Advice needed: nice city bike

akelman · #1 04-01-2019, 04:49 PM

As some of you know, my back is thrashed. I have three herniated discs, and I'm eager to avoid more spinal surgery. For what it's worth, my surgeon agrees with me. Anyway, I'm not looking for medical advice; I want to talk bikes.

I'm not likely to be able to ride a road bike again any time soon. Given that, I've sold three of my bikes and will, if I ever get motivated, put the Speedvagen up on the block as well. In the meantime, this past weekend, I took my younger son up to Vancouver. When the weather is good, there's no more beautiful city in North America. We rented city bikes for two days, and my back held up okay.

So, that got me thinking: does someone make a really nice city bike that would allow me to ride in a pretty upright position? A bike that can take reasonably wide tires, can ride road or packed dirt equally comfortably, has an internal hub (perhaps), belt drive (not at all sure this is necessary), and is definitely fast enough that I could keep up with my riding buddies if they decide to go out for a very slow and very chatty ride? Does that bike exist? Or am I just dreaming about a unicorn?

Thanks for any suggestions you might have.

Ken Robb · #2 04-01-2019, 04:53 PM

Take a look at Rivendell.

akelman · #3 04-01-2019, 04:53 PM

I posted this in the wrong thread. In addition to the trouble I have with my back, I'm also apparently brain-dead. Sorry about that, everyone.

sulfate125 · #4 04-01-2019, 04:58 PM

Get a townie. They are semi recumbent.

Ken Robb · #5 04-01-2019, 05:17 PM

I swapped moustache bars to replace drop bars on my Riv Allrounder. They let me sit up quite straight when gripping the ends but also allowed me to get pretty low when I leaned forward to grip the forward curved parts. You may already own a bike that would allow this swap.

Clean39T · #6 04-01-2019, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

I swapped moustache bars to replace drop bars on my Riv Allrounder. They let me sit up quite straight when gripping the ends but also allowed me to get pretty low when I leaned forward to grip the forward curved parts. You may already own a bike that would allow this swap.

Ken is right. And I have some Nitto moustache bars on a Nitto technomic quill stem already wrapped and using cane creek levers - if that works on something you have, I'll send them your way and you can pay me what you think is fair (shipping plus whatever).

akelman · #7 04-01-2019, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Ken is right. And I have some Nitto moustache bars on a Nitto technomic quill stem already wrapped and using cane creek levers - if that works on something you have, I'll send them your way and you can pay me what you think is fair (shipping plus whatever).

That's a very generous offer, thanks. I'll wait to see what shakes out—I don't want you to take any trouble if it's not necessary—and then shoot you a PM.

akelman · #8 04-01-2019, 05:44 PM

If a mod could move this to the general discussion section, I'd be grateful.

NHAero · #9 04-01-2019, 05:57 PM

Even more upright than the moustache bars, and with similar forward bends to grab to get a bit of a crouch, are Nitto Albatross bars (at least that's what Rivendell called them.) The I.D. of the ends of the bars will accept Dura Ace barcons, which is how I have them set up on my Big Dummy.

pdmtong · #10 04-01-2019, 06:13 PM

sorry to hear my friend.

what about en e-bike? why stress anymore on your health? these things have come a long way and are fantastic.

I am pretty sure you could get 50 miles range
https://www.bosch-ebike.com/en/service/range-assistant/

AngryScientist · #11 04-01-2019, 06:29 PM

moved it for you.

first off, there's no "shame" or antyhing like that associate with adapting a bit and riding a bike that doesnt fit the traditional roadie mold.

my thought is, for the sale of your back, how about something like a cannondale slate? of course all the stock photos have them set up with a lot of drop, but you could adapt the position with the right frame size and some spacers to get pretty upright, and i think the front suspension might go a long way to taking some of the sting out of the road.

of course someone like Seven could whip something up to fit you perfectly if you wanted to go custom...

weisan · #12 04-01-2019, 06:41 PM

Akel pal, I like pdm pal's suggestion of an e-bike, I really do.

I also have long-standing back issues that I am dealing with.

