# good commuter bike that can handle some bunny hops curbs and stairs?



## nickbroken (Oct 16, 2011)

Hey guys looking for a good bike that I can get around where I need to with in town but also strong enough to handle some hops, any suggestions? If I want to start commuting I want to make it fun  The closest I could see was NS analog, maybe a kona shred.


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## dna_05 (Dec 14, 2011)

Cannondale Quick CX 3
Specialized Crosstrail
Giant Roam
Raleight Misceo Trail
Etc.

Every major brand makes one of these


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

I just looked at the Kona Shred. That is hardly a bike that I would consider to be a commuter. What type of commute, how far, what terrain, how often? Those will help get you onto the right bike.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

Almost any bike is suitable for bunny hopping, with good technique. 

I would agree with TenSpeed, however, in that a Shred would be unsuitable as a commuting bike for anything more than a few miles. That's not to say you can't do it, but rather that there are less expensive bikes better suited to commuting.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

That is a great invitation for this 1 minute video...
Winston-Salem cyclist?s race skills become YouTube magnet | MyFOX8.com


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## nickbroken (Oct 16, 2011)

20-30 miles some hills. Street and sidewalks, some pathways. Something I could ride on weekends for a few hours riding around, bunnyhops something I can throw around well. Something like when I was a kid and my bike was my only way around and took me everywhere that I just road hopped curbs and enjoyed life.


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## nickbroken (Oct 16, 2011)

I think I put the shred cause of a video of a guy ripping around town having fun, but not interested in and DJ bike since they dont seem comfortable to ride for long times.


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## evandy (Oct 3, 2012)

Surly Steel would probably do you well...

Cross-Check / Straggler for a cross bike...
Ogre / ECR for a MTB...


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## Thor29 (May 12, 2005)

evandy said:


> Surly Steel would probably do you well...
> 
> Cross-Check / Straggler for a cross bike...
> Ogre / ECR for a MTB...


Surly is definitely the correct answer. However, I think the Troll would be the best bunnyhopping commuter bike possible.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

Any bike can be bunny hopped.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I second the Surly Troll. I have the Ogre, which is basically the 29er version. Troll for flickability/fun factor.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

dna_05 said:


> Cannondale Quick CX 3
> Specialized Crosstrail
> Giant Roam
> Raleight Misceo Trail
> ...


And the Spec Tricross to the list


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Thor29 said:


> Surly is definitely the correct answer. However, I think the Troll would be the best bunnyhopping commuter bike possible.


Really a heavy old steel bike is the best???


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Favorite story....

Roady was chasing me down on my commute....we go up over a bike overpass and he passes me....

On the way down there is a tight 90 degree right hander at the bottom...


If you go fast you have to bunny hop of the curb at after the corner...

So roadie makes a nice light bunny hop off the curb....then slows down...

I pull up beside him he is steering with one hand and has the other side of his carbon bars in his hand....

He says geez that could have really hurt...I go oh yeah....

Commutting on a light road bike probably isn't gonna last...

Steel and salt equals corrosion sonner or later.


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## nickbroken (Oct 16, 2011)

Heh so confused, gonna check out the giant and roam and see what's what. The surly troll looks nice tho, making me look at surly in general tho. I see a karate monkey in my future.


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## wtrdrnkr (Feb 1, 2014)

nickbroken said:


> Heh so confused, gonna check out the giant and roam and see what's what. The surly troll looks nice tho, making me look at surly in general tho. I see a karate monkey in my future.


If you want to use racks, etc. check out the Ogre! It's the same geometry as the karate monkey but has eyelets and mounty stuff. I just got one, actually


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

take a look at the on one pompino SS CX frameset or complete bike.


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## pfox90 (Aug 8, 2010)

All city nature boy.


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## Gritter (Dec 21, 2010)

*2010 Rocky Mountain Metropolis YYZ*



nickbroken said:


> Hey guys looking for a good bike that I can get around where I need to with in town but also strong enough to handle some hops, any suggestions? If I want to start commuting I want to make it fun  The closest I could see was NS analog, maybe a kona shred.


I have more beastly (steel) bikes, but I've been trying to destroy my aluminum commuter with discs and frt/rear racks, but it loves the abuse and salty sludge - I don't worry about rust (the chromoly fork treated w/frame saver). I basically mountain bike over huge frozen ruts that should be extremely scary, with confidence and hop curbs. The wheels stay true on 40cm wide studded Gravdals. It's my favorite bike (for commuting) and it was cheap ($379 complete w/free shipping from jensonusa - before some upgrades):


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

jeffscott said:


> Really a heavy old steel bike is the best???


How about a new ,solidly built steel bike able to take abuse?


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## phsycle (Apr 14, 2011)

Personally, I would also opt for a burley steel bike. Not sure if you're looking to do some crazy bunny hopping, but just hopping off curbs, taking dirt roads, etc., I'd say a cross bike would be good for that. I take my Cross Check off-road on some sweet singletrack, and no issues hopping off/on curbs. I have it set up with 700x43 tires and it's great balance between cush and speed. Look at Surly, All City, Soma and Black Mountain. By the way, no issues commuting on salted roads with a steel bike. I have an '83 Trek that has seen plenty of salt with no corrosion issues. I still ride it.

Only hesitation I would have with some of the MTB's mentioned (Ogre, Troll, etc.), is I would go crazy commuting 20-30 miles on one every day. My KM felt so slow and sluggish compared to my CC/Wabi.

Now, if you're talking lots of singletrack and maybe some bikepacking, I would go Ogre.

Cross bike action:

Local trails ala cx on Vimeo


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I have my Ogre set up with 2" slicks and drop bars... I do an 18 mile one-way commute about once a week on it, and with no wind I average 18mph on flat ground...I'm not awesome or anything either. Takes longer to wind up, but it's plush and fast can carries momentum like nothing else. It's also great on the trail (same geo as karate monkey). I got it with the intention of being able to do other stuff with it down the road...singlespeed, MTB, whatever... contemplating a flat bar currently. To me the versatility is the big advantage over something like the cross check.


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## phsycle (Apr 14, 2011)

CB - I think we're on the same page. As I mentioned, I would go Ogre if it were either my only bike and I planned to do singletrack rides or if I were planning to do some bikepacking. For mostly on-road ventures with curb hops and fire roads/light singletrack, I would go CC.


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