eiraena

My beloved, resilient Trek Shift 2 was stolen last week--the culmination, I hope!--of a terrible two months transportation wise. So, now, I need a replacement pretty quickly and under $1000, because it is my main means of transportation. I mainly use it for a 4 mile commute to and from work, and getting around town, but the roads, sidewalks, and drivers here are pretty bad (roads and sidewalk, for instance, have loose sand and gravel, holes, chunks of cement falling off, everywhere), and generally don't abide by any typical bicycle-friendly city standards. So, I am posting here, rather than the commuter thread, in hopes of any suggestions or considerations I should keep in mind.

I came by my Shift 2 through incidental good luck, and have never had to put much thought into buying a bike--before that, I was a kid, and they all seemed great. Now though, and confirmed due to several temporary bikes I've had to use over the last few months due to transportation drama, I know that I want something nicer than a Walmart Mongoose or basic Schwinn, where I don't feel all the shocks in my body when I get to work, let alone home at night.

Since they don't make the Shift 2 any more, a local store recommended a Verve 2, which seems like a possibility. But while they are waiting for new stock, I find I'm kinda stressing over this decision, and now....a bit of option paralysis, I think. Any input would be appreciated!

VegasTriker

I'm not into upright bikes anymore but I can see why the bike shop recommended the Trek Verve 2. It is priced within your budget at an MSRP of $800. It comes in 5 frame sizes so you can actually buy one that fits. The front fork is rigid - no useless cheap front suspension to deal with. It weighs right around 30 pounds which is not light compared to many road bikes but not grossly overweight. The tire width is the 45C tire which works out to be 1.77 inches wide so this is similar to what you find on a mountain bike with ordinary tires. It should provide a more comfortable ride as compared to a road bike with narrower and higher pressure tires.
That's a giant step up from a Walmart bike which often is very heavy, comes in one-size-fits-all, and has useless bells and whistles (like front suspension) that means money spent on basic components like the drive train and brakes gets short shrift.

Viich

If you liked that Shift 2, I'd say the Verve is similar but an incremental upgrade. Tires are similar widths but bigger (typically smoother), hydro disc brakes are great for non-ideal conditions, while a little harder to adjust on the side of the road, typically need far less adjustment and repair.

Step up from 7sp thread-on freewheel to an 8sp freehub & cassette design is nice.

brianinc-ville

I guess the question is whether there's anything you'd like to change from your Shift 2.

If not -- if you've tried all the options and decided that the Shift 2 was perfect for your needs -- the Verve 2 looks like a good replacement. Go for it!

Personally, if I had a 4-mile commute each way and was using the bike for primary transportation, I might consider some of these possibilities (but again, it's all a matter of what you find personally appealing):

1. For a commute of that length, I'd definitely want handlebars that aren't flat. North Road would be good, Moustache would be better, Butterfly is a distinct possibility.
2. I'd want somewhat narrower and faster tires, without sacrificing durability. 32 or 35mm width, and slick, but Kevlar-belted. IMO, 45mm is overkill if you're not going off-road. Continental Sport Contact are quite nice. I'd probably want slightly higher gearing, as well.
3. I'd want fenders for sure. Possibly an internally-geared hub, possibly a Hebie chainglider with it, and possibly dynamo-hub lighting.

So, if you're not sure that what you've had in the past is really best for you, you might try some test-rides on bikes with some of these characteristics. If your bike shop is a Trek dealer and you like working with them, you might ask about the Elektra Loft 7i or 7d. Or you might at some point consider upgrading the Verve with new bars or tires.

Trav1s

The Verve seems like a logical choice.

And in the same market share:

Specialized Roll 2
Cannondale Treadwell 3
Marin Stinson is a bit of a different interpretation of the theme. They seem to have quite a few options that might work.