Commuting - Ultimate commuter/city bicycle?

Subject says it. What is it to you?

Is it a MTB with slicks? Is it a simple road bike with fenders? So, if you would fill in your answers to these questions maybe we can get a good discussion going :) Feel free to post URL's to your suggestions.

The only requirement is that it has to be an all-weather bike.

Frame type. Road? MTB? Hybrid? Specific model? New? Used?

Wheel size. 26"? 700C? other?

Tire size/type.

Drivetrain. Single Speed? Fixed? Derailer? Geared hub?

Brakes. Standard caliper or V? Discs? Coaster? Drum?

Storage: Rack+Panniers? Baskets? Trailer? Xtracycle?


Pardon me if I forgot anything!

Part of my motive is to get a nice thoughtful discussion going, but part of it is selfish too ;) I want to build myself a new bicycle for commuting and general city riding this winter.

My opinion:

Touring bike with 700x25 or 28 tires (depending on roads), fenders, rear rack with panniers and rain covers if needed. I guess it depends on how far you have to ride, but if more than 15 miles or so round trip, I would go with a touring bike or cyclocross bike over a mtb with slicks.

Reliable deraillers, shifters, and brakes (LX or XT). High-spoke count wheels. Tires should be Armadillos or something similar, with thick tubes or Mr. Tuffy's.

I'd go with a performance hybrid. currently I'm riding a Norco Volante (Canadian make)(linky (http://norco.com/bikes/2004bikes/volante.htm))

Pros:
-linear pull brakes (like MTBs, have more power than caliper brakes)
-flexibility in tires (go as thin as road racing tires, yet up to 35c for more comfort)
-tire size/speed (700c tires for speed, with higher gearing than a MTB)
-position (more aggressive than MTB, but more relaxed than road)
-weight (lighter than MTB, heavier than road bike)
-frame flexibility (hybrids easy to suit up with full fenders, racks)

Cons:
-no shocks for very bumpy roads (some comfort hybrids do have shocks, but often you're extremely upright body position then)
-lack the aerodynamic position of road bikes (should you want to get into racing)


Mind you the fact that you're building the bike is a big factor too. A hybrid wouldnt' need much anything changed (just adding some accessories). Whereas for a stock MTB or road bike, you might want to swap components for commuting.

Just a few thoughts,
-xan-

I use a Trek 520 Touring bike for my commute, and I have to say, I'm *VERY* happy with it. Not the fastest thing on the road, but not the slowest, either, and it can haul a load when I need it to. I keep up with most of the roadies, and pass all the mountain bikes.

Id rate a light-touring bike as the ultimate commuter. Deep drop calipers, up to 32mm tyres +fenders, rack, lights.
With horizontal dropouts you have the option of hub/fixed as well as derailleur gears.
I prefer touring drops (3TTT Morphe), but there's no reason you cant fit flats on the bike.
The ideal commuter is one you customise for your own conditions. You just have to be aware of the options, which extend way beyong anything you will see in the average big-brand bike shop.

Id rate a light-touring bike as the ultimate commuter. Deep drop calipers, up to 32mm tyres +fenders, rack, lights.
With horizontal dropouts you have the option of hub/fixed as well as derailleur gears.
I prefer touring drops (3TTT Morphe), but there's no reason you cant fit flats on the bike.
The ideal commuter is one you customise for your own conditions. You just have to be aware of the options, which extend way beyond anything you will see in the average big-brand bike shop.

I'd go with a performance hybrid. currently I'm riding a Norco Volante (Canadian make)(linky (http://norco.com/bikes/2004bikes/volante.htm))

Cons:
-no shocks for very bumpy roads (some comfort hybrids do have shocks, but often you're extremely upright body position then)
-xan-

I like the idea of a performance hybrid. Unfortunately, the bike you choose is made of hard alu and a low level chromoly frame like the crosscheck would be much better.

However, if you take this new Volante in New York City, I doubt it would last a month on the streets. After all the incidents I had with my folder when it was new, I'll NEVER commute with a new bike ever again. Now that my commuter is nice, dirty, scratched up and old, the kids leave it alone.

