Commuting - Commuting under $3000

I'd like to hear from people who don't spend thousands of dollars on trendy bikes that are theft risks. Yes to no suspension hard rocks, rock hoppers, schwinns, no name bikes, etc. No hub generators, only blinkies on the back, no HID ballasts for the ride to work. I don't want to hear about seatpost weight and material, or shaving grams. I enjoy passing the person on titanium who has spent lots of time examining the frame geometry, consulting with their gyneocologist, and waxing their frame.

If you like talking about the different frame materials, forks, seatpost, etc, this may not me the thread for you. If you cheaply, regularly, ride a crappy bike, chime in. I just don't see the need to ride a few miles on a $3000 bike- I like the idea of commuting on a bike as a cheap form of transportation. I have more expensive road & mtn bikes- I see the value in those, but I personally enjoy communting on a home made mess. Anyone?

Can we talk about bikes that cost about 2500.00?

my fairweather commuter is a $2,000 titanium road bike, so this thread is right up my alley!

I've got 28 miles/day to go on my commute, so when weather allows, I like to be on the fastest bike I own. And it was way less than $3,000.

My commuter is a relatively old Trek 4300 hard-tail that I've knicknamed "The Rig". I think I remember it cost about 4 or 5 hundred bucks in 2005. I added a rack, have panniers and a trunk bag on it (when necessary for shopping etc), a $20 rear blinky and a $120 MiNewt 200 light on the front. I replaced the fat tires with 26x1.6 Continental 80psi and ride the bike nearly to death

Seems like you have an extra 0 in this thread. Shouldn't it be >$300?

I spent 1100 RMB on my bike two years ago, with added extras, including a Brooks B17, rack, guards, locks and lights, that should come in at a whopping 2500 RMB. About USD$400? Maybe less?

I have since replaced lots of bits on it, but it has done over 13,000 km (8000 mi) in those two and a bit years.

z

My commuter bike cost $2,500 and I love it! I think it's great idea to start a thread for those of us who didn't go overboard on a bike that gets used and abused on a daily basis.

search for good deals on CL .... people are always getting rid of bikes that haven't been rode much

I have two inexpensive bikes that I use for commuting to work. One is a Specialized Allez Steel that I bought on clearance for $400, and the other is a Sierra Schwinn hybrid. The road bike is more fun to ride in fair weather, though the Schwinn gets more usage in fall and winter months. It is outfitted with 26x1.5 Vittoria Randonneur tires, Planet bike fenders and mud flaps, and a cheap Nashbar rack. I have a basket that I throw on there when grocery shopping. Both bikes have inexpensive components, but serve me well.

Based on my current mileage, my mileage will be somewhere around 500 miles by the end of the month. While I would love to have a fancy bike, I would still average about 500 miles per month. As it is, I don't worry about my bikes getting dinged up from use.

I started off with a $150 Schwinn mountain bike... broke it, swapped the parts onto a free Nishiki frame... it was too small, so I bit the bullet and bought a Surly LHT frame and swapped the remaining parts to it. With everything including dynohub lights, it came in under $800. Well worth it.

I started commuting on a (as I later realized, youth-sized) $179 Schwinn mountain bike from Target. A little more than two years ago, I bought my Bianchi Eros for less than twice that, and have only put a couple hundred more into tires, lights, pedals, and other things for it. It has reliably taken me across Iowa three times, and to work and back numerous times.

I'd be scared to ride a $3000+ bike -- that's what I paid for my last car! :lol:

- Scott

Seems like you have an extra 0 in this thread. Shouldn't it be >$300?
My category is <$300.

Under $3000? Yikes! I'm commuting for under $200.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/the94hondaman/DSCF3959.jpg
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Seems like you have an extra 0 in this thread. Shouldn't it be >$300?

+1, my last three commuters have come in around there. There are plenty of bikes in the Commuter Bicycle Pics thread that easily fit that description.

Now that I think about it, I haven't seen any commuters touting their gram-shaving, gyno-approved bikes.

If you know what to look for, you can find excellent deals on Craigslist. I once saw a Bob Jackson tandem for $100 in near perfect condition. That was 20 minutes after the ad was posted and it was gone. That bike, by the way, is worth about 20x that on the used market.

My 05 Kona Caldera (hard tail mountain bike) is the most versatile bike I own. I put a rigid fork on it, have ordered some more neutral bars (VO Milan bars), added a VO touring saddle, full coverage fenders, and put on a small front rack. No panniers, as I've opted for the Nelson longflap on that bike. Those same upgrades could be done to any quality mountain bike and it would make an excellent commuter.

