Commuting to Work Questions
06-21-09 | 11:27 AM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,486
Likes: 4,563
From: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
1) How should I approach breakfast? - eat a full breakfast at 4:15 am, have coffee then go to the bathroom. Eat a small box of raisins as you shut the door.
2) Is there a good tire to use for commuting? I just started using Specialized Armadillos. they are hard t put on but great to ride on. Slick, high pressure, wide enough, and surprisingly comfortable. Be prepared to change a tube or patch a tube hole, including a small pump. Small pump won't get you up to high pressure - but will get you ride-able pressure.
3) I am not sure if I get a locker that I can store stuff in, so what would be a nice bag/backpack to wear while riding? That two different things to consider. Storage at work for food and clothes. Find a nice plastic bin with a cover and ask your boss if its OK, and ask where you can leave it. It should be somewhere convenient to your showering and changing. Nothing precious - mischievous hands are everywhere.
For the bike - get a large rack, with a matching large or expandable rack trunk and a rain cover.
Also, learn to wear less clothing.
2) Is there a good tire to use for commuting? I just started using Specialized Armadillos. they are hard t put on but great to ride on. Slick, high pressure, wide enough, and surprisingly comfortable. Be prepared to change a tube or patch a tube hole, including a small pump. Small pump won't get you up to high pressure - but will get you ride-able pressure.
3) I am not sure if I get a locker that I can store stuff in, so what would be a nice bag/backpack to wear while riding? That two different things to consider. Storage at work for food and clothes. Find a nice plastic bin with a cover and ask your boss if its OK, and ask where you can leave it. It should be somewhere convenient to your showering and changing. Nothing precious - mischievous hands are everywhere.
For the bike - get a large rack, with a matching large or expandable rack trunk and a rain cover.
Also, learn to wear less clothing.
06-21-09 | 12:50 PM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 9,352
Likes: 4
From: Tampa/St. Pete, Florida
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock Mountain (Stolen); Giant Seek 2 (Stolen); Diamondback Ascent mid 1980 - 1997
I just graduated from Macalester College and very luckily just picked up a really nice position at CarVal (Cargill's Investing Branch) in Minnetonka (for those of you familiar with the Twin Cities). I start on the 29th and today I biked there to see how long the commute is going to be. Turns out to be 17 miles each way, so I will be biking 170 miles a week to and from work. Its a really nice commute, I have about 2 miles of bike lane on a road and then 15 miles of a pure biking Greenway. I have a few questions for the commuters out there.
1) How should I approach breakfast? I have to be at work at 8 AM, so therefore anticipate leaving around 6:15, so I have time to shower and clean up before work (they have showers and a locker-room; they are very accommodating towards bikers). I don't really want to bike on an empty stomach but I don't want much food in me while I bike. Is there a good shake or something liquid that works well? Could I drink that before I go and then eat a larger breakfast once I get to work?
2) Is there a good tire to use for commuting? I am using my only road bike (Klein with 105 components) and since I will be riding 170 miles per week I doubt I will ride too much leisurely and I don't plan on racing this summer since my knee is not strong enough from surgery. I was leaning towards Gatorskins, since I heard they are pretty durable? Any suggestions for a tire that would be ideal for this situation?
3) I am not sure if I get a locker that I can store stuff in, so what would be a nice bag/backpack to wear while riding? I have used my backpack but the straps always seem to flap around. Do I go hipster and get a messenger bag?
Thanks guys
1) How should I approach breakfast? I have to be at work at 8 AM, so therefore anticipate leaving around 6:15, so I have time to shower and clean up before work (they have showers and a locker-room; they are very accommodating towards bikers). I don't really want to bike on an empty stomach but I don't want much food in me while I bike. Is there a good shake or something liquid that works well? Could I drink that before I go and then eat a larger breakfast once I get to work?
2) Is there a good tire to use for commuting? I am using my only road bike (Klein with 105 components) and since I will be riding 170 miles per week I doubt I will ride too much leisurely and I don't plan on racing this summer since my knee is not strong enough from surgery. I was leaning towards Gatorskins, since I heard they are pretty durable? Any suggestions for a tire that would be ideal for this situation?
3) I am not sure if I get a locker that I can store stuff in, so what would be a nice bag/backpack to wear while riding? I have used my backpack but the straps always seem to flap around. Do I go hipster and get a messenger bag?
Thanks guys
For tires I use Specialized Armadillo Nimbus in the 26x1.5 size. After around 4k miles I have to buy a new pair.
Last edited by Digital_Cowboy; 06-22-09 at 12:12 PM.
06-22-09 | 12:15 PM
#28
Senior Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 9,352
Likes: 4
From: Tampa/St. Pete, Florida
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock Mountain (Stolen); Giant Seek 2 (Stolen); Diamondback Ascent mid 1980 - 1997
I would also recommend getting a saddle bag to keep a patch kit in, spare tube, tire irons, money (coins and dollar bills) for the bus and to use as a boot in an emergency.
Also consider a frame pump or CO2 inflater. The CO2 is faster, but when you get home you should reinflate your tire(s) with your floor pump as the CO2 will leach out faster.