I would look for an old steel bike from Giant, Trek or Univega.

A track bike with no brakes and 25mm gatorskins :)

The only requirement is that it has to be an all-weather bike.

Frame type. Road? Hybrid? Specific model? New? Used? (you
pick but I prefer used)

Wheel size. 700C? (Yes, this is my choice)

Drivetrain. Derailer? Geared hub? (either one will do)

Brakes. Standard caliper or V? (yes, easy to maintain)

Storage: Rack+Panniers? Baskets? Trailer? Xtracycle? (all as
needed)
Fenders & rack? (YES! A must have.)

I'm also VERY interested in this type of bike altho I don't
think a bike like this is new by any means. Most folks'will
"run what ya brung" as a utility bike.

Thanks Everyone! Here are my personal picks but this is of course an open discussion. Lets focus on drivetrain too. WHY would you pick a certain kind?

Frame type. Road? MTB? Hybrid? Specific model? New? Used?
Used touring bike


Wheel size. 26"? 700C? other?
700C

Tire size/type.
700C/35 but I haven't tried it.

Drivetrain. Single Speed? Fixed? Derailer? Geared hub?
Split between SS and Geared hub

Brakes. Standard caliper or V? Discs? Coaster? Drum?
Was thinking Coaster rear, drum front, or geared hub with drum in back

Storage: Rack+Panniers? Baskets? Trailer? Xtracycle?
Rack+panniers, as you all said, adjust as needed.

I would say that a trailer is right out for commuting. I've dealt with one on tour, and have used one for grocery shopping from time to time, but I think that dealing with it everyday on my commute (i'm thinking parking/storing the bike here, mostly) is just a pain in the rear.

A touring bike has the mount points for front and rear racks and fenders.

For daily commuting, a pannier mounted bag of some sort (briefcase or backpack types being the most ideal for my situation) is a necessity. I cannot stand wearing a backpack or having a messenger bag over my shoulder when I'm riding for more than a mile or so.

Lets focus on drivetrain too. WHY would you pick a certain kind?

Drivetrain. Single Speed? Fixed? Derailer? Geared hub?
Split between SS and Geared hub

(IF you travel on flat a lot then the need for gears is
minimal. However, gearing of any type will make the ride
MUCH easier overall. Derailers offer much at a low cost
while internal gear hubs offer low maintaince but narrower
range.)

Brakes. Standard caliper or V? Discs? Coaster? Drum?
Was thinking Coaster rear, drum front, or geared hub with drum in back.

(overall any type of rim brake will be less costly and more effective than any drum/disk or coaster. by simple geometery
you are braking on the larger diameter of the wheel rather
than at the hub which strains the spokes big time.)

Kona Dr. Dew:

mine would be a ti road frame with a 48t chainring up front sram x.0 11-32 rear, with some tough as nails sealed hub cyclocross tires.. maybe some ksyriums, drop bars taped really poorly with cloth tape and cloth tape wrapped about the tubes of the frame in certain areas, also with a really tough sealed crankset and bb, good seald headset, panaracer roughy tuffies and some kevlar liners with kevlar tubes. and a good seat. i'd have to do some figuring with that shifter.


edit. change all gearing to a 14 speed rolhoff rear.

You haven't really described the terrain, weather, or destination enough to really be able to say much. The kind of bike you will want depends a lot on how far you're going, how hilly it is, how hot and cold it gets, availability of alternate transportation (for those sub -20 days), your physical condition, how much stuff you need to carry, availability of a shower at your destination, dress code at your destination, and storage at your destination.

There are five or six bicycle commuters at my office. Four of us regularly ride the same route of around 12 miles. We're riding a Steelman Eurocross (with new rack and a backpack on lots of gear days), a Specialized Sirrus (with rack), a Surly Crosscheck (with rack), and a Specialized Allez (with backpack). For summer, we're all running on a slick. The Eurocross and Allez have 23x700 Armadillos, the other two bikes have similar tires. I switch to cyclocross tires on the Eurocross for winter commuting but will probably try out Nokian studden tires for the icy part of late winter/early spring.