Lately, I've been commuting on this bike part time. It has the capability of doing some light touring, and I pull my Bikes at Work 64a (http://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/model-64a-bike-trailer.html) trailer with it. I own a Surly Crosscheck, which is an excellent bike. However, I've found that a properly converted mountain bike is truly the jack of all trades bike.

1- Nelson longflap (http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carradice-nelson-longflap-saddlebag-black-with-white-straps-18ltr-prod608/?currency=usd&changecurrency=usd) ~$100
2- VO touring saddle (http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/vo-saddle-model-3-touring.html), ~$85
3- VO Milan bars (http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/handlebars/vo-milano-handlebar-22-2-dia.html), I found them on-line last week for $19.80 with shipping
4- Sunlite Goldtec front rack (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MKHR6G/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004UMCTPI&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1QWJVVPAPTZXQ5C7RHVR) (identical to the Nashbar front rack), $10
5- Planet Bike Hardcore ATB fenders (http://ecom1.planetbike.com/7047.html), $40
6- Straight blade Surly 1x1 (http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=4122), $60

In my opinion, most of these items aren't needed, they only make it ideal for me due to the added versatility. You could get by with just the fenders and Longflap. Add those to any quality mountain bike and you'd be set. You can probably find one on Craigslist for less than $150.

errrr 3000? for real? I'm commuting on a 500 Aus dollar hybrid bike and it serves me fine... I don't see why I need to 6 times more just to commute I'd rather spend that money on a race bike.

My wife spent $1000.00 on her commuter bicycle which was her only bicycle at the time and a replacement to her car... it has paid for itself over the nearly five years she has owned it and for her, a new bike made sense as she has almost no mechanical skills and wanted a bicycle designed for daily use and high reliability.

She rides a Breezer Uptown 8 and aside from regular maintainence and a few rim replacements because of wear the bike has been rock solid and soon after he got the Breezer... she met me so I have been able to take care of her bike for her.

With $3000.00 I could buy ten decent bikes...

My bikes tend to come from the other end of the spectrum as I do have the mad skills to do pretty much anything to a bike.

Until this spring my Trek hybrid was my primary commuter that I picked up used for $110.00 and over the 4 years I had it did a bunch of upgrades with gently used parts... sold it for $375.00 with new wheels and lesser parts than what I had been running.

Over the same time I used my Kuwahara Shasta as my winter bike and foul weather bike and after selling my Trek it has taken over those duties... paid $40.00 for the frame and fork and have run it as a fixed gear, three speed, and now as an 18 speed and would put it's value at about $300 - $400. It is a nice enough bike (handbuilt frame) that I decided to retire it from winter duty.

The old 3 speed wheel set now live on my new winter bike which was cobbled together from spare parts and cost me very little to build... the frame and fork were free and every part is recycled.

Helps that I have a small shop and bunch of decent pare parts.

Winter bike...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/2011norcowinterbike1.JPG

Bike for all the other seasons... and my trailer cost me $20.00 as it was free but was lacking a hitch.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/2011kuwie18trailer1.JPG

Not that I limit myself to just 2 bikes... but a couple seem to handle the lions share of all my day to day riding, commuting, shopping, and errands as I live a car free life.

My commuter (a late 80's vintage Canondale hardtail mtn bike) was purchased for $50 at a yard sale. I bought a similar era GT Talera hard tail frame (in my correct size) for $90 and swapped out all the parts. I upgraded the brake set, handle bars and stem and shifters (via eBay) for another $55 or so. The fenders and racks ran me another $60 (thank you, CL). About $255 total.
My lovely wife bought me, as a birthday present, a Brooks Champion flyer for another $89 (super price!). Now I've over-shot the under $300 price range. This bike runs a seven speed cassette on the rear and has the ubiquitous threaded 1" steerer. Along with the old-school toe clips and straps; nobody notices this rig next to all the other more modern rides or those annoying hipster/poseur bikes. Thankfully, my ride seems to be overlooked by the bike thieves of Boston (Knock on wood!).

