First Commute - Loved it!!!
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
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Bikes: 2010 Leader 722RS, 2005 Specialized Epic, 2000 Giant OCR1
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First Commute - Loved it!!!
The ride to work is done for today. It was fantastic and very cool riding during the transition from night to dawn! It was also very relaxing. I loved it and look forward to more bike commuting in the future.
Distance to work: 12.9 miles.
Weather in Dallas around 6 AM CST on April 6, 2010):
Temperature and sky: Partly cloudy, 64 °F.
Humidity: 73% (this will start making a difference here in about two months).
Winds: South at 15 mph and gusts 28 mph (a bit windy).
I initially was going to take a "Bicycle" route provided by Google Maps. However, there were several left and right turns and I didn't drive the route ahead of time. So, I decided to take the main roads which is basically a two road route forming a big "L". It was early enough that there wasn't much traffic and the traffic that existed was mainly going the other direction.
I left just after 6 AM CST.
Moving time was 52 min and stopped time was 8 min.
This is the first bike that I have built and it performed very well. I'm glad I decided to build it because of the experience it gave me and the increased familiarity of how the bike and it's components work.
Bike setup:
Frame: Soma Double Cross DC (60 cm).
Groupset: Shimano 105 Triple (around year 2000 with newer 2009 105 brake/shifters).
Pedals: Look PP357 (year 2000).
Brakes: Cane Creek SCX-5 cantilever (but I think I'm going to use some Avid BB7 road disk brakes pretty soon. I have the mountain version of the BB7
and I'll start by just buying one of the road BB7's and installing it on the front. I already have the disc-ready fork for the Soma that I'll have to install later).
Wheelset: Mavic Aksium (will be Mavic CXP 21 with Shimano M-525 rear hub and Specialized Stout front hub when I move to disk brakes. That wheelset has already been built).
Fenders: Planet Bike Hard Core (hybred 45 mm).
Tires: Serfas Seca Road (700c X 28).
Seatpost: Origin 8 Sport Lite Alloy (with a zero offset).
Saddle: Terry Fly (around year 2000).
Stem: Ritchey Comp (110 mm).
Headset: Cane Creek S3
Handlebars: FSA Omega Compact (44 cm).
Rack: Topeak Explorer MTX (disc ready).
Rack Bag: Topeak MTX Trunk Bag EX (capacity: 8 L).
Lighting: Head light - Light & Motion Stella 200. Tail light - Planet Bike Superflash.
Water bottle cage: Profile Design Stryke.
Thanks,
-Todd
Distance to work: 12.9 miles.
Weather in Dallas around 6 AM CST on April 6, 2010):
Temperature and sky: Partly cloudy, 64 °F.
Humidity: 73% (this will start making a difference here in about two months).
Winds: South at 15 mph and gusts 28 mph (a bit windy).
I initially was going to take a "Bicycle" route provided by Google Maps. However, there were several left and right turns and I didn't drive the route ahead of time. So, I decided to take the main roads which is basically a two road route forming a big "L". It was early enough that there wasn't much traffic and the traffic that existed was mainly going the other direction.
I left just after 6 AM CST.
Moving time was 52 min and stopped time was 8 min.
This is the first bike that I have built and it performed very well. I'm glad I decided to build it because of the experience it gave me and the increased familiarity of how the bike and it's components work.
Bike setup:
Frame: Soma Double Cross DC (60 cm).
Groupset: Shimano 105 Triple (around year 2000 with newer 2009 105 brake/shifters).
Pedals: Look PP357 (year 2000).
Brakes: Cane Creek SCX-5 cantilever (but I think I'm going to use some Avid BB7 road disk brakes pretty soon. I have the mountain version of the BB7
and I'll start by just buying one of the road BB7's and installing it on the front. I already have the disc-ready fork for the Soma that I'll have to install later).
Wheelset: Mavic Aksium (will be Mavic CXP 21 with Shimano M-525 rear hub and Specialized Stout front hub when I move to disk brakes. That wheelset has already been built).
Fenders: Planet Bike Hard Core (hybred 45 mm).
Tires: Serfas Seca Road (700c X 28).
Seatpost: Origin 8 Sport Lite Alloy (with a zero offset).
Saddle: Terry Fly (around year 2000).
Stem: Ritchey Comp (110 mm).
Headset: Cane Creek S3
Handlebars: FSA Omega Compact (44 cm).
Rack: Topeak Explorer MTX (disc ready).
Rack Bag: Topeak MTX Trunk Bag EX (capacity: 8 L).
Lighting: Head light - Light & Motion Stella 200. Tail light - Planet Bike Superflash.
Water bottle cage: Profile Design Stryke.
Thanks,
-Todd
#2
Count Orlok Member
Well done! Welcome to the forum. Congrats on your first commute; hope the ride home goes just as well.
#3
Internal gears FTW!
Join Date: Oct 2009
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nicely done! welcome to the addiction my friend!
#6
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nicely done sir!
#7
Bike addict, dreamer
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Congrats on your first commute AND building your own ride. Post a picture or two when you have a chance. Yeah, I'm sure you'll be hooked on this too.
Adam
Adam
#8
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Well done.
#9
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Location: Dallas, TX
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I'll take a better picture after work today and post it. For now, here is a pic from my cell phone.
#12
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Yeah, it is pretty pimped out for a first commuter. It's the curse of being a gear/gadget-head.....
#14
xtrajack
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Welcome to the wide wonderful world of bike commuting. Building your own bike is way shiny too. I didn't actually build mine, but, the only things that are stock on it is the frame, brake calipers, brake levers rear wheel and seat post. I do most of my own work. I am way more intimate with my bike than I ever was with any of my motor vehicles.
#15
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Thanks. The ride back home yesterday was a bit irksome (to put it kindly). I was facing winds in the 20 mph zone with gusts of 36 mph. However, it was kind of fun in a way to (in the man vs. elements kind of way). It was also more uphill than the ride to work. Fortunately, I only had to use the middle chain ring. So, it's good to know that I can comfortably do my whole commute in a 1 X 9 kind of way.
#16
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Wow, sweet ride! I notice you have the PB superflash or something like it on that Topeak bag. I found that setup rattled constantly enough to drive me nuts. I wish Topeak would move the loop up a bit! Nowadays I have the much smaller Blackburn Flea & find it very effective.
#17
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Well done sir!! That Soma is one sweet bike - congratulations!!
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