What bicycle do I want?
April 20, 2022 4:06 PM Subscribe
My beloved Trek 720 bicycle, bought in 1994, has enough wrong with it at this point (along with weighing a ton) that I need to get a new bike. I am a 5'2"-tall woman who hates change. What bike should I get that is as similar as possible to my old Trek and also available in Canada? Bonus if it can take fenders (my Trek does not have them) and is compatible with "saddlebags".
The "Trek 720" seems to have evolved over time and the current version is not the same as what was being sold in 1994. My old bike is what was called a "hybrid" during the '90s (i.e., somewhere in between a mountain bike and a road/racing bike). I would be using this mostly for biking around the city (sometimes for commuting and sometimes for recreation).
Frame: mine is a diamond frame (with the upper crossbar kind of in between where a stereotypical "men's bike" and "women's bike" upper crossbar would be), with a 15-inch seat tube and a 21-inch top tube. I like this! It is ideal. I think my current frame is hollow steel tubes (it says "cro-moly" on the frame, which I suspect is a chromium-molybdenum-steel alloy), and weighs a ton. I would very much like a lighter bike because I have to carry it up and down stairs on a daily basis.
Seat: my seat is "medium": not a super-narrow racing seat, not a wide cruiser seat. This is good.
Handlebars: mine are straight. I like this. (I do not want racing-bike handlebars.)
Brakes: my current brakes are rim-gripping brakes. This made my current bike incompatible with fenders. A different kind of brakes would be fine, but the brakes must be operated by levers mounted below the hand grips (i.e., NOT coaster brakes!).
Gears: my bike is a 21-speed (7 sprockets on the back and 3 in the front). In practice, I almost always keep the front sprocket on the middle gear and just use the 7 back sprockets, so a number of gears less than 21 would be ok. My current bike has twist-grip gear shifters which kind of suck; a different style of gear-shifters is fine, but they should be accessible without removing my hands from the handlebars (i.e., no top-tube-mounted shifters).
Tires: my current tires are "hybrid", 28 millimetre. I like them.
Back rack / panniers: I have a rack (just the horizontal shelf) on the back of my bike that I hang my U-lock from. This is convenient. I have tried using it with hanging panniers ("saddlebags"), but the distance from my pedals to the back hub is too short and my heels would clip the panniers on the back of my pedaling cycle, which made the panniers untenable. Being able to use panniers with a new bike would be great.
Fenders: would be really nice to have on the new bike (my old bike doesn't have them).
Recommendations of specific brands and models would be ideal. Recommendations of bike shops in Ottawa, Canada that carry those brands/models would be even more ideal.
Just a reminder that I hate change and want a bike as similar to my old Trek as possible (modulo the weight).
The "Trek 720" seems to have evolved over time and the current version is not the same as what was being sold in 1994. My old bike is what was called a "hybrid" during the '90s (i.e., somewhere in between a mountain bike and a road/racing bike). I would be using this mostly for biking around the city (sometimes for commuting and sometimes for recreation).
Frame: mine is a diamond frame (with the upper crossbar kind of in between where a stereotypical "men's bike" and "women's bike" upper crossbar would be), with a 15-inch seat tube and a 21-inch top tube. I like this! It is ideal. I think my current frame is hollow steel tubes (it says "cro-moly" on the frame, which I suspect is a chromium-molybdenum-steel alloy), and weighs a ton. I would very much like a lighter bike because I have to carry it up and down stairs on a daily basis.
Seat: my seat is "medium": not a super-narrow racing seat, not a wide cruiser seat. This is good.
Handlebars: mine are straight. I like this. (I do not want racing-bike handlebars.)
Brakes: my current brakes are rim-gripping brakes. This made my current bike incompatible with fenders. A different kind of brakes would be fine, but the brakes must be operated by levers mounted below the hand grips (i.e., NOT coaster brakes!).
Gears: my bike is a 21-speed (7 sprockets on the back and 3 in the front). In practice, I almost always keep the front sprocket on the middle gear and just use the 7 back sprockets, so a number of gears less than 21 would be ok. My current bike has twist-grip gear shifters which kind of suck; a different style of gear-shifters is fine, but they should be accessible without removing my hands from the handlebars (i.e., no top-tube-mounted shifters).
Tires: my current tires are "hybrid", 28 millimetre. I like them.
