After 7 years of bike commuting, I finally have a "proper" commuter bike
09-15-14, 11:18 AM
#26
born again cyclist
Thread Starter
i could have put a rack on my hybrid, but i've grown to hate that bike (stupid effing EBB), so i was in the market for a new commuter bike anyway. a workhorse CX bike with rack and full fenders seemed like the perfect fit for me.
09-15-14, 11:32 AM
#27
Banned
you can always use the axle end and the bottom of the fork steerer to mount some racks
Yea there are bad EBB and good ones.. These Bushnell eccentric ebb chain tensioner dont use setscrews
the setscrew dents the aluminum eccentric piece making fine tuning difficult there after..
my Koga-Rohloff uses a sliding rear dropout for the chain tensioning..
Yea there are bad EBB and good ones.. These Bushnell eccentric ebb chain tensioner dont use setscrews
the setscrew dents the aluminum eccentric piece making fine tuning difficult there after..
my Koga-Rohloff uses a sliding rear dropout for the chain tensioning..
09-15-14, 11:42 AM
#28
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this morning was my first ride into work with the new commuter bike.
i liked the freedom of having a completely unencumbered back, but with all that extra weight over the rear wheel, the handling is weird and it will take some getting used to. the bike feels heavier, slower, and more lumbering than my titanium road rocket, but that's a really unfair comparison i suppose. for my short little 5 mile runs to work and back, this bike will be great. and with the addition of the rack and panniers, i'll be able to use the bike to stop and get groceries on my way home from work a couple times a week, which i'm sure my wife will greatly appreciate now that our daughter has finally been born and she's knee deep in feeding and caring for the little one. the more chores and errands i can take off of her plate the better.
clipless pedals are great. so are platform pedals. that's why i'm a big fan of combo SPD/platforms pedals like the Forte Campus pedals i have on my new bike. some people think combo pedals are the worst of both worlds, but i love the maximum versatility and flexibility they allow. i've been riding combo pedals for 7 years now, and i don't think i'll ever switch to any other kind of pedal.
i liked the freedom of having a completely unencumbered back, but with all that extra weight over the rear wheel, the handling is weird and it will take some getting used to. the bike feels heavier, slower, and more lumbering than my titanium road rocket, but that's a really unfair comparison i suppose. for my short little 5 mile runs to work and back, this bike will be great. and with the addition of the rack and panniers, i'll be able to use the bike to stop and get groceries on my way home from work a couple times a week, which i'm sure my wife will greatly appreciate now that our daughter has finally been born and she's knee deep in feeding and caring for the little one. the more chores and errands i can take off of her plate the better.
clipless pedals are great. so are platform pedals. that's why i'm a big fan of combo SPD/platforms pedals like the Forte Campus pedals i have on my new bike. some people think combo pedals are the worst of both worlds, but i love the maximum versatility and flexibility they allow. i've been riding combo pedals for 7 years now, and i don't think i'll ever switch to any other kind of pedal.
Nice bike as well. I much prefer the rack and panniers to a backpack - I can also do a spot of grocery shopping on my way home. My ride is 3 miles one way - I have discovered that if I want to make a meeting on time, I should actually ride slower. At such a short distance, the extra time cycling is less than the extra time to cool down before changing.
09-15-14, 12:35 PM
#29
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Here is my soluton to the front fender reach issue. Piece of sheet metal from the card cage of a PC.
[IMG]
P1000035 by superissimo_83, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
P1000035 by superissimo_83, on Flickr[/IMG]
09-15-14, 12:45 PM
#30
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Why clipless pedals? If you like them, go for it, I have nothing against them. But I personally find platforms more suitable for stop and go traffic, and you can wear whatever shoes you want, which makes life easier for a commuter. Clipless is strictly optional.
And what's wrong with reflectors? While you can't rely on them alone, they do improve visibility at night. They certainly can't hurt. They are perfectly appropriate for a commuter if you ride at night. Commuting is about getting safely and efficiently from point A to point B, so what style points are you talking about?
And what's wrong with reflectors? While you can't rely on them alone, they do improve visibility at night. They certainly can't hurt. They are perfectly appropriate for a commuter if you ride at night. Commuting is about getting safely and efficiently from point A to point B, so what style points are you talking about?
Agree on the reflectors as well. Wouldn't use them in a race, but they have a purpose on a commuter for visibility.
