Greetings,
Looking at replacing my 1994 steel mountain mountain bike for a 20-mile urban commute.
Gravitating to the flat bar road/performance hybrid/fitness bike category.
Looking for:
- something a little lighter and a little faster to respond to steering inputs
- road-oriented gearing..current 42/11 has me spinning out at a fair number of points on the commute
- Equipment group that's as rock solid as the Deore LX/STX components on the Alpina has been
- Fairly aggressive riding position for a flat bar
- Wheels that won't give me trouble when curb hopping/cobblestones with 200+ pound rider.
- Looking to spend under $1000.
I'm currently a fair weather commuter, so disc brakes for winter/rain work aren't a requirement. Also not sure about the latest mountain and road groups, and how they stack up versus components from 15+ years ago. Last longer? Faster shifts? Lighter? How do the road groups on some of the bikes compare in terms of durability versus mountain groups? I like the ride of the Alpina, not sure if that means sticking to steel or if aluminum could fit the bill nowadays.
Bikes that have caught my eye so far have been the Jamis Coda line, the Doctor line from Kona, and the Cadent line from Raleigh.
Are there any standouts in the class that fit the above requirements that I haven't listed? Thanks!
-B