Bike recommendations

[MrSquished]

don't think the OP needs disc brakes, but when false info started being stated, had to correct it.

OP needs a nice entry level performance hybrid, which won't have discs. if he takes riding more seriously they could come in handy. the animosity to hybrids by some in here is absolutely ridiculous.

regardless - at the same price point - discs beat rim. period. and by a lot in wet grimy weather.

 

[GoSharks]

don't think the OP needs disc brakes, but when false info started being stated, had to correct it.

You realize that you're the one that started with the false info with these gems:

not only do disc brakes work better in dry weather, they destroy rim brakes in any kind of wetness. which is why you see them on all good mountain bikes - cause disc brakes>rim brakes. period.

i guarantee you i can stop faster with my disc brakes going the same speed as you on a rim brake road bike. easy peasy.

As far as I can tell, nobody mentioned anything about disc brakes before your misleading post. Rim vs disc doesn't matter when your braking surface is dry, as they will be for most road riders. Your limiting factor is the interaction between the tire and pavement, not your braking system.

regardless - at the same price point - discs beat rim. period. and by a lot in wet grimy weather.

Are disc brakes ever at the same price point as rim brakes, once you account for rotors, disc specific forks/frames, and disc specific wheels?

 

[JulesMaximus]

You realize that you're the one that started with the false info with these gems:

As far as I can tell, nobody mentioned anything about disc brakes before your misleading post. Rim vs disc doesn't matter when your braking surface is dry, as they will be for most road riders. Your limiting factor is the interaction between the tire and pavement, not your braking system.


Are disc brakes ever at the same price point as rim brakes, once you account for rotors, disc specific forks/frames, and disc specific wheels?

:thumbsup: Nope.

 

[MrSquished]

You realize that you're the one that started with the false info with these gems:

As far as I can tell, nobody mentioned anything about disc brakes before your misleading post. Rim vs disc doesn't matter when your braking surface is dry, as they will be for most road riders. Your limiting factor is the interaction between the tire and pavement, not your braking system.


Are disc brakes ever at the same price point as rim brakes, once you account for rotors, disc specific forks/frames, and disc specific wheels?

i only brought up disk brakes because some moron said upright bikes just simply can't stop as good as road bikes. which was retarded. so brought disk brakes in the mix as an example.

i also have agreed that in dry weather rim brakes are just fine - even though discs will still stop faster and better, rims are just fine.

and yes, disc brakes can be at the same price point as rim brakes on a hybrid. trek charges a premium for example, due to brand recognition. you can get a disc brake jamis hybrid for the same price as a trek hybrid rim brake.

i think your knowledge of bikes is as good as rim brakes vs disc brakes in wet weather.

 

[ch33zw1z]

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/bik/4439770931.html

This would be perfect for the OP.

seconded. fits the bill nicely.

 

[JulesMaximus]

i only brought up disk brakes because some moron said upright bikes just simply can't stop as good as road bikes. which was retarded. so brought disk brakes in the mix as an example.

i also have agreed that in dry weather rim brakes are just fine - even though discs will still stop faster and better, rims are just fine.

and yes, disc brakes can be at the same price point as rim brakes on a hybrid. trek charges a premium for example, due to brand recognition. you can get a disc brake jamis hybrid for the same price as a trek hybrid rim brake.

i think your knowledge of bikes is as good as rim brakes vs disc brakes in wet weather.

Really? Because the cheapest Jamis hybrid I could find on their website with disc brakes is the Allegro Comp Disc and that is $870. The Trek 8.3 DS is a hybrid and has disc brakes and that costs $670.

And looking at both brands all of their cheapest bikes have rim brakes... along with all the road bikes (even the $10,000 road bikes). Only the mid-range and up mountain bikes and two or three of their more expensive urban (hybrid) bikes have disc brakes.

None of the youth bikes have disc brakes. Those are all rim brakes too.

 

[Humpy]

Are disc brakes ever at the same price point as rim brakes, once you account for rotors, disc specific forks/frames, and disc specific wheels?

At this point with economies of scale I think they are at essentially the same price point for the bike factories. The disc brake bike I was referencing in my earlier posts is a $350 Bikes Direct single speed mountain bike that makes for an excellent all weather commuter. It has the entry level Tektro's that have (surprisingly) performed flawlessly for me for a year now. The bike is right in line price wise with similar budget bikes of various configurations.

I haven't compared the component cost of high end rim brakes versus disc. I imagine you can find stuff that costs about the same overall though.

 

[JulesMaximus]

At this point with economies of scale I think they are at essentially the same price point for the bike factories. The disc brake bike I was referencing in my earlier posts is a $350 Bikes Direct single speed mountain bike that makes for an excellent all weather commuter. It has the entry level Tektro's that have (surprisingly) performed flawlessly for me for a year now. The bike is right in line price wise with similar budget bikes of various configurations.

