I've started riding with only one pannier and the trunk bag on the commute, it's not as unbalanced as you'd think as long as you load the heavy stuff in the trunk.

my SS commuter with large trunk bag. and duct tape on the seat.

Is the duct tape to keep you from sliding off the seat?

just kidding, looks like a fun bike

SS Mercier Commuter....45x17 gear...10.5 miles of rolling terrain...a little bit of cursing...but mostly it's all smiles....

Kinda funky, really fun!

like that toucci! Is that a road stem or an mtb stem? What year is the bike?

The roads that get me to work can be seriously rough, so I put together a second commuter, making good use of my mountain bike. (Since a certain little lady into my life, there is not much time for mountain biking.) So I put on some bar ends, 1.5" semi-slick tires, Planet Bike fenders, and upgraded to Deore rear derailleur and shifters/brake levers. The quick-release rack comes off with the panniers in one piece and into the office. I also switched to a non-quick-release seat post collar, to discourage the opportunists. Compared to my road bike, it's like riding on a cloud; not a terribly fast cloud, but going slow is less stressful anyway.

The new setup

Bar ends and shifters

Deore 9-speed

Panaracer High Road V 26 x 1.5

Baby Girl

Posted in my "Birth of Hideously charming commuter bike" thread too, but they belong here as well.

Final Product



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The stem is a cannondale road stem, 17 deg. 100mm

It's a 2007, only a month old and look what's happened to it!

This was my winter bike. And it took a beating; i think the front hub and BB need to be cleaning and greased.

Attached is a photo of my current commuter. I "inherited" it from a friend of a friend. I have not picked a road bike for myself since 1974. They pick me. I am average sized guy, so my more wealthy roadie friends are forever handing down their old stuff to me whenever they feel like their steed is "worn out" as they put it. Normally, I use my own sweet custom built wheels ( because the bikes rarely get handed down to me with wheels ), but this one came to me as-is pretty much. I changed the saddle, HB tape, and tires. I left all of the normal commuting stuff on for the photo - fenders, blinkies, bottle. The frame pump is actually a functioning pump, but I use it as a shelaleigh (stick for hitting unfriendlys of the two or four legged variety).


Linkage to larger photo.

Frame: Circa 1989 Miyata - alum main triangle, CrMo everything else. Downtube shifting.
Wheels: Old-school Mavic Reflex with freewheel threading in rear.
Tires: Vredestein Fortezza Tri-comp - can't express my love for these enuff. Corners like a MoFo!
Crank: Ofmega by Mistral
All Else: Shimano 105
Freddy Fenders: strap-on.
Stickers: My Other Bike Is A Bike, and $0.00 9/10

I make the 17 mile commute each way to work including 7 miles of auto traffic mayhem in 55 minutes - give or take 5 depending on wind direction and velocity. I love "working the gridlock" on this bike. Fast off the line and goes where I want it to before I can even think about it!

I hear that! Nice job getting your ride cleaned up of that stuff. Too bad the logos were not reflective and useful!

If you couldn't see the USA sticker while you were riding, I don't think you will miss it.

Hideously charming... *love* those mudflaps.

Here is the RH stepchild, pure indulgence, waitin' on a rack. Strangely, not just any will fit.



Happy bday to me (in another couple wks)!

What kinda sound do Pugsy's make when they are rolling at a good clip? I bet I would start hugging the shoulder if I heard you approaching!

Ooh, that's COOOLLL!!! I want one.... Aerobars rock. Looks really fast, is it?

It's kind of a whoovvwhoovvwhoovvwhoovv... pretty welcoming! Quiet off pave though! (limited testing, <20 miles so far)

Lovely photo.
You must be proud on a baby girl like that.
Make sure you are a good dad for her.

Cheers,

Mike (dad of 2)

holy smokes, top speed = 10 mph

What sizw tires are those Hardy? That bike looks mean!

26x4.0!!

My LHT had so many similarities to my mtn bike (same wheelbase, hubs, and tires even, difference in bottom bracket height though) that I decided to pursue a more emphatic mountain bike to delineate the functional differences more clearly.

I think you pretty much have to make it say "CAN O' ALE" now. If I ever get a cannondale, I will too.

After a few commutes with my new mountain-commuter setup, I realize how wide the handlebars are, and the bar ends make it seem even worse. Still, it is very comfortable to ride. I have seen plenty of other commuter setups here like this one; Does anyone else ride a similar setup through crowded streets? I wonder if a narrower flat bar would be more practical.

Oh you bet I'm proud! Hence, the way off-topic picture being posted. Thank you for the compliment. Her first birthday present next spring is going to be a trailer, so she can go for rides with her daddy.

Mine sounds like a car according to people who have biked with me. Between the resonance of the huge rubber and the crushing of debris under tread, it does sound very automotive like. That comes in really handy on the "bike path" with clueless dog walkers and "five hands across the path for peace" knucklehead walkers and joggers. There are regular patrols of SUV driving cops on the path. Soon as a dog walker hears my tires humming they jerk fido waaaay over to the side thinking it is one of the cop-mobiles. Awesome!

nothing fancy. gets me to and from work