Commuting - El Cheapo

Let's try that again.

How do you rate yourself as a bicycle commuter, as far as cash expenditures for your art form go?

I had to go with, "What was the question?"

I have done mostly all of it, at one time or another.

Combination of the above, but mainly second-hand items off craigslist or ebay.

Well, right now I am big on pricing things for my bike online (especially eBay and some online retailers). I have just found a $70 saddle for it for about $38, so I am happy with doing that...I come from a fairly well to do family but still enjoy finding a good online deal as my parents are not the type to give out any significant amount of money, much less to buy things for my bike.

~James~

I've a friend who tries his hand at experimenting (making bags from napsacks, making his own light and over all experimentation with lots of "x-mart" stuff).

I'm a bit the other way. I like to buy existing stuff (usually mail order as I voted but that is because my LBS usually don't carry much)... Well like I said I like to buy stuff and mix and match... Custom cassette configurations, mix of mountain and road components on tourer... Instead of building lighting systems from x-mart parts, go industrial and get them from industrial companies (chargers, batteries, bulbs etc)...

I tend to favor paying more for something that is already "invented" instead of "re-inventing" something and risking it breaking... I concentrate of where I perceve weaknesses (batteries and chargers are a good example) and try to find alternatives for them...

Probably my most non-conventional invention was after I converted to 12v for lighting (took existing 6-volt halogen bike lights and swapped the bulbs for 12v and replaced batt and charger... it cost less to run)... I found that I could also power a car horn with the 12V battery I chose (12v 5Ah)... So now I can give a good BLAST to the cars when they try to cut me off... Works really well when they encroch into the bike lane and I'm in their blind spot (which of course I try to avoid but it happens)...

I don't believe in trying to re-use-continue-to-use such things as 5/6/7speed bikes (only got one 8-speed left)...

I tend to wait about 2 years before adopting a new technology as usually the kinks are worked out and the prices are falling...

Ok... Time for me to stop typing :) Your turn!

Probably my most non-conventional invention was after I converted to 12v for lighting...I found that I could also power a car horn with the 12V battery I chose (12v 5Ah)... So now I can give a good BLAST to the cars when they try to cut me off...
I recently made my own 12V light. When I was in the auto parts store, I noticed the 12V horns and thought, "Hm, I bet that would work." But I chickened out.

I'm rethinking that, now. Lights aren't the only thing you can run from a 12V battery.

I ain't no commuter, but I sure am cheap.

On-line at eBay or anywhere else I can find a good deal. I especially like those Performance, Nashbar, Jensen, etc. coupons when I must buy new.

I have been known to pirate parts from one bike to another but I mainly buy parts from one of my LBS (one is a used parts guy) I try and give them the hardware business and buy my clothing and what not off the net

I shall never tell harharharharharharhar!!!!!!

Fun as this one may be, I can't answer. Like many of us I use a combination of sources:
1) Thrift stores and throw outs. Strip what I want/need and sell the rest on...
2) Ebay, which is completely invaluable to someone like me, who has french threaded bikes. If you go into an LBS around here and ask for french threaded parts, they will either a) stare at you dumbly, or b) quote you a ridiculous price. Between ebay and thrifts, I now have a sustantial number of spare headsets and bottom brackets.
3) Online for some stuff, including tools and the occasional part.
4) LBS as a course of last resort.

When in the bike shop, I'll usually purchase all the stuff there. However, I've bought blinkies and locks and sundry other small-ticket items from Rite-Aid or department stores, and clothing and backpacks from Burlington Coat Factory, Goodwill, and the Salvation Army outlet. Gloves and Cycling shorts I've found on eBay. Gather ye bargains where ye may.

Also all of the above for me. Finding the bargains & rare parts is half the fun of owning the bikes! I guess I qualify for "El Cheapo" status but am willing to pay the price when necessary. There are several good local bike shops but one is outstanding & I try to buy from him when I can. Don

I usually spend too much time on-line researching the tech in & outs to have the time to hunt bargains at the thrift stores or yard sales. Certainly for bikes, with a 700mm standover'it is hard enough to find anything to fit me; to hope to find something that fits and is a bargain. I get most of my degreasers, lubricants, and tools from LBS, shorts from Performance, and most of the rest of my gear from STP/Campmor/REI. I like to fiddle with things: made a handlebar space extender from a broom handle & old seatpost light clamp, my first taillight was a 10W Marwi helmet light that I taped a Pet ID tag reflector on, and then there was the turkey rack under my sagging trunk rack...

