Commuting - New commuter in need of advice

Hi there, I am a very new commuter. I have been lurking here for about a week, and read some great advice somewhere here about taking your bike in to work with you on a Friday morning, and riding home after work, and then riding back on Saturday to pick up the car as a sort of "test commute". Well, I did it, and it wasn't so bad, I think I will be doing it on most days if it stays dry.

Here's the questions though... I have been doing longer rides on weekends (30-45 miles) and my fingers keep going numb. I am riding a Specialized Rockhopper with bar ends on the handlebars, but I find the bar ends to be too thin and hard. Is there a way to make them thicker or cushier? Maybe wrapping some kind of foam around them, or would that make them unstable? What kind of fenders are best for a mountain bike, or do they even make them? And, how do I get my D*mn light to stay on the little clippy thing... it slips off and crashes into the road every time I go over a pothole. (lots of potholes here in Vermont...) What about rain? I would really like to ride in the rain, but have never done it, and am a little worried about slippery roads.

Any advice would be appreciated. Oh, my commute is 12 miles with a REALLY big hill about 2 miles from my house (uphill on the way in).

Thanks so much, Kim

I'll chime in on the rain bit, because I actively seek it whenever I can. Rain isn't really a big deal as far as making the roads overly slippery is concerned. In fact, heavy rain will make them considerably less slippery by washing away the oil buildup on the road. However, light rain can be a problem because the oil just sits on the top. The best thing to do is to take it a little easier. Take the corners slower and don't lean into them. Brake earlier for traffic lights and such to allow yourself an extra couple of seconds to slow down, and try to avoid slamming on the brakes if possible (you might consider riding slightly slower to facilitate this).

In answer to your light question, you might need to provide a little more information. What brand of light is it? What type of mounting system does it have?

The light is a Trek LED that clips into a track sort of thingy. It makes a "click" when it clips in and there is a release button to get it off the mount, but any hard bump makes it fall off. Hope this helps!

It helps some, I think I had a light like that once (a Trek in anycase). I understand the mount has a screw that tightens it, would that be correct? Is the whole mount coming off or just the light? If it's the whole mount, try positioning it closer to the centre of the handlebars. If it's just the light, examine the mount carefully, something very small may be broken.

The mount is a little loose. The guy at the bike shop said that he was going to leave it a little loose until I figured out what angle I wanted it at. Maybe that was a bad idea? The mount stays on, it is the light that comes unclipped from the mount. I will check it in the daylight tomorrow though, and tighten the screw. Thanks again!

You could wrap your bar ends with road bike bar tape. It will make them thicker and add padding.

If you have knobby tires, consider getting some slicks. Specialized Armadillo Hemisphere or Nimbus are good choices for commuting. Fewer flats (if any) and less rolling resistance.

Replace the light with a different model or run some duct tape around it to hold it down.

There are plenty of fenders for MTBs. Check Performance, Nashbar, your local bike shop, etc.

You'll need to figure out how to get your work clothes to work and how to get cleaned up when you get there. Some people drive in on Monday with a weeks worth of clothes they leave behind. Some take a change of clothes. You can haul your clothes on a backpack, but depending on the heat and length of commute, you might find that uncomfortable. I prefer a large Carradice saddlebag (actually one of their smaller ones) that are available from www.wallbike.com or www.harriscyclery.com. Some people use one or two panniers. If you don't have a shower at work, remember that baby wipes are your friend.

Good luck with your commute and welcome to the club. Smile every time you pass a gas station.

I was wondering about tape for the bar ends. Does it last, or do you have to keep replacing it/adding more?

I have "city boy" tires right now, which are still pretty knobby. I am going to be getting some slicks, but they are low priority right now. A pump, spare tube and a rack are at the top of my list right now.

Duct Tape sounds like an excellent idea, it would make it much less likely to be stolen as well I would think.

