Rykoro

Heya,

I'm 15 years old so I can't drive yet but then someone sugested I started riding my bike to work. I live out of town (and the only jobs are in town) so in order to get there I need to bike. To town it's a 20mile bike but most of it's flat highway so that shouldn't be to hard (at least I hope not).

Anyways I already have a bike but I don't know if it's up to this heavy duty commuting.
Heres a picture of it.


As you can see it's not really anything special...and it's a mountin bike (not a road bike.) It has some rust on it near the fork. It's an 18 speed and truely doesn't work very good (I don't know how to fix the gears so they work right.) Right now the rear tire is flat (I burst it when going off a jump, landed to hard on it, tire is fine, tube is the dead thing)

So here are my questions...
1) What should a first time commuter carry with them?
2) Is 20 miles to long for a first time commuter?
3) Is 20 miles to far to drive that bike? (Note: It's 40 miles total because I need to get home)
4) Is there anything I could do to it to make it better for commuting (I'm a total noob, fill me in)
5) How would I fix the gears so they work right, right now sometimes it skips to the next gear for no reason.
6) Are mountin bikes any good for commuting?
7) Should I seak out a better bike or tough it up and stick with that?
8) How much would an "ideal" bike for commuting cost?

Well theres 8 questions, if you have any questions about the bike feal free to ask.

Thanks for your time,
Rykoro

jnbacon

Hi Rykoro!

First of all, if you look at the top of the commute forum threads, you will see a thread entitled "Advice for New Commuters". Take a long look in there, as many of your general questions, such as what to bring, what bike, are answered in there.

To some of your specific questions:

Distance: A lot of that depends on you. 40 miles roundtrip is long, mostly in terms of time. I ride 14 miles, taking about 45-50 minutes, one-way everyday. That works for me in terms of time. The time used to be longer, and as I got in shape, it got shorter, by about 5-10 minutes. In terms of stamina, just remember to give yourself enough time and start in the easier gears (more spin of your pedals = less fatigue of your legs + builds more stamina & heart/lung capacity). 40 miles isn't necessarily too long, but that depends on where your abilities are at now.

Bike: If your bike is broken and you don't know how to fix it, take to your LBS (local bike store) and find what is wrong. It sounds like the rear derailer needs adjusting, a simple enough thing to learn how to do, but also simple for a bike mechanic to do. In the long run, it will pay to learn how to do basic mechanical adjustment, like adjusting the derailer, and esp. fixing a flat. So get a new tube while you're at it, and ask them to show you how to fix it while you are there. If they won't, you might try to find a more friendly place and stick with them.

More on bike: Any bike that will carry you and your stuff where you want to go in the manner you want is "good". Notice that there a lot of variables in the above statement: How much stuff? How far? How comfortably? What speed? What road conditions? How safe? Etc. All of that is dependent on you and your situation, and, if you have little experience, then trying it is a good way to learn the answers to these questions. Give yourself a time frame (a week, a month) and then reassess. If you need a different bike, at that point you can decide, based on your experience, what your requirements are.

Good luck!

AndrewP

1 You will need to carry a change of clothes (for that distance you should ride in cycling shorts or tights), lock, spare tube and puncture repair kit, pump, water, rain jacket. If you keep the lock and some clothes and shoes at work you will reduce your load.

2 Only you can tell if riding 20 miles, doing a days work, then riding 20 miles back will be too much for you. Its too much for me, but then I am a 63 yr old has-been. Try it for a couple of days doing some errands in town for your mother.

3 Not if the gears, bearings and wheels are properly adjusted see

https://www.parktool.com/repair_help/index.shtml and

https://www.sheldonbrown.com

for instructions on how to fix up your bike.

4 To improve it for commuting you should put on thinner slick tires (26 X 1.5" or thinner), you wont be able to get these at Canadian Tire but will have to go to a bike shop. You will need 2 water bottles with cages - there are mounting bolts for one, but you will be able to fit another on the seat tube. You will need a rack and pannier bags to carry your stuff, - make sure the bags dont get in the way of your heels when pedaling. Get fenders because you cant choose when it will rain.

