[ihaveagibsonsg]

Does such a bike exist? I'm looking for a commuter bike that offers the playability of a bmx bike, comfort of a mountain bike and the speed of a road bike. I commute about 20 miles a day round trip and the traffic is very unpredictable and actually pretty dangerous(heavy traffic/unlicensed drivers/women). I'd like a bike that can be agile and light enough to jump up on to curbs at high speed like a bmx bike, but not have a harsh ride and still get up and go like a roadie.

Currently riding a 2012 Trek 3700 as a daily. 2011 Specialized Enduro as a weekend warrior.

DO YOU EXIST?

 

[jmmUT]

Your best bet are 26 and 29 inch BMX cruisers like SE Racing's Models SE Bikes | Retro Series or a rigid Singlespeed MTB. I commuted/cruised about on a 26" SE OM Flyer for awhile. Not as far though maybe 10 miles/day.

 

[nemhed]

Cannondale Hooligan? http://www.cannondale.com/2012-hooligan-1-20415
I cant wait to see some of the other replies, sounds like an improbable combination. Good luck!

 

[ihaveagibsonsg]

I forgot to mention I'm looking for a bike that is preferably a 2 or 3x10. I've owned and rode SS bikes up the most brutal terrain where I live and I'm not looking for fitness from my commuting rides as much as I am for shorter commuting times. I'll get my fitness when I hit the dirt.

 

[Dwayne]

I'm picturing a 26" or 29" mountain bike with a rigid fork and some fat road tires (like Big Apples). Could also consider a 1x9 or 1x10, works great for me, good range with a 32-11 cassette and 46t ring. I think your Trek would make a good candidate.

 

[RobsterCraw]

I think you could do a lot worse than just getting the right tires and fork for your Trek.

Skinny - but not too skinny - tires, rigid fork (I just put a Surly Troll fork on my commuter) and go from there. I am in a very similar state of mind to you. I used to have a Sinister DNA DJ bike that was by far my favorite bike that I've ever ridden (it was stolen). But I really like the idea of having a bike that can jump, manual, drop and whatever while still being quick enough for my commutes. I've been looking at different options, the new Santa Cruz Jackal is basically the successor to the DNA with the same sort of adjustable vertical rear dropouts, and although I think its HA is too slack, I wonder if it is possible to have the right seatpost and bars configuration on one of those for them to pedal well over long distances.

Right now I am just borrowing my SO's 2007 Kona Fire Mountain, fitted with skinny 26" tires and a rigid fork. Geo wise I don't think it is all that different from your Trek, and I bunny hop curbs and puddles and what-have-you all the time. The only thing that is really holding me back from doing anything too crazy is that I have a rack on the back and the weight of my stuff on the back (and sometimes the fragility of said stuff). So overall it is quite adequate. If I were to switch to a backpack, I could do more.

If you wanted to jump more than just curbs, the seat (if it is in a proper pedaling position will get in the way, so one solution might be a gravity dropper or other on the fly height adjusting seatposts.

 

[bolandjd]

DO YOU EXIST?

YES

 

[newfangled]

I post this way too often, but here's my solution:



Mine is ss, but if you put big apples onto any old, rigid mountain bike from craigslist then you'll get a pretty bombproof and snappy commuter.

Or if you want a new build, then like someone a Troll with BAs would work well.

 

[car bone]

Does such a bike exist? I'm looking for a commuter bike that offers the playability of a bmx bike, comfort of a mountain bike and the speed of a road bike. I commute about 20 miles a day round trip and the traffic is very unpredictable and actually pretty dangerous(heavy traffic/unlicensed drivers/women). I'd like a bike that can be agile and light enough to jump up on to curbs at high speed like a bmx bike, but not have a harsh ride and still get up and go like a roadie.

Currently riding a 2012 Trek 3700 as a daily. 2011 Specialized Enduro as a weekend warrior.

DO YOU EXIST?

A rigid 26 mtb, steel frame, steel fork, wide light rims, like dts, 28mm wide and 50ies front and back, will probaby do the job.
personally i'm done with flat or riser bars for long static rides like commuting (15min max) so look into dropbars. dropbars are whats giving roadbikes speed. beefy tires gives comfort, and 26inch format, mtb flavour gives you the selection of parts you will need for a suitable build. Build it heavy and beefy and dont look back.

 

[kikoraa]

For those of you that use your SS commuter for road an singletrack, what gearing do you use?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Harold]

toss the bmx part of your desires and you'll be able to build a great durable commuter like folks are describing here.

If you really want bmx playfulness, you're going to wind up with a more slack and upright bike that's going to really suffer in the speed department. I don't think that's a very good property for a distance commuter.