I am definitely in this camp. I bought my Kona Dew new last year for under $500 brand new. Like many others I've spent some money commuter-izing it to my liking, but it has been a solid bike mechanically for about the year that I have owned it.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n252/phx1973/Kona%20Dew/DSC_1085.jpg

I'm going to be upgrading soon but no, you don't need a fancy bike to commute. You just need to be in good shape and have the right mind set. I bought a Marine (off brand) Kentfield from Sun & Ski sports a few years ago, it was around $400 on sale. I commute year round, 100+ miles a week. Buy cheap but invest is some nice cycling shoes, clipless pedals and cleats though, they make a huge difference.

someone gave me a frame, someone else gave me a bike and I transferred the components to the frame. I do have a hub dyno, the wheel cost me $80 shipped.

With some smart craigslist shopping you can easily get a great commuter for under 300 bucks. I'd take that extra 2700 and go on vacation!

Oooh. Three thousand dollars gives me just about enough budget for my Kona Jake, my Surly Cross Check and my Specialized Rockhopper with a little left over for accessories.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5413554870_03ab2c224a.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6032/5903842022_5b1560c55e.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/5661401603_2f088fd1ef.jpg

The Rockhopper might even fit the spirit of the thread.

My regular commuter is basically similar to a built-up project- it's been progressively modified from the original 'from the skip restoration' to its current form. I've probably spent somewhere around £80 on a mixture of new and used parts, equipping a formerly cheap mountain bike with fenders, chainguard, 3-speed IGH, road tyres, upright handlebars and a rear rack. Considering the original bike cost me £6 (and I originally planned to just strip it for parts) I don't think I've done too badly.
224805

The OP puts hub generators in the same category as weight-weanie components and big dollar fancy bikes.
I have commuted on cheap bikes and expensive bikes and they all ride well enough for most commutes. Fitting a hub generator to my commuter has been the best upgrade I ever made. It is totally practical, functional and simply better than any other solution. I never need to worry about if I should carry lights, or whether the batteries have sufficient charge. I never have to faff around removing lights at a lockup.
Everyday commuters should need a good reason NOT to use hub generator lights. I parts of N Europe where normal people use normal bikes for everyday transport, hub generators are universal.

The OP puts hub generators in the same category as weight-weanie components and big dollar fancy bikes.
I have commuted on cheap bikes and expensive bikes and they all ride well enough for most commutes. Fitting a hub generator to my commuter has been the best upgrade I ever made. It is totally practical, functional and simply better than any other solution. I never need to worry about if I should carry lights, or whether the batteries have sufficient charge. I never have to faff around removing lights at a lockup.
Everyday commuters should need a good reason NOT to use hub generator lights. I parts of N Europe where normal people use normal bikes for everyday transport, hub generators are universal.
How do hub generators compare with battery lights on brightness etc?

I commute on some very nice bikes and spent way less than $3,000 on them. In fact, none of my bikes cost anywhere near that amount. My commute distance for the past 5 years was 22 miles/day and just increased to 30 miles. I don't want to ride that kind of mileage on a beater bike, but I didn't spend a fortune either. You can piece together a very nice bike for a reasonable amount of money by buying used frames, parts on eBay, etc.

I ride a Trek 1200 that I bought 14 years ago for $300. Added a rack, trunk bag, handlebar bag and have replaced both wheels a couple of times as well as the saddle and seatpost (both broke). Still use down tube shifter and the original RX100 components.

Welll.... I normally never use a bike over 900.00 .... but now I am converting a 2011 Trek 7.2 fx to an ebike. So by the time I get done with the front wheel geared kit and eventually upgrade the battery... I will be close to 2000

How do hub generators compare with battery lights on brightness etc?
Compared to any one-piece battery/LED light, a modern LED dynamo lamp is far brighter. It is bright enough to ride safely in pitch black and to illuminate the road. When I ride side by side with battery light users, I can see where my light illuminates the road.
Compared to a big dollar, high performance, off-road style system, there is less illumination but it is used more efficiently with a specific pattern to illuminate the road, rather than a generic circular beam. You cant leave a high performance system on your bike in any town or city, it will get stolen.

Seems like you have an extra 0 in this thread. Shouldn't it be >$300?

That's what I thought. I was going to chime in on commuting for under $300, but under $3000? I mean that's pretty normal, higher than normal really, and anything more would be the outlier.

Seems like you have an extra 0 in this thread. Shouldn't it be >$300?

This.

$3000 seems pretty overkill.

Since I'm very tall, it's hard to find bikes on CL. My bike new was $550. Cargo rack, fenders, lights and my pannier were Probably another $350 all said and done. I could have gone cheaper on the pannier($130) but I opted for an Ortlieb. I've spent another $50 on wicking clothes for winter at the big box store.