5 See 3 above

6 Yes with thinner tires, although you may find the top gear too low to keep up with the speed your legs want to go.

7 Stick with that bike for a while - you will then know exactly what sort of bike you want (wheel size and tire width, gear ratios, weight, seating position, handle bar shape etc etc)

8 If buying new, expect to pay over $350 Cdn. If buying used, maybe less than $100, but it may be difficult to find, particularly if you dont have the experience to know what you are looking for.

jeff-o

New tires will help a lot for road biking. Replace those knobby things with slicker tires, it will help a lot.

BTW, how much does that bike weigh? Stand on a scale holding the bike, then stand on the scale alone. Subtract the weights. A heavy bike will be a burden, especially if you're just starting out. Try biking the distance to work one weekend, but bring lots of water and a cellphone in case you can't make it home...

cyccommute 

First go here for all kinds of answers. Then go here for some more details

20 miles is a bit long for a commute. Not impossible but figure at least 1.5 hours, if you can keep up a 15mph pace. That's a brisk pace on a road bike! On a bike with the model name "Anvil" it might take longer. Try the ride on a non-work day first to see how long it will take and then added about 30 minutes to the ride time in case of problems. (Bosses don't like you being late!)

You're 15 years old. You have energy to spare. Just take extra food and water.

Maybe smooth tires. The bike isn't great so I wouldn't spend a lot of money on it. Save up for something better. Maybe you can find a good used bike.

Try looking at Sheldon Brown's site. Or look at Park tools website. Bikes really are pretty easy to work on. If you have a bike shop in your area go and ask them. Drop the hint that you might be looking for a new bike but you have to ride this one until then. Maybe they will show you how to adjust it.

I ride them all the time. Have for longer than you've been alive, you young whippersnapper

Hit up your Mom and Dad. "Mom. Dad. I'm going to ride my bike all the way to town to go to work. I know it's a long way but I gonna save money so that I can save the family farm! 'Course I might get stuck out there if it breaks down but 40 miles isn't that much to walk. Grandpa used to do it every day in snow that was hip deep just to go to school. 'Course, if I had a new bike, I might not get to work late and get fired and lose the farm but that's a risk I willin' to take." Guilt works, kid. Try it.

Or better yet, get a copy of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and a copy of "Breaking Away". Watch them alone first and then start singing in Italian (see Breaking Away) and shaving your legs and living bicycles. When they try to get you to quit actiing like a bike geek, show them Fast Times and then ask sweetly, "Would you rather I be like this? Or like Dave Stoller? Can I have a new bike?" They'll buy you anything

It would depend on how much you want to spend. Honestly, a good reliable bike starts at about $300 and goes up.

Good luck. Really. Becoming a bicycle commuter is a lifelong activity that you can be proud of.

Stuart Black

rykoala

First off, you have GOT to change your forum name.

Secondly, congrats on opening your mind to riding a bike! 20 miles on flat surfaces (no hills) is pretty easy. Look in that thread as already suggested and read on. Commuting isn't hard, but a 40mile round trip IS alot of riding, so it'll take some getting used to. Your butt for one. Make sure that saddle is comfortable....

jagged

I don't disagree with anything that's said above, but I'm guessing that at your age you don't have lots of money to spend (at least not yet). That's why you are getting a job, right? Bearing that in mind, the absolute essential is a helmet. Assuming you've got that covered, I'd recommend that you carry equipment necessary to conduct minor repairs: A pump, tire levers, and a patch kit. A pump that can attach itself to your bike will be around US$10-$15, and the tire levers and patch kit should be less than US$5 total. Learn how to take off both of your wheels, remove the tire, and patch or repair the tube. If you get a flat 15 miles from home, you will be glad you know how to do this. Lots of web pages explain how to do this, but there's no better way to learn than to watch someone do it.

Other useful things to have:

a cell phone
for night riding, red blinkie light for the back, and a white lamp for the front
a rack with panniers for carrying cargo (a backpack or messenger bag will also do)

Rykoro

That bikes weight is quite high...it's heavy...really heavy. (it has snow all over it and it's in my shead and I'm to lazy to get the scale right now)

When you say replace the tires you mean just the tires right or do I need thiner rims also, how much does this normally cost?

