Bike Forums - What's the BEST practical commuting rig?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lil brown bat (Post 9756909)

Let's question that assumption, shall we? It's a commute: same roads, every day, carrying more or less the same stuff, same traffic, etc. If you live away from the equator, you'll get some variance in weather conditions, but that's nothing like the variability in conditions you get going from singletrack to paved road. People overcomplicate the selection of gear for commuting because, well, there's just so many choices out there (and we're a bunch of jackdaw consumers). It becomes a lot simpler when you remember that a)you don't need the very very very best, you just need something that works, and b)the task at hand is really very simple and has numerous constraints that mean you don't have to carry every item a cyclist might ever own.

The thing is, some of us truly have every commute different.

I ride a bit over 7 miles through the country. In the sense that the roads are in the same place and the hills are the same, you're right that the commute never changes. But, half of my commute is on dirt roads, and about 1/4 of the rest of it has dirt washes over asphalt - the washes are constantly changing, washboards come and go, rain brings on new challenges, etc. For me, a touring-style bike with semi-wide tires (going back to 38's this winter, but swapped on 28's for the club season) and fenders is the way to go. I still have to oil the chain every night and wipe down the bike when I get to work and at home - it's a brutal commute for a bike. Dont' know what I'll do when this thing bites it.