2010 Ceres

[ikedawilliams]

Am I wrong in wanting one of these as a commuter bike? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/norco/ceres-2010-hybrid-bike-ec029762#features Check the specs. If you think I can get a better setup for less, I would be happy to hear about it.

I have an old Norco MTB (1993 Nitro) with some 15 year old upgrades, but after pricing wheels, tires, post, seat cables bar etc, I figure I might as well give the Alfine 8 and carbon drive a try...

 

[patrick.yodar]

how hilly is your commute? how far? a single speed may hold up better than a geared hub and all the parts that go with it if you're having to ride or leave the bike out in the rain. other than that it looks like a good bike for getting around in the city.

 

[ikedawilliams]

I got a Bianchi aluminum road bike early this year and love it, but would like to be able to do my 15 to 30 (one way) commute on something that was a little stronger, simpler, ans didn't really require Lycra to be worn. I considered fixed gear, but there is one hill I sometimes need to go up around Yurigaoka/Shinyurigaoka that is about 12% for a ways, and I am not in the market for a bike I need to sometimes walk. Also, I like to go fast, and think the single speed would be limiting. I like the simplicity of fixed gear, but am not convinced it is for me. For fixed gear, I would likely get a Fuji track bike, but I want to be able to ride it a little more upright, wearing from business clothes to rain clothes, strong, simple, and fairly cheap - ideally so that when it is locked up, I don't worry about it getting nicked (stolen/damaged). In summary, I have never ridden a fixed gear, and Alfine hub or disc brakes and considering the above was wondering if any better bikes/solution would be posted.

 

[patrick.yodar]

you're right about a fixed gear or single speed being speed limiting. i can only get up to around 50kph on my commute with a fixed gear at 41/13 because i'm limited by how fast i can spin. a single speed with a free wheel at the same gear ratio could maybe go a little faster down a hill, but you'd still be limited by how fast you can spin up to speed. also a track frame doesn't necessarily require drop bars. i have my bike set up with riser bars with about 40mm or rise for a mostly upright position and i commute in my work clothes in cooler weather. and you can totally do a few hundred meters of 12% grade on a fixed gear with a little practice. things only get tough when you're climbing for a few kilometers.

but you're asking about the ceres. it looks like it would be great for commuting and comfortable to ride with that belt drive. the frame and components look fine for a commute, although i don't know if i'd want to run anything other than avid bb7 for mechanical pull disc brakes. internally geared hubs become less efficient as you move away from their direct drive gear, so that's something you might want to consider if you want to go fast or have long and steep climbs on your route. I've heard good things about the alfine hubs, thought. it seems to be the geared hub to get.