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First Commute - Loved it!!!

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Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

First Commute - Loved it!!!

Old 04-06-10, 08:07 AM
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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
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Old 04-06-10, 08:12 AM
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Well done! Welcome to the forum. Congrats on your first commute; hope the ride home goes just as well.
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Old 04-06-10, 08:30 AM
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Internal gears FTW!
 
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nicely done! welcome to the addiction my friend!
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Old 04-06-10, 08:32 AM
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Hey let's ride.
 
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Welcome to world of commuting. You'll love it.
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Old 04-06-10, 09:06 AM
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Welcome to Dallas commuting. Hope to see you out on the road.
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Old 04-06-10, 09:35 AM
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nicely done sir!
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Old 04-06-10, 10:48 AM
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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
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Old 04-06-10, 11:01 AM
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Well done.
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Old 04-06-10, 11:06 AM
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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.
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Old 04-06-10, 11:25 AM
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Welcome! Congratulations on your successful ride in, and on a nicely judged bike build.
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Old 04-06-10, 11:33 AM
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Nice, you're pretty pimped out for a first time commuter with all that gear....
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Old 04-06-10, 01:06 PM
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Yeah, it is pretty pimped out for a first commuter. It's the curse of being a gear/gadget-head.....
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Old 04-07-10, 12:51 PM
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This pic is a little better.
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Old 04-07-10, 01:21 PM
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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.
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Old 04-07-10, 02:26 PM
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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.
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Old 04-07-10, 02:48 PM
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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.
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Old 04-07-10, 02:51 PM
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Well done sir!! That Soma is one sweet bike - congratulations!!
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