Back rack / panniers: I have a rack (just the horizontal shelf) on the back of my bike that I hang my U-lock from. This is convenient. I have tried using it with hanging panniers ("saddlebags"), but the distance from my pedals to the back hub is too short and my heels would clip the panniers on the back of my pedaling cycle, which made the panniers untenable. Being able to use panniers with a new bike would be great.
Fenders: would be really nice to have on the new bike (my old bike doesn't have them).
Recommendations of specific brands and models would be ideal. Recommendations of bike shops in Ottawa, Canada that carry those brands/models would be even more ideal.
Just a reminder that I hate change and want a bike as similar to my old Trek as possible (modulo the weight).
Yeah, the bike supply chain is super jacked up right now, so you may need to take what you find.
That said, the Trek FX-3 seems to check most of your checkboxes. It doesn't come with fenders, but it's not hard to add them (not many bikes come stock with fenders).
It's 11.3 kg. Not sure how that compares with your existing bike, but it's not light. Unfortunately, to get it much lighter, you'll need to spend a fair amount more (you don't say what your budget is). There are other bikes in Trek's FX range, and at the top is the FX-6. It's quite a bit lighter, and it will lighten your wallet quite a bit more.
If you're buying new from a dealer, they'll probably swap parts like saddles and tires for the difference in price, and you should definitely ask them for recommendations on those, because what comes with the bike won't necessarily be ideal for you. Saddles can be sized to your pelvis width, for example, and you may want tougher tires for urban riding or something else.
posted by adamrice at 5:44 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
That said, the Trek FX-3 seems to check most of your checkboxes. It doesn't come with fenders, but it's not hard to add them (not many bikes come stock with fenders).
It's 11.3 kg. Not sure how that compares with your existing bike, but it's not light. Unfortunately, to get it much lighter, you'll need to spend a fair amount more (you don't say what your budget is). There are other bikes in Trek's FX range, and at the top is the FX-6. It's quite a bit lighter, and it will lighten your wallet quite a bit more.
If you're buying new from a dealer, they'll probably swap parts like saddles and tires for the difference in price, and you should definitely ask them for recommendations on those, because what comes with the bike won't necessarily be ideal for you. Saddles can be sized to your pelvis width, for example, and you may want tougher tires for urban riding or something else.
posted by adamrice at 5:44 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I ride a bike which ticks all of your boxes (which, to be fair, aren't that hard to tick these days--you're looking for a "commuter bike" or a "hybrid bike"). Mine is a Marin. Marin doesn't have the brand recognition of Trek, but I've found it to be a perfectly serviceable bike for my needs. There are plenty of brands that offer this kind of bike: I almost bought a Brodie, but I also had decent test rides on Haro and Devinci. My friend rides a Specialized Sirrus.
About bike weight: when I bought my current bike, I told people in the shops I wanted something lighter; however, in all honesty, I don't notice a difference between my early 90s CroMo hybrid bike and my current ride. My sportier friends point out that my kickstand, rear rack, full fenders, and mounted U-lock all add to the weight. However, that being said, I've never had an issue carrying my bike up or down stairs, as long as the panniers aren't on.
I'll second the advice above to get yourself into a local bike shop and tell them what you want: the list in your post is great! I did something similar and got decent recommendations from almost every shop. Some shops don't target this market, but you might not know until you ask.
posted by invokeuse at 5:54 PM on April 20, 2022
About bike weight: when I bought my current bike, I told people in the shops I wanted something lighter; however, in all honesty, I don't notice a difference between my early 90s CroMo hybrid bike and my current ride. My sportier friends point out that my kickstand, rear rack, full fenders, and mounted U-lock all add to the weight. However, that being said, I've never had an issue carrying my bike up or down stairs, as long as the panniers aren't on.
I'll second the advice above to get yourself into a local bike shop and tell them what you want: the list in your post is great! I did something similar and got decent recommendations from almost every shop. Some shops don't target this market, but you might not know until you ask.
posted by invokeuse at 5:54 PM on April 20, 2022
Response by poster: My current bike weighs about 30 pounds or 14 kg.
posted by heatherlogan at 5:55 PM on April 20, 2022
posted by heatherlogan at 5:55 PM on April 20, 2022
It's quite difficult to buy coaster brakes on modern adult bikes, but hydraulic disc brakes are a pure upgrade. Once you've got them, you're not going back to not having them.
