You're thinking way too much about this. How far is the commute?

About 12 miles each way.

My son had his bike stolen, lock, chain and all, while it was chained to a rack outside while he was in class at a university downtown. A well reburbed but still patina-ed 20-year-old yellow Schwinn road bike. A month later, his friend spotted it, locked to a light post outside another classroom building on the same campus. Evidenced by all the work we'd done on it, there was no doubt it was his. A call to campus police and pretty soon the police were cutting the lock off and giving him his bike back.. Cruel justice. The police told him they'd call him if anyone came forward to "contest" ownership. Nobody ever did.

I commuted 6 miles to work on my 1972 Bottecchia sometimes, but that was mostly county roads and little traffic. I took it right inside and up the stairs, and parked it in the office library or in my cubicle. I didn't ask permission, and nobody complained. My advice is ride what makes you feel good, take it easy going in so you arrive fresh, and try to get inside parking.

It will be slower than a Ducati, don't see how that saves time if you are parking in the same place.

Grabbing a backpack and riding a bike that you already own costs nada.
If you don't have a very good lock that will cost $.
If it's dark when you start or come home, lights F/R cost $.
It rains, fenders & rain kit cost $.
Carrying a backpack is sweaty & fumbly, a rack & then bags cost $.
After "that talk" from the boss a gym membership for showering costs $.

The monetary argument makes as much sense as buying a motorcycle to "save gas". I've been riding motorcycles since the '70's, they are a $ pit. Fitting out a dedicated commuter bike is an expense that will take time & considerable use to pay for itself.
Do it because you enjoy it, a week of "test" commuting with minimal investment in commuting kit will tell the tale.

-Bandera

As for the bike, you'll figure it out without our advice. It is important to talk to the building superintendent (or whoever it is, who makes these decisions) about safe parking. In my building they let me bring my bike up by the freight elevator and keep it in my office. Were it not my office, I believe they could find another place in the building where my bike could sit. But that is my building; you need to figure out your building.

Once you figure out the parking situation, you'll figure out the bike. Commuting is not hard on a bike; what's hard on a bike is the neglect it will suffer once it becomes a work horse. When you get home from work and it's dark outside and you're cold and wet, your bike will be cold and wet too; but you'll go into the shower and your bike will go into the shed to be ridden again in the morning. In my experience, a commuter bike gets maintenance mainly when it isn't working, and then only enough to get it working again. It will, however, gradually acquire dymano lights, fenders, etc. Go with it!

It's easy for people to think about their acquisitions like this, but it's faulty logic. Don't buy crappy wheels just because the bike was a steal! You can always use good parts on another bike. ;)

If you are willing to spend $50 a month to commute, you'll quickly have everything you need to commute. $50 a month won't get you very far with a car (if you consider insurance, gas, capital costs, license and a few other things...)

As for the boss suggesting you get a gym membership to shower... this is ridiculous. Have you every commuted yourself?

I commute 10 miles each way on my C&V (It's the only bike I have!) it's wonderful, and if you aren't worried about it getting stolen, no reason not to. Also, saving loads in gas. Already saved more than I paid for the bike.

That's my wife's complaint, and I guess I can't argue the point.

i would take the panasonic. When i worked for the bank a little while back, i'd rotate through my bikes. I brought everything to work from my cheap $5-600 bikes to the $3k plus ones. The only catch was that i brought them inside and put it in a room where no one would generally walk by or have a chance of knocking it over. If it was a rainy day or not such a good day for biking, i would just take my helicopter ;)

That sure is a nice looking Bianchi for the price.

Boom. End thread.

I have commuted by bike since I was 15, and the only time I ever got "that talk" was when I was working as a back-room mechanic at a bike shop.

No. 1. Get a lock; if the bike is too "nice," find a beater to lock up outside. No. 2, find a job where you can bring your bike inside or has a secure bike lock up (or talk to your employer about this issue).

Don't ask. Just do.

