# Advice for new commute bike build kit?



## on board (Jun 18, 2010)

Haven't been on here for a while, but I thought I would solicit advice for a new commuter bike I want to build.

I am looking at building a new commuter bike and am looking exclusively at steel frames. I am interested in having a rear rack mounted directly to the frame, disc brakes, fenders, and a triple chain ring. Those are my beginning requirements.

I really like the responsiveness for my hydraulic disc brakes on my mountain bike and the time has come to add this for my commuter.

New I don't want to spend much more than about $2k. I have a Gunnar Roadie I had made in 03 which I love and I was looking at their newer "Fast Lane" frame which claims to be designed for disc brakes. I would consider another Gunnar as I think they are the best value out there for a steel frame and its made in USA. You get to choose your colors too. Kona has a couple of interesting bikes I would consider. Too bad the Trek Portland is aluminum. Maybe the Surly?

a question I have for those of you who build up such bike regards the build kit itself. I don't want to walk in the LBS and pay full MSRP for the build kit since that stuff is marked up way too high. If this were a road bike, I would determine who the best online distributor for either Campy or Shimano kits was, and move from there. disc brakes are another factor though. I imagine building such a kit is actually a hybrid of Shimano or other brand parts and leaves plenty of room for making an incorrect selection. Am I wrong? What specific websites, retailers have the best prices for ordering such a build kit?

Thanks.


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

If you have a budget of under $2k, you don't need advice from us. 

2k will get you "mostly" everything you'd want in a commuter. Fenders with clearance for studs is a must in my book. 

Discs are nice. And remember, negotiating can be done ANYWHERE as long as you drop enough dough. And 2k is enough dough. 

All grouppos are the same... all bikes are the same... so don't worry about not having electronic Di2 on it... it's all the same in the end.


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## on board (Jun 18, 2010)

Thanks.

I guess my question is actually more along the lines of what group of components should I consider ordering for such a build? Adding disc brakes into the mix makes it more complicated that simply ordering full 105 or Centaur or whatever.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

SRAM Apex is an extremely good value. It's not a triple but it's a very wide range double (has a 10-speed MTB cluster on the rear). If you're going to use a drop handlebar then hydraulic discs are out as there's no good lever solution. A word of caution on discs for commuters, if you park your bike in a rack, your rotors will get bent by other bike traffic. Most modern rim brakes are more than adequate in the wet, especially considering how much less traction you have available in the wet (it's easy to lock up and crash with discs). Another disc issue is that there are very few 130mm OLD disc hubs to choose from and if you discover a flat in the morning you have to change it whereas you could just grab a wheel from another bike with rim brakes, assuming you have multiple bikes.


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## KWL (Jan 31, 2005)

And racking gets a little more complicated when needing to clear the disc brake calipers. I'd go with rim brakes for a commuter.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Soma double cross for disc with a fork for around $600. Get a Rival or Apex group with mechanical disc brakes. I wouldn't go for a triple unless you have something epic between you and work. I commute with 38/48 chainrings and a 13-26 cassette and have 1400 feet of climbing each way. I'm a long time cyclist so my commuter runs on trickle down components. Not many commuters out there with campy record even if it is 9 speed.


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

The Fastlane's rear caliper is located inside the rear triangle, the correct position for standard rack use.

There currently are no integrated levers for hydraulic disc brakes. (That could change soon given the new UCI rules for cyclocross.) All the SRAM, Shimano and Campy integrated road levers work just fine with Avid BB7s. I've been happily running BB7s on my commuter for four years now.

As for group, given the requirement for a triple, SRAM and Campy are out. Only Shimano offers triples. I'd recommend Tiagra. The 9-speed parts are a ton cheaper when it comes to ongoing replacement costs of routine wear items. Commuting eats up chains and cassettes, particularly if like me, you commute in all seasons and conditions. 

The only thing I'd change on my commuter would be to replace the 10-speed stuff with 9-speed. All I'd lose is the 18t cog, and I'd gladly give that up for chains and cassettes that are a third of the price.

BTW, I ride a Trek Portland (the older 10-speed version). Don't dis that frame because it's aluminum. I also own Ti and steel. The Portland rides just as nice as the other metals--in fact, it's my favorite bike. It's all about tubing spec, not material. Trek did a fantastic job with the frame spec on the Portland.

EDIT: Forget to address the question of best pricing. I've been using Ribble. Their exchange rate calculations are pretty close to what my bank charges, and spread across an entire build kit, the flat-rate shipping to the USA isn't bad. Other choices are Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles and ProBikeKit.


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## on board (Jun 18, 2010)

Curious why you would go from 10 to 9 speed?

My Gunnar Roadie is set up with Centaur 10 speed ( the first year they made that in 03) and I have yet to find any complaints except replacement price for that chain.

I also have a Campy triple front chain ring by the way so at least in 2003 this was a possibility.

Seems like a number of folks are steering me away from disc brakes for a commuter with a drop bar.

My current commuter bike is a 96 Cannondale T900 touring bike. Its fine but I got it in my head I want a new bike for the daily grind. I felt that the Cannondale's cantilever brakes were spongy, so for this one I want something tighter for sure. I know a lot of folks insist that they only need a double, but I find myself in the granny gear on any major hill here in Seattle. Its personal choice I guess and in my opinion, despite a slight increase in weight, there is no reason not to go for a triple.

