty handy for keeping the bits secure.

The sheldon brown method is okay, but flawed.

http://youtu.be/H9fLtdZyX-A

I've seen that video before and had to laugh, for a few reasons...

1.  The rear wheel is one of the most expensive components aside from the frame (at least on the street).
2.  That method renders the bike useless as a getaway vehicle, which cuts down on the opportunistic thefts.
3.  He's also using a tool that most bike thieves wouldn't bring with them (most use bolt cutters .

Really in the end, THERE IS NO PERFECT METHOD.  The goal is to be the least attractive target.  I also bring a short cable to secure the front wheel in the U-lock.

FLBiker

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #31 on: March 20, 2015, 10:35:22 AM »
re: security -- I rode a Giant MTB in Honolulu for two and a half years -- I covered the thing in duct tape, used the cable / u-lock combo.  Whenever I forgot to take / lock something  (a light, helmet, seat) it was stolen within 10 minutes.  Here in Tampa, I started off with the same level of concern, and now I just u-lock the frame / front tire.  I've been doing this for 7 years, and have never had anything stolen.  I've even left my bike on campus overnight like that.  I'm certainly not saying that you shouldn't use the cable / u-lock combo, I'm just making a point about how different bike crime is in different places.

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #32 on: March 20, 2015, 02:33:06 PM »
1.  The rear wheel is one of the most expensive components aside from the frame (at least on the street).
2.  That method renders the bike useless as a getaway vehicle, which cuts down on the opportunistic thefts.
3.  He's also using a tool that most bike thieves wouldn't bring with them (most use bolt cutters .

The rear wheel is one of the more expensive components, but also, one of the least likely to be secured on someone else's bike.

Plenty of people gank a bike and toss it in a truck, and i've seen plenty of lone bikewheels locked to racks where someone yoinked the whole rest of the bike, despite not being able to ride off on those either

vhalros

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Re: Bikes: Are these good options?
« Reply #33 on: March 20, 2015, 02:43:52 PM »
You can do a modified Sheldon Brown method, where you get the wheel and one of the chain stays; even more more of a pain in the butt to steal, but more annoying to setup. But all you can really do is make a bicycle more of a pain to steal than the other ones around it.

 

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