Also consider a frame pump or CO2 inflater. The CO2 is faster, but when you get home you should reinflate your tire(s) with your floor pump as the CO2 will leach out faster.
06-23-09 | 11:10 AM
#29
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
From: Snohomish, WA
Bikes: Ridley Fenix Disc '15, Centurion Ironman '86, Raleigh Team '90, Bianchi Nyala '93
I'm probably not much help on breakfast. I have a short (6 mile) commute and I typically have two eggs, poached, on whole grain toast. Food seldom bothers me on the bike even on long rides. Mid-morning on ride days I might have a granola bar if I'm starving.
As for a rear rack, you might be able to use a seatpost rack with a trunk bag. I keep a spare pair of work shoes at work and everything else comes along with me. In summer I have excess capacity but in winter I expand the bag and it gets stuffed pretty full for the ride home. I think these are usually rated to 25 lbs, but the limfac is really the seatpost.
As for a rear rack, you might be able to use a seatpost rack with a trunk bag. I keep a spare pair of work shoes at work and everything else comes along with me. In summer I have excess capacity but in winter I expand the bag and it gets stuffed pretty full for the ride home. I think these are usually rated to 25 lbs, but the limfac is really the seatpost.
06-23-09 | 12:36 PM
#30
Rides again
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,282
Likes: 1
From: SW. Sacramento Region, aka, down river
Bikes: Giant OCR T, Trek SC
If you are going to ride armadillos, get the reflective type. Alternative is schwalbe marathon series. For carrying, I like the topeak beam seat post rack and the topeak slide in bag. If you need lots of room, you can get the pannier model.
06-23-09 | 12:58 PM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 8,101
Likes: 17
From: Minneapolis
Good luck and congrats clichty.
The Greenway is pretty nice for commuting and just a banana or something quick on the morning would probably be fine. If you could take the time for a bowl of cereal, it would be better.
I don't have a particular tire recommendation. I have used Fortezza SE's from Performance bike and they've been relatively problem free. No flats in 2 years, - until yesterday
Not the smoothest tire in the world but relatively inexpensive, especially when Performance has them on sale.
The Greenway is pretty nice for commuting and just a banana or something quick on the morning would probably be fine. If you could take the time for a bowl of cereal, it would be better.
I don't have a particular tire recommendation. I have used Fortezza SE's from Performance bike and they've been relatively problem free. No flats in 2 years, - until yesterday
Not the smoothest tire in the world but relatively inexpensive, especially when Performance has them on sale.
06-23-09 | 01:04 PM
#32
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 158
From: Santa Fe, NM
Bikes: Vassago Moosknuckle Ti 29+ XTR, 90's Merckx Corsa-01 9sp Record, PROJECT: 1954 Frejus SuperCorsa
1) Breakfast - my commute is 12 miles each way, and I tend to ride strong and steady. I have a fruit and whey protein smoothie when I wake up, and have started packing a couple of boiled eggs to get a mid-morning protein bump. I try to eat a little something before the ride home.
2) Tires - Pass - I have nothing to add here - others have covered it
3) bag - Backpacks suck for anything more than a few miles. Seatpost racks CAN be a pain with any more than a few pounds in the bag - it is possible for them to swing or slip off center. I generally don't like them. If I were you, I'd keep my eyes peeled for a good steel-framed rigid fork mountain bike or a cross bike on craigslist (or other sources) and build up a commuting specific ride. My sister lives in Minnetonka and I've visited in Winter - I'm pretty sure the Klein would be hard to convert to a winter bike (probably not enough clearance for large studded tires, fenders, etc).
So, my advice would be to make do with a backpack and save your money for a used bike and all the stuff you'll need as winter comes back around.
Congrats on the job, and welcome to the wonderful world of bicycle commuting!
2) Tires - Pass - I have nothing to add here - others have covered it
3) bag - Backpacks suck for anything more than a few miles. Seatpost racks CAN be a pain with any more than a few pounds in the bag - it is possible for them to swing or slip off center. I generally don't like them. If I were you, I'd keep my eyes peeled for a good steel-framed rigid fork mountain bike or a cross bike on craigslist (or other sources) and build up a commuting specific ride. My sister lives in Minnetonka and I've visited in Winter - I'm pretty sure the Klein would be hard to convert to a winter bike (probably not enough clearance for large studded tires, fenders, etc).
So, my advice would be to make do with a backpack and save your money for a used bike and all the stuff you'll need as winter comes back around.
Congrats on the job, and welcome to the wonderful world of bicycle commuting!
06-23-09 | 01:04 PM
#33
Scan Me
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 771
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, TX
Bikes: 2009 Trek 2.3, 2010 Specialized Secteur Sport
Congrats on graduating and getting a job in a tough market.
Consider moving closer to work. Seriously.
A first job can be tough. In the miserable winters you will wind up sinking as much into fuel and car maintenance to more than offset the advantages you might have in sharing a college apartment or living in a student area.
Consider moving closer to work. Seriously.
A first job can be tough. In the miserable winters you will wind up sinking as much into fuel and car maintenance to more than offset the advantages you might have in sharing a college apartment or living in a student area.