Thanks for the link for those websites too. If they have no restrictions on what gets shipped to USA, I think I can save some $.


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

on board said:


> Curious why you would go from 10 to 9 speed?


I thought I was pretty clear on that, but I see my reasoning is split across two paragraphs. Here it is tightened-up:



> Commuting eats up chains and cassettes, particularly if like me, you commute in all seasons and conditions. The 9-speed parts are a ton cheaper when it comes to ongoing replacement costs of routine wear items. All I'd lose is the 18t cog, and I'd gladly give that up for chains and cassettes that are a third of the price.


Of course, since you commute on Campy, you must be rich, so this isn't a concern.  



on board said:


> Seems like a number of folks are steering me away from disc brakes for a commuter with a drop bar.


All-seasons, all-conditions commuting is where disc brakes make the most sense. They save me a pair of rims and a wheelset rebuild every spring. This is even before considering the better braking in the rain and snow, that they don't clog with snow and ice, or their feel and modulation. I like them a lot.

But, if you're only a fair-weather commuter I'd say stick with rim brakes. They're cheaper (well, maybe not Campy) you don't need special hubs, and the wheels are lighter without the rotating mass of the rotors and heavier hubs. Plus, if you have to park in a rack, rotors get bent by other cyclists who aren't so careful about parking next to you. Easily remedied, but still a PITA.

If you do go with discs and Campy, hubs can be an issue. There's a thread around here somewhere that shows a DT240 rear hub in 135mm with a Campy freehub body. The only such beast I've ever seen.

EDIT: Whoops! Wasn't here at all. It was over on Velocipede Salon: road bike disk brakes - ready for prime time?


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## jtab1 (Mar 6, 2009)

I just built my commuter (Surly Pacer) for about $1200. It took a couple of months to find what I wanted on eBay but I got it done. So $2000 is not unrealistic for building your rig. I'll post some more info when I get off of work.


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## ChilliConCarnage (Jun 1, 2006)

Hello fellow Seattle commuter!

Why don't you get a Traitor Ruben? They should be able to order you one at Recycled Cycles. Steel, disc brakes, and Traitor bikes are based out of Ferndale, WA.










Edit: There a couple of them available locally on Craigslist even:

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bik/2211723995.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bik/2214565733.html


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## on board (Jun 18, 2010)

jtab1 said:


> I just built my commuter (Surly Pacer) for about $1200. It took a couple of months to find what I wanted on eBay but I got it done. So $2000 is not unrealistic for building your rig. I'll post some more info when I get off of work.



Did you assemble yourself? That's the main advantage to having a LBS build it. I have seen some shops will assemble the bike for a fixed charge even if you haven't bought all the stuff from them.


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## on board (Jun 18, 2010)

Cool, thanks! I had not heard of this brand before. For a made in USA frame it is much cheaper than many others. How does the workmanship and materials compare to Gunnar and others?

I see they list the materials as "Traitor 4130 Double Butted Chromoly". How would this compare to the Reynolds, or True Temper stuff. Is it all branding nonsense, or are there real differences?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

on board said:


> Cool, thanks! I had not heard of this brand before. For a made in USA frame it is much cheaper than many others. How does the workmanship and materials compare to Gunnar and others?
> 
> I see they list the materials as "Traitor 4130 Double Butted Chromoly". How would this compare to the Reynolds, or True Temper stuff. Is it all branding nonsense, or are there real differences?


4130 is the basic chromoly tubing. Typically a steel bike from Soma and others has the main three tubes (seat, down, top) made with whatever is on the sticker (631, Tange, etc) with the chainstays and seatstays made of 4130.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Check out the new Salsa Casseroll. I had about convinced myself to order a Gunnar Sport, but the new Casseroll is so perfectly aligned to my requirements in a commuter that it seems silly to spend $600 more for the Gunnar. 

http://salsacycles.com/bikes/casseroll/


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## on board (Jun 18, 2010)

Well, its been a couple months and I have sold a few things on Ebay to get my funding sorted.

It comes to a few choices - Gunnar, SOMA, or Traitor. All of these are framebuilders and require a new build with components of my choosing. All of these make a commute / cross frame specific for disc brakes.

Gunnar
Pro - Made in USA, great paint, I have one and love it, still relatively few out there
Con - I already have one, more expensive, would have to purchase at slightly inconvenient bike store

SOMA
Pro - good reputation, could purchase at very convenient store, good price
Con - sort of common, sort of dull, made in Taiwan

Traitor 
Pro - Unique frame, locally owned company, affordable price
Con - Not much of a reputation yet, made in Taiwan

I did look at the new Sam Hillborn from Rivendell, which is quite nice, although I believe it would not be a great choice to outfit with disc brakes.

While price is always important, good value is also. Having something that really screams fun at me is important too, since it motivates me to ride more.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions, I will chime in again as this continues.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

If weight is important to you - the 4130 is pretty heavy. My commuter is a Bianchi Volpe with all 4130 and road wheels - weighs about 24 lbs before racks and add ons. I live in CO - where I do notice the weight because I am going uphill or downhill all the time.

I have in my sights a Gunnar Sport for the job - but no real hurry as the Volpe works fine.

Also for climbs the Sram Apex group should give you enough gear range to manage most hills - check the range agianst a triple, it may surprise you - great value for the price.


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