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Anybody commute on their Cruiser?

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Anybody commute on their Cruiser?

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Old 06-04-13, 10:22 PM
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Anybody commute on their Cruiser?

So does anyone commute on their cruiser?

I do, and actually of my three bikes (one is a road and one is a 80's road bike) it is the one I use/choose to commute 80% of the time. I am only 4 miles from work and its a flat route. Its just so comfy and handles every pothole, but if its windy I will choose the road bike.
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Old 06-05-13, 03:19 AM
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Nope, but it sounds like a challenge... I may just have to do that
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Old 06-05-13, 09:07 AM
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Then its a challenge. 5 points for every rider you can pass on the commute 10 points for every roadie you pass 15 points if you could do the whole commute without whistling once.
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Old 06-05-13, 03:46 PM
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<--That is my one and only bike and I feel it a bit too big for comfort. I've been doing some serious thinking about what I would replace it with and the idea of a cruiser appeals to me for some reason... something with wide tires, 3spd IGH, and a front basket big enough for my backpack or gas can (for the mower) and I think I'll be good.
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Old 06-07-13, 09:22 AM
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In the future I'm hoping to either A) Replace the rear hub with a 3-speed IGH, or B) [more likely] Slap a different rear wheel on with a derailleur + 7 speed cassette + new chain, and then I will gladly commute on my cruiser (it gets a bit hilly around here).
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Old 06-07-13, 10:58 AM
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I rode my chrome plated, ape-hanger/cruiser in Vermont--14 miles one way-- for a winter. 28 miles a day through snow and minus -10 weather. Then, moved to Florida, polar opposite climatically, and rode it 9 miles one way -18 miles a day-- for a few months. For Vermont, it was the lack of gears and coaster brake that made it desirable. Gears dont work after frozen slush pools in the cable housings and renders the derailleur immobile. I did take the apes off and replace them with a a flat MTB type bar though.
The only issues I had were the cheap ashtebula crank set always needed to be tightened. Always loosened up. Still much less time consuming to fix than constantly cleaning and lubing cogsets and stuff like that.
I ride a single speed now, too . . . Not a cruiser, but the principal is the same.
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Old 06-07-13, 09:14 PM
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https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post15642778

Yes, but it's cheating I suppose. The bike says 'Schwinn - Cruiser' on the decals but it's more like a commuter & I've decked it out as such.
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Old 06-08-13, 07:02 PM
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My only bike is a Schwinn cruiser. I don't commute on it yet, but I plan to do so once my fitness level improves. (I just this year started riding a bike again after several decades). My commute would be 5 miles each way. Right now I'm only up to a 2 mile trip.
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Old 06-08-13, 07:17 PM
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i have a long wheel base cruiser that was my sole transpo for months last year. 14 miles each way and another 10 to school 2 nights a week
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Old 06-10-13, 08:26 PM
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I commute every day with some type of cruiser uness it is raining hard. I would show pictures here, however, I don't know how to move the pictures from my intro to here. I enjoy the relaxed ride to work, just not the uphill climb back home! I just recently sold my winter bike, a middle weight gambles, so have bounced from bike to bike until I get around to build an old rough Rollfast I have for next years winter bike

Mod ETA: Pics were too large for me to simply copy and paste, but here is the link to the thread mentioned in this post that contains the pics- https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post15142481

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Old 06-19-13, 11:59 PM
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Yeah, and in this city, a cruiser is the norm for many people for commuting. The roads are horrible and the ground is flat.
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Old 06-24-13, 08:19 AM
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Use my cruiser (7-speed soon to be 9-speed) a lot but its also my hauler and grocery getter too. Definately not as fast as my other bikes but can carry a load and there always seem something I need to pickup at the store (bikes are my only transportation) so the choice of bike to use is easy to make.
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Old 07-29-13, 11:45 PM
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Yes, I do.
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Old 07-30-13, 03:50 AM
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Yes,its a raleigh western classic with 7 speed hub and dynohub.It now has around 70,000 miles on it,a few parts are the originals.Needs flat bars.6 miles each way all year.
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Old 08-15-13, 04:13 AM
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If I lived where it was fatter I would, but here in the NW I like more speed to get up and down the hills. My commute is 20 miles a day single or three speeds just doesn't cut it on my old legs. 8 speed would be the least I would need around here.

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Old 08-16-13, 09:28 AM
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usually every friday
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Old 09-05-13, 04:37 AM
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I am currently unemployed, working hard to get work. However 85% of the time I am on my Schwinn cruiser and comfortably riding to and from where I need to be. It has a conversion for an enternal 3 speed hub and shifting. Makes for a nice quick trip no matter where I am going locally. There are only a few major hills in our area. I plan to increase my riding distance on it once I get more of the project I have on it complete.
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Old 09-16-13, 09:22 AM
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I do! I ride a 2012 Giant Suede to and from work and school. To be fair it has 7 speeds, so it's kind of a blend between an hybrid and a beach cruiser. I've had it for 2 years now and have put about 2000km on it. Haven't had to do much to it other than the usual (Truing the rims, adjusting shifter cables, playing with the vbrakes etc.) With the 7 speeds it has I can do up to 35Km/h on flat road.
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Old 10-22-13, 10:34 PM
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I dont commute cause I work for myself and have to drive a truck. But I am diabetic and hate to excercise so after I get home from work, I dont get back into a car. I ride my bicycle everywhere, and ride 6 days a week 14 to 20 miles a day year round. Mostly I ride vintage cruisers, one 5 speed and one single speed. Here are pics. Bicycle riding is not excercise for me it is play. I am 60
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Old 10-24-13, 04:41 AM
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I'm thinking about getting one to get from one building to another in college. Do you think it would be a good choice?
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Old 10-24-13, 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by woodybr
I'm thinking about getting one to get from one building to another in college. Do you think it would be a good choice?
If it's flat it's a good choice.

I commute on my cruiser about once a week. A lot of people use cruisers as commuters here because it's flat and they're cheap.
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Old 10-24-13, 04:03 PM
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Originally Posted by GP
If it's flat it's a good choice.

I commute on my cruiser about once a week. A lot of people use cruisers as commuters here because it's flat and they're cheap.
Thanks. In this case (a flat campus) which cheap brands/models are recommended?
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Old 10-24-13, 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by woodybr
Thanks. In this case (a flat campus) which cheap brands/models are recommended?
If you're going cheap, get single speed - deraillers and rim brakes are usually crap on inexpensive bikes. If you can't find a used bike, I'd go to Walmart and get a Schwinn. I think they're about $100-120.

I ride a Nirve that I got at a thrift store for $50. It's coated with rust and has a couple of broken spokes so I'm hoping that it's too beat up to steal.
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Old 10-25-13, 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by GP
If you're going cheap, get single speed - deraillers and rim brakes are usually crap on inexpensive bikes. If you can't find a used bike, I'd go to Walmart and get a Schwinn. I think they're about $100-120.

I ride a Nirve that I got at a thrift store for $50. It's coated with rust and has a couple of broken spokes so I'm hoping that it's too beat up to steal.
I guess I'm willing to go up to $250. Let's see if it buys me a half decent aluminum cruiser
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Old 10-25-13, 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by woodybr
I guess I'm willing to go up to $250. Let's see if it buys me a half decent aluminum cruiser
What's wrong with a steel framed cruiser . Chromoly is close to the same weight and isn't as stiff. Steel absorbs bumps better and lasts longer. Kirby
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