Struggling to find a ‘perfect’ spec commuter bike. I’d like:

– Steel frame
– Flat bars
– 700c
– Rim brakes
– Mudguard & pannier braze-ons
– Singlespeed or hub-gears (geared preferred but non-essential)

It appears I’m looking for something like a Genesis Flyer, but swapping the bars. However, does anyone offer this setup off the shelf?

Cheers,

Paul

Cotic Roadrat

Rim brakes do not a perfect commuter make.

They do a single-speed Surly Cross Check as one of the stock offerings, ticks all the boxes and pretty easy to convert to hub or regular gears down the line…

Cheers – The Surly Cross-Check SS looks good although the £799 price-tag is a little eye-watering. Certainly makes the Genesis Flyer appear better value, even if I’d need to swap the handlebar and brake levers.

Sounds precisely like an old Genesis Day one Flat Bar

rim brakes?

commuter?

walk away from the crack-pipe.

Will never go back to rim brakes on a commuter. I’ve got too used to stopping quickly in traffic in the rain.

Other than that, sounds a great build if you don’t need drop bars to squeeze through barriers on towpaths. Suspect you could do something interesting with a Kaffenback?

I used to like rim brakes on my commuter as it was used in a built-up area. Discs got affected in winter with road salt and oil/diesel on the road spraying up. Generally yes, discs are great but for a city-based commuter hack I’d be happy enough without them, more so than on an MTB / CX etc anyway. I’m sure the OP can make that decision himself anyway : )

Pompino?

There’s no way I’d spec a commuter with rim brakes now unless you never ride in the rain. I’ve been using a kona jake the snake for 8 years as my 20 mile each way commuter and braking in the wet is woeful even with a very good set of brakes.

Another no for rim brakes from me. Mine has them, and whilst they stop very well, even in the wet and fully loaded with a week’s clothing, they

a) wear very quickly in the winter
b) need adjusting a lot as they wear
c) cover half the bike in filthy grimy black crap

I really wish I had discs – the following model year of my bike came with them.

My previous experience of commuting with disc brakes was that they always ended up squealing and needed regular maintenance/cleaning through winter.

With rim brakes, yes there’s a compromise on performance but they are virtually maintenance free (tweak the cable adjustment occasionally and change pads maybe every two years).

With rim brakes, yes there’s a compromise on performance but they are virtually maintenance free (tweak the cable adjustment occasionally and change pads maybe every two years).

Well, that’s not my experience. I went through two sets of pads in a winter, and I had to re-adjust each pad two or three times, which also involved trimming lips of each pad.

My experience of rim brakes in winter (urban and rural commuting) is that they grind rims, produce copious amounts of hard to clean black crud and require regular maintenance. I switched to discs on my commuting bike 11 years ago, and for utility cycling I would never go back to rim brakes. I originally used BB7s which worked OK when new, but corroded badly and got a bit sticky under winter conditions. Now using TRP Hy-Rds, which seem to be standing up to bad weather use better, and require less maintenance.

Pompino?

Do you even know the OP?

That’s a generous and quite forward offer

Struggling to find a ‘perfect’ spec commuter bike. I’d like:

– Steel frame
– Flat bars
– 700c
– Rim brakes
– Mudguard & pannier braze-ons
– Singlespeed or hub-gears (geared preferred but non-essential)

This is a Kona Smoke to the T. No longer in production (check Ebay). I have one bought new from Rutland cycles half price at £200, has been commuted on for a few years now and is still going strong allbeit with a few upgrades as stuff wore out.

http://www.konaworld.co/bike.cfm?content=smoke

As I said earlier – Cotic Roadrat does all of this – but ignored?

With rim brakes, yes there’s a compromise on performance but they are virtually maintenance free (tweak the cable adjustment occasionally and change pads maybe every two years).

Its not often you see the phrases ‘rim brakes’ and ‘virtually maintenance free’ in the same sentence.

Change pads every two years! Do you do many miles on that bike?

I go through a set of pads in about 6 weeks on the front.

What about the Cotic Roadrat, as no one has suggested it yet.

(kidding Clink)

Re: brakes, I also find I go through pads rather rapidly in winter, probably every 4-6 weeks, and the black shit they cover everything in is particularly unpleasant.

I’d ditch the rim brakes as well. Riding several thousand miles a year in all weathers meant I was lucky to get 2 winters out of rims and the pads wore out very quickly. My disc brakes have been fantastic in comparison. 1 set of pads a year, reliable in all weathers and wheels that keep on working.

Pompino/Pompetamine from on-one
http://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-single-malt-single-speed-bike-61807.html
Charge?
Vitus?

It’s true that disk brakes can get very noisy and lose performance when used for urban commuting. I reckon this is a combination of pollutants, off the road and from traffic, and that it’s seldom that massive amounts of braking power are required – resulting in a lot of rake “dragging”.

When I suffered from this problem I’d simply find a decent hill, pedal down it like **** and then brake whilst still pedalling. This would get the brakes hot enough to burn off any contaminants and the effect would last for another couple of weeks.

On the other hand, I’ve seen too many rims worn through and even burst due to wear.

C5000 London miles each year on discs. The road filth takes the edge off them but not enough that it’s a problem. Didn’t notice them getting noisy either.

They don’t get enough stress to need bleeding for years at s time either. Much less maintenance than Tim brakes.

I had a Specialized Allez that has now been converted to a bike a bit like what you posted, although achieved in a strange way!

Flat bars with bar ends
Singlespeed
Mudguards on all year round
COVERED in reflective tape
Now a proper hack, but I love it

The main difference is its ally with a carbon fork. Your spec sounds pretty nice, I’m happy with rim brakes but I don’t do much braking as my run is fairly constant

Real Classic roadster. Works a treat and doesn’t seem attractive to thieves, if Halfords aren’t doing them any more, there’s always some on ebay. (Apologies for patio, it was waiting to be ripped out for underpinning so I CBA weeding and grouting it!)

Oh look, here’s one on the ‘Bay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-real-gents-bike-/171511176323?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item27eedcdc83

Isn’t the new roadrat disc only? My current roadrat (bought SH here) is all of the above bar v brakes (singlespeed) and it replaced a pompetraminer that had a hub gear. Wouldn’t have rim brakes on a commuter any more after scaring myself with how much I’d worn through a set of rims in a single winter on the roadie.

So this search coincided with a mail shot from Merlin advertising BMC Alpenchallenge AC01’s in my size for a ridiculously good price.

Gears AND discs, what was I thinking 🙂

Charge plug at wiggle?

TallPaul – did you buy that XL frame for £500? I *really* like the look of those.

Gears AND discs, what was I thinking

And aluminium frame too.

simons_nicolai-uk – Member
TallPaul – did you buy that XL frame for £500? I *really* like the look of those.

Yep.

I’ve also stopped using rim brakes on my commuter because, as pointed out about, you go through pads and rims quickly in the winter. The squealing also helps to stop the early morning pedestrians from shuffling zombie-like out into the road.

Ridgeback alfine commuter £899

Edit: oops, sorry, aluminium frame…

I’m guessing that £899 for the roadrat is too much for the OP?