Which bike to choose
 

Hi All,

I've just signed up... I wrote this big long post with pros/cons and links etc which took about 45mins, but I hadn't logged in and lost the post, so here's the really short version.

I'm getting back on a bike after 10 years, primarily as a commuter and will ride in all weather conditions.
Maintenance is a concern as I'm pretty busy with work and family, so want something fairly low maintenance (say once a week after heavy use).
I'm 177cm at 80kgs.

Good road conditions and primarily flat terrain. Hydraulic brakes a requirement. On the fence for IGH/derailleur and chain or belt drive.
Commute will be 24 km round trip plus errands and fun rides - envisage doing 200+ km per week.
Prefer flat bar to drop bars for casual city riding.

I like the Marin range and here are the choices I'm looking at in LBS

2020 Marin Muirwoods - $899
27 speed. Chromoly frame. Lifetime warranty.

2020 Marin Presidio 2 - $1,099
7 speed IGH - Chain

2020 Marin Presidio 3 - $1,499
8 speed IGH with Gates Belt drive - entry-level CDN system

I'm yet to see or ride these bikes, and I'm aware you get what you pay for. I'd be interested to get you thoughts on the select models and if any have significantly better or worse components.

All three bikes can be viewed on bikebarn.co.nz

Cheers,
KD

The muirwoods has the best color, Rasta!
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...29466feb4e.jpg
Once you test ride, you should be able to feel a difference between a chromoly and aluminium bike. With the Presidio having 1cm shorter chainstay, it will feel a little more agile when riding.

The 2020 model I'm looking at comes in black which I like. Yes, I'm keen to test ride once we get past this lockdown... I'm also interested to hear thoughts on how much upkeep would be required for the Muirwoods having a 9 gear cogset, lubing etc after riding in the rain. Are these Gates belt drives as good as they make them out to be? The Presidio 3 comes with the 'budget' CDN which does not sound great. I do like the idea of low maintenance though.

As I've read on so many posts, it really comes down to which provides the most enjoyment when riding so the test ride will probably be the ultimate decider.

No real opinion on the bikes ---- I think the internal geared hub and belt drive configurations are cool for a commuter but the gear range may be limited for some users . The 'ol derailleur and chain sustem is still not dead yet, but will need occasional maintenance - lube- adjustments, etc. but a 9 speed cassette with a triple will have a very wide range of gears for sure --- but since I have been using a 1x12 system on my mountain bike for a few years now- not sure it really matters

But the only reason I chimed in was the similarity between the Rasta Muirwoods to my old Marin Road Project from 1992 that I have yet to restore --- love the wacky color schemes !

https://i.imgur.com/Rk7An4H.png

For low maintenance daily commuting IGH wins. I'd do a chain and fully enclosed chain case over belt.

Why are hydraulic brakes a requirement? How about roller brakes?

The Muirwoods paint job is excellent, the parts hanging on it are cheaper and not as fun. If you could do that Rasta paint job with a belt drive Alfine 11 and the thumb shifter and 650bs like the Muirwoods RC and a dynamo system like the Presido DLX 4, you got my vote. The Presido DLX 4 looks pretty good as is though. I do wish they went with Alfine 11. Having a dynamo is AWESOME and I think extremely useful for any commuter plus having fenders and a rack set up already is kinda nice as well.

In whatever you get, find a shop that can set up a dynamo system on the bike, you won't be disappointed. Yes is can seem expensive but when you are generating your own power by cycling and able to power lights or charge a phone or other device and never have to worry about lights it is pretty nice.

I dislike fully enclosed chain cases. They are usually a big faff to install and remove and aside from using a readily available chain don't really offer that much benefit, as they still need to be cleaned and lubed (even in a fully enclosed chain case) and they still have the same wear and issues as chains do. A belt removes a lot of that and yes they aren't always going to be a stock item and yes you do need the correct belt length and you cannot just cut it down it is super reliable and super low maintenance.

However as a commuter I would have a back up bike so I can bring one into the shop and keep it well maintained. I have a lot of commuters who have only one bike and cannot wait for any period of time to service their bikes and that leads to bikes that have a lot of issues that don't get addressed and can be quite dangerous for the customer or just lead to a poor experience for them. With a second bike I can ride one and bring one to the shop so having a belt drive and having to wait to get parts in isn't so bad and if something does happen as I am leaving for work I have another option that still allows me to bike. Though at least around me a lot of the bike commuters seem to be unable to interact with the rest of the world and figure out things for themselves. I frequently hear "HOW AM I GOING TO GET TO WORK WITHOUT MY BIKE" as if public transportation, taxis, car sharing, ride sharing (like über), walking, rental bikes, rental scooters, bikeshares, carpooling, teleworking... doesn't exist. I could also stock up on certain parts if I know I am going to need them at some point. I tend to do that with items that are common wear items or for vintage or stuff that may change and not be cross compatible on my bikes. If I had a belt drive bike I would get a spare belt and be set.

Obviously though in all of this test rides are crucial. People don't get it and just stare at a bike and say "I don't like it" or "I like it" based on very little if anything at all. Actually getting out onto the road and climbing a hill and riding it around are really the only way to say yes or no to something unless you have ridden something extremely close to it. I am a bike nerd and love pouring over specs and stuff like that but really and honestly without the test ride those specs can be meaningless to a lot of people. A lot of people come by the shop and say I want the Alibi from Specialized because they saw specs of airless no pump tires and said that sounds great and then I send them on a test ride and they are like oh yeah never mind this is quite uncomfortable. Some stuff sounds great on paper but in actual real world it doesn't hold up.