I'm hoping to get a trailer next month to pull two weeks of supplies with and then commute light for the rest of the two weeks.

It's really tough to buy a good commuting bike off the shop floor here the USA becuase my idea of a good commuting bike is not one of standard bike builds knocked out by Trek, Giant or the other big boys.

The drivetrain is the least important part of the bike. Cheaper derailers shift more clunky than the more pricey ones, but I wouldn't bet that a Dura Ace system is going to last one more mile than a Sora system. Remember. we're commuting here-- not racing or showing off to bike shop crowd/club riders. I've dug 25 year old bikes out of dumpster and almost always the derailers work. Internal hub gears last a really long time and are very cost effective.

I'd skip any suspention-- just something else to go wrong.

700 wheels are a little faster, but it's easier to find strong after market cheap 26" wheels. It's the rims that get trashed commuting-- sport bikers can coose not to ride on bad roads, in bad weather or in the dark. Commuters hit a lot more potholes and rough spots. Look for bikes that can take a 28-32mm tyre.

Fenders are a no brainer-- unless you like buying new chains and cassettes all the time. Rule #1 is keep the drivetrain clean and lubed.

Spending a 100 bucks on a light is good idea-- or even more. Waterproof panners and high end rain gear are helpful. In fact buying a old ten speed at Goodwill for 20 bucks and spending $450 on good tyres, panners, headlight, clothes is a way better idea than having a $600 bike and a no gear.

With all this said (sorry for the long post) I'd stick to a used bike or cheap hybrid. The bike isn't really total cost of everything you going to need to commute (50% maybe)
I got a 03 Fuji sarges for my brithday in May-- (my wife got it for $300 bucks at the bike shop on sale) It's a great commuter except the wheels are already out tune becuase the rims aren't that strong. So I'll be spending $300 on better wheels and tyres this winter for a $300 bike, to go with my $100 light, $60 rack, $120 trunk and panniers, $50 fenders (get SKS) and $60 rain gear and other commuter crap I've piled up over the years.

For all the money I have wrapped up in commuting I could have bought a pretty fine road bike and joined a club! Of cousre I have saved enough $$$$$ to pay for all the costs of my bike and gear and when I was poor, I got buy with much, much less.

I think it varies a lot depending on the specifics of your situation.

For me I have a 12 mile one way commute on a hilly high speed route. I don't think I would change much from my current set up. Steel frame cyclocross with fender/rack lugs (Surly Crosscheck) I ride it with fenders, but use a Carradice saddlebag instead of rack/panniers. Love the drops for the different hand positions and ability to get more streamlined in the prevailing afternoon headwind. 32 spoke wheels for strength and 700 c 25 slicks. Canti brakes, but wouldn't mind switching to V's. Couldn't live without the derailer cause of the hills ... I run out of gear for the long downhills but sometimes wish I had a triple for the steep uphills when I'm tired and loaded down going into the headwind on the way home. (36/48 with 12-25 cassette)

It's a nice setup and I sometimes pass dedicated road bikes, but if I couldn't store it in my office I probably would get someting a little more beat ;)

PS I love the Carradice bag ... tons of room, even for a few assorted files. I carry my clothes and leave shoes at work.

I perfer a light-touring road bike (2002 Bianchi San Remo) with campy triple chainring and rear 12-26 9-spd cassette. 700-28 armadillo nimbus tires with a rear-rack and a grocery sack to throw my backpack in. SPD pedals and 36-spoke MAVIC touring rims. Brakes are Avid-Shorty-6, and I have a kickstand! I got tired of having to lean my bike against things or trying to find somplace to lay it down without hurting it. Kickstands are COOL! :)

I would put fenders on my bike, but I'm not sure I have enough clearence between the top of my fork and the front wheel. In the rear, the bottom of the rack works to keep the road-grime off my back.

My commuting environment is mostly open/windy (hence the road-geometry) on rural flat roads, but sometimes I like to take the long-way home that has some nasty hills (hence the triple).