McCrank's! Hot damn! They used to be in the Glebe; my old friend Peter sold it to the ladies running it now, he's good people and so are they. I still own two bikes he sold me way back; my kids fit them now. Strongly recommended.
posted by mhoye at 6:01 PM on April 20, 2022
McCrank's! Hot damn! They used to be in the Glebe; my old friend Peter sold it to the ladies running it now, he's good people and so are they. I still own two bikes he sold me way back; my kids fit them now. Strongly recommended.
posted by mhoye at 6:01 PM on April 20, 2022
Another brand you might consider is Kona, which has a dedicated set of "Urban" bikes that seem like more or less the modernized version of your old bike, with in-between frame geometry, flat bars, and disc brakes. Everyone I've known with a Kona bike has loved it, for whatever that is worth (that's three or four people, I think).
posted by lhputtgrass at 6:20 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by lhputtgrass at 6:20 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
The two bikes Peter sold me back in the day were both Konas, this thread's getting weird.
posted by mhoye at 6:28 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mhoye at 6:28 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I found it hard to find a bike that comfortably fit me at 5'3". I have a Jamis now which might work for you but I just loved my All City Space Horse before it was stolen: lots of braze ons for fenders and saddle bags, hybrid-vibe (good in the city but could take mild trail riding fine), fit my body well. Had drop handlebars which I was adamantly against before I rode that bike, but you could get them switched out. I really miss that bike.
posted by latkes at 6:32 PM on April 20, 2022
posted by latkes at 6:32 PM on April 20, 2022
Best answer: Because of conditions, Heather will probably start by looking at bike stores in Old Ottawa South, then the Glebe and Old Ottawa East, then maybe up Bank Street.
Besides Old Ottawa South's Cyclery and Tall Tree Cycles, we have a Giant/Liv store just nearby, and the Liv Alight DD Disc 2 City might meet many of her needs, on paper, at least.
posted by sebastienbailard at 6:33 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Besides Old Ottawa South's Cyclery and Tall Tree Cycles, we have a Giant/Liv store just nearby, and the Liv Alight DD Disc 2 City might meet many of her needs, on paper, at least.
posted by sebastienbailard at 6:33 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
What you want should not be super difficult to find. The Trek FX line is similar enough to your old hybrid. It comes in a rim brake version (the FX 1), and will definitely be much lighter than your steel beast. For your height I’d recommend size small. It can accommodate a rack and I’m pretty sure it can also take fenders but I’ll have to look at it in the shop tomorrow.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:26 PM on April 20, 2022
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:26 PM on April 20, 2022
Best answer: I'm 5'2" and love my Liv Alight. It's a few years old now and it's great. Easy to maintain, my bike shop added fenders and a back basket for me, lightweight (not like racing light but not a pain to carry up stairs).
posted by phlox at 7:33 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by phlox at 7:33 PM on April 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I had a 1996 Trek 830 since new, but got stolen in 2019, so I moved on. But nostalgia hits hard sometimes, and I sure missed that *exact* bike. I live near a major city - for about a year I had a craigslist search email me every time that bike model was listed. Earlier this year I ended up finding a bargain priced 1994 Trek 830 and I'm reasonably happy with it. And, last week, someone listed the exact model and paint job of my stolen bike, but a size too small. My baby will come back to me, at some point, or at least a reasonable facsimile. Patience. Sometimes you get the perfect ride, and sometimes you can get it again.
I hope that new bike day comes for you soon.
posted by enfa at 7:39 PM on April 20, 2022
I hope that new bike day comes for you soon.
posted by enfa at 7:39 PM on April 20, 2022
Best answer: I recently (3 years ago) bought a Liv, which is Giant's women's bike line. Mine is an Alight which comes with disc brakes - a recommended upgrade - and I added fenders and a rack for panniers. It has a similar sloping top tube like a Kona but not quite as pronounced. I love this bike. City cyclist/ commuter.
I'm 5'5" and bought a size S.
On preview: Jinx, phlox!
posted by lulu68 at 8:14 PM on April 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm 5'5" and bought a size S.
On preview: Jinx, phlox!
posted by lulu68 at 8:14 PM on April 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
I replaced my 1999 Trek hybrid with a Kona gravel bike in 2018 and couldn’t be happier with it, but it’s a drop-bar model which you don’t want. I’ve recently been shopping for (secondhand) versatile flat-bar bikes to loan to houseguests I’ll have this summer, and some of the recurring candidates in this vein are the Trek FX series, Specialized Sirrus, and Giant Escape. Kona’s “urban” category also looks great.
