Commuter bikes

[brickell]

With all this talk about commuting by bike I thought maybe it's time I give it a try. Biking is big around here, but it's the hardcore road bikes all over the place. I don't see many people actually commuting. So instead of arguing about which city is best, maybe you can share some personal experiences and help me along.

I've been looking into commuter/hybrid bikes like this, but the price seems high.
http://www.breezerbikes.com/bike_det...=d&bike=uptown

Is it better to just get a cheap bike and accessorize it myself? Would a road bike be more comfortable. It's a 12 mile trek to work.

So do you bike to work or for errands? What kind of bike do you have? How far do you commute?

Thanks.

[Rambam]

Hi,

I think bicycling for your commute is a great idea. I bike commuted all through university, and I still do to work. It's cheap, fun and great exercise.

Breezer bikes are great, but when it comes down to it just find a bike that you like, is comfortable, and not too expensive so you can lock it up places. Accessorize as much as you want, but fenders are worth their weight in gold, and obviously lights are a must at night

I have rotated through mountain bikes, road bikes and the like and have settled, for now, (I'm a bit of a bike nut) on the SE Lager, a simple, relatively inexpensive single-speed.



My commutes over the years have been as long as 30km round trip and is now a paltry 8km round trip. 12 miles will keep you in shape!
Go for it, and enjoy it.

[worldwide]

my bud eddie rides that bike ^^^

i ride an asama about town 22 inch frame 700mm(28 inch) wheels. it rips and its a very solid bike.



i ride up to 50km (31 miles) a day and its holding up great. i like it way better than my old norco. i paid $399 canadian.

if you are commuting a lot, tire liners are a great idea, i never have to deal with flats anymore

[The Chemist]

If you're a multi-mode commuter like I am, a folding bicycle would be a good choice. That way you can take it on the subway/bus, and if you live in a city where bike theft is a big problem (also like I do) you never have to leave it out of your sight.

I've got a Dahon Boardwalk 7 speed folding bicycle with 20" wheels, and it's great. I've had it since January, and I've put well over 1000km on it since then.

[urbanactivist]

There are so many choices out there, but don't forget to think about your mileage. For a short commute-- say under 5 miles each direction-- just about any bike will do. Go with one that is most comfortable for you. If you're a novice commuter, you definitely don't have to spend a fortune. I'm a heavier guy with a large frame, so I wanted a bigger sturdier bike...


http://www.motobecane.com/MBUSAdlx.html

It's a hybrid, so the tires are a bit larger like the mountain bike, but definitely made for the road.

One more thing...
Once you find the bike that you like, SHOP AROUND. Bike shops are doing record-setting business right now, so they can afford to cut you a really good deal. The list price for this is like $800, but I got it for $350.

[jmecklenborg]

I have a Specialized Globe, it's light and fast. I have gone on many 50+ mile rides with it:


My main criticism of it is that the upright seating position and the light weight causes the bike to blow out from underneath you when riding. I haven't fallen off but I definitely have to go slow downhill on windy days. My commute is 4 miles round-trip but unfortunately involves this hill:

[Steely Dan]

like the chemist, i also have a Dahon folding commuter bike. i absolutely adore the thing. it rides great, i can fold it up and take it on the train, and i can carry it into work with me and stow it under my desk instead of leaving it to the thieves on the street. bike theft is a HUGE issue in chicago, even with the best locking systems (i read one article that said chicago was the 2nd worst in the nation after new york in terms of bike theft) so it's nice to know that i can take my bike with me indoors.

2007 Dahon Speed P8:

[fflint]

I've got a 21-speed Trek city bike exactly like this:



San Francisco is hilly, so I needed a wide range of gears--but that's available in almost all types of bike. The primary factor influencing my choice was the horribly rough pavement (and the streetcar tracks) that characterize my five-mile daily commute along Market Street between the Mission/Castro and Financial Districts. I needed to balance good stability and durability over rough terrain with the need for speed. I'm commuting, after all.

City bikes (a.k.a. "hybrids") have bigger tires and put the rider more upright than road bikes, so they offer better stability and better withstand rough terrain than track bikes, but smaller tires than those on mountain bikes, so they get going faster with less effort. It's a good compromise for me.

I didn't add much --I installed (removable) LED head and tail lights, and initially installed a u-lock holster onto the stem which I have now removed because it didn't hold the lock securely enough.

I didn't see a price for the Breezer bikes you linked, but I paid no more than $400, not including the custom accessories, for my Trek. I don't think you need to spend a lot of money on your first bike. Just make sure you get a professional fitting at a reputable bike shop and go with a name brand ride.

[staff]

Damn, those are some flashy bikes. Bikes here in CPH/Malmö are crap most of the time, because that way I gues they are less attractive for theft.

[alexjon]

I walk

[AaronPGH]

If you have a friend that knows alot about bikes, see if they'll help you piece together one instead of buying a brand new one. It's a lot cheaper that way. I commute via bike, and I got mine for a little over $100 by purchasing a mixture of used frame/new rims/etc. My roommate helped me put it together. Just make sure you get a nice light one.

[alexjon]

My ex is a big cyclist-- he did BRAN once. He would totally hook me up!

[harryc]

I use an old junk bikes, short rides ( under 2mi ), salt and mud take their toll.
( this one was $10 at a garage sale, the fender extension is a piece of HotWheel track )


I have a friend who goes to the other extreme, he doesn't own a car, so he splurged on this

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ With its low-diameter wheels, does this thing get a lot of speed? It seems like you have to pedal really hard with this thing. No?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ With its low-diameter wheels, does this thing get a lot of speed? It seems like you have to pedal really hard with this thing. No?

it goes plenty fast. no, you're not going to win the tour de france on a 20" wheel folder, but it's geared to compensate for the smaller wheels so that you're not spinning your legs like a madman. the larger than average chainring on the crankset keeps the wheels spinning faster to overcome their smaller diameter. there is a slight decrease in mechanical advantage with the smaller wheel size, but unless you're a racer, it's negligible. i have a 15 mile commute that takes me ~1 hour, so that's an average speed of 15mph, but there's also stop lights and general traffic issues that slow me down, so my real average riding speed is probably closer to 17-18mph. again, that's not racing speed, but it's plenty fast for commuting and general getting around town. also, i'm still fairly overweight (yay! i can actually use that word now that my BMI no longer labels me as "obese"), so as i drop another 35 pounds or so over the coming months, my speed should increase right along with my weight loss.

[fflint]

The folding bikes I've noticed downtown have generally kept pace with the rest of the bike traffic.

[jodelli]

Use this a lot, and I'm only 4k from downtown. All but the first 200 m is a dedicated bike lane or path along the Detroit River.
The seat seemed uncomfortably narrow at first, but I like it now. I know someone else with one of these who did replace the seat.

Had a CCM before this that was stolen, but I spotted it again sometime later outside a Tim Horton's. I found the guy inside, a recent immigrant, who claimed to possess it.
We came to an agreement fairly quickly, especially since I had already bought the new bike, and the CCM was getting a little old.
He fingered the fence, but I never found the SOB who stole it.