Hey all,
I haven't owned a bike since college, and now live in an area where practically everywhere I go is < 2mi from my house so taking the car everyone feels dumb. I'm looking for a bike to take grocery runs, ride to the local pool, and trips to nearby restaurants and the river. My area is moderately hilly, with a max grade around 10% to the river. I'm 5'-11" fyi. I found two bikes that I'm interested in and wanted to hear everyone's opinion about value and flexibility to meet my needs.
Specialized Roll Comp x-1: $400, hyd brakes, 10×1 Shimano deore, low entry frame
Trex Navigator 3.0: $240, rim brakes, 8×3 Shimano alivio
I plan on adding oversized grocery panniers to the rear, and maybe a collapsible front basket. I want to be able to haul about a weeks worth of groceries or a cooler and towels to the pool or river. I plan on electrifying it as well. The Trex could handle a mid-drive, but the Specialized would probably need a hub motor. I saw someone on this subreddit do a mid-drive on the Specialized, but I did not like how little ground clearance there was. I've never ridden a low-entry bike before, I do not have any mobility issues but it seemed like it would be a very comfortable ride. Let me know what you guys think.
by Goldleader5