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Hey /n/
Way back in the summer of 2014 I bought a Trek 820. My first non-walmart tier bike. It has been quite the fun bike to ride but know that I know more about biking I find myself wanting something else.
As far as use goes:
I spend most of my bike rides going from a parking lot to whatever building my class is in (I'm a Virginia Tech student and a commuter). VT is pretty hilly but the hills tend to be short.
I never ride at my house. I live on the side of a mountain. The inclines are long and more like a vertical wall. I have to down shift to 2nd to get up the road my house is on, 1st if I'm carrying any appreciable load. When it snows I need to chain the tires since no one plows out here. 2WD FTW!
On the weekends my finance and I go riding at the various parks and paved bike trails. Occasionally I go out to a dirt/sand trail by myself as she doesn't like dirt paths with bumps and such.
As far as style goes:
I prefer more classic designs. When I go to the LBS and see all of the modern Trek road bikes they...well look ugly as sin to me. On the other hand there is a kid on campus with an old 10spd that looks sexy as fuck to me.
As far as functionality goes:
I do enjoy having a suspension fork. But I've ridden my woman's bike and defiantly see the advantages of a solid one. On the fence about this. Could take it or leave it.
I make great use of rear panniers but have never tried front. Whatever I buy next needs to be able to mount some sort of baggage.
I could go to a 2x or a 1x drivetrain. I think I've used the outer chainring on my 820 maybe 5 or 6 times ever. I also wouldn't mind having a freehub with an 8 or 9 speed cassette. The 7-speed Megarange on my 820 has too big of jumps and has proven to be pretty fragile.
What are some bikes I should be considering /n/?
