[nyuscdjs]

Need some help from the experts:

- Looking for a bike to ride mostly urban (curbs, potholes) but also do lite singletrack and fireroads. To make it more complicated, I need a hardtail to mount a child seat for the times when my kid wants to come along for the ride. If I had room in the city for two bikes I would do so but realistically, that's not going to work.

Dream list of capabilites:
- reasonably responsive and light but not ultralight
- good components (deore shifters, XT or SRAM derailers, etc.)
- Tire wide enough to handle the baby seat and related weight
- able to hop off curbs without popping the tubes)
- use the bike for exercise when baby is not on board

Current list of options:
- Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra with two sets of wheels
- Specialized Crosstrail Expert
- Fisher Montare

One thought is to take a hard tail MTB and swap out the tires for smoother 26" but I feel like the bike will be overly heavy given that it will never be used as a real MTB on serious trails given that I don't have the time I wish I had to get out of the city.

I'm willing to make some component changes but not much since this will live in the bike room and will likely have some bike room rash.

Please share your thoughts. Much appreciated.

J

 

[BruceBrown]

Need some help from the experts:

- Looking for a bike to ride mostly urban (curbs, potholes) but also do lite singletrack and fireroads. To make it more complicated, I need a hardtail to mount a child seat for the times when my kid wants to come along for the ride. If I had room in the city for two bikes I would do so but realistically, that's not going to work.

Dream list of capabilites:
- reasonably responsive and light but not ultralight
- good components (deore shifters, XT or SRAM derailers, etc.)
- Tire wide enough to handle the baby seat and related weight
- able to hop off curbs without popping the tubes)
- use the bike for exercise when baby is not on board

Current list of options:
- Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra with two sets of wheels
- Specialized Crosstrail Expert
- Fisher Montare

One thought is to take a hard tail MTB and swap out the tires for smoother 26" but I feel like the bike will be overly heavy given that it will never be used as a real MTB on serious trails given that I don't have the time I wish I had to get out of the city.

I'm willing to make some component changes but not much since this will live in the bike room and will likely have some bike room rash.

Please share your thoughts. Much appreciated.

J

Heck, I'd get a Karate Monkey for urban/singletrack/fireroads and build it up with my favorite components. Frame can take a child's carrier and the bike can "do all" and be built up light or heavy (my XL weighs 23.9 lbs built up with gears). Hops curbs, does trails, does singletrack, does urban - but my kids are old enough to ride their own bikes. Yet, I would have had a carrier on it 13 years ago if it had existed.

BB

 

[GreenLightGo]

Of those on the list, the Crosstrail is the one I've got some experience with - it actually builds pretty light and has all the mounts necessary for commuting.

It'll take a 56mm wide tire so you can do dual duty with it if necessary.