My LBS, Tom Sawyer Bikes, Wichita, KS-- great little shop with 1st class service.

Props.

That's a trick question! I voted for the shopping on line, BUT what I really do is shop for the best price and to get as much information as I can on line THEN I go to my LBS, and 9 times out of 10 they have it for the same price or within a dollar of two so I buy it from the LBS.

I don't commute (I would get run down and killed if I tried to commute along the major Texas highway that I live on). But whatever parts I get are parts I get from my LBS.

I marked that I get it at my LBS, which is true for the most part. I get as much as I can from my LBS, but I will admit to being a shameless online bottom feeder. I will jump all over a clearance deal at a fantastic price. For the most part this is stuff that either my LBS does not carry or I would not ordinarily buy anyway.

My first commuter was a birthday present. $0 (wife spent $50)

Didn't take care of it and it lasted 1 year.

Second commuter was borrowed from a friend who didn't ride it ($0).

Took care of it and used it for 2 years untill I went to a police aucton and bought my third commutter for $90. Decent bike with Ishawata chro-moly tubing

That lasted 11 years.

Fourth commuter I pieced together from parts bought at my favorite consignment shop. It was a "nice weather" bike. Columbus tubing, 600/Dura ace components. All together, paid $400.

After 4 years it was hit by a car, and the nice weather bike was destroyed.

Insurance company gave me the assesed value of $1600 for it. Went out to a shop a bought a new bike for the first time. (Cannondale) I guess I spent the money, but I think money from insurance doesn't count.

Sixth bike has to replace third bike as third bike's frame has rusted through. (this followed the fork rusting through and six wheel replacements - don't ask about how many parts worn out)

Looked at my favorite consignment shop and bought my sixth (vitus tubing, Shimano/Campagnolo parts) for $180. (this better last me twice as long as my third commuter)

Outside of regular replacement parts - chains, cogs, tires, brake pads, - I've rarely bought new. Actually, I take back the brake blocks as bought new, I usually salvage them from throw away brake calipers for use on the rain bike, I buy new ones for the sunshine bike (they don't wear out near as much as the ones on the rain bike). I bought 1 new derailer for 6 used ones. Tried buying used tires for a while, but that was a waste. Everything else I've picked up used and unwanted for very little.

The trick is to pick the stuff up when you don't need it. Then you can wait for the best deals to come to you.

This post reminds me of the one that ran in November, "Cost per Mile?" where I was suprised that many shelled out much more cash for bike stuff than I would.

A quarter of the respondents paid more for biking than I pay for my car! :eek:

I enjoy the scavenging aspect of cycling. I've noticed that while shopping I've taken to ruminating in the hardware aisles over this doodad or that gizmo, searching my mind for an idea as to how to use the item on the bike. Nigh-obsessional behavior, that. I think it's a good thing I'm not particularly 'handy', else my bike would weigh 100 lbs.

I love used parts, mostly from thrift stores and lbs for cables, rubber ect. I like to re-cycle the cycle stuff.
disposable society ills me so I try to not buy new and fix what I can- I learn that way too!- am typing on a computer I rebuilt- my mtb bike has gone down to around 22 lbs, way retro- and has cost 250$ as is rolling today.
( I should be in the vintage thread, but not OLD enough )
I like the road racing bike collectors w\ the old ital frames.
Not seen a lot of collector mtb, guess the riding style tends to wreck em.

You haven't seen a lot of collector mtb's because there aren't any. If you read the history of mtb's you will see that they are barely 25 years old and didn't actually start becoming popular until the 90's. Thus, not much in the way of old ones. A friend has a Stumpjumper from the early 80's. Lugged steel and probably weighs almost 15 pounds without any wheels, components, whatever. Very heavy. But rock solid. MTB's last long enough. Just haven't been around that long.

Well maybe I'm in a very small category --
I have but one bike, acquired through an insurance settlement
when my '79 Romic got stolen. I don't have extra $$ for a second bike
of any type, even a beater, plus I'm six-eight so size is definitely
an issue.

So, I happily cruise to work and back on an '00 IF Club Racer.

I feel sort of like an old man in a Cadillac, but what the hell,
I love my bike and it goes REAL FAST :D

Someday I'd love to scrounge up a beater MTB for the rare occasion
we get frozen precipitation, and put Nokians on it, but again,
size is an issue here, and....

...what was the question?

The commuter gets a combination of bargain parts from online (mostly Performance or eBay) and the LBS, mixed with a smattering of hand-me-down parts from replacements on the better bikes, and salvaged parts from retired or discarded rides.