Coincidentally today I just finished modifying one of my gravel bikes for the purpose of what you just described by using a Jones H-bar. I took it for a spin on the local trails and it was perfect!

ride in a pretty upright position - checked - the Jones bar really does a very job in making that possible.

take reasonably wide tires - checked - currently on 27.5 x 2.0 fat tires, have room for even bigger tire, not a whole lot but probably can go up to 2.2 and that's it. To me, that's as wide as I want to go.

can ride road or packed dirt equally comfortably - what I have on it rolls pretty well as is but I have another set of wheels that are mounted with the Compass Switchback Hills 650bx48 mm tires and if I put that on the bike, it will roll really nicely on both road and packed dirt.

has an internal hub (perhaps) - not sure your reason for going with an internal hub but what I have is a dynamo hub in the front connected to a B&M light and it serves both as a daylight and nightlight. I am currently running Shimano 9-speed trigger shifters with a triple in the front and a 11-34 in the back. It has all the gear I would ever need.

belt drive (not at all sure this is necessary) - funny you ask. This particular frame Van Dessel *** do have a provision for opening up the rear to get a chain belt through. But I am currently running a normal chain. Maybe one day, I will give the belt thing a try,

fast enough that I could keep up with my riding buddies if they decide to go out for a very slow and very chatty ride - this bike will and can do that for sure.

Downside: this is a heavy bike compared to the average road bike that you are used to...so be mentally prepared for that. But boy, it's so much fun riding it, very stable, very smooth, can roll over anything, just the perfect bike for JRA and whistling as you go, stopping for pictures, admiring the flowers, nice and easy and it can go fast too...if you pedal fast.

Clean39T · #13 04-01-2019, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weisan

Akel pal, I like pdm pal's suggestion of an e-bike, I really do.

I also have long-standing back issues that I am dealing with.

Coincidentally today I just finished modifying one of my gravel bikes for the purpose of what you just described by using a Jones H-bar. I took it for a spin on the local trails and it was perfect!

ride in a pretty upright position - checked - the Jones bar really does a very job in making that possible.

take reasonably wide tires - checked - currently on 27.5 x 2.0 fat tires, have room for even bigger tire, not a whole lot but probably can go up to 2.2 and that's it. To me, that's as wide as I want to go.

can ride road or packed dirt equally comfortably - what I have on it rolls pretty well as is but I have another set of wheels that are mounted with the Compass Switchback Hills 650bx48 mm tires and if I put that on the bike, it will roll really nicely on both road and packed dirt.

has an internal hub (perhaps) - not sure your reason for going with an internal hub but what I have is a dynamo hub in the front connected to a B&M light and it serves both as a daylight and nightlight. I am currently running Shimano 9-speed trigger shifters with a triple in the front and a 11-34 in the back. It has all the gear I would ever need.

belt drive (not at all sure this is necessary) - funny you ask. This particular frame Van Dessel *** do have a provision for opening up the rear to get a chain belt through. But I am currently running a normal chain. Maybe one day, I will give the belt thing a try,

fast enough that I could keep up with my riding buddies if they decide to go out for a very slow and very chatty ride - this bike will and can do that for sure.

Downside: this is a heavy bike compared to the average road bike that you are used to...so be mentally prepared for that. But boy, it's so much fun riding it, very stable, very smooth, can roll over anything, just the perfect bike for JRA and whistling as you go, stopping for pictures, admiring the flowers, nice and easy and it can go fast too...if you pedal fast.

Groovy looking bike Weisan-pal - I dig it - but mostly dig the self-respect and knowledge that goes into getting something set up for you that really works..

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

happycampyer · #14 04-01-2019, 07:00 PM

Ari, I think I have a good bike for you—a Moots Psychlo-X YBB disc with a really tall headtube. Why Be Beat? Set it up with 650B x 42 tires and you have a lot of shock absorption. I'll pm you with details.

d_douglas · #15 04-01-2019, 07:14 PM

I think a townie is timeless. If you see riding this for a while now, then m a y b e not for a while if your back recovers, you will likely eventually end up using a bike like this more and more frequently as you age - like we all do. I will get one of these bikes in the coming years as my needs change for sure. Even if I split time with other, “faster” bikes, it’s supremely practical.

No need to get an $8k townie, but if funds permit, why not a nice Desalvo or similar that is custom geometry and a modest group like 105 with a set of flat bar shifters and a swept back bar? I bet you could get a gorgeous custom bike for $3500. Or wait for a used one of these for $2000.

That said, if your bike needs favour helping your back now, I bet it won’t be much different in 5 or so years when you decide that this is your go-to bike.

I guess I am just explaining what I plan to do in a decade