So, I may be in the market for a couple of bikes pretty soon. Moving to my first real home next month and the area is really bike-able to several neighborhoods. Looking for something like nobody was.

So, a couple observations and questions:

1) nobody, how is that bike working out so far? Hauled anything with it yet? Did you put any mods to it? ie-saddle bags, basket, etc

2) Cap, was really interested in the Trek Belleville but it looks like they discontinued it last Fall.

3) But, it looks like the Allant is the bike they're really pushing now for these types of commuter riding.

I have no desire to mountain bike or do tour riding. This would strictly be a kick around bike to go to bars, eateries nearby and maybe the grocery store/growler place. Furthest I could see myself going would be 4-6 miles round trip.

Anyone ridden the Allant? Looks pretty sweet and it comes in a men's and women's version.

I've been thinking about a surly long haul trucker or a Raleigh Clubman as my next bike

Will be all over this tomorrow but look at linus.

The Giant is working out great. Only things I've done have been get some bags for it and a light for night riding. But so far so good, rides really well, tires holding air great, no problems riding through the rain a few times. Don't really haul stuff, just groceries and that sorta thing, stuff I can jam in the bags. But, I'd really say go to a shop and ride a couple and see what feels best. I rode about 3-4 when I got mine and there were 3 that were very similar and all decent quality, about the same really. LIttle difference, gears in different places and that sort of thing more down to preference than quality. Basically I rode all three of the hybrids they had with both a rack and fenders at the bottom of the price scale and after that it just came down to the frames all being slightly differently angled and such and taking the one that fit me best and I'm really happy with it, enough that I find excuses to ride places or just take it our cruising around if I've got a free evening.

I do like these bags I grabbed, mostly because you can pop one off and carry ti with in case you don't wanna leave your stuff out in some neighborhoods.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044U ... UTF8&psc=1
Looks like the price has gone up, still on sale but a bit more, still nto horrible. I went really cheap with bags on my last bike and they wouldn't stay on worth a shit and the zippers broke in a few weeks, totally not the bargain they seemed.

Also, if you're gonna ride at night, Amazon has a bright as hell rechargeable light on sale for not much more than a super cheapo you'd get somewhere:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005WP ... UTF8&psc=1
Thing's bright as hell and really nice for night riding.

Gah... was typing a response, closed the tab by accident. In short:

1. My bike was a BARGAIN when it came out... $600 for dynamo lighting and shimano internal 3 speed rear, plus all powder-coated steel frame and fenders and racks, stock. Crazy. They still show two Bellevilles on the Trek Town Bikes cover page.
2. I like more stylish versions of city bikes, like Public and Linus on the cheaper end. But the more plain or "road bike" looking ones may be a slightly better deal, money-wise. Still, there are good looking cheap options, so if you have any desire for something hot like an all-green Public V7, hold off on the cheaper stuff.
3. No shocks. None. Not on hers, not on yours.
4. Chain guards... they are a GOOD thing, and hard-ish to add on afterwards, so hold out for something that has them stock.
5. Fenders, also should be mandatory, though there are options to add them afterwards on most bikes. Try for them stock.
6. Racks can be added to allllmost anything, in the rear. Front racks or baskets (she would probably LOVE a Wald basket by the way, purses can just be chucked in there) can also be added but are sometimes a tiny bit trickier. If you're buying in person, find a shop who will happily install for you.
7. Models for you to check out: #1 rec is a Linus Roadster Sport, which is under $700, looks killer, has fenders and rear rack and porteur bars, but lacks a chain guard, which I think they can add on. Public V7, which looks good, has matching fenders and chain guard, but has an external 7 speed shifter (I like internal better, because there's nothing to mess with or fix and they hold up a long time with zero maintenance). For her, #1 rec is a Trek Cocoa, which has a skirt guard and fully enclosed chain guard (get grease on her favorite khaki pants once and see what happens), an internal shimano 3 speed rear, and a dutchy step-through frame which is THE most critical part. Girls don't like stepping over a top tube, and almost nothing swoops down as low as a dutch-inspired "oma" frame like this one. Or for her a Public C7 (external shifter, cheaper) or C7i (internal geared hub but a little more $, worth it). Or finally for her a Linus Dutchy 3, which has everything and costs $689.

