Commuter Bicycle Pics
04-01-13, 08:07 AM
Senior Member
I'm coming up on my first year of commuting by bike and the only thing I regret is that I didn't start doing it years ago. I bike to different clients around the city so my commute is usually different each day.
So far I've added Planet Bike Cascadia fenders which have been great, swapped the nobby tires with smooth running Nimbus Aramdillos, added a kickstand, replaced the stock seat, replaced the suspension fork with a rigid fork and replaced the low, flat handlebars with some that are more swept back and a bit higher to give me a more upright posture. I started having neck pain from arching my neck up at such a sharp angle and this is much, much more comfortable for me. I have a Cygolite Metro 420 for the front and a Cygolite Hotshot for the back, both of which I absolutely love and would recommend to anyone.
About the only thing I might change in the future is getting rid of the chain for a carbon belt setup since I'm not a big maintenance person and don't want to have to think about getting oil on my clothes, I just want to hop on and ride. It's also fairly heavy at 34lbs but it's been a good commuter for me so far.
It's funny, when I spend money on my car I get angry and when I spend it on my bike I have no problem with it.
__________________
I'm slow, go around
I'm slow, go around
04-01-13, 10:25 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 90
Bikes: 2013 Giant Escape CIty
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I Have no idea why it keeps showing up side down, but this is my new ride fresh from the shop. She has 20 miles on her now, and hopefully plenty more to go.
04-01-13, 03:00 PM
Fork and spoon operator
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota
Posts: 577
Bikes: 2013 Surly Crosscheck, 1990 Schwinn Impact, 1973 Schwinn Continental
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
7 Posts
04-01-13, 03:09 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 90
Bikes: 2013 Giant Escape CIty
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Yep, I pull my son all over the place when I'm not commuting to work, behind the Trailer Bike I pull a 2 wheel trailer that used to pull my son, it now pulls groceries.. Trying to teach him to grab for the bike first instead of driving everywhere. I'm down 150 lbs, this bike runs on fat and saves me money, my car runs on money and makes me fat. 
04-01-13, 03:59 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 261
Bikes: 2011 Surly LHT, 2007 Specialized Roubaix, 2004 Giant Cypress, 1990 Simoncini Super Professional
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm rarely confident calling any of my bike builds "done" but this one is probably pretty close. I can at least say there's nothing about it that I want to change right now.
I love the look of leather, but I also like to leave my bikes out in the rain and not have to do maintenance on the saddle, so the Charge Spoon with Salsa cork tape gets me a happy compromise.
I love the look of leather, but I also like to leave my bikes out in the rain and not have to do maintenance on the saddle, so the Charge Spoon with Salsa cork tape gets me a happy compromise.
04-01-13, 05:13 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
The drivetrain is 3x8 with Shimano SL-BS64 shifters, Deore LX derailleurs (M571 front, M580 rear) a Deore LX (M570) crank with 44-36-26 rings and a 12-28 XTR (M950) cassette. I got the derailleurs for about $40 total from Jenson and everything else except the small chain rings came off of other bikes I bought used.
I did go with V-brakes. I was using Travel Agents with short pull levers for a while, and that worked pretty well. I recently got the Tektro long pull levers (as pictured) and that's easier to set up and feels a little better.
__________________
My Bikes
My Bikes
04-01-13, 07:55 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 82
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Well here's my college commuter.
2006 diamondback response, been through many upgrades but it now serves as my commuting bike. Upgrades would be, avid bb7's, topeak rack, cat eye omni 5 rear light, dual cat eye jido headlights, wald front basket, wald folding rear baskets, 28inch wide wald 898 handlebars, wald middle weight fenders, changed to rigid surly instigator fork, schwalbe road cruisers in cream.
2006 diamondback response, been through many upgrades but it now serves as my commuting bike. Upgrades would be, avid bb7's, topeak rack, cat eye omni 5 rear light, dual cat eye jido headlights, wald front basket, wald folding rear baskets, 28inch wide wald 898 handlebars, wald middle weight fenders, changed to rigid surly instigator fork, schwalbe road cruisers in cream.
04-02-13, 12:02 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Arnhem, The Netherlands
Posts: 127
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My luckiness is not over yet, found a 24sp touring bike on the dutch craigslist for 20 euros! wheel dynamo powering both front and rear lights, trekking handlebars.
wheel dynamo powering both front and rear lights, trekking handlebars.
04-02-13, 09:23 AM
Fork and spoon operator
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota
Posts: 577
Bikes: 2013 Surly Crosscheck, 1990 Schwinn Impact, 1973 Schwinn Continental
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
7 Posts
Yep, I pull my son all over the place when I'm not commuting to work, behind the Trailer Bike I pull a 2 wheel trailer that used to pull my son, it now pulls groceries.. Trying to teach him to grab for the bike first instead of driving everywhere. I'm down 150 lbs, this bike runs on fat and saves me money, my car runs on money and makes me fat.
