He didn't say "shamed" he said "ashamed". I tried to look for his old thread, but his join date is this year - perhaps he re-registered under a new ID.

I disagree about the suspension fork part here: If you are committed to spending a certain dollar amount and are between two bikes at the same cost and one has a suspension fork and the other doesn't, it can be a good assumption that the bike with the rigid fork is specced slightly better to make up for the savings of a suspension fork*

That's my reasoning, anyhow - that and the quality of suspension on a $500 bike isn't going to be super....and if I am spending hundreds, I expect super.

*unless we are talking carbon forks - then the price is probably very similar.

I think where we do a disservice at times is when we make recommendations based on what we need to commute in all the conditions we are likely to encounter.

Most new commuters stick to nice days with no rain and daylight both in the morning and the evening. Why complicate things with discussion of lights, fenders, and rain gear? All of those tend to be multipage topics just on their own.

Very often the recommendation is to save $100 or more above the cost of a new bike for purchasing "accessories". They'll be told the stock tires probably aren't good enough and they'll need something with flat protection. They'll also be told they need a spare tube, a patch kit and a pump. After a long discussion about smooth vs tread and fat vs skinny tires, we'll start discussing CO2 vs frame pumps.

Once that's done, we'll get into lights. How bright? Rechargeable? Handlebar mounted or helmet mounted? Both! ... and another couple on the fork blades. Maybe a dynohub is what they should get? Then of course there are locks. By the way, one probably isn't good enough. You'll need two.

How are they going to carry all this crap? Well, a rack and panniers, duh! Wait. wait, maybe a backpack or a messenger bag? No. No. A carradice bag is the way to go.

Clipless pedals? Lycra? Sure, if you want to be some sort of geek! Stick to merino wool, or golf shirts from Goodwill or Target. Clipless will make you 10 times faster, or they just might be useless. Get toe clips instead. On second thought, just go with platforms but make sure you get the ones with pins.

What about rain? Well aside from fenders you're going to want to drop a couple hundred on some nice showers pass gear. Or maybe just get magical (I mean merino) wool that keeps you warm even though you're wet. Or just get wet.

Did I mention sandals? You'll want some good ones from Keen. They are the ideal shoe for commuting except for maybe Converse Allstars. However, if you live in Copenhagen, you probably should be wearing heels. Maybe we all should be. Oh that's it, - sandals with heels!

Of course that's just the beginning. You'll want to a carry a set of tools that will allow you to deal with any mechanical breakdown that might occur and a camera to document who runs you over. Actually make that two cameras. One facing the front and one facing the rear.

Ugh. How could I forget mirrors? And bells? A concealed weapon just in case?


That's what the threads here look like (in vastly abbreviated form). This is the 53rd post discussing whether we over complicate things or not. ;)

Yes, people overcomplicate bike commuting. Look at a ninja salmon on a S-Mart bike for confirmation of this.

However, I hand-built a commuter frame from specific tubing, welding it together myself, and did the rest of the build out accordingly, and if you are not at the same level of craftspersonship regarding your commuter bike, I obviously look askance at your pathetic bicycle meddling.

I've started commuting and running errands on a skinny tire Litespeed "Frankenbike".

Necessary: No
Would I recommend it to others: Probably not.
Do I like it: Absolutely. Scratch, dent, and rust resistance is phenomenal (but not necessary for a commuter/errand bike).

I still eventually will do a few updates on it to further customize it to my needs. Fenders? Rack?

On the other hand, being too minimalist, or having a bike wholly unsuited for the distance or conditions can make it an impracticable, miserable experience.

Agreed. But I think we tend to give advice for what they would need as dedicated, long term, all-weather commuters rather than beginning ones.

A first question should be along the lines of "How long is your commute one way and is it relatively flat or hilly?".

If it's under 5 miles and not that hilly, most any bike will do. If they have a longer, hillier commute, then something with gears might be in order. If they already have a bike they should start there unless they don't like it for whatever reason and want something different.

Beyond that, I say have them try the commute on the weekend first and bring a cell phone in case something happens.

That's it.

Unless they want more info.

Absolutely, as well as asking whether the person is a fair weather commuter, or all weather commuter, and a daylight commuter or all lighting conditions commuter.

