Commuting - Bike advice

I just got a job about 10 miles from my home and want to start commuting to work. I've got a Trek hardtail, but I don't want to use this to go to work with, because even though my job is in a very nice neighborhood, I still don't feel safe leaving $1200 locked up outside.
I'm a very tight budget, and want to get a new/used cheap bike. Because of my budget, my two choices are either a bike from (can't believe I'm actually considering this) Target, or my dad's old gas pipe road bike from the 70's. I don't know what company made it, and I'd have to get a new drive train, pedals, tires, and maybe a whole new brake system. Basically I've gotta pick the lesser of two evils. So, what's your sugesstions?

There's a recycled bike shop close to where I live. Perhaps there's something along these lines where you live. You could probably get a good deal there on a decent commuter.

Get a good older road bike for under $100.00.

Honestly, for commuting, you won't find THAT much performance difference between a good older road bike and a newer $2,000 bike.

Originally posted by mike
Get a good older road bike for under $100.00. I'm with Mike.

Don't get a Dept. store bike, and don't spend a bunch of money upgrading your dad's bike.

Check thrift stores, the classifieds, pawn shops and yard sales. This time of year, people are cleaning things out, college students are going home, there are deals to be had.

Riderx, nice to see ya back on the forums.

I ride an older road bike with enough room and fittings for fenders and a luggage rack. Depending where you live, you can pick these up for $20-$100. Commuter bikes see much more use than sporting bikes, so it pays to get some bare minimum of quality. Replacing worn out components can get expensive.

Check if the police have sales of recoved stolen bikes as well as local paper , garage sales markets and auctions.

Originally posted by Joe Gardner
Riderx, nice to see ya back on the forums. Thanks Joe. I'm here more than you might think, just don't have as much time to post. Or else, I don't have anything worth saying! :D

In your shoes, I'd be looking for a 2- or 3-year old aluminum road bike, an 8-speed RSX or 105 STI that somebody who's been hard-bitten by the road bug and is upgrading to a Litespeed or something has decided to sell for $200-300.

Such a bike can be "uglified" with tape and stickers to look like old junk, making it safer to park outside. And, believe it or not, a MTB, even an X-Mart $89 special, is more of a target for bike thieves than any road bike, even a relatively nice one.

A 10 mile ride is enough of a ride to warrant a decent bike.

RichC

Originally posted by MichaelW
Commuter bikes see much more use than sporting bikes, so it pays to get some bare minimum of quality. Replacing worn out components can get expensive.

MichaelW said it - commuter bikes get a lot of use and abuse. Thus, they need more maintanance and parts replacements.

Get an older road bike and keep your eyes open for discarded bikes that you can use for parts.

For $15.00 at a yard sale, you can pick up a spare bike that will have just about anything you might need for a repair/replacement on your primary bike.

Buy three bikes and have one as a back-up in case your daily rider needs maintanance that you can't get to right away.