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For me, I really like to look at my lowest gear AND my next lowest gear. There are plenty of hellaciously long hills that aren't quite steep enough for the lowest gear.

Standard 28 tooth chain ring with 32 tooth cog isn't enough for me. I have a 22 tooth chainring and my largest cogs are 30 and 26 teeth. I'm pleased with that.

Other than that, I'd look at rack and fender accomadations.

Mick

I've had good luck with bikes on ebay. Below is a nice link for mountain bikes:

http://www.mtbiking.info/Complete-Bikes-and-Frames

I don't think the FX series is going to be that much different than what you already have. It will be a faster bike than what you have but not any more well suited to gravel or rough trails.

Maybe a low end 29er bike and swap out the tires for 45c sized tires? A flat bar 'cross bike? (I'm assuming someone still makes one)

What feature in particular are you looking for, you have said versatility and the desire to ride pack surface trails and still be good on road. DO you see yourself wanting front suspension? Rack brazeons? Are you looking for a womens specific bike? or would a smaller unisex bike do? Oh also, do you have a wheel size preference?

The Surly Cross-Check is pretty popular and is designed for what you're looking for. It comes with drop bars-- probably test ride one to see what you think of that. They're quite nice to have when you're cranking into a headwind.

@netviln: I'd like to avoid the front suspension as I lose some power with it, despite it's usefulness on Pittsburgh potholes. If there is a type of frame/material that is more shock-absorbent, I'd like to try that instead of a suspension.

Also, if I could get a women's specific in what I'm looking for, I'd take it. And as for wheel size, I'm not really sure. I'm still at the lower end of the bike-knowledge learning curve...I know that I would like a wheel size that would allow me to switch off tires if I need something nubbier (and I don't know if wheel size limits me in this respect). If it helps, I'd like a wheel sturdy enough to handle rough surfaces (I'm guessing the 29 in ones would do this?), but that I can switch to a smoother tire for commuting if need be.

As for braze-ons, those would be helpful, as I would like a light rack on the back...but they're not necessary.

Thanks to everyone for the advice so far!!

As for material, steel is generally smoother riding than aluminum. A curved fork generally absorbs more than a straight fork.

Check out:

the cannondale quick 6 or quick 5 or quick 4 feminine

the scott sportster p6 lady

the scot sub 30 solution

From what I saw online, the Detour looks like a pretty versatile bike to begin with. Looks like it has good gearing. Since you are still early in the learning curve anyway, you might want to consider just keeping the bike and playing with the setup. You said more power, nothing frees up power like upgraded (lighter, stronger) wheels. Put on some light cylocross tires for the trails. Try out a flat handlebar instead of the riser, maybe even a moustache bar, play with your body position. Better seat. Fenders. Kind of bumble your way to the perfect bike, instead of trying to leap. You can completely change the bike you have for $XX.00 instead of $XXX.00 or $X,XXX.00 You have to have a shop that is going to listen to your needs, though, with this route (Kraynicks')

Even better, find some friendly bike geeks to ride with and check out their setups.

I was thinking of moustache or albatross bars for the my current bike, but I'm not sure how to work it since I have handlebar shifters. You suggested Kraynicks, and having not been there before, I didn't know exactly what I could have done there (it sounds like everything...!) I've mainly gone to Iron City so far.

My plan is to gradually make my current bike into a grocery/short-commute bike and then within the next year or so get something a bit sleeker and more for longer commutes/rides around the city/trail rides. My goal is to have most of the baskets and such to be on my current bike, and to have the new bike with just a rack if I need to take some things with me.

I've been wanting to increase my bike knowledge, but law school has been sucking much of my free brain power into its dark abyss. This is unfortunate since Free Ride is not that far from my apt.

If you can find the time, I def recommend the mechanics classes at freeride.

You can't go wrong with a Surly Crosscheck. You will get used to the drop bars in a few rides, it has room for big tires, fenders, racks etc.

You say you want "more power". Okay, call me Captain Obvious, but the power in a human-powered-vehicle comes from humans. So obviously, what you want is a tandem.

Seriously... if you want to get more power out of your body and onto the road, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. narrower, high pressure tires waste less power

2. wind resistance increases with the cube of the velocity. In other words, the faster you go, the more important an aerodynamic position is. In other other words, eventually you will find yourself hunched over the bars, whether they're intended for that or not.

3. suspensions suck power. Mountain bikes can't avoid the terrain, but on the road, you should be able to avoid almost all the potholes.

4. You can generate more power from your lower body when you are bent at the waist. Again, leading to the traditional roadie position.

5. Weight isn't as important as people make it out to be. It does make climbing hills harder, but you get most of that back on the way back down. What you give up to aerodynamic drag or rolling resistance, you never get back.

6. It's not the bike, it's the engine. Keep on riding, you'll grow more power.

All that said, I do like the Surly Crosscheck. There are so many great bikes out there that it's hard to choose

+1 for the crosscheck.

FWIW, I'd never ridden drop bars before either, it's an easy adaptation but make sure someone shows you what "on the hoods" means b/c I test rode a bunch of road bikes without knowing.

I'd recommend a 3rd chainring for the hills, either put on a granny or swap out the crank.

I also looked at Kona Jake and JTS which are pretty nice but I decided I wanted to stick with steel, I think it was the right choice especially for off-roading.