As for work clothes, I am going to be carrying them in a backpack for now until I get a rack. I have some old panniers, but they don't close, they are really only made for holding grocery bags, but I think I can put a bag in them. I need to get a rack to attach them to though.

And, last but not least, luckily there are showers where I work, and I have a locker that is pretty big, so I can keep a towel, and supplies in there.

Thanks for the welcome, I am already grinning at just the idea of filling my tank less often!

A roll of duct tape is also useful to carry with you. You can't imagine just how many uses you can find for it in the case of a road-side breakdown.

Wow it sounds like you have the same problems I had when I started. Get your pump, a seat bag, and a tube repair kit (I use the stick-on ones) and get some better lighting. Slicks are a must, make it a priority. I run 1.5's but will run 1.0's when I have the $$ for the tires and tubes for that size. Take the same precautions as you would in a car for rain. Visibility is the biggest limiting factor that I noticed.

Have fun!

Ok, maybe this is a dumb question, but what are 1.5's and 1.0's?

1.5 and 1.0 refers to the width of the tyre -- in inches. I'm running 1.9's, but that's only for Queensland's notorious "roads".

See if your local bike shop has a used rack just lyin' around. Maybe they carry cork handlebar tape, & some gel gloves to give a little cushion.

Glad to hear that your givin' it a try, and if that hill gives you a hard time just remember that you were given two feet long before you got a bike.

Are you wearing any gloves. These will absorb some of the stress, but more importatnly will protect your hands from being seriously lacerated if you crash.
Numb hands are caused by pressure on a nerve. Use bar tape to re-shape your grips to place the pressure in the palm of your hands, not the edge (like a modern power drip handle). I use bits of old inner tube for padding.
Off road fenders have lots of clearance for mud, but for road riding, the closer they are the better they work. Full length fenders attatched to the threaded eyelets on your frame work best.

Gloves really helped me with numbness.

As far as rain, I just got some Nimbus EX tires and I like them. Haven't ridden them in the rain, but have in the aftermath and it wasn't so bad. The only thing I hate about riding int he rain is water on my glasses intefering with my vision.

Are you wearing any gloves. These will absorb some of the stress, but more importatnly will protect your hands from being seriously lacerated if you crash.
Numb hands are caused by pressure on a nerve. Use bar tape to re-shape your grips to place the pressure in the palm of your hands, not the edge (like a modern power drip handle). I use bits of old inner tube for padding.
Off road fenders have lots of clearance for mud, but for road riding, the closer they are the better they work. Full length fenders attatched to the threaded eyelets on your frame work best.
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What a fantabulous idea about wrapping the grips to prevent the pressure point on the heel of my hands!! I hadn't thought about that. I had these really old, crappy gloves, but bought some new ones today that have much more padding. I hadn't thought about hand protection during a crash before either, good point.

I actually am bikeless for the moment. My bike shop keeps "repairing" the gears on my bike, but it keeps doing the same thing. (Not shifting into the smallest gear in the front) They keep replacing parts, but at least have stopped charging me labor, so hopefully I will be back on the road by the end of the week. I was looking forward to this week being my first full week of commuting every day. Ah well, guess there's always next week. (and the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that....)

You can buy foam grips for your bar ends. Mine came in 8 or 9" lengths in a package of 4 for $9. It was branded Giant. I just cut to size and it works fine on the bar ends, or even as regular grips.

What kind of fenders are best for a mountain bike, or do they even make them? And, how do I get my D*mn light to stay on the little clippy thing... it slips off and crashes into the road every time I go over a pothole. (lots of potholes here in Vermont...) What about rain? I would really like to ride in the rain, but have never done it, and am a little worried about slippery roads.

Any advice would be appreciated. Oh, my commute is 12 miles with a REALLY big hill about 2 miles from my house (uphill on the way in).

Thanks so much, Kim
You will find many fenders available at your lbs. Most will be the plastic clip-on's. Some people hate thatem with a passion & others, like myself, think they are ok. It really depends on how much coverage you want from the water that will be thrown off your tires. I just want to keep the back of my shorts from being covered in guck & the downtube will keep most of the guck from the front side.

