
Imported.
Item 774422
Specification | Description |
| Frame | 6061 aluminum |
| Fork | Pinpoint curved alloy |
| Crankset | RPM City Single 46T |
| Bottom bracket | Shimano Square Taper |
| Shifters | Alfine Rapidfire |
| Rear cogs | Shimano 20T |
| Number of gears | 8 |
| Brakes | Tektro IO mechanical disc |
| Brake levers | Tektro |
| Rims | Alex Ace 17 |
| Front hub | Shimano Shimano Alfine disc |
| Rear hub | Shimano Shimano Alfine disc |
| Tires | Vittoria Randonneur 700x32 |
| Handlebar | Kalloy sweep aluminum |
| Stem | ATS adjustable |
| Seat post | Kalloy aluminum |
| Saddle | Velo Fast Comfort |
| Pedals | Alloy Platform |
| Headset | Semicartridge |
| Chain | Shimano HG 53 |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Bike weight | Why we don't provide weights |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
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Reviewed by 4 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-4
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Comments about Novara Fusion Bike - 2009:
I wrote a mostly favorable review of this bike a while ago, and decided to update my review a bit based on about 1500 miles of riding this winter and early spring.This bike is very nice in a lot of ways. It best compares to the Raleigh Detour Deluxe or the Giant Transend. The brakes work well (with a caveat in the wet/cold below), the generator and light work terrifically, and the hub provides a good range of gears for hill climbing. The bike is incredibly visible, and provides confidence when riding it in the dark.I have a Large size Fusion which weighs in at 40 pounds with empty saddlebags and empty water bottle. The internal speed hub, internal generator front hub, and disc brakes are all quite nifty, but they really add on the weight.There are a few design decisions that left me wanting more from this bike. [...] The rear brake cable housing is designed poorly and tends to fill with water. [...] I mentioned this issue on my blog, and the head of Novara product development contacted me with a fix. If you're planning to ride this bike in wet and (especially) cold weather, I recommend installing a SRAM Flak Jacket or similar cable system for the rear brake. Another design trouble is tire clearance. I ride my bike in the winter, and needed studded snow tires for it. The best snow tires I found for this bike are Kenda Klondike "skinny" 700x35C tires. They will fit inside the fenders -- barely. These tires are pretty hard to come by, though.A third design trouble is rear wheel removal. There are videos on the internet showing how easy it is to remove the rear wheel on a Fusion, but that must have been for a development prototype. I found that removing the rear wheel required removing the chain tensioner from the frame. This may not be an issue on the XL frame, but it certainly is on Large and smaller. Wheel removal requires many tools, including a box wrench, pliers, and an allen key. It's a bit involved for fixing a flat on the roadside.My final design gripe is the choice of chain. The Fusion comes standard with a 9-speed chain. 9-speed chains are thinner and thus wear out faster than a good single-speed chain. My chain is showing considerable stretch after just 1500 miles of riding. Since there are no external gears on this bicycle, a single-speed chain will work just fine. Indeed, a thicker chain makes sense given that this bicycle weighs so much.In all, I do like this bicycle. It does require some modifications from stock based on the environment that I ride it in, which adds a bit to the (already high) cost. In all, I would probably buy the bike again, though.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Novara Fusion Bike - 2009:
I got this bike (the 2008 version) for winter commuting. Except for the lack of a chain guard the Fusion has everything I want in a commuter bike. However the design and component choices were not up to the job.
The bottom bracket failed (and was replaced).
The headlight burnt out and the REI shop could not find a replacement! Instead, they replaced the fixture with one for which replacement bulbs could be found.
The cables run into housings that loop under the bottom bracket where they collect water and slush which freeze and prevent breaking and shifting.
The shifter got stiff in the cold. The shop fixed this by removing all the grease from the shifter.
The automatic tail light sometimes did not turn off in the cold.
The front wheel squealed (LOUDLY) in subzero temps. The shop could not fix this.
The Nexus-8 shifter/hub would not shift reliably into 4th gear. The shop couldn't fix this either.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Novara Fusion Bike - 2009:
Great bang for your buck. The Alfine group is great. My bike did not come with the chain guard pictured on the site, but great ride non-the-less.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Novara Fusion Bike - 2009:
Compared to other "complete hybrid/commuter packages" this one has good dollar value and great components. This was my first time riding a internal geared bike and it's smooth, quiet and very adequate for my needs. I have a 21 speed MTB and the Alfine has an excellent gear range. I'm buying the ST model for my wife. Very classic look and great color. Comfortable ride, great brakes and good lighting. Pleased with the combination of extra's.
Service and delivery comments:
Ordered it to be delivered to the Seattle store. It arrived, was assembled and set-up and ready a day early. Except for the proper seat height adjustment(which had to wait till I was there), the set-up was perfect and it was ready to ride. All I had to do was put on a helmet and gloves. The Flagship store bike shop personnel were friendly and answered all my questions.
Displaying reviews 1-4
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