Hello,
I am in the process of buying a new bike for the first time. I have been riding second hand bikes for 15 years or so and have some data points about what i like and don’t like. Pictured are the main bikes I’ve ridden for the past 5 years or so.
I currently have a few older steel frame bikes I use for commuting and occasionally bike packing.
Much of my riding has been on an aluminum “motobecane GiGi” which is a fairly generic road bike that I used mostly for exercise but which I sold before moving cross country. While riding my old heavy steel bikes I miss the zippy faster feel of my GiGi. I also miss the fast rolling 700c wheels in the 26” and 27” inch wheels i riding on these days.
However the old 27” tires on the mixte are suprisingly fun on gravel roads which has me wondering about getting a bike that I could commute on and also do light gravel/railtrail/greenway rides on.
I want a bike that feels relatively fast on the street/gravel (or atleast inspires me to ride in a spirited way, has 700c wheels, perhaps with tires 38mm-50mm, has plenty of mounting points for weekend bikepacking/commuting.
I’m planning on trying out some bikes this weekend at some shops. Im planning on trying out some salsa bikes such as the journeyer, and the vaya, some surly bikes like the straggler, a Kona rove if i can find one, Cannondale Topstone, and specialized diverge. Im also interested in the Jami’s renegade if i can find one in person.
Aesthetics are secondary but i really like the sleek look of a lot of salsa and Kona bikes as opposed to the more vintage styled bikes if all else is equal. I really want wide drops, but thats maybe in large part aesthetic.
Does anyone have advice on things to look out for, reasons to dislike any bikes I’ve mentioned or reasons to like one ive not? Im hoping to get a bike for under 2k but I’ll spend more if I’m really excited for something. 3k would be kind of the hard sealing.
Any feedback/advice will be appreciated!
by passwithcare