As for rain, on the nice warm days of summer, it keeps one cool. Even on the colder days as long as you are heading indoors after a ride, it's not so bad & still, it helps you cool down. I ride all-weather conditions until the beginning of December. The winters in Quebec, much like VT, can get pretty rough & cold.

Have fun out there!

Thank-You all for the great advice and encouragement. I am looking forward to my commute through at least early December. I am really hoping to do some winter biking, but I am not so sure about the snow. I have a friend who bikes in the winter, but how do you deal with snow on the roads? What about when big snowbanks make the roads skinnier?
Bsyptak, I will have to look for those bar end foam grips. They sound great! Thanks for the tip.

I dont commute in the winter now, but when I did, I would take bus or car for a couple of days after a snowstorm. Then I would ride close to the edge of the ploughed area. I didnt find any problem riding through new snow if it started snowing while I was at work, and cars always gave me more room when passing, because they were scared that I would fall in front of them. My son commutes all winter and he has Nokian studded tires on his winter bike. Potholes get filled with ice in the winter which gives a smoother ride. The sound of people scraping ice off windshields and trying to start their cars with tired batteries is music to the ears.

What a fantabulous idea about wrapping the grips to prevent the pressure point on the heel of my hands!! I hadn't thought about that. ...

Unless you find foam grips that fit on the bar ends, I would go with "cork" tape made for road bikes. It's fairly resistant, unless you actually scrape the tape on brick walls, branches and the like. Another point you could check is the angle of your bars (if they aren't totally straight) and especially of your bar ends. Usually, there is a small Allen bolt that you need to unscrew, then rotate the bar ends, then you tighten it again. I have no experience with straight bars – except for my daughter's trailercycle – but on touring bikes, it's incredible how rotating the bars by a few degrees improves comfort a lot.



I actually am bikeless for the moment. My bike shop keeps "repairing" the gears on my bike, but it keeps doing the same thing. (Not shifting into the smallest gear in the front) ....

Read Sheldon Brown's pages (http://sheldonbrown.com) and Park Tools" pages (http://parktools.com) . Both have hands on lessons on how to adjust your derailleur... which I think is the only (minor) problem your bike has. Not too hard to understand once you see the pictures.


Regarding fenders. I'm part of the "every bike should have fenders" camp. If you want to commute late at fall and even through Winter – why not? –, full fenders and mudflaps are the way to go. The only drawbacks to full fenders, I think are:
- geekiness factor (I don't care);
- riding in mud, because it packs under the fenders.

If you only ride on asphalt, snow and even on gravel or sand roads, I would prefer permanently installed fenders because you get real coverage. You could even add a mudflap such as shown on Alex Wetmore's page (http://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes) for total protection of your feet and drivetrain.

The light is a Trek LED that clips into a track sort of thingy. It makes a "click" when it clips in and there is a release button to get it off the mount, but any hard bump makes it fall off. Hope this helps!

If you want to park your bike up and remove the lights to stop them getting stole, try putting a small amount of tape around the bit that slots into the mount - it makes it a tight 'interference' fit rather than a loose and wobbly click fit and you can still remove the light pretty easily. The tape might need replaced every now and then as it erodes when you slot the light in and out of the bracket.

Mudguards ("fenders") are a must IMHO unless you like wearing a diesel-scented skunk stripe and getting a ****** whenever it rains.

[/QUOTE]Mudguards ("fenders") are a must IMHO unless you like wearing a diesel-scented skunk stripe and getting a ****** whenever it rains.[/QUOTE]


Oh My God!!! This one had me laughing my butt off! :roflmao:
I think I will most definitely be getting fenders soon. Can't have any skunk stripes, or rain ******s on my way in.

