Yesterday we went for the first round of bike shopping for me. We looked at one bike we really liked at Turin Bikes in Evanston. It was a Specialized Crossroads (I don’t know if that link is to the exact bike but it is very similar to that.) I’m looking for a reasonably inexpensive hybrid that is good for the around town stuff but that wouldn’t be ridiculous if I decided to try for a 20 or 30 mile ride someday. This bike or a similar class is probably what I’ll get.
While we were there we bought floor pump, a Topeak Joe Blow (also not the identical model but similar.) It’s amazing how just being able to properly inflate the tires on our current bikes radically improved the ride of both. The crappy hand pump I was using just plain don’t cut it. Even my older Panasonic rode way better with full tires. That’s what I get for skimping on tools. We should have bought a pump like this years ago.
I’ve been riding a Specialized Rockhopper Comp for years, first a 1992 model (spending my first big paycheck) and then a 2004 model when I started doing serious bike commuting. I’m not a connoisseur but Specialized bikes have been great to me.
I prefer “real” mountain bikes to hybrid/crossroad models because I like the more aggressive position (handlebar vs. seat) and I feel like I can hammer potholes and curbs and other hazards of the urban jungle and not have to worry about it. Oh, that reminds me, thank GOD for front suspension …
I really don’t need the mountan bike for around here. Chicago and Evanston are highly bike friendly places, not hilly and with pretty good bike lanes. The one I looked at had seat suspension but not front. That’s fine with me. I test rode it down the street and it was alright on the potholes. I made sure to hit a few to test it out.
Hi, Dave.
The Topeak Road Morph with in-line gauge is a frame pump that works.
http://www.topeak.com/2004/products/pump_014.html
http://www.epinions.com/bike-Pumps-All-Road_Morph
I have a Joe Blow too.
Yeah, but is Myrtle Beach going to be so bike friendly? I don’t remember much in that regards. Though I do know that there is lot of beach :). You might want to think about one that can handle sand. Of course, grain of salt, I don’t know jack about bikes.