When they tell you "no" and you do it anyway, you're not complying with an order.

If you do it, and they don't say anything- you just won.

If you do it, and they say "no" you've tried, and you can try to reason with them at that point- for every reason you can think of.

Take a look at this thread! :)

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-quot-(vanity)

oh, dude, one of the owners of the restaurant i, currently, work at rides his carbon Giant rig on his commute. i ride my 87 aluminum rig as often as possible, weather permitting(and even when it doesn't...). you can make that ride unless there's some insane uphill that you just can't conquer....yet.....

my commute is just short of 12 miles, the owner lives just north of me, maybe has 9-10 miles. it's so doable.

edit: i wanna be clear, i'm probably one of the few that DOESN'T commute on CF or steel. i see lots and lots of fiber on my commute.

Indeed. I commute on a 1972 Superbe.

Being a Dutchman I find BF threads on commuting always somewhat amusing.

In my country 90+ % of the bikes are used for daily transport. To shops, schools, workplaces, where-ever. Nobody ever changes into a riding costume, works up a sweat or showers after arrival. Morning procedure goes like this:

1. get up
2. get dressed for school / work / whatever
3. look at the weather
4. decide whether to take the bike / car /bus / train
5. leave

http://www.fietsfilevrij.nl/img/fietsnaarmijnwerk.png

That would be the ideal thing to do but something tells me that the distance and topography in your country might differ from here. I'd find it pretty much impossible riding to work without breaking a sweat. It's 13 miles with 900 feet gain in elevation. Traffic does not allow you to toot around either. It's a very aggressive ride inbetween cars.

I'd love to just getting dressed and go. Please tell me if I'm wrong.

I have a '74 Le Tour with SKS Longboards on it that I commute on.

The 13 miles is fairly long, but not extreme, quite a few Dutch kids ride that to school every day. The elevation is, we have force 6 headwinds instead. Traffic is different though, as Dutch motorists are more used to sharing the road with the (hordes of) cyclists and our cycle path infrastructure is better. But there's also a difference in attitude, I think. Contrary to many other nations we we don't perceive cycling as a sport, but primarily as a means of transportation. We commute quite leasurely, at a speed of 10 mph, maybe 15, if we're in a hurry. We think helmets and Lycra look a bit awkward at 10 mph.

I love that video. I really must visit your country.

When I worked in an office I commuted 22 miles each way on my 1972 PX-10. I bought the heaviest lock and chain I could find and left them permanently attached to the fence at work. Now I have my nice C&V bikes for riding and my equally nice but ugly C&V bikes for shopping and commuting.

Ok, nice to see some of you guys have fairly long commutes and still go for it. So this is my current situation.


* Commute Length: 13.5 miles
* Terrain: Very hilly. Includes 3 x 0.5+ mile 4% grade hills. Rest is rollers.
* Traffic: Fairly insane. People are aggressive and some of the roads have barely any space to share the road.
* Bikes: Specialized Vita and Bianchi Grizzly
* Carrying capacity: 1 x 35 litre backpack or 1 x 55 litre backpack. Might need to buy a rack and set of panniers
* Office Parking / Showers: bike parking with rack, no showers.

So here are my new questions since the bikes are already decided. I wont commute on my lotus, panasonic or roubaix but on my bianchi and my fiancee's Vita.

* I dont think I can opt for riding in my work clothes. It would be nasty. What type of luggage do you guys use to put in a dress shirt or pants without it getting wrinkled? How do you fold it?

* Would you recommend me get a rack and panniers? Which ones and where?

* how do you guys clean up after you get to work if you have no showers. after a 13.5 mile ride with hectic traffic and quite some elevation I think I'll definitely break a sweat even at the current temperatures of 40F.

I think this thread might have taken it's course towards the commute forum but I'd like to see you guys response too. If the mods feel it is more appropriate somewhere else feel free to move the post or break it down... no idea.

Thanks,
Luis