I live in rural Kansas and my commute would be about 5 miles on gravel and 3 on pavement. I have done a lot of reading and the Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer seems hard to beat to get started. I contacted the nearest bike shop and they have a 2010s Specialized Sirrus Hybrid they offered me for $150 with a tune up. I’m just looking for some advice on which would be better? Would the Sirrus be fine for commuting if I just had them put bigger tires on it? Are disc brakes that big of an upgrade? (That’s the main different I notice between the two) I’m leaning towards the Sirrus. Any advice would be much appreciated!
by atmakings
3 Comments
If it’s your first bike, it might be a good idea to spend $150 and see if you like commuting by bike. A hybrid should be fine. If you continue commuting by bike long term, you can work out your preferences and maybe upgrade on the future.
Is it correct that your commute is about 8 miles each way then?
I guess I don’t think either of those are great bikes For that, but I’m guessing you are on a tight budget?
I don’t personally understand the enthusiasm for Ozark Trail bikes on the various cycling subreddits. They are extremely heavy (30+ lbs for an Al bike is insane, I have a steel gravel bike that clocks in at 22) and use cheap parts. Thats not going to be very fun to ride or maintain.
An old hybrid bike seems like a better choice if you can fit some wider tires, but still wouldn’t be my first pick for that commute. I do think it might be more fun/capable than the Ozark Trail depending on the tires it can fit.
I would go with the Sirrus without any hesitation. That’s a great deal considering it’s been tune up by the shop. Starting off your bike commuting journey by establishing a relationship with a decent shop is priceless.
As for brakes, rim brakes work just fine, especially with decent pads. The stock pads tend to perform poorly in wet weather. If you think you’ll commute in the rain, I highly suggest upgrading to KoolStop dual compound or SwissStop blue.