I haven't compared the component cost of high end rim brakes versus disc. I imagine you can find stuff that costs about the same overall though.

I don't think that's true actually. If you look at high end road bike brakes vs high end mountain disc brakes it is no contest. The disc brake setups are much more expensive.

Dura-Ace 9000 rim brakes front and rear set can be had for $269. A set of Shimano XTR BR-M987 Disc Brakes cost that much for one wheel and that's not including rotors. V brakes? Hell, they're giving those away... good luck finding a decent fork that will accept them.

You can buy Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes for about $80 per wheel. Of course you'll need wheels that will accept a disc brake setup and a fork/frame with mounts for the calipers.

 

[GoSharks]

i only brought up disk brakes because some moron said upright bikes just simply can't stop as good as road bikes. which was retarded. so brought disk brakes in the mix as an example.

i also have agreed that in dry weather rim brakes are just fine - even though discs will still stop faster and better, rims are just fine.

and yes, disc brakes can be at the same price point as rim brakes on a hybrid. trek charges a premium for example, due to brand recognition. you can get a disc brake jamis hybrid for the same price as a trek hybrid rim brake.

i think your knowledge of bikes is as good as rim brakes vs disc brakes in wet weather.

What are you giving up when you go for the disc brakes though? Plain and simple, there are more parts required to use disc brakes, and those parts are more expensive those required for rim brakes. You're basically saying that at the same price, you would take any bike that has Dura Ace over a bike that has 105 without any regard to the other components. I guarantee that at the same price, the Dura Ace bike will have shittier wheels and/or frame. This is the same thing as when you are comparing rim versus disc brakes at the same price, especially on a <$500 bike.

Why do you keep insisting that disc brakes are better in dry conditions when rim brakes are just as capable of picking up the rear wheel (http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html). You realize that a rim brake is the same as a disc brake, except that you have much more braking surface? OMG giant rotor!

 

[_Rick_]

That's why hydraulic rim brakes are becoming all the rage this year!

 

[otho11]

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/bik/4439770931.html

This would be perfect for the OP.

The ad is now deleted, what was it?

 

[JulesMaximus]

The ad is now deleted, what was it?

It was an old mountain bike for $65. It looked like it had never been ridden.

 

[MrSquished]

What are you giving up when you go for the disc brakes though? Plain and simple, there are more parts required to use disc brakes, and those parts are more expensive those required for rim brakes. You're basically saying that at the same price, you would take any bike that has Dura Ace over a bike that has 105 without any regard to the other components.

never said that. the voices in your head maybe said that, but i didn't.

and as i said rim brakes are fine in dry weather, but regardless, discs are still stronger brakes if they are on the same level component wise. like comparing shimano xtr vs dura-ace, etc...

 

[MrSquished]

Really? Because the cheapest Jamis hybrid I could find on their website with disc brakes is the Allegro Comp Disc and that is $870. The Trek 8.3 DS is a hybrid and has disc brakes and that costs $670.

And looking at both brands all of their cheapest bikes have rim brakes... along with all the road bikes (even the $10,000 road bikes). Only the mid-range and up mountain bikes and two or three of their more expensive urban (hybrid) bikes have disc brakes.

None of the youth bikes have disc brakes. Those are all rim brakes too.

i worded that poorly. between jamis and trek you will generally get higher quality components overall on a jamis vs a trek at the same price point because trek has a much bigger brand recognition leverage so jamis tries to make it up with slightly upgraded components at the same price points. for example there was a jamis road bike that was almost all 105 components at the same price range as a trek with tiagra which is a step lower.

trek's are great. the fx series is a fantastic hybrid line.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Did that over the weekend opps. Bought that bike in the fall used and just discovered the seat post was stuck a few weeks ago. I've been trying to loosen it with PB Blaster and by kicking the crap out of it which probably weaken it. Luckily it happened while just tooling along and fairly close to to the trail head. Only had to ride standing up for a around two miles. Now I just have to figure out some way to get the remaining post out of the frame. First thing I'm going to try is throwing the bike out in the sun for an hour to heat up and then freezing the post with CRC Freeze Off and hitting it with a big ass hammer. When that fails I'll try an adjustable reamer to cut it out. As a last resort the frame is steel so I can use caustic soda to eat the aluminum seat post out of the frame.

 

[GoSharks]

never said that. the voices in your head maybe said that, but i didn't.

and as i said rim brakes are fine in dry weather, but regardless, discs are still stronger brakes if they are on the same level component wise. like comparing shimano xtr vs dura-ace, etc...

