Commuting - good beginner commuter

hello! I did a "drive-test" of a possible route to work this morning....16.5 miles! one way! :eek:

I was thinking of converting my old crappy Giant Rincon mountain bike into a commuter...but...maybe I should get something a little better as a commuter bike? I do have a TCR carbon Composite, but I reaaaaaaaaaally dont want to use that as my commuter seeing as to how it is my one and only race bike. Any suggestions on a commuter? I was looking at the Trek XO 1. seems pretty nice if you can get a good deal (used). I cant seem to find any used bikes for cheap :( and cheap is defenitely what I need!

-omesh

I know how you feel.

I bought a new MTB last year and used it as a commuter. But then I pulled an old bike out of storage and decided to save the new mtb for real mtb riding.

Thing is, I hate the old bike. It's the same size and general layout as the newer mtb, but it just doesn't feel good.

So I switched back to the new bike.

If your old bike fits well and functions properly, then I'd say use it instead. Best to save the new bike for the quality miles. But if the old bike isn't a good fit, then don't use it.

I just bought a new Trek 520 as a commuter to replace my road racer from doing that job. I absolutely love it.

Here is the post where I talked about it. (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=184912#post184912)

It really is up to you what you want to ride. But you should keep in mind you want something that can stand up to the road conditions. I ride an old aluminum framed specialized right now but I have a steel framed Bianchi Grizzly MTB on layaway (hmm 2 more pay checks away :D ) that I plan on using for part of the year. I won't use my road bike for the commute afraid it might get hurt. As for a carbon frame you would probably want to save that for your fun rides. You could always look into cross bikes they are not as fast as road bikes but definitely more forgiving in tough road conditions, plus you do have the option of using skinny or fat tires on them. Presently I run fat tires in the winter and skinny in the summer.

i am not sure if i am mixtaken, a cross bike uses rougly the same size tires as a road bike (700cc?) or does it use the 26" mtb tires...the only thing im afraid of getting a true "road bike" for commuting is that around here in N. VA it isnt very bike friendly so I would be going up and down lots of curbs and possibly running over 'bumpy' areas. :crash:

-omesh

Hey Omesh,

I see you're from NOVA. I'm going to attempt to do my first commute this Friday. My route will be through Mt Vernon, down the trail to Old Town. Where's yours?

Use the old MTB for the commuter and buy yourself a new MTB for the trails! Commuting tends to make a bike look old and ugly anyways so you might as well start out with an old one. My 1992 Norco MTB commuter has slicks for the road, but can still jump curbs and go cross country for short cuts.

human bean:

springfield to Tysons corner :eek: :mad:

16.5 miles one way through N. VA traffic...*shudder* at the thought

That's rough even by car! I live near Springfield Mall and use to commute to Merrifield. Hated it. I at least will have a trail for most of the way when/if I start commuting by bike.

yes the use 700cc's and your rims are able to take varying widths up to at least 28cc's they take punishment better than a road bike (like curb hopping). Pineriders suggestion is a good one also MTB's make very good commuters, though slower.

I used to use a MTB bike for commuting and ended up buying a new Jamis Nova Cyclocross bike. It came with 38 tires and I put on some 23s (decent roads around here) and I have been very happy. It has mounts for racks for the front and rear (I use the rear with one pannier) and it is nice and durable.

I have been very happy with the bike and it has worked great for the last 6 months I have been using it. Definitely worth the $800 I spent on it. Now I just need to sell my MTB since I never use it.

Commuting is about as personal as your fingerprint. Whatever bike suits your personal fancy for the job is fine.

A workhorse needs to be functional, dependable, comfortable, trouble-free and able to carry extra loads. Speed is not important.

And yet, overall, if I were to select a new bike for the purpose, I'd go with a touring bike (like Sailguy's Trek 520 or something.)

But I am not made of money. I'd probably go to the thrift store and find a nice frame for refurbishing.

I'm not made of money either. But then one new bike every 8 years isn't bad. Esp. when still riding the old one which I bought used. Far cheaper than my neighbor who buys a new car every two years.