Those Linus and Public bikes are sweet but you're basically telling me that for the bike, rack n basket, lights, and a good lock, I'm looking at $1,000-$1,200 for everything? For one?



Are Dynamo lights the ones that don't require batteries? You basically run them via pedalling, right?

Is the internal hub really worth the extra $200?

Know any companies that make good wooden cargo boxes? Preferably something that can be removed easily?

The Linus Roadster Sport is $655, and comes with everything you really need except lights, a lock, and any panniers you want. So a set of battery powered blinkies for the occasional time you may be out after dark is as cheap as $40 or so. A decent U-lock is maybe $25, and those Ibera panniers were $50. That's $800, which ... isn't $500 for sure, but also isn't $1200.

If you want to hit an all-in pricepoint that's more like $500, then you're either going to buy a Wal Mart bike (which will last about 7 months, and also I will defriend you, which I guess might be a bonus), OR you can opt for a singlespeed. There are some nice, cheap options for like $300 bare-bones, so add on as much functionality as your budget will allow - racks are $50-$150, fenders are $50-$100, etc etc. If you think you're going to be alright with just 1 gear (and you probably would be, by the way, though it can be a little tougher to start off with that setup), then you WILL save money. Plus there's nothing to break back there, ever. I just suspected you want at least a 3 speed, which I would say is ideal for you - not too much $, and some help on the hills. Give me a sense of the price point and I'll help as much as I can.

Yes. The front hub has a set of magnets inside the hub, and in exchange for a tiny amount of friction that you cannot feel (and which only the carbon fiber people care about) you get 24/7 lights with no batteries. If you aren't riding at night much, then it's not a big bonus for you, blinkies would be fine.



People like them because there's nothing to break if the bike falls etc, and almost nothing to ever adjust. They don't get dirty, they don't wear out (in your lifetime), and you can shift without pedaling. The chain never comes off if you pedal backwards at the wrong time. They're really slick. But $200... for me yes, for you maybe not. Nothing wrong with external deraileurs, nothing at all. I would say a Shimano Nexus 3 speed internal rear hub (what all these things use, and what's on 2 of my bikes) is the sweet spot. It is some gears (as opposed to none), it is robust, it is internal, and it is cheap. But a shimano 7 or 8 speed internal is, yeah, $200 more than a derailer setup. 3 gears is all you need, if I'm gauging you right. I don't need more, and I'm a little weakling hauling a kid and groceries. How hillly is the new neighborhood?



I don't know of anyone making wooden boxes that remove easily, which is why I made my own. Normally I just steer people to Basil or Wald. Wald is metal wire baskets that mount permanently, and Basil makes both removeable or permanent stuff (and with good style.) Look at the Basil Simply EC, for example... metal front basket that clips on and off and looks good. Basil is good stuff and not too spendy, with shittons of options for front and rear.

Oh and your googling will land you on some woven Nantucket bike baskets, which are uber-cute but in my experience wear out / break / unravel faster than you would believe. Hence my Basil rec... cute AND rugged, AND cheap.

I don't even ride my bike enough for it to matter (and certainly don't commute or anything) and I wish I had spent the money on the internal hub deal.

<==Giant Seek

I beat the shit out of mine, and have been riding it roughly 11 city miles a weekday (and usually more per day both weekend days) for the 2.5 years I've had it, and have never had to adjust the shifting or tinker with it in any way. I dropped the bike once early and lost the shifter cover up on the handle bars, and it doesn't matter - nothing in there rusts. I stripped a screw in the back that holds the shifter head onto the hub while out running errands, and just got a zip tie from the guy at the REI counter and zip tied it back on - boom, all 3 gears back.