09-15-14, 12:56 PM
#31
Senior Member
Agree, any efficiency gains gained by clipless on a medium length commute are likely lost in time spent changing in and out of clipless shoes, and non-clipless are a little more convenient.
Agree on the reflectors as well. Wouldn't use them in a race, but they have a purpose on a commuter for visibility.
Agree on the reflectors as well. Wouldn't use them in a race, but they have a purpose on a commuter for visibility.
09-15-14, 01:22 PM
#32
Banned
rim brakes make the reflectivity less,.. faster than hub brakes, but you still need to scrub your tire sidewalls off before long.
09-15-14, 01:27 PM
#33
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You said that already. So at the risk of answering redundancy with redundancy, again I ask, what style points? I'd say that commuter style mandates lights and reflectors on a bike ridden after dark.
Reflective sidewalls can't hurt, but I question their utility. On my bikes at least, they don't stay reflective for long.
Reflective sidewalls can't hurt, but I question their utility. On my bikes at least, they don't stay reflective for long.
09-15-14, 01:34 PM
#34
born again cyclist
Thread Starter
the good old fashioned spoke reflector may be sneered at by the bicycle fashion police, but it gets the job done with essentially zero maintenance, and that greatly appeals to my practical midwestern sensibilities.
Last edited by Steely Dan; 09-15-14 at 01:44 PM.
09-15-14, 01:41 PM
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I initially commuted without clipless but found that when it's wet out, that your shoes/sneakers slip off the pedals too easily, which is dangerous when applying lots of acceleration power from a dead stop. Once I changed over to clipless, I realized I would never ride without them again. Another advantage is the overall stiffness/efficiency that clipless shoes offer, and the reduction of pressure on the arch of the foot.
09-15-14, 01:43 PM
#36
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Style points for full coverage fenders. Check. Style points for mudflaps. Check. Style points for fender line with no visible gap. Nope.
09-15-14, 03:05 PM
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thats a nice set up. It makes the bike look good. now make it a real commuter and put on one of those cheap front racks from places like Niagara Cycle, etc that way you have a place to carry your 12 pack home.
Sunlite Gold Tec Front Rack - Sillver
Sunlite Gold Tec Front Rack - Sillver
Last edited by scoatw; 09-15-14 at 03:10 PM.
09-15-14, 03:37 PM
#39
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I initially commuted without clipless but found that when it's wet out, that your shoes/sneakers slip off the pedals too easily, which is dangerous when applying lots of acceleration power from a dead stop. Once I changed over to clipless, I realized I would never ride without them again. Another advantage is the overall stiffness/efficiency that clipless shoes offer, and the reduction of pressure on the arch of the foot.
Last edited by PaulRivers; 09-15-14 at 03:51 PM.
09-15-14, 04:51 PM
#40
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Now that it's getting cooler enough to ride with a backpack again I'm glad to be done using the panniers for a while.
09-15-14, 05:01 PM
#41
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Commuted to work for 16 years; never used a backpack but did have a rack and bungee cord; no fenders as I live in Southern Arizona
where we get about 5 inches of rain annually.
where we get about 5 inches of rain annually.
09-16-14, 09:39 AM
#42
born again cyclist
Thread Starter
i only have a grand total of 10 miles riding my new bike, but i already hate the avid BB5 disc brakes that came with my bike. they are a complete pain in the ass to adjust and have stay adjusted. last night on my ride home the rear brake seized on the rotor making the rear wheel completely locked. i disabled it and got home on the front brake, but it took a good long while to get the damn things properly adjusted in the first place and then on my second freaking ride one of them craps out on me.
my next step is to have an LBS take a look at it and get their opinion of whether it's fixable or if i should just upgrade to the BB7, i've read that they're far superior to the BB5 from an adjustability standpoint.
in the meantime, i'm back on my road bike with a backpack. i got one whole glorious day of commuting with a rack an panniers, LOL!
my next step is to have an LBS take a look at it and get their opinion of whether it's fixable or if i should just upgrade to the BB7, i've read that they're far superior to the BB5 from an adjustability standpoint.
in the meantime, i'm back on my road bike with a backpack. i got one whole glorious day of commuting with a rack an panniers, LOL!
Last edited by Steely Dan; 09-16-14 at 09:47 AM.
09-16-14, 10:03 AM
#43
Banned
i only have a grand total of 10 miles riding my new bike, but i already hate the avid BB5 disc brakes that came with my bike. they are a complete pain in the ass to adjust and have stay adjusted. last night on my ride home the rear brake seized on the rotor making the rear wheel completely locked. i disabled it and got home on the front brake, but it took a good long while to get the damn things properly adjusted in the first place and then on my second freaking ride one of them craps out on me.