I actually got my bike back today, and the bike shop says that I need all new shifting mechanisms, from the twist grips all the way down to the chain rings. I think I am going to just ride this bike into the ground and get a new one next spring. I think I am not going to be afraid of duct tape from now on when it comes to this bike though. Stickers, geekiness, and duct tape will be the name of the game from here on out.

On the UC Davis campus, they refer to it as the "freshman stripe."

Get full length fenders, not the trendy shortie MTB versions that are a poor excuse for them. On the front the fender should attach at the crown of the fork and have stays going down to eyes at the dropouts(assuming you have a fixed fork and not a suspension one). On the rear, the fender attachs to the the brake bridge, the chainstay bridge and eyelets at the dropout.

Full-length fenders on the front are designed to protect your shoes and chain/chainrings, and reduce the spray thrown *forwards* and then up into your face. On the rear, they reduce the rooster-tail effect that gives you the skunk look, and secondly interferes less with riders coming up behind you or you have just passed. You can fashion addition mudflaps from the plastic of large milk or juice jugs.

Bear in mind that in heavy rain, you and your bike are going to get wet all over and fenders won't help much. However, overall, you will be thankful for the reduced wear and maintenance costs on the drivetrain. Plus full fenders and mudflaps add to the geekiness and lower the risk of theft.

Just another thought on a new bike (whenever that may be). Front suspension forks that actually work and are durable cost a lot. Otherwise, quality and usefulness are dubious. They also reduce the ability to fit full-length fenders, although it is not impossible with a bit of ingenuity. I always recommend fixed forks for their zero maintenance cost and ultimately, comfort when specifying an urban commute bike.

Finally, be careful with your bike shop. The comment about an entire shifter/derailleur/chainring replacement sets off the alarm bells for me. Get a second opinion from another LBS if you can.

With that kind of attitude that bike will take you a long way!

Will definitely look for the full length fenders. I didn't even know that you could get short ones. I am absolutely going for the geeky look, and staying clean and dry sounds even better.

As for suspension, I have never owned a bike with any type of suspension. I rode one once on a mtn bike trail, and found that I didn't feel as connected to the ground. I am used to using my own body as a shock absorber, so it's not a big deal.

I am a little frustrated with the bike shop, as they took three tries to figure out that the bike is just getting old and not really fixable. I am pretty sure they are right, and don't really feel like they are out to make a buck, but it was frustrating to have to keep bringing it back in.

As for a new bike, I am looking into getting a cyclocross. I like the idea of a road bike that I can take in the woods once in a while on light trails. I don't do any big trail rides anymore, and if I did, I could always take the one I have now, and use the cyclocross as my commuter and road trip bike.

Thanks so much to all of you for the great advice!

Kat

As for a new bike, I am looking into getting a cyclocross. I like the idea of a road bike that I can take in the woods once in a while on light trails. I don't do any big trail rides anymore, and if I did, I could always take the one I have now, and use the cyclocross as my commuter and road trip bike.

I'd say check out a touring bike instead. It'll probably have the canti brakes and the mudguards (and maybe racks) and clearance for nice size tyres - 700x28c or 700x32c - which are a nice compromise for speed and comfort and which can easily take light trail use. Take the mudguards off and you'll fit knobbly cyclocross tyres on for anything a bit more gung ho. SKS make quick release gadgets for the mudguard stays which are mainly a safety feature but which make it a doddle to take the 'guards off and on again

As for a new bike, I am looking into getting a cyclocross. I like the idea of a road bike that I can take in the woods once in a while on light trails. I don't do any big trail rides anymore, and if I did, I could always take the one I have now, and use the cyclocross as my commuter and road trip bike.

Kat

I have a cross check, which works great for my 8 mile-each-way commute. But Surly has a new bike, The Long Haul Trucker, which I think might do better. It's about an inch and a half longer, which will make the long rides more bearable. It has room for three water bottle mounts and can handle fatter tires. If I were buying today, I'd probably buy the Long Haul. The biggest disadvantage is cosmetic--from what I can tell, it only comes in puke green. It also appears to only come as a frame and fork, which is either good or bad depending on whether you like to build your own.

www.surlybikes.com

As for a new bike, I am looking into getting a cyclocross. I like the idea of a road bike that I can take in the woods once in a while on light trails. I don't do any big trail rides anymore, and if I did, I could always take the one I have now, and use the cyclocross as my commuter and road trip bike.