Shimano Nexus 3 speed rear hub is, as I said, probably the sweet spot for you both.

Gonna go check out some Linus bikes this weekend. There is only 1 dealer (I think) in Atlanta. This place also sells Surly stuff so I can check what they have as well.

There are zero dealers of Public bikes here.

It's not really hilly where I'll be riding so 3 speeds should be plenty. I may be a little premature but honestly, one of the big perks of where we're moving is that it is so close to so many different neighborhoods (about 6 within a 3 mile radius) so the bikes make sense. It's also on the Atlanta "PATH" system with good bike lanes and about 2 miles from the Beltline access.

No man you're doing it right - I am really really jealous. That's going to be an incredible setup. Nothing beats free parking everywhere all the time and zero traffic. As for Public, if for some reason you like them the web ordering deal isn't bad. Shows up 99% assembled.

Expect Surly bikes to be somewhat pricey, but no-compromise function machines. They're well designed / made, and they don't put crap on them.

Yeah, one of the things I like about having a bike the most if being able to just park the car for the weekend. Just a more enjoyable, laid back way to get around town.

A guy at work is bike commuting from about 6 miles away. His wife is adamant that they need 2 cars, he wants to sell one. We decided he's going to park one car in the driveway and just quietly not use it for a month. Not say anything about it, not make a deal out of it, just not touch it. The goal is to accumulate a super-obvious amount of pollen on it, and let the pollen do the talking. I joked that he should then write the monthly payment / insurance / gas bill on the side of it in the pollen.

I'm way too sweaty in the humidity down here to ride to work, especially considering the bridge commute over the Mississippi with all the fucking 18 wheelers and shit. I'd need to work someplace I could show up and shower before going to my desk. I've got a couple friends who bike to work though. If the logistics work, it sounds like a nice way to start and finish the day.

Rode a Linus Roadster Sport over the weekend and it was pretty damn sweet. Honestly wished you'd never even mentioned them Cap because now I want one but am really trying to justify the cost after adding basket, lights, chain protector, helmet, and lock.

Also, bike theft is an issue in some of the areas I'll be riding/parking it in.

Get a "NYC" bike chain lock.

Please keep updating this thread as things progress. I'm having a house built that will be right next to the river and 26 mile bike path through downtown Boise. We have zero bikes and this thread is extremely helpful.

Thanks everyone.

boise sounds amazing. I need to figure out a way to scam a work trip there.

i'll second this. they're kind of a pain in the ass to lug around but i've had one for 3-4 years now and haven't had any theft problems.

It's a pretty great town. If you like lots of sunshine (high desert) and outdoor activities it's hard to beat.

Because this is turning into generic bike discussion (and because every thread could use a good pair of legs), here's what the wife just picked up in NYC this weekend. I figured you might enjoy seeing what twenty seven hundred bucks buys you, if you're into serious commuting / gear hauling / bikes that never ever break. A Workcycles Fr8:



I posted it on the facebox already but I know Derris is still too fail to see it.

Massive steel frame and rack tubing, all zinc coated then powder coated. Every fastener in stainless steel. Chain fully enclosed so it only needs to be looked at once every few years. Coated rims and stainless double-butted high strength spokes. German-made generator lights, and shimano internal hub braking that is the same no matter what the weather is doing. Internal shimano 8 speed rear hub. Massive Schwalbe Big Apple tires stock. Double legged kick stand. Kid saddle and foot pegs up front for easy dropoff/pickup. Brooks saddle standard. So over-engineered that they don't even bother to give you a maximum cargo weight rating... if you can affix it to the bike, the bike can haul it. (The lesser version of this bike with smaller tubing is rated at 450 pounds.)

Yes, it's a lot of money, but this is her car. And hell, it will last longer than a car. She earned this motherfucker.

Meanwhile my old Trek is rattling and creaking like hell. I have so many things to tweak and fix, and this weekend will be the first one we've been at home for in a month.

that thing is a monster.

Jesus. How much does that thing weigh?