I need a new bike to commute. Any ideas?
I need something fully equipped for $1500 or below. I will be riding in rainy condition quite a lot, and I need something to carry a small amount of stuff. I was thinking of Breezer, I like their Uptown8. Can you reccomend anything good that would suit my needs, will the Uptown be good for me?
For the price you are willing to spend, I think the Uptown 8 will be an excellent choice. I think the internal gears will save you maintenance concerns, especially if you will be riding in the rain.
The Trek Lime is very nice also, but the automatic shifting can be less appealing as you become a more experienced rider. Also it only has three gears, which is a factor if you are riding a longer commute or a hilly commute. I think you will find that the eight gears allow you to find more comfortable gearing as you ride.
Bicycling Magazine has a favorable review of the bike at
http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-1-324-15818-1,00.html.
As an aside, I recently purchased a Timbuk2 Messenger bag to carry clothes on my commute and I am very happy with it. I find it more convenient and more flexible that panniers or backpacks.
Good luck on your commuting.
Huggacast 106: Breezer Uptown 8