I’ll also endorse disc brakes, either hydraulic or cable-operated, because they require fewer adjustments and work better in wet conditions.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to try some aluminum frames. They’ve got a reputation for being uncomfortably stiff, but due to advances in tube forming tech it’s no longer true — at least not universally so.
posted by jon1270 at 5:28 AM on April 21, 2022
I’ll also endorse disc brakes, either hydraulic or cable-operated, because they require fewer adjustments and work better in wet conditions.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to try some aluminum frames. They’ve got a reputation for being uncomfortably stiff, but due to advances in tube forming tech it’s no longer true — at least not universally so.
posted by jon1270 at 5:28 AM on April 21, 2022
Oh, and another feature you might want to ask about is a 1x gear train. This will only have one chainring up front, and no front derailleur or left shifter. In back you’ll have a cassette with 10 or more sprockets, giving you dead-simple shift pattern and a wider range with smaller jumps than would’ve been possible this way in ‘94,
posted by jon1270 at 5:37 AM on April 21, 2022
posted by jon1270 at 5:37 AM on April 21, 2022
Just as a heads up: rim brakes can absolutely work with fenders. What you need for fenders are braze-ons for fenders to be attached, and clearance between the tire and frame. You can ask at a bike shop if a bike is fender-compatible.
Nowadays hybrid bikes are sometimes called something more like city bikes or commuters. There are lots of nice options that come with a rack and/or fenders. However, they won't necessarily be light.
Also, one of the easiest things to swap out on a bike is the saddle (the seat), so don't worry too much about that. And it's pretty easy for a bike swap to switch out handlebars.
So, since you want a lighter bike, my suggestion is to look at cyclocross bikes or gravel bikes. They have drop handlebars, but these can swapped out easily for more upright/straight bars. These bikes typically have wider tires than a traditional road bike and a slightly more comfortable build. They are typically built with braze-ons so you can add fenders. Lower end cyclocross bikes might be made of aluminum and will be lighter than your steel bike.
Trek does have the FX, which isn't that different from yours. It comes with rim or disc brakes in different versions and one I looked at weighed about 24 pounds. You can add fenders and a rack. You'll want to pick it up at the store and see if it feels lighter.
But, yeah, the supply chain problems and bike boom means not everything is available, so go to a few independent bike shops in your town and see what's available and ride a few bikes.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:10 PM on April 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nowadays hybrid bikes are sometimes called something more like city bikes or commuters. There are lots of nice options that come with a rack and/or fenders. However, they won't necessarily be light.
Also, one of the easiest things to swap out on a bike is the saddle (the seat), so don't worry too much about that. And it's pretty easy for a bike swap to switch out handlebars.
So, since you want a lighter bike, my suggestion is to look at cyclocross bikes or gravel bikes. They have drop handlebars, but these can swapped out easily for more upright/straight bars. These bikes typically have wider tires than a traditional road bike and a slightly more comfortable build. They are typically built with braze-ons so you can add fenders. Lower end cyclocross bikes might be made of aluminum and will be lighter than your steel bike.
Trek does have the FX, which isn't that different from yours. It comes with rim or disc brakes in different versions and one I looked at weighed about 24 pounds. You can add fenders and a rack. You'll want to pick it up at the store and see if it feels lighter.
But, yeah, the supply chain problems and bike boom means not everything is available, so go to a few independent bike shops in your town and see what's available and ride a few bikes.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:10 PM on April 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: So I still haven't gotten a new bike but first stop is going to be the Giant/Liv shop. Thanks everybody for the tips and the insight into disc brakes!
posted by heatherlogan at 2:42 PM on May 22, 2022
posted by heatherlogan at 2:42 PM on May 22, 2022
Response by poster: Update #2: I wound up getting a tune-up for my old bike, which turned out to be in better shape than I had thought, so I'm going to forego a new bike this time around. Thanks to everyone for the tips.
posted by heatherlogan at 3:38 PM on May 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by heatherlogan at 3:38 PM on May 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
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The bike world has changed a decent amount in the last 30 years. I would recommend heading to a place like McCrank’s in Hintonville ( woman owned, pays a living wage) and talk with them about different options.
posted by rockindata at 5:03 PM on April 20, 2022 [2 favorites]