I'll stick with the bike for this summer, I should be able to bike that (I'm beleave I'm fairly fit) but after the snow goes away I'll need to take it there and back to see what it's like. Also I don't have a cell phone, is that really recommended or would it be okay to go without one?

Does anyone have any expriance biking durring the winter? Would anyone recommend it or are people aganist it? Is it dangerous? What should you ware if you do bike in the winter?

Thanks for readin'
Rykoro

rmwun54

1. Tool for taking off the tire, if there is no quick release.
2. Spare tube and patch kit (glue type).
3. Pump
4. Learn to adjust bike performance parts: adjusting the deraileurs, brakes, and spokes.
5. Spoke wrench that will fit your nipples on your spokes.
6. Some duct tape for emergency.
7. Depending on riding conditions, if riding in the evening, a front and rear light.
8. Proper clothing for the wheather you will be in most of the time.
9. A cell phone or change for a emergency situation.
10.Have a decent tire for the ride (as mentioned above road tires would be more efficient in terms of speed of travel). But knobbies are safer if the road conditions are wet and mested up.
11.Riding glasses to protect those eyes.

If you are in shape you can do it. I rode my road bike to college for six years in rain, in windy days, and during the summer with out any mishap. Oh yeah always leave a little early because you need a little extra time for possible flat tire.

Rykoro

I've picked some stuff to use here...
First of all, my only option here (at Canadian Tire) is the Raleigh Pannier Bag.
Then there are two rack choices.
Choice 1
Choice 2
Also what lock would you recommend?
Here.

Thanks for your time.

grolby

It depends upon how much money you're willing to spend before you can earn money and how fit you are. If you're in reasonable shape, 20 miles is not a problem. In my 16th-18th summers, I would take my bike out and just ride a 25-mile loop, for the heck of it. This was on a 40+ pound bike with knobby tires.

What you absolutely need, as others have said, is a helmet. There's no need to spend more than $15-$20 USD on one. If you're Canadian, you'll have to convert all prices yourself, sorry . Your next priority is probably a spare tube and a patch kit, and of course a bicycle pump. The patch kit and tube should come to under $10 USD. A useable minipump will be from $15 - $30 USD. This in ADDITION to the cost of replacing your currently flat inner tube, which will be around $5. You don't want to have to apply a patch on the road, believe me.

All those items listed above are what I would consider the bare necessities for daylight commuting. If you want to save money, you can use a backpack and carry a change of clothing in it. Your shoulders and back will not thank you, but it's a lot cheaper than a rack and panniers. Also, if you are going to be going 20 miles, I cannot recommend synthetic underwear strongly enough! Either that, or bike shorts. Boxers, briefs or boxer-briefs will leave your nether regions red, chafed and very unhappy. This doesn't have to be difficult - I often wear synthetic running shorts as underwear on longer rides. If it's warm enough, I wear only the shorts. I don't own a pair of real bike shorts and I don't need a pair, but if you don't have anything that would be appropriate to wear under your outer clothes to prevent chafing, then you might want to pick up a pair.

Everything else is, frankly, unnecessary. Those knobby tires will definitely slow you down, but I rode a knobby-tire bike everywhere and over long distances for years. They'll get you where you need to go. Given the cost of the rubber, you might be better served by saving the money for a nicer bike. On the other hand, if you don't think that you want to spend the money on a new bike, new tires would be a valuable investment with a notable difference on your ride. I highly recommend a used, steel-frame touring bike should you decide to upgrade. Additionally, upgrading to skinnier, higher-pressure slicks would incur additional costs from the possible necessity of a new pump to enable you to inflate them correctly. Higher pressure pumps = more $$$.

If you commute at night, you need at absolute minimum a rear red blinkie and a front light. You can get lights good for being seen, but not so good for seeing, for around $30 (PlanetBike sells a combo rear blinkie and four-mode front halogen/LED headlamp for about this price).

Also, consider reality here. If you're going to be getting a summer job, this is a great idea. It will save you money and get you really fit. Time won't be a problem. On the other hand, for an after-school job it might be difficult, unless your school is pretty close to your work place. Consider the time-penalty as well for other things, like doing your homework and hanging out with buddies/significant others. They are important factors! I am a college student, and my current job requires a total of 100+ minutes of commute time (not counting the time it takes to get ready to leave!) for about 150 working minutes, twice a week, and I have only half the distance to commute that you do. The commute will take a sizeable chunk out of your day. It's up to you to decide how much time you are willing to sacrifice to earn money.

