veganopolis said:I have been riding a single speed Schwinn beach cruiser for the past year, every day, to and from work. I put approximately 40mil/wk on it. I am starting a new job in a couple of weeks, and it is further than my current commute, so I am in the market for something a little more friendlier on my body.
Any suggestions? I don't really want to spend more than $500. But I do think it is time for a change. I live in Honolulu and have ridden my Schwinn to Sunset Beach twice: I have definitely gotten my monies worth out of it.
My commute is longer than yours (I ride 32 miles each way), but I prefer a few things in my commute bike. First, it should have a steel frame for comfort. Second, the frame should have braze-ons should you want to carry packs without wearing a backpack. Third, I find that fenders are necessary in my neck of the woods, where we get bad weather on occasion. Fourth, it should be a bike that you aren't terribly concerned about adding such items as lights and flashers to. So, ultralight rroad racing outfits would likely be somewhat counterproductive (sort of like driving a Ferrari in a commute every day). I did quite a bit of research before buying my latest commute ride, and I was looking in a similar proce range. At your price point, I recommend buying a used cyclocross bike. Or, in the alternative, you could buy what I ride: a stock Bianchi Castro Valley commute bike. It's a bit more than $500, but you won;t have to throw in any extra cash on items such as lights or fenders, as the Castro Valley comes standard with both. See link:
http://www.bianchiusa.com/607.html
