a new commuter for all the useful information in this thread. The only thing I can add to it, from my limited experience so far, is that the garment pannier from Two Wheel Gear is truly superb, and that Lightman strobes cause cars to work their way around me cautiously at night as if I were a police cruiser or a UFO.

I started commuting a couple of months ago when I lost my free parking privileges at work. At first I thought it was a catastrophe, but now I wish it happened 10 years ago. The 5 miles from home to work disappear on a bike, and take no longer than they did to drive. I love that when I get in my car now, it has a "new car" smell because it's not been used in several days. I'm also biking now to do much of my shopping, and to another worksite 10 miles away.

I found I couldn't get comfortable on my old Trek aluminum-frame road bike, so I read a lot on the web and ended up ordering a Surly Cross-Check, with fenders, a triple chainring up front, and a Brooks leather seat that takes me back to my childhood in England. I love this bike--it eats up the bumps, and I'm learning to bunny-hop it over pot-holes. My other favorite piece of equipment is an Arkel pannier that converts instantly into a backpack. It fits a briefcase worth of papers and laptop, along with one's helmet, and slings over my shoulder on arrival at work, so I can carry the bike upstairs easily. A beautifully designed object.

My goal is to work up to commuting one time this summer to my farthest-flung worksite, 100 miles away in Hartford, Connecticut. Even in my short-triathlon days long ago, I never learned to ride 100 miles (swimming and running were my strengths, biking my weakness). So far, so good--a fifty mile ride felt good last month, and I'll try a longer one this month.

Anyway, greetings to all, and thanks for the info and inspiration,

NuCommuter
Cambridge, Mass.