Cycle Commuter II
I've been doing some more research, and visited another shop, and now I have more things to mull over than just buying the first best bike that I chose before!
On the recommendation of a co-worker I went to City Bike Depot. I asked what I should get for commuting between Pyrmont and Neutral Bay, and that I want to spend less than $800.
I was first shown another "hybrid" that was a few hundred dollars cheaper than the Trek 7300, but quite similar, called the Kona Dew.
However then the discussion moved on and the very helpful guy helping me suggested that maybe a full Mountain Bike (MTB), with a change of tires to road tires might be the go. I never really thought of that option, always assuming that I wouldn't get an MTB because the knobbly tires aren't as efficient on pavement as the slicker road tires on a hybrid. The MTB will be a bit more resilient than the hybrid and handle, as the guy put it, "jumping off a few gutters or going down a few stairs" - I should point out he also mentioned he was a bike courier for 3 years. An MTB with road tires is going to be slower than a hybrid though, because the frame is heavier and the wheels are a smaller diameter.
Apparently the knobbly MTB tires can be swapped out for the "hybrid" style tires without changing the price too, which is convenient. The bike I was recommended in an MTB was the GT Avalanche 2.0. It has hydraulic front forks, which the Dew doesn't, and they're lockable (which the ones on the 7300 aren't). The Avalanche has a hydraulic lockout on the forks which is apparently better than a mechanical lockout because when you hit a big bump the fork still has a little give, which can make a difference.
The other advantage of the Avalanche is that it has disc brakes - which are better in the wet, but also have better stopping power in general and require less maintenance that standard rim brakes.
The only negative was that it was $850, which is a bit more than I was wanting to spend - but at least I'd have an MTB I can use off-road if it ever appeals to me, which I couldn't do as well with the hybrid. Also I can convince myself that the disc brakes will make it a safer bike in the city.
So I now I have to choose between hybrid and MTB - I think I'll discount the Trek 7300 since the CBD people recommended the Kona as a hybrid, which is cheaper - the co-worker that recommended CBD mentioned that Clarence Street Cyclery was quite expensive and not as good. They know bike nuts who swear by CBD, and my experience there shows they know what they're talking about.
So.. Hybrid or MTB with hybrid tires.. I'll give myself a few weeks to mull it over!
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