Originally Posted by
achoo
OK, my reponses:
1. No. You do not need carbon anything.
2. Be aware that a flat bar/hybrid type bicycle has just one hand position. Your 25-mile round-trip commute means probably 90-120 min/day on your bike. A cyclecross bike might be better - it just depends on you.
3. Bike fit will be important if not absolutely critical - if you're uncomfortable on it, you won't ride it.
4. Gel saddles may feel great when you tool around the parking lot for three minutes. After an hour, they probably won't. They also don't last if you ride a lot. 8-10 hours/week will probably kill one quickly.
5. For commuting - you need things like spare tubes, tools, pump, etc. That will add to the cost (although the cost will probably be less than a week of gasoline....)
6. Don't be so sure you can ride without bike shorts. Your butt will tell you what you need. You may even need to go through several saddles before you find one that works.
7. Will you be riding in the dark? Is there ANY chance at all? Good lights are really mandatory for safety. The little $20 light set is not "good" - it's not even "decent".
8. Clipless pedals may or may not be for you. An hour+ on platform pedals can be hell on your feet if your shoes/socks aren't good.
9. What are you going to do when you get caught in bad weather?
I will be leaving for work around 4:00am and returning home around 6:00ish pm give or take an hour. So I planned on getting a decent light, the one I looked at was 125 lumens I believe? As far as shoes go, the salesman said I should be good to go in my New Balance trail shoes as they should provide enough support and comfort for the somewhat lengthy ride. I'll try some gym shorts for the first few trips to see how it feels, I suppose the same goes with the seat? I'm almost positive that the test ride in the parking lot will not be enough to decide on how I will feel after 25 mile day.