Thanks so much to all of you for the great advice!

Kat
Cyclocross bikes are the most versatile do anything-go anywhere (within reason) bikes that are out there. Hang with the roadies & hit the trails on a whim. Check out the cyclocross forum. Lots of nice folks out there with tones of suggestions.
My CX bike (2001 Trek X01 bought used from ebay) is used as my daily commuter, weekend fun on the trails, duathlon road racing & cyclocross, of course. Not that I am any good at the racing stuff but do enjoy the commeraderie of the crowds.

I have commuted with a Specialized Rock Hopper for several years.
Lights: I prefer a helmet mounted light because I want people to see me so I stare at them before they think about pulling in front of me so the light hits them in the face and then I move my head back and forth so it flashes.

Numbness: usually due to pressure on the median nerve in teh wrist due to carpal tunnel. Best option is to see if you are cocking your wrists while you are riding. To avoid it, concentrate on keeping your wrist straight.

CaliforniaMD, how did you mount your light on your helmet? Did you have to buy a special helmet, or did you somehow attach the light to a regular helmet? I have read about a helmet that Bell makes that has a spot on the back specifically designed for a blinky rear light, and I am thinking about maybe switching to that one. I would love to find a front light for my helmet, it seems like it would be much easier to see in front of me, that way, I could just look where I want to go, and have it lit up.

As for the numbness, I change hand positions frequently, and also let my hands dangle once in a while, and they still hurt like crazy on long rides, and go numb on almost any length ride. I have been told that it is the other side of my hand from carpal tunnel. My chiropractor said that carpal tunnel is the thumb and first two fingers, and there is some other nerve bundle that attach to the middle finger and pinky that makes them go numb. I think maybe I just shouldn't ride the old clunker over 20 miles or so in one shot.

Finally, be careful with your bike shop. The comment about an entire shifter/derailleur/chainring replacement sets off the alarm bells for me. Get a second opinion from another LBS if you can.


I second that. Unless the chain rings are very worn, which is hard, they should last tens of thousands of miles. If you do need to replace the shifters, try to get the "trigger" type. They work a little better.
Remember to change your chain when it "stretches" 1/16 of an inch. Most people recommend changing the chain AND cassette when the chain has "stretched" 1/8 inch, but if you change it at 1/16, it doesn't have a chance to wear out the cogs on the cassette.

Will definitely look for the full length fenders. I didn't even know that you could get short ones. I am absolutely going for the geeky look, and staying clean and dry sounds even better.

As for suspension, I have never owned a bike with any type of suspension. I rode one once on a mtn bike trail, and found that I didn't feel as connected to the ground. I am used to using my own body as a shock absorber, so it's not a big deal.

I am a little frustrated with the bike shop, as they took three tries to figure out that the bike is just getting old and not really fixable. I am pretty sure they are right, and don't really feel like they are out to make a buck, but it was frustrating to have to keep bringing it back in.

As for a new bike, I am looking into getting a cyclocross. I like the idea of a road bike that I can take in the woods once in a while on light trails. I don't do any big trail rides anymore, and if I did, I could always take the one I have now, and use the cyclocross as my commuter and road trip bike.

Thanks so much to all of you for the great advice!

Kat

Bianchi Volpe???

Did you have to buy a special helmet, or did you somehow attach the light to a regular helmet? I have read about a helmet that Bell makes that has a spot on the back specifically designed for a blinky rear light, and I am thinking about maybe switching to that one. I would love to find a front light for my helmet, it seems like it would be much easier to see in front of me, that way, I could just look where I want to go, and have it lit up.