Also, perhaps there are interests in other cycling activities.

There is no one-size-fits-all.

A smooth tire MTB may be fine for a 2 mile commute, but I certainly wouldn't suggest it for those riding 10+ miles.

I agree that one size doesn't fit all but I disagree on the mountain bike. Not only do I use one for 10+ mile (one way) commutes, I do them with knobbies on the bike. Nothing freshens up a commute like a little variety and I use the mountain bike to off-road to and from work. Yes, it is slightly slower but that's not the point. Doing something different and maybe having some fun is the point.

I have ridden a couple of 100 mile centuries on a single speed 29"er with a rigid fork and a 44x18 gear ratio.

Mountain bikes have been used for longer (100 mile) rides since they were invented. Back then the perception was that these 'balloon tire' bikes were way too sluggish to be used on the road. So to disprove the theory, the bikes were taken out on road century rides. Here is a quote from Charlie Kelley, author of 'Fat Tire Flyer', who did many of these century rides on a mountain bike to help change public perception. I want to add that 10 miles is not very far in 'bicycle terms' and is doable with almost anything, as long as the rider is relatively fit.

VN: One thing I really enjoyed from the book was how you would go out and ride road centuries on your Ritchey mountain bike to promote the brand.
CK: Well, if you’re in a road race, you would never be competitive on a Ritchey bike, but a century isn’t a race and elementary skills and tactics will allow you to keep up just fine. With fat tires, you lose some of the acceleration, and you can’t climb as quickly, but once you get rolling out on the road, the tires don’t make that much difference. So that was a real selling point, that this guy on this bike could finish road centuries in reasonable time. I mean, I worked on being fast, I was never a competitive racer, but it wasn’t a race or competition, but everyone notices who is going fast, and these bikes made people realize that you weren’t giving up that much when riding them, and it was really fun. When you smoked a guy on a Masi, well, he knows he’s been smoked.
Read more at Interview: Charlie Kelly, author of 'Fat Tire Flyer' - VeloNews.com

We absolutely make it more complicated. I'm totally guilty of it.

I think bicycling as a hobby is a taste that evolves. If you like playing basketball, you need some shoes and a ball. Cycling has more room. Do you want a cruiser, a dutchie, a hybrid, some variety of drop bar bikes, some variety of mtb? There can be legit differences between them(and more overlap than people generally believe, imo), so different tastes will mean a different bike.

Just buy the absolute cheapest bike you'll ride every day. Lock. Lights. You'll figure out what else you, personally, feel is a 'need'. And since you didn't blow all your money on a bike, you'll have money to get it.

Maybe you're a fair weather 3 mile bike path commuter with a safe workplace and no fear of theft, and that's all the riding you do. Your choices are likely different than the guy who wants something to do 30 mile commutes with groceries who showers before they clock in, which are different than the roadie getting extra miles in.

I suppose a newbie could be confused by some of the threads on here. People who commute a lot eventually get fed up with some things that happen over and over and want to fix them. However, that doesn't mean that a new commuter has to fix them before they start riding. To me, commuting requires the following: any bike, plus a lock, plus lights, plus any adequate way to carry your stuff.

It was more than 800$ :p I bought it mainly for speed above all else. I didn't think a road bike would be as comfortable as a more upright bike but I was wrong. But speed was the #1 reason I bought a road bike.

I have no idea how some people can hop on a bike and not care about how fast they're going. Everything in me screams GO! GO FASTER! when I'm on my bike, regardless of where I'm going. Sped is just so damn fun. Nothing I like better than passing cars and seeing the drivers WTF look.

I know what you mean, some people say the same thing about roadsters when in reality they can perform just as well or better than other types of bikes depending on circumstances. They're confusing personal preferences for specific attributes with actual capability in a broader spectrum.

Guess you sorta answered your own question.

Indeed you don't NEED an $800 bike to commute, especially if it is a short distance... but a nicer bike makes for a nicer ride.