We, partner and I, forgot the idea of getting anything with Avid cable-actuated disc brakes ... too many failure points.
That's why I posted the bike that I did ... Whyte Whitechapel:
Whitechapel, £550 | Whyte Bikes
550 with hydraulic discs and a slick 1x9 set-up.
I'll think we'll pick up two this weekend to keep in southeastern England.
09-16-14, 10:12 AM
#44
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
It's about time... but you forgot the hub dyno.
09-16-14, 10:28 AM
#45
Banned
20+ years ago I got a couple reflective plastic tubes wit a wire in the center. (NL) the tube-ring laced in amongst the spokes
it was working better than the tire reflex sidewalls because the ring was above the rim so the reflector stayed clean.
it was working better than the tire reflex sidewalls because the ring was above the rim so the reflector stayed clean.
09-16-14, 03:00 PM
#46
born again cyclist
Thread Starter
That's why I posted the bike that I did ... Whyte Whitechapel:
Whitechapel, £550 | Whyte Bikes
550 with hydraulic discs and a slick 1x9 set-up.
.
Whitechapel, £550 | Whyte Bikes
550 with hydraulic discs and a slick 1x9 set-up.
.
and from what i've read, avid BB7's are the best mechanical disc brakes on the market, so i think that's the direction i'll probably end up going in if the BB5's continue to to be ornery.
if anyone knows of any road mechanical disc brakes that are compatible with sram apex brifters and better than avid BB7's, i'm all ears.
Last edited by Steely Dan; 09-16-14 at 03:09 PM.
09-16-14, 03:32 PM
#47
Banned
hydro discs are great, but i LOVE drop bar brifters (by far my favorite style of cockpit controls) and hydro compatible brifters are still too pricey for me because the tech is so brand spanking new. so for now, it's mechanical discs for me. if the price on hydro brifters comes down considerably in 5 or so years, then maybe i'll think about a conversion.
and from what i've read, avid BB7's are the best mechanical disc brakes on the market, so i think that's the direction i'll probably end up going in if the BB5's continue to to be ornery.
if anyone knows of any road mechanical disc brakes that are compatible with sram apex brifters and better than avid BB7's, i'm all ears.
and from what i've read, avid BB7's are the best mechanical disc brakes on the market, so i think that's the direction i'll probably end up going in if the BB5's continue to to be ornery.
if anyone knows of any road mechanical disc brakes that are compatible with sram apex brifters and better than avid BB7's, i'm all ears.
also, brifters/STIs/flightdeck/Schalthebelsatz don't seem to last. my colleague with a TriCross only got roughly 10000 miles of urban shifting out of them (about 1.5 years).
not so nice for the price.
09-16-14, 03:38 PM
#48
born again cyclist
Thread Starter
even if i had to buy a new set of brifter for my bike every year, i'd still do so in heartbeat. that's how much i love that style of cockpit control. hands on the hoods is most comfortable for me, and everything i need is right there at my finger tips. i simply LOVE that set-up; all others are inferior in my opinion.
09-16-14, 03:40 PM
#49
Banned
to each their own. the ultegra brifters on my road bike have given me well over 15,000 miles of urban shifting, and they're still going strong. we'll see how long the sram apex groupset on my new bike lasts.
even if i had to buy a new set of brifter for my bike every year, i'd still do so in heartbeat. that's how much i love that style of cockpit control. hands on the hoods is most comfortable for me, and everything i need is right there at my finger tips. i simply love that set-up; all others are inferior in my opinion.
even if i had to buy a new set of brifter for my bike every year, i'd still do so in heartbeat. that's how much i love that style of cockpit control. hands on the hoods is most comfortable for me, and everything i need is right there at my finger tips. i simply love that set-up; all others are inferior in my opinion.
we are still amazed at the north american fascination with drops/STIs.
edit: this shouldn't be taken as busting on America. I two colleague that commute every day with drops/STIs (one TriCross and one CrossRip) and they both hate it ... they feel like they've been talked into to much bike (especially with the 40% rebate and the bike to work scheme ... it's maxes at £1000/year, so people buy a lot of £999 bikes!).
Last edited by acidfast7; 09-16-14 at 03:50 PM.
09-16-14, 03:57 PM
#50
born again cyclist
Thread Starter