Congrats on thinking out of the box and considering a commute by bicycle! Vehicle expenses mean that hitching a ride with your parents to work would probably cost your family MORE than anything you could pull in with a part-time, minimum wage job. Riding your bike means that you can genuinely make money and get buff at the same time. Good deal, if you ask me .

Rykoro

Yeah I want the fitness part of it...I'm a volenteer fire fighter so being in shape is always good (I consider myself reasonably fit now, but theres always room to improve).

Yeah the reason I'm getting the job is because I need $, and a lack of money means I really can't afford more then the basics...
I already have a helmet (I drove the bike a lot last year to my old job, but thats only 5 min away and I got next to nothing for hours)

The job I want is in telecommunications (you know the people who phone you up at supper? ) The pay is 9.30$ an hour and you get 40 hours a week. So I thought that biking might be a good way to get there, but who knows, might work into my parents job times anyways so I might not have to bike, but at least learning this stuff helps. When I get older and live in the city I'll bike to my job for sure.

Biking into town would be well worth making 9.30$, at least for me...wouldn't be bad for a summer job.

slvoid

Rykoro, seriously for the love of god don't follow ANY advice here. (sorry guys )
Go on ebay or look at a local classified and you can easily grab an older used road bike with downtube shifters, steel frame, steel fork, skinny tires, and drop bars, maybe even a leather saddle, for $50-100.
I used to commute through the city on a specialized hardrock mtb with slicks and it was fine but I'd imagine if I were exclusively on a road, a roadbike would literally be 25-50% faster, depending on wind and all.

There's another bike in the background, who's bike is that?

slvoid

Whoa... a telemarketter, that's one helluva stressful job. I would never be psychologically able to live with so many rejections a day.

Rykoro

Yeah I hear telemarketting is stressful but I can deal with it easily...you wanna know stress then be a fire fighter, can be extremly stressful but it's really rewarding.

Yeah I might look for a road bike...I sort of don't want to chance this one to much. (I do drive it though trails sometimes and I wouldn't be able to if I changed it much.) The only problem is money...(figures) and even 50-100$ is a lot when your a student and 15...life sucks sometimes and this is one of thoes times.

Rykoro

Anyone want to buy this for me? Please!!

If I wasn't broke I would seriously put a bid on that...but sadly I have like 5$ to my name

Oh well, might be a good idea for someone else on this fourm...prob sky rocket in price...but somtimes people get lucky.

Rykoro

Yep, it just went WAY out of my price range

slvoid

I was thinking more like this beauty: https://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...140721872&rd=1

Rykoro

er...I'm only 5'7" the seat is 42" tall there

Plus like I said I'm broke and the 100$ shipping doesn't help much eather..maybe if I find somthing local I MIGHT be able to do it.

catatonic

craigslist is your friend for finding stuff.

Oh, and ask all the biek shops in your area if they have any older roadbikes for sale. I got into roadbiking like that, buying an 89 trek 1100 for $90. Given it needed new tires, tubes, and chain, but it was a pretty nice bike overall.

slvoid

Have you considered asking your parents? They are, afterall, there to provide and nurture and a couple hundred bucks is a very good investment on your future health and wellbeing.

Rykoro

Yeah I just shot an email off to one of the local bike shops asking if they had any used road bikes or if they knew where I could find one.

Rykoro

My parents wouldn't help me buy anything thats not local and they can't see in person first...

vrkelley

Awesome bike...wada-ya-mean....it's not really anything special???! If you can't fix the tire take it down to the shop and ask them to put a tire on it...they may even adjust the gears for free. Go for it.

40mi round trip is probably too far on the 1st try. It may take you several weeks to work up to that.
Fenders and a headlight and you're good to go. Love those bull-horn bars.

vrkelley

That thing? whada scam...don't fall for the "pre-approved buyer" only scam. Your triple is perfect for snow and won't fill up with water like that bike.