If I had different conditions I think my choice would change significantly, but for what I do, this is my choice in bikes.

(Forgot to mention that storage at my workplace is VERY secure, otherwise I'd ride something cheaper)

Here's mine, considering it has to work in 30+C summer heat and through snowy icy streets in -30-C.

Frame - cromo mtb
Drivetrain - geared hub with sealed cables to keep the slush out, say the performance Nexus 8
Brakes - hub in rear, mech disc in front
Wheels - 26" mtb wheels, slicks in summer, spikers in winter
Fenders - yup, but easily removable for when everything is dry or frozen
Peddles - 1 side clipless, 1 side flat, like a Shimano 324
Misc - flat bar, 100mm 5deg stem, nice alm crank, etc

Price - I'd be willing to pay about 800cdn for a bike like that.

Subject says it. What is it to you?



70s-80s steel roadie converted to fixed/free
fenders
perhaps a rack/panniers or a carradice
brooks saddle (either b17 or b67)
moustache bars
700 x 32c touring tires (schwalbe marathons, etc.)
eggbeaters

in winter,
add dyno-hub in front to power front and rear lights.
switch to 'cross tires.

this, for a 25-30 mile roundtrip, year round.

Must-haves:
Fenders, chainguard, internal gears, disk or drum brakes, hub generator, rack.
Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires in the summer; Nokian 106 Haks in the winter.

A trailer is good for dropping off kids on the way to work, snagging groceries. When I don't need to do this, I leave the trailer at home and carry only a U-lock and rain gear.

Probably cheaper to start with something like a Utopia, Kettler, a Breezer than with a recreational bike. In particular, chainguards are hard to find.

Paul

after commuting for a while, I think that probably the best bike for a commute would be an aluminum SS mountain bike (w/rigid fork). something like that would not be hurt by salty roads, rain or grit a whole lot. I would choose drop bars for a longer, less-traffiked commute, and flat bars for a more city-like commute. I would probably want rhyno lites with a fairly fat slick that wouldn't puncture too easily. v-brakes front and rear, I say this becuase disks are too flashy, and i think would get ripped off too easily.

of course this all depends on the circunstances of your commute. if you can change your clothes, I'd go without fenders, mostly becuase they limit your tire size, and they dont look cool. if you ride in the dark a lot, I'd get a light, but not a hub generator type of light, just becuase they are really expensive. if your commute is over 5-6 miles, i'd go with a trunk rack instead of a backpack. shorter that though, a backpack is fine.

my bike :

cheap 1989 China made road bike carbon frame (That's all I can afford)
wheel size = 27"
drive train = SS (It is too heavy with gear... gotta throw it)
brake = standard or V
storage = rack

weather = no snow but lots of rain
distance = 25 km 2 ways but I am starting on 40 - 50 this week
conclusion : I love my roadie, why would anybody want to buy a bicycle that is so expensive ??

Kona Dr. Dew:

That thing would be stolen here quicker than I can steal stuff from work.

For urban assault, I prefer an hardtail MTB with 26 inch semi slick Armadillo Hemispheres. I like the tough wheel/tire combination so I don't have to be picky about debris and potholes. Disk brakes are also nice so you don't have to deal with brake fade in the rain.

An MTB is also easier to get onto busses and trains since it's smaller.

I think a light touring/cyclocross is the best bike for commuting (most light touring and cyclocross bikes have similar frames). With commuters, you need a good balance of performance, function and comfort, and cyclocross bikes fit the bill perfectly. They're more stable than straight road bikes, but nearly as fast. Cyclocross bikes are much faster than mountain bikes. They don't have the cargo capacity of a true loaded touring bike (like Trek 520), but with panniers they have plenty of space for commuting gear (clothes, etc.)

Though some people swear by them, I don't think a loaded touring bike is a good choice for commuting unless you only want one bike and actually plan on doing loaded tours. Loaded touring bikes are slow, and less stable when they aren't fully loaded because of the geometry. Before I got my bike, I tried out the Trek 520 (unloaded) and it felt less stable on fast decents than my cyclocross.

my bike :

conclusion : I love my roadie, why would anybody want to buy a bicycle that is so expensive ??

