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Help me build a commuter bike.....

Hawkeye

Monkey
Jan 8, 2002
623
0
Naperville, IL
So I am going to build a superlight commuter bike. My station has covered individual bike vaults that I can use for a monthly fee.

I want to build a dual purpose commuter/race bike with 9 speeds. I am not afraid to spend a decent amount on the bike since the area where I live and the locking situation is pretty safe.

I was thinking of trying to find a couple of year old Trek 9.8 or something and make it a big ring front and just 9 speeds. Maybe disk maybe not. I am open to other frame choices and components are WIDE open.

Do they make Gripshift still? Do they make it in a high end spec like XTR?
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
Yes, SRAM X.0 is a nice system and I think the sram products are higher quality than their shimano counterparts (although I only have experience with their XC MTB stuff and don't know that this will work on a road rig).

So, are you looking at a strictly road or would a cx bike also fit the bill?
 

Hawkeye

Monkey
Jan 8, 2002
623
0
Naperville, IL
TreeSaw said:
Yes, SRAM X.0 is a nice system and I think the sram products are higher quality than their shimano counterparts (although I only have experience with their XC MTB stuff and don't know that this will work on a road rig).

So, are you looking at a strictly road or would a cx bike also fit the bill?

No, I want it to be a XC bike there are several short cuts on my route to the train that are single track. Basically I am just going to put some urban slicks on MTB rims.

If I get sick of riding to the train I am going to but some real tires on it and use it as a XC rig.
 

Hawkeye

Monkey
Jan 8, 2002
623
0
Naperville, IL
SkaredShtles said:
Take your XC bike. Install slick tires. Ride to work. :p

I'm currently commuting on my Giant NRS. :thumb:

I don't know if my wife will let me ride my s-works to the train. She knows how much it cost.

This ride..............she will not know the price of.
 

teambender

Chimp
Jan 11, 2004
45
0
Casa de Motionboy
Hawkeye said:
So I am going to build a superlight commuter bike. My station has covered individual bike vaults that I can use for a monthly fee.

I want to build a dual purpose commuter/race bike with 9 speeds. I am not afraid to spend a decent amount on the bike since the area where I live and the locking situation is pretty safe.

I was thinking of trying to find a couple of year old Trek 9.8 or something and make it a big ring front and just 9 speeds. Maybe disk maybe not. I am open to other frame choices and components are WIDE open.

Do they make Gripshift still? Do they make it in a high end spec like XTR?
Discs, a carbon frame and X.0 stuff will make it more appealing to theives....Unless you can take it inside w/ you and keep it in your sight all the time, I'd opt for a beater.

-edit-

As said above, go SS and put some "meaters" on it. 2.3's or 2.5's

You'll have a blast.
 

Hawkeye

Monkey
Jan 8, 2002
623
0
Naperville, IL
teambender said:
Discs, a carbon frame and X.0 stuff will make it more appealing to theives....Unless you can take it inside w/ you and keep it in your sight all the time, I'd opt for a beater.

-edit-

As said above, go SS and put some "meaters" on it. 2.3's or 2.5's

You'll have a blast.

The only way someone would even see it to steal it would be when I rode in on it. Otherwise it would be in a private locked "bike cabin" where you can't see it.

I am thinking about painting it black and also taking logos off the components just in case.