My commuter bike cost $2,500 and I love it! I think it's great idea to start a thread for those of us who didn't go overboard on a bike that gets used and abused on a daily basis.

Why do you abuse your bike on a daily basis?

My commuter cost $1,000 used, but they gave me $500 credit on a death trap bike I had, but didn't want to use anymore. It's a wonderful ride, and doubles as my rain bike.

I commute on nice steel alloy frame bikes that I have purchased off CL. The one pictured I paid $75 and put another $75 into it. The amount of money you apparently are talking about could buy a bike a lot nicer than what I see most folks commuting on.



224821

Why do you abuse your bike on a daily basis?


Short answer, because I need to get to work.

Commuter bike: My commuter bike takes everything I can throw at it . . . potholes, glass, dirt, grime, ice, snow, rain, loads of miles, hauling lots of stuff . . . and never lets me down. In 5 years, it won't look so great.

Road bike: I only ride my $5k CF road bike when the weather is good, ride it unloaded and on good roads. Still looks like new after 5 years.

I have a dawes lightning sport that I bought brand new on ebay and it was about 240.00 brand new (including shipping). I used it for commuting during the non-winter months and tried to commute only on fair weather days. I found that bike to be great commuter bike whereas I also have a trek 7100 that I bought before that from a local bike shop... that wasn't such a good bike for commuting.

I guess because I am heavy and the different posture on the 7100, I would always have problems with the rear wheel... broken spokes, or bent if I hit a pothole...

never had a problem with the dawes, it was a workhorse, more comfortable and lighter to boot...

I'd like to hear from people who don't spend thousands of dollars on trendy bikes that are theft risks. Yes to no suspension hard rocks, rock hoppers, schwinns, no name bikes, etc. No hub generators, only blinkies on the back, no HID ballasts for the ride to work. I don't want to hear about seatpost weight and material, or shaving grams. I enjoy passing the person on titanium who has spent lots of time examining the frame geometry, consulting with their gyneocologist, and waxing their frame.

If you like talking about the different frame materials, forks, seatpost, etc, this may not me the thread for you. If you cheaply, regularly, ride a crappy bike, chime in. I just don't see the need to ride a few miles on a $3000 bike- I like the idea of commuting on a bike as a cheap form of transportation. I have more expensive road & mtn bikes- I see the value in those, but I personally enjoy communting on a home made mess. Anyone?

Hey there Boatrider!

NEWSFLASH!...NEWSFLASH!...NEWSFLASH!

The average American cyclist spends less than $600 for a bicycle. Therefore, I'm going to go way out on the limb and guestimate that the overwhelming majority of cycling commuters spend less than $1000 for their bicycles. Therefore, your figure for the cost of commuter bikes "under" $3000 would include everyone from the dirt poor to the super rich. I don't believe that you intended to phrase your bicycle quest for sharing in the manner in which you did.

However, I do believe that I understood what you were trying to say. Therefore, I'd like to pass along some information. I currently own four bicycles. All of them together have a total value of approximately $3000. I enjoy riding all of them immensely, including my aluminum one. My chromoly steel-frame Nishiki Sebring bicycle is quickly approaching the age of thirty. I still enjoy riding it as much as the first day I rode it out of the LBS. I commuted on my Nishiki for almost nine years, before I was forced to drive a car due to job relocation. It was simply too far away to arrive both on time and ready to work. I now ride my bike anywhere in and around my city. I also take brief excursions into San Francisco. That's one exciting place to cycle. You'd better be super alert at all times there, because people in San Francisco drive crazy!

However, I feel that overall, commuters contribute a substantial amount to the reduction of the giant carbon footprint here in the U.S. We also help the economy. We have much in which to take pride by commuting, whether we've planned to commute, or if we do it by default.

- Slim :)

PS.

Here are a few supporting websites that should make us feel more knowledgeable about ourselves, as cycling commuters:

http://nbda.com/articles/indutry-overview-2010-pg34.htm


www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/pdf/BTWW_Booklet.pdf (http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/pdf/BTWW_Booklet.pdf)

Short answer, because I need to get to work.

Commuter bike: My commuter bike takes everything I can throw at it . . . potholes, glass, dirt, grime, ice, snow, rain, loads of miles, hauling lots of stuff . . . and never lets me down. In 5 years, it won't look so great.

Road bike: I only ride my $5k CF road bike when the weather is good, ride it unloaded and on good roads. Still looks like new after 5 years.

