Originally Posted by
Radical Rick
In about a week I'm making a trip to get one of my other bikes. I'm going to build a commuter bike up, and use the bmx for exercise. Whats a good setup for a commuter? Should I be shooting for a more upright stance, or leaned forward. Or is it just personal preference. Only reason I ask is my whole life I have mostly used a bmx bike. I've never really known what to look for in a geared bike.
You don't need a geared bike, you can commute on fixed gear and single speed. Having said that, commuter bike preference is very personal. Some go for tough, tank-like stability with bags mounted everywhere, while others go for light and nimble. Coming from a BMX, you might feel more comfortable on a more agile bike? Like a drop-bar gravel/adventure bike that you can swap out tires depending on terrain, so slicks for going fast and treaded or wide for off-road for a good balance without compromising much.
If you don't want to carry stuff on your back, it's a lot easier to manage with a bike with some rack mounts. Lots of bikes have those now, so it doesn't limit your options too much. If you bike in the rain, fender mounts are also handy though not absolutely necessary because there are a lot of attachment options.
You could start out with a cheap and/or used bike, just to get a sense for what your preferences are, then upgrade later when you have a clearer idea of what you need.