On 5 May 2005 18:00:22 -0700, "Jim" wrote:

Greetings,

I've been riding mountain bikes and would like to try road bikes for
commuting. Road bikes (mostly the narrow rims and the few spokes on
some models) look flimsy to me -- is my impression right?

Most road bikes are far more than robust enough for a hefty rider to
use in a daily commute. They are not fragile...but as they are not
presumed to be likely to be abused in the same manner as a mountain
bike, they are not built to be as massive.

Some bikes
(with the maountain bike-style brakes) can accomodate wider tires --

The fork and frame clearance is, in my experience, just as much of an
issue in this area.

does it mean the rims are wider and more
tolerant of abuse?

Not automatically...and equating "wider" with "stronger" is an error.
Weel strength derives from many factors, and some narrow rims may well
be much less susceptible to impact damage than some wide ones.

I try to minimize the maintenance.

Doesn't everyone[1]? Beyond a certain point, however, this becomes
self-defeating.

I intend to ride in a more up-right position than those racers.
Would I look dorky when I meantion this to the salesperson doing the
fitting?

Perhaps you might ask to look as a hybrid instead; the upright
position is assumed on those, and the road-bike-derived attributes
that you seek are present without the implied need for the folded-down
posture.




[1] Answer: No. Some people go out of their way to spend extra time
on bike maintenance. If that makes them happy, I find nothing to
criticise in their choice of pastimes.

--
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