Winter is a great time to buy a bike - look for sales and closeouts!

I was thinking of moustache or albatross bars for the my current bike, but I'm not sure how to work it since I have handlebar shifters.

A-bars are more comfortable than M-bars, in my opinion. A-bars keep you more upright, while M-bars get you in a more traditional position. You could use brifters on the M-bars, but not the A-bars.

(BTW, if you don't need bar end shifters, Dove bars are a more affordable alternative to A-bars. The shape is very similar.)

1. narrower, high pressure tires waste less power

Bicycle Quarterly has done some research into this, and found that high volume/lower pressure tires aren't necessarily slower than their skinnier counterparts. You don't need to rattle around on 23mm tires pumped to 150psi to go fast.

(I suppose, though, that one person's skinny tire is another person's fat tire. Some people think that 28mm it "fat", while others might say "too skinny." For all around, generally fast riding, I'd run a good 28mm tire.)

does anybody have experience with the newer internal gear hubs?, like the Nexus or Rohloff

bjnazsek, is that online? I agree that there is a tradeoff between compliance and low rolling resistance, and nothing, nothing is slower than a flat. But the Detour rolls 40s.

(fwiw, that number isn't mm)

Timito, I've ridden the Nexus and like it. I personally prefer a closer range between my gears but that's the limitation of only having 8. The Rohloff looks cool, but kind of expensive

Lyle I've ridden the Nexus and like it. I personally prefer a closer range between my gears but that's the limitation of only having 8.

The Rohloff looks cool, but kind of expensive

I looked at the specs for them, but did not try them out.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/shimano-nexus.html#8

My problem with the Nexus was the opposite of Lyle's. That the range from the lowest to the highest (.527:1 and 1.615:1) was close enough that I would still need multiple chain rings. If I had a chain ring with the lowest gear where I wanted it, the highest would be less than 2.5:1

Also, the jump for the lowest to the next lowest (22%) is a bigger jump than from Gear 7 to gear 8 (14%).

I want more options for climbing up hills, not more options for racing down hills. I'm not sure why equipment manufacturers usually offer the opposite.

Mick

Tires: BQ's "wide" clincher tire test is online. I think their big, bad tire review is not available online, though. The current issue also has some investigation into the better suspension (read: wider tires) v. speed debate. BQ is fairly convinced that a wider tire (think 25mm-32mm) can be just as fast, if not faster, than a skinny, hard racing tire. From my own experience, I've been racing on both 25mm and 28mm tires for the last two years, and that was definitely NOT the limiting factor in my race results. It certainly led to a more comfortable ride, though.

I rode a Nexus for awhile last year. Pretty decent hub, I think. The cable on mine was prone to freezing, though that might have to do with cable routing. I've heard the Rohloff is the cat's pajamas, but, whoa, is it expensive.

I think I may have called my shifters by the wrong name (may? I did.) Anyway: they're Shimano Revo shifters click here and scroll down a bit

This is the main obstacle for me in switching out the handlebars on my current bike as I don't have the skills to dismantle the shifter and not damage the cables. Would Kraynick's be able to help me with this? I've not been in there yet.

Gerry may tell you how, and certainly has the tools to do it, but he also certainly wont do it for you.

also, as a note, you may have enough slack to not have to remove the cables from the shifter if you were the change handlebars, you may be able to take the shifters of the bars and slide them on the new ones.

You can't go wrong with a Surly Crosscheck. You will get used to the drop bars in a few rides, it has room for big tires, fenders, racks etc

I have a Surly Crosscheck, which I like, but I don't have drop bars. I picked and chose parts with Bob at IC bikes.

I had a bike with them and I never got used to them. I often avoided riding because I got tired of having my neck be sore as hell after climbing a hill (Lungs? OK. Legs? OK. But NECK? I'm sorry, that just doesnt' seem right.)

At this point, I have riser bars with an extended stem.

I like fairly large tires (700C X 35 or 38).

Mick

does anybody have experience with the newer internal gear hubs?, like the Nexus or Rohloff

I have been riding around on a Rohloff for 4 or 5 years now (on a mountain bike). I love it. I've never wished it had a higher or lower gear, and every one seems to be evenly spaced. I would hesitate to go back to derailleurs. The only downside is that it weighs a ton, and puts all that weight towards the back of your bike.

The only downside is that it weighs a ton, and puts all that weight towards the back of your bike.

And costs a jillion dollars.

And costs a jillion dollars.

For the longest time, there was a guy selling them on ebay for around $800 (they were overstock or something). I don't think it is that much more than a full high-end drive train. For me, the extra money is totally worth never having to adjust a derailleur or clean a cassette again. I'm fully confident the thing will last another 20 years, so I have a little while to try and get my money's worth out of it.

I, too, have a cross check and love it. I can throw on fenders, racks, and fat tires to do some hauling and touring and then just strip it down and change the tires to get more speed if thats what im going for.

As far as the issue with drops goes...I rarely use the full drops and usually stick to the flats or hoods. But there are times (long descents or killer headwinds) that I am thankful to have them. If you are worried about braking with drops you could always add a set of inline cross levers to give you the ability to brake from the flats. I find its alway better to have options for hand positions, especially if you plan on being on the bike for a few hours or more.