Hi there,
Just getting back into cycling after years of laziness and am getting sick of pushing around my old Proflex 856 on the streets to get fit. Proflex were the original full suspension XC machines (actually I think they were the first production full suspension bikes), but its still too heavy, bouncy and the position's all wrong to get out of the wind.
After some research on the web I think I'm after road bike made from steel (for comfort, strength, repairability and I just like the idea) with drop bars (for the multitude of hand positions and to get out of the wind in the drops) and cyclocross / commuter / touring sensibility (for strength and comfort of the frame). My ideal is probably epitomised by the Salsa La Cruz 'cyclocross' bike with disk brakes (Man, I forgot how terrible rim braking is in the wet and had a few brown pants moments the other day), in every detail except price. This probably puts me in the Surly Cross-Check, Kona Honky Tonk sort of zone.
Given that I'm coming from a mountain biking background and would probably like to use the new bike on some gentle trails in the future, I thought I would check on the Rotorburn crew for advice and ideas.
So what are the best steel (or other material, if you must) drop bar cyclocross / commuter / touring bikes out there?
Just getting back into cycling after years of laziness and am getting sick of pushing around my old Proflex 856 on the streets to get fit. Proflex were the original full suspension XC machines (actually I think they were the first production full suspension bikes), but its still too heavy, bouncy and the position's all wrong to get out of the wind.
After some research on the web I think I'm after road bike made from steel (for comfort, strength, repairability and I just like the idea) with drop bars (for the multitude of hand positions and to get out of the wind in the drops) and cyclocross / commuter / touring sensibility (for strength and comfort of the frame). My ideal is probably epitomised by the Salsa La Cruz 'cyclocross' bike with disk brakes (Man, I forgot how terrible rim braking is in the wet and had a few brown pants moments the other day), in every detail except price. This probably puts me in the Surly Cross-Check, Kona Honky Tonk sort of zone.
Given that I'm coming from a mountain biking background and would probably like to use the new bike on some gentle trails in the future, I thought I would check on the Rotorburn crew for advice and ideas.
So what are the best steel (or other material, if you must) drop bar cyclocross / commuter / touring bikes out there?