# Best, fastest, toughest, meanest, urban ´commuter



## Heldur (May 20, 2008)

Ókay if you lived in an inner city and you just robbed a bank and had to have a getaway bike (bicycle!) to weave through traffic, jump gutters, up/down stairs, cross parks, speed along sealed roads, knock down little old ladies, and whatever else might be thrown at you what type of bike would be best and quickest? what would you custom build for the task?
just curious!


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## Schmucker (Aug 23, 2007)

Kris Holm 38mm 29er rims with 2.35 Big Apples. Surly Karate Monkey. ~66 gear inches, eno freewheel. Midge bar, maybe something narrower. BB7's, big rotors, good pads. The wheels will have so much mass that it should roll over anything, push whatever out of the way, and have enough width and volume to ride up and down stairs.


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## Chris V. (Oct 11, 2006)

Man...sounds like schmucker really nailed it there with his response. The only option I might add would be using a Redline Monocog 29er frame instead of the Karate Monkey. My reasoning is because you can get the RLMC frame so damn cheap online. The down side of the frame is that it does not have all the features that are packed into the KM. 

I do like my RLMC though. I bought the bike complete. But I think building a urban commando bike around the just the frame would be a cool idea. The frame is very sturdy and will take a beating.


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## Heldur (May 20, 2008)

great answers, maybe the Redline and after the robbery buy the Surly FM


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## Jwind (Mar 1, 2006)

I like track bikes to commute on. They're just fun. If I didn't live in town, things would be different. Maybe a long haul trucker?


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Let see, needs to be totally blinged out...

I rob the bank jump on the bike and go around the corner, as soon as I see a bunch of kids hanging out...

I stop and hand them the bike, I give then 5 bucks and say watch it for me...

Then I go down into the subway...

Teh heh....


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## DukeNeverwinter (May 6, 2006)

I would commision SPpcialized to make an s-works Epic 29er. then get some 2.0 inch slicks made by schwalbe.


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## Heldur (May 20, 2008)

no-one has mentioned suspension?


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## M_S (Nov 18, 2007)

Suspension is too wussy. Definitely rigid steel.


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## spcarter (Nov 17, 2007)

should get a full on downhill bike stash it on the roof of the bank so when you get chased up there you can be totally cool and huck off the roof.


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## overtorqued_nut (Oct 24, 2005)

How does that expression go again? Ah yes: "Gears and suspension are for women and old men."
Good luck with the getaway...


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Need a 29er to hop the curbs and smooth out the potholes:


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## steevo (Nov 17, 2004)

a rack might be useful for hauling the loot


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

I wouldn't be robbing a bank, but my dirt jumper in seat up mode handles anything with competence including swapping the rear axle for the Burley attachment axle. 

I buy the argument for 29 wheels rolling over stuff but I like 26 inch for tight quarters and quick moves and my big fat dirt/urban tires are fast, sticky and tough.

Low seat is one draw back to my STP as a commuter.


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## RSW42 (Aug 22, 2006)




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## RockyRider (Nov 21, 2004)

steevo said:


> a rack might be useful for hauling the loot


Steevo what rack are you using and what (if any) mods did you have to do to get it to clear the rear tire and fender?


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## PaintPeelinPbody (Feb 3, 2004)

I'd take a Motard...

or a short travel FS bike with a road cassette and some big DH rings.

I'd want something that was highly stable, but could hit the stair gaps with ease.


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## steevo (Nov 17, 2004)

RockyRider said:


> Steevo what rack are you using and what (if any) mods did you have to do to get it to clear the rear tire and fender?


it's a surly nice rack. more info here: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=335860&highlight=nice+rack

one small problem I had was that the v-brake cable made contact with the fender so the brake felt mushy. I'm pretty sure disc brakes + fenders + surly rack would not work, but htere are disc brake compatible racks out there.

Also, for that big tire to clear the fender, the wheel had to be position further back in the dropouts.


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## citybiker (Mar 20, 2008)

Here is what you are looking for....
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=4309631#poststop


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## ar1981 (Oct 11, 2006)

*...*

What I'd be riding.


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## bikerboy (Jan 13, 2004)

ar1981 said:


> What I'd be riding.


Hmm, nice bike for sure, but one thing worries me. The first time you mis-time that bunny-hop going up the curb and the apex of the curb directly strikes the leading edge of that rear wheel and high pressure tire, it's all over.


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## krauos (Apr 25, 2008)

Put some big apples on that bike and it would be ready to rock the urban concrete-scape.


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## sean salach (Sep 15, 2007)

Schmucker said:


> Kris Holm 38mm 29er rims with 2.35 Big Apples. Surly Karate Monkey. ~66 gear inches, eno freewheel. Midge bar, maybe something narrower. BB7's, big rotors, good pads. The wheels will have so much mass that it should roll over anything, push whatever out of the way, and have enough width and volume to ride up and down stairs.


make mine similar, except that i would run a rholoff hub, nanoraptors at 65 psi with mr tuffies and some sealant in the tubes on dualduty fr rims, a remote adjustable seatpost. full size custom frame bag for whatever loot i don't put on my back and a taurus pt 145 mp with two spare clips mounted discreetly in an easily accessible, custom, beneath-the-stem bag.


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## comptiger5000 (Jun 11, 2007)

If I needed an ultimate commuter/hauler it would be a Surly Big Dummy with 2.35 Big Apples and a triple chainring Rohloff setup. Probably a 39t, 48t, 56t or something. Get great loaded climbing and do 50+ down hills.


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## cmktech (Jun 6, 2006)

I'd just buy a hardrock from specialized. Beefy and sick, a gnarly commuter for sure.


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## Ricisan (Aug 30, 2006)

*No Suspension?*

The elect Ultra Bike would a whole lot of speed/range to the getaway. I thought about using one for SF. Being able to smash hills adds a new demension don't you think?

Ricisan


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## LetsGoOutside (Sep 4, 2005)

We call it the "Police Get Away bike." As in we have just broken a ton of laws riding and are ready to run. The consensus has been tubeless 29er skinny tires on either a rigid 29er frame or some sort of monster cross set-up. 

You gotta have the speed to get away without pinch flatting while riding down stairs (thats how ya' lose the man), while still maintaining a bike position to bunnyhop and ride over ridiculous things that cars can't get through.


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## luckybastard (Sep 29, 2006)

Redline Mono9


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