There are headlights sold with a harness that attaches to the head (for other outdoors activities) or to the helmet. I don't know how easy or hard it is to attach, but I'd suspect that most of these would fit on most helmets. As for helmet-mounted taillights, you could attach a small fairly omni-directional taillight such as the Vistalite Eclipse through the holes of your helmet. Or you could attach the Planet Bike helmet-mounted taillight, which is made to stay level when you ride. However, the Planet Bike is a little weak compared to the Vistalite and some have complained that it's not pothole-resistant.

Another point about using a headlight on your helmet. Where do you look normally? On the plus side, you can get noticed by looking through the eyes of a car driver, to a pothole, on a sign, etc. But on the other hand, if you like to look left and ride when you ride, drivers will wonder what happens.

There are headlights sold with a harness that attaches to the head (for other outdoors activities) or to the helmet. I don't know how easy or hard it is to attach, but I'd suspect that most of these would fit on most helmets. As for helmet-mounted taillights, you could attach a small fairly omni-directional taillight such as the Vistalite Eclipse through the holes of your helmet. Or you could attach the Planet Bike helmet-mounted taillight, which is made to stay level when you ride. However, the Planet Bike is a little weak compared to the Vistalite and some have complained that it's not pothole-resistant.

Another point about using a headlight on your helmet. Where do you look normally? On the plus side, you can get noticed by looking through the eyes of a car driver, to a pothole, on a sign, etc. But on the other hand, if you like to look left and ride when you ride, drivers will wonder what happens.
I definitely like the idea of being able to look a car driver in the eyes to get them to turn the high beams down. As for where I look, don't we all look forward as we ride? I look to the side at the scenery when it is light out, but at night, I am so terrified of hitting an invisible pothole, that I look directly in front of my front wheel for most of the time. Maybe I could use both a light mounted on my handlebars and on my helmet. This seems to me to be the safest combination.

Bianchi Volpe???
Dchiefransom, this looks like a nice bike. Not sure if any of my local bike shops carry Bianchi, but it sure is pretty!

.... As for where I look, don't we all look forward as we ride? I look to the side at the scenery when it is light out, but at night, I am so terrified of hitting an invisible pothole, that I look directly in front of my front wheel for most of the time. Maybe I could use both a light mounted on my handlebars and on my helmet. This seems to me to be the safest combination. ...


The combo is probably the best. I know I look a lot sideways when I ride. Sometimes, it's a way to reduce wind noise, but often it's simply because I want to look at the scenery. I notice I even do that at night. Not so on busy downtown streets, but I do that a lot when I ride in quieter areas.

Just a couple of points on the lighting that you might consider....

If you are concerned about potholes and other road obstacles, I would suggest a light that is mounted on the bike down low so it casts more shadows across obstacles. Wearing a helmet light is not as effective because the shadows are much shallower. By low down, that can range from handlebars, to fork crown (my preference) to fork braze-ons.

This also allows you to look around without forward light disappearing like it would with a helmet light. By looking around, you are relaxing your neck and shoulder muscles, you are overall less tense because you don't have to concentrate on keeping your head ahead, and you won't suffer from tunnel vision.

I also have issues with helmet lights generally. On shared pathways, there is nothing worse than a rider with a helmet light looking at me -- as they invariably do -- and disturbing my night vision. I think the same applies to car drivers, and remember I might be a cyclist on the other side of the road that the driver's not going to see because of momentary glare blindness caused by a helmet light.

My experience is that with a quality light (I run a SON hub dynamo at Ovalplus light on my normal commuter/touring bike, and Cateye HL500-IIs on my go-fast bike) most drivers will dip their lights. Certainly, I find the Ovalplus with a 3W globe but very good optics, ensures that I can see and be seen in both urban and rural environments. And I never have to worry about batteries for headlights.

And, finally... whatever you get, get two of them (at least globes). Redundancy is a wonderful thing when batteries or globes give up.