You said:

regardless - at the same price point - discs beat rim. period. and by a lot in wet grimy weather.

Having disc brakes on your bike is always more expensive than having similar quality rim brakes.

Dry rim brakes stop just as fast as disc brakes. Why do you keep insisting that they don't? Are you saying that the limiting factor isn't the tire/pavement interface?

Disc brakes have their advantages over rim brakes - stopping distance in dry conditions is not really one of them though.

Anyways, a rim brake is a disc brake. Just cheaper.

 

[Anubis]

That's why hydraulic rim brakes are becoming all the rage this year!

the trials guys have been running hydraulic rim brakes for years

 

[PricklyPete]

Too much arguing... Just get out and ride!

 

[alkemyst]

I am looking to get a bicycle to ride a few miles to the gym and back. I know next to nothing about bikes other than I like to ride in a more upright position. I would prefer something that is undesirable to thieves as I do not live in a particularly nice area. Thanks in advance.

upright would be a beach cruiser and also not likely to be stolen as easily as a hybrid (the next choice for upright riding).

A mountain bike you are pretty forward if sized right, not as deep as a roadie; but not really a cruising bike.

 

[alkemyst]

You said:

Having disc brakes on your bike is always more expensive than having similar quality rim brakes.

Dry rim brakes stop just as fast as disc brakes. Why do you keep insisting that they don't? Are you saying that the limiting factor isn't the tire/pavement interface?

Disc brakes have their advantages over rim brakes - stopping distance in dry conditions is not really one of them though.

Anyways, a rim brake is a disc brake. Just cheaper.

They are also immune to when you bend your rim on a trail.

There is not a good reason for rim brakes other than price.

 

[MiniDoom]

There is not a good reason for rim brakes other than price.

Weight and maintenance. There's a reason disc brakes aren't taking off in pro road racing and cyclocross. Hydraulic disc brakes are heavier and far more maintenance than cantilever brakes. Mechanical pull disc brake pads can wear extremely fast in sand and mud.
The small benefits which some here have noted are not worth the trouble as far as the racing community is concerned.

 

[alkemyst]

The reality of this argument is the OP is looking for a tool-around bike...back and forth to the gym, maybe go on a sunday ride, etc.

IMHO a cheap beach cruiser is more than adequate, less apt to worry about outside the gym or a 7-11 while you run in to grab a water/etc and you are totally upright and comfortable.

 

[desura]

haven't read through these.

But generally, my first recommendation is to get a bike from bikesdirect.com

the most important thing to make sure of is that it has brake shifters in the Sora or Acera or Tiagra line.

Brake shifters are a combination of the brake lever and the gear shifter.

Steel or aluminum doesn't really matter. I personally prefer steel. Carbon is overpriced and overrated IMO.

Drop bars are great.

Don't bother with Craigslist. They tend to be overpriced on there and a hassle finding the right size for you.

On bikes direct you can find a brake shifter bike for around $400.

 

[alkemyst]

Weight and maintenance. There's a reason disc brakes aren't taking off in pro road racing and cyclocross. Hydraulic disc brakes are heavier and far more maintenance than cantilever brakes. Mechanical pull disc brake pads can wear extremely fast in sand and mud.
The small benefits which some here have noted are not worth the trouble as far as the racing community is concerned.

This has nothing to do with the OP.

This is a very realistic 'about' for the typical layman:
http://mountainbike.about.com/od/buyersguideandreviews/f/disk_or_rim_faq.htm

For a city bike and I used cool stops and the like in the past (my first mountain bike was a 1992 or so Marin Bear Valley SE, I ride a 2010 Rockhopper Pro SL now) is suddenly coming over a bridge to a puddle or rain and then have some moron turn in front of you.

On my rim brakes, even with great pads; I had to bail at times...I thought I could stop in time but stuck in too long. With my disc brakes I know I am going to stop like I always do, if I know I have to bail I can do it early rather than later.

Weight is always a concern for racers. 100grams here, 50 there, 300 or so elsewhere adds up.

It also goes the other way though, ultra light components tend to be not so ideal for daily driving use.

You are right, don't get me wrong; but it's the wrong application.

 

[JulesMaximus]

i worded that poorly. between jamis and trek you will generally get higher quality components overall on a jamis vs a trek at the same price point because trek has a much bigger brand recognition leverage so jamis tries to make it up with slightly upgraded components at the same price points. for example there was a jamis road bike that was almost all 105 components at the same price range as a trek with tiagra which is a step lower.

trek's are great. the fx series is a fantastic hybrid line.

Fair enough. :thumbsup:

I rode Daley Ranch (north Escondido) last weekend with a friend of mine. It was absolutely beautiful out there. I really should take some pictures and post them here.