For 800 I could buy and outfit two SE Tripel and have money left over for two sets of studded tires and another stock SE Tripel and third helmet. It's all about what works best for YOU. :)

- Andy

I agree with this. All you have to do is look at the many threads where a newbie comes and asks a question about commuting, posters reply and go on and on, (sometimes even bickering about what's "best" :lol:) even though the thread starter has stopped posting.

Here's a recent one where 47 replies were given, with nary another peep from the OP!

http://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...rformance.html

Absolutely.

I had it indoors on a trainer for a long time, so it definitely got used, just not outside.

I was worried that I'd need help or advice in the future, and since the bike stores in my area were abysmal and I didn't know anyone else who rode, I knew I'd be coming back here. I figured if I did not have a "real" bike no one would have taken me seriously enough to help.

But you're right , and I wish I'd known that years ago.

I did, I stopped posting actively thus hadn't logged in in years....couldn't find my original account so I just got a new one. I have tried searching for older posts but I couldn't find anything back that far.

If you just do it my way, things will be much simpler.

My opinion is that steering people into spending more than they are prepared to spend just turns them away from viewing the bike as a viable means of transportation or utility riding (grocery runs). Let them buy the department store bike if that's what the budget allows. That's still one more bike on the road, one less car.

Often the used market is suggested as an alternative to department stores, but let's awknowlege that there is a lot more junk than 'gems' on Craigslist. Maybe some take it for granted, but choosing what used bike to buy often requires a certain mechanical know-how, something which first time buyers are unlikely to have. Furthermore, some people, for whatever reasons, are not comfortable meeting with a random person and buying a bike on Craigslist.

So let them ride that department store bike or Amazon single speed. If they get 'hooked' they will willingly want to spend more when the time is right. Even if all they do is leave it parked in the garage and ride it a few times a year, hey, it's still one less car for those few days , and who knows, they might inspire someone else to ride, and that person might inspire someone else, and so on. That's the way to get people on the bike, imo.

There is no one-size-fits-all.

I have some friends that I would never put anything but a $20 used Department store bike (the friends that every year I have to break the chain loose using WD-40, and a long ride consists of a mile to the end of the road and back.

Others would benefit greatly from a "fast bike", but don't seem to have the maintenance skills for one.

It is important to note the night & day difference between a quality bike and a dime-store bike. Some things may make a difference, others may not. For some riders, steel chainrings are just fine. Non-replaceable chainrings are good if one doesn't ever have to replace them. 30 pounds? 40 pounds?

For those that keep their two wheels on the ground, the weight may never make a difference. There was a person a couple days ago asking about daily carrying a bike up to a 2nd or 3rd story apartment, and while it can be done with a tank, it would be easiest to carry a light bike up the steps, but is it worth $1000+?

I was trying to find the time to respond but I could not phrase it any better than tarwheel. As one progresses as a cyclist, and discovers more nuances to commuting, especially with the weather, as well as traffic, conditioning, routes and so forth, one’s interest and needs become more advanced and intricate, i.e complicated, and expands the riders abilities and enjoyment.

So too does tjspiel peg it when he notes we advise according to our needs. For example, my main advice to a beginning commuter would be vague about what bike to buy other to satisfy need and price, but I specifically would recommend a rearview mirror, with the pro’s and con’s of all types. Or, though I don’t get too concerned about the technical specifics and brands about my bikes and components, I’m a enthusiast when it comes to the challenges of winter riding. I think this personalized tendency is the basic source of popcorn threads like using mirrors, listening to music, running red lights, etc.

IMO, the actual question of the op, “Do you ever think people overcomplicate this?” smacks of a holier-than-thou attitude, like. “I’m not religious, but I am spiritual.” I’m reminded about the medical definition of an alcoholic as “someone who drinks more than the doctor.”(or, someone wonkier about cycling than the OP). I think it’s all relative, as in someone who passes you in a car is an idiot (overcomplicates), and someone you pass is a moron (Fred).

Well said! I agree with you and the OP.

I am finding a sort of apprehensiveness creeping in when scouting local bike stores also - I just want a bike to ride around on for exercise, enjoyment, some light commuting...and I keep getting the vibe that what I want isn't 'good enough' because I'm not willing to spend $800. If I didn't already own a bike (2nd hand from craigslist!), it could imagine it putting me off cycling altogether right at the onset.