I need to get to work, too, but I've never thought of "I'm on my way in, and we have a department meeting in an hour" as a reason not to steer around (or bunny hop) potholes? I don't think loads of miles are abuse, they're what bikes are made for. Abuse for a bike is not riding them, like clipping a bird's wings. The rain (and grime it entails) helps wear drive trains and braking surfaces down, but the frame doesn't mind.

I wouldn't commute on my CF bike, either, but that's because they don't let me take it into the building, and I refuse to leave it locked out on a rack. That's why I got a metal road bike.

Under $3K?! You could buy several awesome commuter bikes for that.

Be honest. This isn't about the love of junk bikes. You don't hate $3000 bikes, you hate the people that buy them. Ok then.

Less than $200 here too.

This http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa87/DVC45/IMAG0060.jpg
and this
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa87/DVC45/IMG_0194.jpg

Both are very smooth ride.

I am definitely in this camp. I bought my Kona Dew new last year for under $500 brand new. Like many others I've spent some money commuter-izing it to my liking, but it has been a solid bike mechanically for about the year that I have owned it.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n252/phx1973/Kona%20Dew/DSC_1085.jpg

I think most commuters spend less than $3,000 on their bike. I bought a Surly Cross Check for $1050. So far, so good. I don't feel bad about spending that money. It's almost all stock. Except for the Brooks, the Nice Rack, and some cross brake levers, and the water bottle holders, rear Knog Boomer, front Cygolite 200 MilION, and MKS King Grip pedals. All these upgrades costed about $435.

$1,050 + $435 = 1485.

I could have bought used but I like the assurance I got from buying a new bike.

Point is few commuters commute on $3000 bikes. Mine barely comes in at half that with all the upgrades.

Be honest. This isn't about the love of junk bikes. You don't hate $3000 bikes, you hate the people that buy them. Ok then.

I think the politically correct term is beater bikes, but yea...I don't see why the fuss over some people buying more expensive bikes. If we all had an extra $1000, I'm sure we'd be tempted to either buy nicer bikes or nicer components. If someone wants to ride a $3000 bike to work, why make him feel bad? It's probably not smart but it's not me, either. so forget it.

going by the results from a poll i created on the forum last year, VERY few bicycle commuters regularly commute on bikes that cost them $3,000 or more.


link to thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/689679-how-much-money-did-your-regular-commuter-bike-cost-you?highlight=


here's a screen shot of the poll:

[/URL][URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/215/bikepoll.jpg/"]http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4756/bikepoll.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/269/bikepoll.jpg/)

If someone wants to ride a $3000 bike to work, why make him feel bad? It's probably not smart but it's not me, either. so forget it.

I used to work in the same building with a guy who rode a DA-equipped Pinarello road bike to work every day. Probably cost $5-6K. Never made sense to me, but if the guy could afford it, why not? Funny thing is I would blow past him on my commuter bike all the time, as our routes were the same. I never tried to make him feel bad, because I figured he spent so much on that bike, he couldn't afford another.:D

I honestly don't see it in this thread, from the original post or any responses, that someone should be ridiculed for spending more that $E (expensive) or less than $C (cheap) for a bike. Mainly I think that people are surprised that OP considers $3000 to be close to or below that C range for commuters, and some may be silently questioning his motives. I don't- I think he's just thinking out loud.

Is there a pecking order among owners of these higher end bikes? Does a $6,000 bike owner usually look down at the owner of a $4500 bike? Does the $3000 bike owner feel like he's often slighted by them, or feel like he has entry level equipment?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/247018_10150210367666764_519101763_7099055_7410589_n.jpg

Dumpstered frame
Saddle, post, bars, stem, rack, cranks from my parts bin
$100 in parts for the wheels
$20 pedals
$50 for fenders and adapter mounts
$40 in the freewheel and tensioner

All said and done, roughly $210 into this bike.

I used to work in the same building with a guy who rode a DA-equipped Pinarello road bike to work every day. Probably cost $5-6K. Never made sense to me, but if the guy could afford it, why not? Funny thing is I would blow past him on my commuter bike all the time, as our routes were the same. I never tried to make him feel bad, because I figured he spent so much on that bike, he couldn't afford another.:D

He probably never understood why you felt the need to go so fast while you were commuting instead of saving it for the weekend club ride. ;)

He probably never understood why you felt the need to go so fast while you were commuting instead of saving it for the weekend club ride. ;)

Judging by how he looked after arriving in the morning, I'd say he wasn't holding back.