04-02-13, 09:39 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 240
Bikes: 2020 Trek Roscoe 8, 2016 Trek 520 Disc, 2013 Trek 7.2 FX, 2010 Trek 4300 Disc
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
3 Posts
04-02-13, 09:43 AM
Senior Member
04-02-13, 09:54 AM
carbureted legs
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Auburn, AL
Posts: 118
Bikes: 2003 Steel Fuji Finest
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Well here's my college commuter.
2006 diamondback response, been through many upgrades but it now serves as my commuting bike. Upgrades would be, avid bb7's, topeak rack, cat eye omni 5 rear light, dual cat eye jido headlights, wald front basket, wald folding rear baskets, 28inch wide wald 898 handlebars, wald middle weight fenders, changed to rigid surly instigator fork, schwalbe road cruisers in cream.
2006 diamondback response, been through many upgrades but it now serves as my commuting bike. Upgrades would be, avid bb7's, topeak rack, cat eye omni 5 rear light, dual cat eye jido headlights, wald front basket, wald folding rear baskets, 28inch wide wald 898 handlebars, wald middle weight fenders, changed to rigid surly instigator fork, schwalbe road cruisers in cream.
04-02-13, 02:22 PM
___________
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 216
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
until I started staying home, taking care of my kid. So I only get to take it out on nights and weekends now. But this is my trusty all-weather all-city commuter. Soma Double Cross with a Velocity wheelset (36 spoke Dyad rim in the back for all those nasty curbs and potholes that broke TWO rear wheels and FIVE axles on my last bike), Apex stuff with SRAM's new-ish road-optimized flatbar shifters. Once I got the set-back seatpost, it felt like the bike I always wished I had. I even took it off-roading at Forest Park over the weekend. Fenders to come when I need 'em. Platforms because if I couldn't put my foot down sometimes I might die. 
I may swap out chainrings for a long tour this fall, but other than that it's set up. Thanks to Matt, Billy, and KT at Bushwick Bike shop for their knowledge and patience.
Last edited by FatherAlabaster; 04-02-13 at 02:35 PM.
04-02-13, 05:59 PM
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
First ride on slicks this year... was such a gorgeous day here.
04-02-13, 06:53 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 306
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My every day i need it, weather permitting ride. 72 schwinn varsity turned comutter.
39/18 gears with a 180mm crank.
upright handle bars
soft seat
head,tail lights,bell, mirror
2 bottle holders
39/18 gears with a 180mm crank.
upright handle bars
soft seat
head,tail lights,bell, mirror
2 bottle holders
04-03-13, 10:24 AM
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 17
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'll actually probably end up getting a different bike instead of going down that road but a single speed is out of the question. If I don't go with a belt and IGH then it will definitely have a chain case. I can't believe how many so called commuter bikes still don't have them.
04-03-13, 11:38 AM
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
I'll actually probably end up getting a different bike instead of going down that road but a single speed is out of the question. If I don't go with a belt and IGH then it will definitely have a chain case. I can't believe how many so called commuter bikes still don't have them.
Many of my so called commuter bicycles tend to do okay without full chain cases while I appreciate the chain guards on the bikes that have them.
04-03-13, 01:42 PM
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
04-03-13, 05:41 PM
Ride more
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: MD
Posts: 249
Bikes: 2013 State Midas, 1988 Raliegh Technium
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
04-03-13, 05:47 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
What's the bike?
__________________
My Bikes
My Bikes
04-03-13, 06:43 PM
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
Thanks Andy! The tape makes more sense when you can see the decals and cable housings: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...r-Build-Thread
This bike is a lot of fun so far.
This bike is a lot of fun so far.
04-03-13, 10:14 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 424
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Since last time I posted this, chainstay protector and pedal straps were added. 29r front, 26 rear Big Apple 2.35 wheels were swapped for 26f and 24r Hookworm 2.5 setup. And I ditched the bag support, going traditional with the seatbag utilizing the loops built into the saddle. Much better...
04-03-13, 11:44 PM
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
With spring I have been knocking the dust off my bikes and decided the Blizzard needed to get out for a bit... not a regular commuter and a bike that has always been camera shy.
.JPG)
Those 2.3 Kendas and suspension were pretty much perfect when I decided to take some of the side streets which are worse than most of the trails this bike usually sees.
Those 2.3 Kendas and suspension were pretty much perfect when I decided to take some of the side streets which are worse than most of the trails this bike usually sees.