By "so expensive", I assume you mean very expensive. There are a bunch of reasons to buy an expensive commuter bike that I can think of (some better than others):

1. Severity of climate. Cheaper components are more likely to fail in serious weather conditions, making them not cheaper and, at least in the frozen North, potentially life threatening.

2. Severity of terrain/distance. A road bike may work for you, but some people may have a more hilly climb, or perhaps roads in worse conditions to commute over.

3. Speed of commute. A bike with expensive components may allow a rider to reach the far side of their commute faster.

4. Multi-purpose use. If a person wants to tour, race (on or off road), or whatever, they may need a bike for more than just their commute.

5. Comfort. A more expensive bike may have more comfort features that a person wants, such as a nicer seat, handlebars, shifters, etc. that make the ride more pleasant.

6. Coolness. A nice ride can be a sign of your individuality, your strong interest in cycling, or just your wealth. (A nice thing about bikes over cars is that just having a cool ride is almost never enough to look cool, you need to have some legs to back it up.)

Thank you for everyones great input on this subject. I've come to the conclusion that there is no "ultimate" commuter in general but that each person has their own needs/wants that defines what their ultimate commuter is.

I'm going to start searching for a road frame for mine, and go from there. 700c's but it will be geared hub in the back, so that'll mean horizontal dropouts. A drum brake in front and coaster or drum in the back will get me stoppinig power, and some Armadillo tires should round it out. Not sure about the handlebar arrangement. Will use whatever is comfortable I guess.

Anyhow thanks again for everyones input, I learned alot :)

Kona Dr. Dew:
That looks nice, I would ride that to work ,no trouble :D

Thank you for everyones great input on this subject. I've come to the conclusion that there is no "ultimate" commuter in general but that each person has their own needs/wants that defines what their ultimate commuter is.

I'm going to start searching for a road frame for mine, and go from there. 700c's but it will be geared hub in the back, so that'll mean horizontal dropouts. A drum brake in front and coaster or drum in the back will get me stoppinig power, and some Armadillo tires should round it out. Not sure about the handlebar arrangement. Will use whatever is comfortable I guess.

Anyhow thanks again for everyones input, I learned alot :)

This sounds like a very expensive project. If I were going for a hub geared commuter bicycle, it would be the Breezer bikes plain an simple. Trying to convert an old road bike frame to a Nexus 8 with a drum brake up front is a major project that will probably cost more than the Breezer bike.

I have two bikes with the Nexus 7 with a roller brake and you really don't need a drum brake up front. The calliper up front is fine and you really won't need it most of the time unless you're going down a huge hill and need to stop. The roller brake on the Nexus will stop you 90% of the time.

Probably the only thing I don't like about the Breezer is the hard Alu frame but would choose that over building the type of bike you're thinking of building.

Good luck

I'd have to agree with Steve on the buy versus build issue here. You will probably come out ahead buying a bike designed for commuting then building it up. Finding a frame with horizontal dropouts will not be easy -- you may have to order a new one. That costs. Of course, if you enjoy mechanics and really want a custom bike that suits your needs, then that is the way to go.

Paul

Touring bike with 700x25 or 28 tires (depending on roads), fenders, rear rack with panniers and rain covers if needed. I guess it depends on how far you have to ride, but if more than 15 miles or so round trip, I would go with a touring bike or cyclocross bike over a mtb with slicks.
Quote

Something like this.....or that

More great info! I have looked at the breezer bikes too, and they definitely caught my eye. We'll see what kind of budget I'll have when the time comes, I may just end up with something completely different... or a breezer! Never know.

The Thorn Raven is designed as the ultimate commuter bike. It has a lightweight quality frame, with Rohloff gears.
sjscycles.com

The Thorn Raven is designed as the ultimate commuter bike. It has a lightweight quality frame, with Rohloff gears.
sjscycles.com

Not quite as tricked out as the Thorn, but I like where Burley has been going with commuters...

