Originally Posted by
wphamilton
Here's a Strava segment with half of his climbing.
https://www.strava.com/segments/654945 Nobody is spinning up there unless they're putting out a steady 400 watts. Most people can get to where they can sustain 180 to 200 watts, and people who are doing that on this segment are going 6-7 mph, which is only 55-60 cadence for 39x28. Mashing, not spinning. OP has the equivalent of two of those on his ride, and I don't expect a brand new rider to sustain 200 watts even if he is young and in good shape. So I'm skeptical of this.
A steady 4.5% grade is no big deal, but the problem with thinking that "only" 250 feet in a mile is less than a 5% grade is that it usually has steep sections. Half of that rise per mile is considered "hilly" by most cyclists. It's more challenging than people are imagining here.
Most road derailleurs, Tiagara and higher, are not technically spec'd for 28 and larger cogs. Road bikes won't have a 34 tooth ring unless it has a compact double - and most have a standard double. These are things OP should make sure to check and not assume that it has, or even can have without changing other parts.
Well I *did* say medium or long cage rear derailleur. We must be looking at different bikes, because I just looked at a few brands of road bikes under 1000 and they all had compacts, not standards(or a triple, for some Jamis).
But yeah, a couple segments like that are going to suck for the first month(or two!).
You're absolutely right there, and I was thinking it was a steady climb.
Originally Posted by
gregjones
How true, how very true.
A person with 1K to spend on getting started to commute to work and buys a $800 bike will soon be called a pedestrian. Lights, jackets, racks, bags, pump, flat repair kit, water bottle......all of even barely adequate quality will be several hundred dollars alone. Yeah, I know one can get by with less and brag about it, good for them. But I view them more of a fool than a hero.
Easier to go the the bike shop, sure. Not, quite as easy when you head off to work and get a flat------three hours before the bike shop four miles away opens. Anyone that cares about their job should acquire at least a few basic "survival" skills.
He's going two miles in Los Angeles. He doesn't need a water bottle or jacket. Since going to work is all downhill, he can even wear a backpack without getting a sweaty back. Basic repair kit is $50(
Bontrager Flat Pack - Summit Bicycles :: Burlingame, Los Gatos, San Jose, Santa Clara California), lights can be had for similar. A rack can be $20. You can use $3 bungees to secure a backpack or grocery store plastic bags with lunch and a change of clothes. A sweater or hoodie works fine at the speeds most cyclists go. The gear a serious hobbyist considers essential and the gear for a guy going 2 miles in mild weather needs aren't necessarily the same thing.
I love fancy bike stuff, but all 90% of people
need to commute is a bike, the willingness to pedal, a spare tube and a tire lever. And maybe some babywipes or shower facilities near work. Oh, and a friendly route.