Cons: The solid tires are just that, and being a hardtail road/mtn hybrid, get kind of uncomfortable on rough roads.  This being NH and everything is still largely ice, that means I felt every single frost heave and pothole. This wouldn't be a con if we had better roads, so maybe this is a strike against NH and not the bike.  If you want to mount a ton of things on your handlebars, you will absolutely need to replace them with a pair of flat bars. The handlebars that come with the bike have about 1" of space on either side of the stem where you can mount stuff, the rest is tapered.

Pros: very straightforward bike, should be reliable above all else.  The fact that it comes with a rack is great, and the solid tires are actually incapable of going flat.  It comes with fenders on it already, so if there was any water here in liquid form, they'd be keeping me dry.  It is light enough that it is easily shoulderable if you get to a place where you feel better about walking the bike.  The pedals that come with the bike have large platforms, and seem pretty sturdy for plastic pedals.

Shane had some ideas of where he might make some upgrades to his bike:

Potential upgrade paths:

Replace the handlebars with flat handlebars, or at least handlebars with more space for stuff.  I want to be able to mount both a light and a coffee cup holder.

Replace the pedals with metal pedals, or with clipless cleat pedals.

Replace the seat with something more comfortable.

If you don't have to worry about bad road conditions or broken glass, get air-filled tires.

  • The pedals are definitely one of the things I want to replace, and sooner rather than later.  There's definitely some flex when pedaling hard. I noticed it both when going uphill, and when trying to see how close to the speed limit I could get on Main Street (at the top gearing, I was able to make cars feel like they were passing me at a reasonable jog, for what it is worth.)
  • The fenders work pretty well on wet days.  I got to work this morning without a drop of water on me, although I did intentionally avoid big puddles.
  • A water bottle cage is going to be a must in the next few weeks.

Shane offered up his final thoughts on the Specialized Alibi Sport EQ here:

Solid no-unnecessary-frills commuter bike, could use some basic upgrades to make it more comfortable.  Would recommend as an entry level bike, especially if you are going to be riding the bike hard or are a handlebar gadget kind of person.