Burley Runabout 7 (http://www.burley.com/products/commuter-bikes/default.aspx?p=Runabout-7&i=1)

http://members.101freeway.com/davidm/MyWebsite/commuter_bicycles.htm

Here's another site that has an extensive list of commuter bikes.

This is a subject I need to "stop" thinking about .....

My route to work is such a mixed bag of rural and city that no matter what I pick is a compromise. The ultimate in versatility seems to be a Rohloff geared cyclocross bike with fenders and a rack. My experience searching for the ultimate bike has taught me that what I think is ideal on paper doesn't necessarily have that "feel". You know the feel of that perfect fit and geometry and karma that makes you wanna quit work and do that global tour.

This is a subject I need to "stop" thinking about .....

My route to work is such a mixed bag of rural and city that no matter what I pick is a compromise. The ultimate in versatility seems to be a Rohloff geared cyclocross bike with fenders and a rack. My experience searching for the ultimate bike has taught me that what I think is ideal on paper doesn't necessarily have that "feel". You know the feel of that perfect fit and geometry and karma that makes you wanna quit work and do that global tour.

A rohloff geared cyclocross would be a mark for bike crooks. They would only need pair of wire clippers to brake all the spokes and walk off with the hub. Lets not forget the weight of that hub and friction losses would do wonders on the hills out in rural areas.

I'm probably stepping into a minefield here, but...

I've been riding (and selling) the Giant Lite electric bike for the past couple months and absolutely love it. Before I hear any kvetching about the weight... 47 lbs (with battery, motor, 4 speed Nexus). Heavy? Sure, but I can easily get to 30 km/h in a 3 or 4 seconds, climb hills at double the speed of un-assisted cyclists, and choose my level of exertion depending on mood/needs and not the terrain. Fair trade ;)

This ain't your wacky Uncle Harrold's electric bike, with a couple of car batteries bungied onto his homemade rack, powering a car wiper motor that rubs against his back wheel. The Lite is a pretty slick looking bike and gets pleanty of compliments before people even realize it is electric:

http://www.voltage-ev.com/images/products/giant/lite_slope.jpg

I'm not in great shape (but getting there) and did my 25 km ride to work yesterday in just under 45 minutes. Not too shabby...

Is the bike perfect? Nope. Ideally, I'd love a little more aggressive riding postion (it's pretty upright), and I will be fitting a Nexus 8 to one in the near future, but the stock bike is spot-on for casual riding in hilly areas.

Even just for kicks, next time your in your local Giant delaer, see if they have one and would let you take it for a spin. Even if you don't like or need it, maybe your (husband/wife/aunt/friend/Uncle Harrold, etc...) would consider riding a bike if the barrier to a quick and speedy commute was lowered a little...

A rohloff geared cyclocross would be a mark for bike crooks. They would only need pair of wire clippers to brake all the spokes and walk off with the hub. Lets not forget the weight of that hub and friction losses would do wonders on the hills out in rural areas.

I would never spend $1000 on a wheel ... must be the Irish in me. The bike I use for commuting is an old school mtb with rack and fenders and it's perfect for my situation. My backup is a made in Chicago Schwinn Collegiate 10 speed.

The problem I would have with commuting on a hub geared bike is the inability to back pedal. I would need to relearn starting and stopping. I'll probably stick with deraileurs.

I would never spend $1000 on a wheel ... must be the Irish in me. The bike I use for commuting is an old school mtb with rack and fenders and it's perfect for my situation. My backup is a made in Chicago Schwinn Collegiate 10 speed.

The problem I would have with commuting on a hub geared bike is the inability to back pedal. I would need to relearn starting and stopping. I'll probably stick with deraileurs.

Hmmmm.... yes a few internally geared hub bikes also include a coaster brake, but as best I can tell most do not. We have three different bikes (2 shimano Nexus 7 and 1 SRAM 7) with hub gears... one has a lever controlled drum brake and the other two uses V-brakes. Back pedal to your heart's content.

