LifeNovice1

I just bought a Specialized Cirrus Sport for $125. Only issue is the rear wheel is a little out of true. No sooner did I buy it, I got a text that someone has a 80's Fuji Espree for $75.
My commute is all pavement BUT a lot of it is on a sidewalk that's not in great shape. Some sections are "heaved-up" by as much as 2 inches!

So my questions is: Should I keep the Specialized Hybrid or sell it and get the Fuji? I'm also not sure how I can mount a rear rack on the Fuji........

Also I guess it's too late to ask...but was $125 a reasonable price for the Specialized?

Phil_gretz

Do you intend to ride in the rain? Is the Specialized a disc-brake model?

Can you fit fenders on the Specialized? That's your answer. Plus, indexed shifting.

On the Fuji, you're on the downtube and the older side pull rim brakes will need new pads and adjustment as well as rim truing to get better performance.

Judging from your posts, you're not really mechanically inclined, so factor in the cost of any maintenance necessary to get the Fuji roadworthy. Good luck.

Me? I'd ride the Fuji, but that's because I don't dig flat bars on anything other than an off-road mountain bike. But that's me. It's your bike.

LifeNovice1

That's true. It is my bike. Doesn't have disks but there are mounts for fenders. there are mounts for a rear rack. The Fuji has mounts on the downtube but not on the upper part of the frame which means a seat post adapter. I think I'm just going to stick with the Specialized Cirrus Sport.

Out of curiosity, what made you think I wasn't mechanically inclined? I'm new to biking and bike maintenance but I'd say my abilites are at least average. I've rebuilt carbs on motorcycles, adjusted valves, changed tires, done oil changes. Replaced fork oil, brake pads.

Phil_gretz

I apologize then. I guess that I made an assumption based on the nature of several of your posts. Maybe a tentativeness? Anyway, if you can rebuild a carburetor, then there is no problem on a bicycle that you cannot solve. Again, sorry for the bad assumption. I hope that you enjoy your Cirrus Sport. PG

Classtime 

I only looked at the Fuji Espree and vote for it. I'm pretty sure it will clear 28s and likely 32s and has brazeons for fenders and racks.

LifeNovice1

Thanks for the input! I was sorely tempted but while the Espree has a braze-on at the bottom it doesn't have one for the top, so I'd need one of those seatpost adapters to put on a cargo rack. Dn't know how stable that is. Plus even though its a steel framed bike I thought the wider rims and tires on the Specialized made more sense on the crappy, heaved-up sidewalks I ride on. This is basically a series of strip malls along a 5 lane highway type scenario. Yeah I could buy wider tires for the FUJI but then between the tires, and the adapter I'd be spending more ultimately for the 80's bike than the 3 year old bike. That was my reasoning anyways.
Here's a link to the one I bought.

https://chattanooga.craigslist.org/b...008969567.html

These are the other two I was considering: (WHoops, guess someone bought the Fuji!)

Here's a Breezer I thought about...
https://chattanooga.craigslist.org/b...015560216.html

zacster

If you ask me this is a no-brainer, stay with the Cirrus (or is it Sirrus?) It's a recent bike with recent components vs. an old bike that'll need a lot of work.

Phamilton

It takes a pretty skilled cyclist to be able to manage a drop bar road bike with downtube shifters over the commute you describe. Keep the hybrid, let someone else in on the good deal for the Fuji, someone will appreciate it exactly how it is and for what it is at that price.

rumrunn6

how long is the commute?