Originally posted by Sailguy
I'm not made of money either. But then one new bike every 8 years isn't bad. Esp. when still riding the old one which I bought used. Far cheaper than my neighbor who buys a new car every two years.
Aw, Sailguy! You're just looking for a way to spend more money on bikes!

;)

I find myself using my MTB on my commute simply because of the Gold Coast City Council's traditional habit of digging holes in perfectly good roads. :mad:

Shhh Pete... dont tell my wife!! :eek:

If you are handy with tools, you can do wonders with an old, used frame and some used parts. The bike I am fondest of is my first road bike I got used for $300 and have since rebuilt from the tires up as my one and only commuter. For 16 miles though, be sure to get a rack and panniers. A bag for that long can get really tiring. Make sure you have permanent fenders in case it starts raining unexpectedly. If you are on a mountain bike, try using slick tires and maybe some drop handlebars.

I would not use your good bike if it is a modern road bike. Commuting take a terrible toll on the bike. Better to use a bike with reliable downtube shifting, simple brake levers, and 7 speed drive train. (I just described my commuter to a T. Imagine that. :p )

Good luck. May you enjoy the commute and be safe.

Cyclo-cross or touring bikes make excellent commuters. The wheels are the same size as standard road bikes, but generally have stronger build and thicker tyres, so are more robust, and can easily cope with rough roads and good trails.
If you are going to leave your commuter bike unattended, it better not look to flash. Like many people I have an old-fashoined touring bike, picked up as a used frame. I had some nice wheels built up, and used components from the parts bin of my local bike shop, and had an effective and customised bike for less than £200.

Hey if your old mtb is comfortable use it .Commmuting is extremely hard on a bike ,why ruin your nice road bike.

I started on and old mtb and it worked ok with narrow slicks.I then went to a local thrift store and bought a old Fuji road bike for 30.00. The Fuji got converted into a single speed. With so much rain around here I did not want somethig to nice. The single speed makes a great commuter with it's low to no maintaince.

Bottom line ,don't spend alot or use your good bike for commuting.

Ride safe,Pat

I prefer road bars to flat bars, but this is personal. I think you should adapt your mountain bike to better suit your commuting needs. What do you need?

- Full fenders, preferably with mudflaps, to keep your body clean 365 days/year. Fenders also drastically reduce the need for maintenance, as the road grit doesn't fly into your bottom bracket. IMHO, it's only people riding in the desert that don't need fenders.

- Slicks. You will help your ride a lot if you change those knobby tires with relatively narrow, high pressure ones (say 26 x 1.5") with a smooth surface.

- Rack. Get a rear rack to tie your stuff onto it. At first, you might attach your backpack with bungee cords (watch for dangling straps, however); if things turn out well, get real panniers.


As for your road bike, it has a few flaws for commuting:
- it probably is too low and you can't put the handlebars higher;
- you probably can't fit tires wider than 700x25 or 28 (a good size would be 28 front and 32 rear); narrow tires are not comfortable on bumpy streets;
- you probably can't fit fenders;
- you will have a hard time to try to fit a rack.

If you prefer the riding style of the road bike, you should then look for a 1975-1985 used bike (a lighter-duty version of current touring bikes), a touring bike or a cyclocross bike. They offer a similar position to that of the road bike, but with the following differences:
- slightly higher position;
- braze-on points for racks, fenders, bottle holders...
- room for 700x32 or 37 tires with fenders
- lower gears (although not low enough for loaded touring -- see touring threads).

But before you invest, try your current mount first.

Regards,

As others have stated, speed is not a major issue with a commuter. You don't need a fancy bike, just a sturdy one. Two things I'd add: take the time to learn how to adjust and maintain your brakes, and make sure the tires you use (if you use an MTB) are pavement specific; i.e. slicks.

I find some MTB features, like suspension forks, seatposts, and frames, completely useless on a commuter. Added weight and minimal use.

I vary between an MTB style bike made into an urban assault vehicle, and an old but well maintained bike boom ten speed. Both work fine, neither are anywhere close to top of the line.