Kona Dr. Dew:

That would NOT be a good commuter for me. Chances are I would never get to workplace. I would get everywhere else though :D.

--J

A quick question for the nexis hub riders.... can you petal backwards at a stop and down shift? (I can do this with a old 3 speed I have-- makes up for the beast weighing 45 lbs)

Not only can you pedal back and down shift - you don't have to pedal at all to shift! Absolutley the coolest thing about hub gears.

You most certainly can backpedal with a hub geared bike, unless a coaster brake has been fitted. Just think of it as an old three speed with 10-20 pounds less weight and twice the range of gear ratios. In urban cycling, the ability to shift while stopped at a light is a benefit, as it allows one spin away in low gear from all stoplights. It is highly amusing to come up alongside a Spandex person at a stop and drop him like a rock as soon as the light turns. Of course the fun only lasts for a block or so -- unless the next block is also a stop.

Paul

Thanks Everyone! Here are my personal picks but this is of course an open discussion. Lets focus on drivetrain too. WHY would you pick a certain kind?

Frame type. Road? MTB? Hybrid? Specific model? New? Used?
Used touring bike


Wheel size. 26"? 700C? other?
700C

Tire size/type.
700C/35 but I haven't tried it.

Drivetrain. Single Speed? Fixed? Derailer? Geared hub?
Split between SS and Geared hub

Brakes. Standard caliper or V? Discs? Coaster? Drum?
Was thinking Coaster rear, drum front, or geared hub with drum in back

Storage: Rack+Panniers? Baskets? Trailer? Xtracycle?
Rack+panniers, as you all said, adjust as needed.


You have described a bike a lot like my primary commuter!
FRAME - old, used early-80s Schwinn Voyageur touring frame, original raggedy paint job.
WHEELS - rear is a 48 spoke Mavic T519 700c touring rim. Front is generic 36 spoke
TIRES - Specialized Infinity Armadillo, 32 mm front, 35 mm rear, with Tuffy tire liners and thorn resistant tubes
DRIVETRAIN - Single 39 T chainring, 9 sp rear, LX rear der
BRAKES - The original Shimano centerpulls
STORAGE - heavy duty rack with Ortlieb waterproof panniers.
LIGHTS - (my morning commute is in the dark year round) Optronics Halogen auto driving light for headlight with 35 W lamp, 2 red 8-led trailer marker lights with reflective lenses for rear, 5 amp hour SLA battery in Carlon junction box.
I assembled this bike with a few criteria in mind:
ANY WEATHER
ANY TIME
ANY TERRAIN (OK, if I were going off road up the Rockies I would put on a different chainring, cassette and tires)

My secondary commuter is fixie on an old steel Trek frame with 28 mm Avocet Cross II K tires. These are my favorite commuting tire because of the tread design and 28 mm availibility though the Specialized are good, and I can get them at my LBS.

I love my Bianchi Milano with a Nexus 7-speed hub and chainguard and fenders. For a while, I put sort of drop bars on it (mustache) for longer commutes. But for shorter commutes, I can wear all but a business suit while riding it, and it's gotten me more compliments than any of the racing bikes I've ever had. And you can get it in Celeste green for about $500 or so...

I did upgrade the saddle to a Brooks b17 - couldn't resist, and it's just beautiful on the bike. The frame is aluminum, but heavy.

http://home.comcast.net/~a0000004/db_night1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~a0000004/db_night2.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~a0000004/db_night3.jpg

In urban cycling, the ability to shift while stopped at a light is a benefit, as it allows one spin away in low gear from all stoplights. It is highly amusing to come up alongside a Spandex person at a stop and drop him like a rock as soon as the light turns. Of course the fun only lasts for a block or so -- unless the next block is also a stop.

Paul

I still don't see the advantage. How hard is it to downshift a couple gears with a regular derailleur equipped bike as you're rolling up to the light?

If beating Mr. Spandex off the line is your thing just ride a fixie and track-stand the light. You'll be half a block down while he's still trying to clip in ;)

-Trevor

Sort of like this.....

Corsaire