Flat bar bike for road

I just bought the Cypress SX. I commute to work and have tried a variety of bikes, road and mtn. Need something durable and fast. The SX runs about $600. The SL about $800. I prefer clippless pedals and will switch out the clippless SPD pedals on my mountain bike or I would have gotten the SL. The SL has a carbon fork and higher end shifters. Both have Michelin Dynamic tires which I will immediately upgrade to something more durable with a kevlar liner.

Have not taken delivery as yet. There were only 4 of these in the country when I got mine. Will let you know in a week or so.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by M Powell
Having now put a couple of thousand miles on my 2003
Motobecane hybrid, I'm starting to get a case of Bike Envy.
My biggest problem with my bike is that it weighs 33 lbs.,
along with the fact that all the components are entry level.
I know that I want to stick with a flat bar, and I'm not
even certain that I "need" a new bike... for a $325 bike it
has done quite well.

But I'm looking at Trek 7500FX and 7700FX, and Giant Cypress
SX & SL. Both sets of bikes are about $300 apart, and the
Giants are about $100 less than the Treks. Have also looked
at the Marin Alps models, but didn't especially like the
bikes or the LBS that has them.

So, questions: -- How much trouble/expense would it be to
help my Motobecane lose weight by swapping out its
suspension fork? I see sale items in the catalogues for
aluminum & composite forks, but is this a good swap? -- Are
there other fix-its or swaps that would help me to just keep
the Motobecane & be happier with it?

Or: -- I don't really understand why, but I seem to like the
Cypress models over the Treks. I guess they seem a little
less hybrid-ish. Is there anything I should know about these
brands before putting money down? Where's the $100
difference? -- At what point is the $300 step-up absolutely
worth it? I know the components are better & lighter, but
what performance & weight gains do you really get? -- Is
there another brand or model that I should look at? Must
absolutely be $1,000 or less.

Thanks! --Murray

On Mon, 17 May 2004 14:19:31 GMT, "M Powell" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Having now put a couple of thousand miles on my 2003
Motobecane hybrid, I'm starting to get a case of Bike Envy.
My biggest problem with my bike is that it weighs 33 lbs.,
along with the fact that all the components are entry
level. I know that I want to stick with a flat bar, and I'm
not even certain that I "need" a new bike... for a $325
bike it has done quite well.

But I'm looking at Trek 7500FX and 7700FX, and Giant
Cypress SX & SL. Both sets of bikes are about $300 apart,
and the Giants are about $100 less than the Treks. Have
also looked at the Marin Alps models, but didn't especially
like the bikes or the LBS that has them.

I just test rode a Giant Cypress SX, and it was OK, but
seemed like a 'toy' for some reason, although it went up the
incline in the shopping center much better than the current
ride, a 45lb MTN bike! <g>

Supposedly Giant is having a sale on or about the week of
the 24th, or maybe it's only my LBS (Performance Bikes), so
you might want to check it out.

The Trek shop was completely out of hybrids, having sold
out all of them last week, and only had a 7200 which -is- a
toy (heh).

They didn't seem to understand why a person would eschew the
fork suspension and seatpost suspension until I said 'five
pounds'. IMO, very few people -need- that suspension, but
it's hard to realize (it was for me at first). Actually, I
think the non-suspension versions (FX) are cheaper, IIRC.

So it's 'wait another week' for me until the '05s come in.
Meantime they're going to try and find me a 7500FX, which is
what I really want to test.

You've ridden both, I presume? What about the Giant was
better, in your opinion.

Best,

-B

On Mon, 17 May 2004 14:19:31 GMT, "M Powell" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Having now put a couple of thousand miles on my 2003
Motobecane hybrid, I'm starting to get a case of Bike Envy.
My biggest problem with my bike is that it weighs 33 lbs.,
along with the fact that all the components are entry
level. I know that I want to stick with a flat bar, and I'm
not even certain that I "need" a new bike... for a $325
bike it has done quite well.

But I'm looking at Trek 7500FX and 7700FX, and Giant
Cypress SX & SL. Both sets of bikes are about $300 apart,
and the Giants are about $100 less than the Treks. Have
also looked at the Marin Alps models, but didn't especially
like the bikes or the LBS that has them.

I just test rode a Giant Cypress SX, and it was OK, but
seemed like a 'toy' for some reason, although it went up the
incline in the shopping center much better than the current
ride, a 45lb MTN bike! <g>

Supposedly Giant is having a sale on or about the week of
the 24th, or maybe it's only my LBS (Performance Bikes), so
you might want to check it out.

The Trek shop was completely out of hybrids, having sold
out all of them last week, and only had a 7200 which -is- a
toy (heh).

They didn't seem to understand why a person would eschew the
fork suspension and seatpost suspension until I said 'five
pounds'. IMO, very few people -need- that suspension, but
it's hard to realize (it was for me at first). Actually, I
think the non-suspension versions (FX) are cheaper, IIRC.

So it's 'wait another week' for me until the '05s come in.
Meantime they're going to try and find me a 7500FX, which is
what I really want to test.

You've ridden both, I presume? What about the Giant was
better, in your opinion.

Best,

-B

"David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

M Powell said:

So, questions: -- How much trouble/expense would it be
to help my Motobecane lose

weight by

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

swapping out its suspension fork? I see sale items in
the catalogues for aluminum & composite forks, but is
this a good swap?

Probably not. The suspension fork is a lot longer than
almost any rigid fork you can find, and so the geometry of
the bike will be changed by this switch. It _might_ be
better, but probably not. Also, you won't save enough
weight. Going to a lighter bike overall can save you 10
pounds for not that much money. -- > David L. Johnson

__o | "Business!" cried the Ghost. "Mankind was my
business. The

common

Quoted message said:

_`\(,_ | welfare was my business; charity, mercy,
forbearance, and (_)/ (_) | benevolence, were, all, my
business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of
water in the comprehensive ocean of my <business!" --
Dickens, "A Christmas Carol"

Many thanks for all the responses. I do believe that a
different bike is in order, and I'll go into a higher gear
for Saving Up mode.

--Murray