@Skankingbiker: Did you put up a dartboard with different parts on it and just throw darts at it until you had a whole bike?

I had a custom NuVinci N360 mid-drive put on by Utah Trikes. They were also able to keep the front triple in place for low-low gearing ... which I've already used on my in-laws driveway. Let me tell you, that N360 is nice.

So far, after one ride in to work, the lower riding position isn't so scary since my head is at the same height as that of car drivers.

something like that :). This was my old mountain bike. When I bought a new hardtail, this got switched to commuter duty. The bike is very light, manueverable, and comfy. I tried out probably 5 sets of bars until I settled on these. I have some wrist issues that make prolonged riding on any flat bar nearly impossible. These bars have multiple hand positions and also fit my shifter pod. I went with a 1x9 drivetrain to cut down on maintenance in the winter & to lighten the bike. I will admit that the 2 pieces of old reflectors I used as a chainguide are ghetto, but they were free and they work.

My 2011 Giant Defy 2 I had set up for commuting was stolen last week. No more overly fancy road bikes for commuters. I just bought a Giant Escape and a rack and trunk much like yours. My new commuter will look very much like this. Pick up Saturday.
Nice ride BTW, LOL.

Just came in yesterday...still gotta put the rack on, but I rode it to work today and it was like buttah.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7084/...cdb4ed0144.jpg

Here is a cell phone pic of my bike in my office this week. This bike doubles as my rain, rough road training, hill climbing, 2d bike. I'll replace the photo when I get a better one.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6057/6...19d3026f_z.jpg

Pick this up today!
 

Novara Gotham belt drive, NuVinci N360 hub.....

Why?

'Might as well add the Schwinn to the thread and make it official:

Schwinn Coffee 3-spd., $336, stock so far, except the lights and pedals. Thinking about a Brooks or one of the American copies of a Brooks to replace the stock saddle for it. Max realistic speed is 24 mph. Typical cruising speeds are 10-18 mph.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/eb03be53.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/94f0a258.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/83a1f0b2.jpg

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=242402 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=242403

Just installed the Brooks B17 saddle, Cateye 320 LED headlight and Blackburn Mars taillight today. Ready to start tackling the journey from my house to the San Diego-Coronado ferry, and then from one end of the island to the other. To ride the bike in to work at least twice a week is my goal for now.

I'm going to work on breaking in the saddle this weekend and early next week and hopefully ride to work next Wednesday or Friday.

there are MANY MANY great looking bikes in this thread!

I haven't been on here as much the last few months. When did you get the Uno it looks great? I see you snagged it at Bikesisland. I was tempted to pick one up when they were cheap, but I am glad I didn't because I just can't do the singlespeed thing.

My commute is flat enough to pull it off. It arrived at my place on the 12th, and I shoved the boxes (1 from Nashbar with tires/fenders, 1 with the wheels from a Kilo WT, and one with the bike) in my closet (to keep a toddler out of it) until the 17th when I had time to work on it. The rear fender was a bit of a hangup, but I finally got it resolved Friday morning and hit the road with it for the first time. It is an excellent companion to my Fantom CX, I am pleased with the results... except for the brake levers. Man, they are bad.

Finally got the Volpe into full commuting mode...it only has one set of rear eyelets, so I had to pick up extra long screws.

https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6230/...47f82ae916.jpg

Yeah, I don't remember how well they did or did not function, but yeah I hated the ergonomic feel of those type levers. I had them on a Windsor Clockwork from bikes island last year and I would have changed them out if I had kept the bike.

Cool, the bike should serve you well in SD. SD has the best weather for year round commute. I lived in PB and commuted to Pt Loma back when I lived there in '09.

sweet ride

How do you like the Volpe? I love the look of it.

I'm loving it so far. My previous commuter was a Jamis Coda Sport, which just never fit right and I kinda started to hate it. I used to think the Jamis had a smooth ride, but I'm continually amazed by Volpe...it's like butter wrapped in velvet...no creaks, no rattles, no harshness in the grips...but at the same time it's very responsive and quick, but not twitchy like my aluminum skinny-tired bike. Now I don't think I'd ever get another commuter that wasn't steel frame and fork.

Sounds good, thanks!

I'm loving that Volpe, Matt. One of the local guys has one, and it is beeeeeautiful. If I recall correctly, he even took it on a tour to Colorado and back from the midwest.

Raleigh M50
 

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=242643

My 1996 Raleigh M50. I bought this back in high school it has been a very tough bike over the years. I recently added a few things to make it a more compatible commuter.

Kenda K838 tires
Fenix Flash Light mount
Portland Design Works Radbot 1000 tail light

ford ranger, a yearlong free buspass and this
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/8020/photo900f.jpg
It had a rear fender but i lost it

wish i had a gearbike but this thing is fun

How is the toe overlap on the Volpe and the fenders? I just put fenders on my cross bike and I'm getting annoying toe overlap.

My primary complaint is the toe overlap...it only happens when the fenders are on, but it has been an issue, since there are a couple spots in my commute that I have to navigate uphill entrances to trails that have switchback ramps. If I'm wearing sneakers, I can position my feet far enough back on the pedals, so it's really only a problem when I'm clipped in. However, I was messing around this weekend and found that if I'm clipped in and keep my toes pointed down as far as they can go, I just clear the fenders when turning the wheel....doesn't work if I point my toes up though. In the morning I'll see if I can actually make it work while riding.

I went out riding Sunday and I came across a bicycle polo game in an ice skating rink in West Lafayette. I also came across a guy that was charging his new electric bicycle outside a local coffee shop. I have seen him there before as he kinda hangs out there with other "regulars" (me included). He said that the fact that it has an electric outlet just outside of the shop is "a devine sign". I also meant a guy that told me he wiped out on his bicycle on that same day so I got a pick of his arm. Included is a picture of the bicycle shop at night and a business with an address of 666 1/3.

More

couple more

One more, this is the start of the Wabash Heritage Trail starting at Pedestrian Street Bridge which spans the Wabash river and allows people to walk back and forth between West Lafayette and Lafayette. You can see how the trail follows along the river and goes out to a place called Battle Ground.