new bike

[Sherri]

that was exactly what i needed to know!! thank you sherri!!!!!

 

[kevino]

I own a bianchi eros. Quality stuff.

[motomagik]

Thanks for everyone's responses.

 

I also don't want to convert an old road bike b/c I like the possiblity of having larger clearance for bigger tires.

 

You will also want the higher clearance for fenders if you are going to be commuting. i commute on my road bike because it's all i have, but I have discovered its impossible to get regular fenders on it because it has about 1/4" of clearance.

[Couloir]

I just found a last year bianchi axis on sale that I think will do the trick. it is significantly lighter than the other bikes i've been mulling over and definately nods towards road riding. aluminum frame (for durability) with a carbon fork (to dampen the bumps of shitty seattle street paving/potholes). decent (although not excellent) components and comes with 3 chainrings instead of 2 (like most cyclocross bikes) to make pushing my fat as uphill easier.

A good friend of mine has an Axis. Excellent bike. He's thrashed the hell out of it racing, and it's still going strong. He has replaced the bottom bracket once, but I think it's because one cross race last season in particular, we were immersed in water for almost the whole race. Insane.

[NTM]

i have 2 friends with the axis and they say the same thing, i might have to go out and get it tomorrow anyone up for a long ride on fri?

[ken4ord]

I have tried the Bianchi-Volpe and Kona-Jake, both bikes I really liked. I didn't spend too much time on either one of them. The Surly-Cross Check seems pretty nice.

 

I am not sure why you would want to avoid disc brakes. Too they work well in all condition even wet, but hey it never rains in the PNW. Also they are lot lower maintenance. I been riding with some disc on my bullit for 5 years and the only thing I have had to do is to pull out old pads and put in new pads, which is done by hand without tools, can't get any simpler.

 

These guys makes my all time favorite cross bikes, but expect to shell out some coin.

[minx]

so where is the best bike shop in the greater seattle/bellevue/tacoma area?

[kevino]

Check out Sammamish valley cycle in Redmond. Good people and generally good prices when looked at non-2007 stuff. I got my bike $400 below list I think? $999 instead of $1399. If you do go, look for Marshall, Matt of Paul and tell them Kevin sent you.

 

Its right next to the Redmond Post office.

[ken4ord]

I always went to Greg's or the Downhill Zone. Neither of them I really cared for. Greg's to big and impersonal and I wasn't cool enough or didn't have any tattoos get much help at the Downhill Zone.