Originally Posted by
HardyWeinberg
Commuting is just different, so a 'properly set up road bike' will give you a max speed on long ride conditions that you will pretty much not be able to approach while commuting. And if you load your road bike the same as your mtn bike your speed will probably be identical.
Commuting is just riding your bike to work, school, or some other place you need to be. Some folks enjoy bringing everything but the kitchen sink with them; that isn't a commuting thing, it's a personality thing. I mean, if you're a computer programmer, you don't really
need to bring a bivvy sack and a lathe to work in case you get lost or have to produce a new spoke...
I commute in the clothes I'll wear, lock my bike up outside, and work at the computer that's waiting on my desk. The only 'cargo' involved is the spare tube and CO2. This is a lot like a recreational ride, only shorter.