surreal

hello, everyone. i'm new to this forum, and i'm new to commuting by bicycle, and i'm basically new to bikes, aside from the things i used to get from point a to point b back when i was a child/paperboy.

as a clueless newbie, i would much appreciate anyone who wants to point me in the direction of useful FAQS for this site, as well as the usual "welcome aboards" that one expects on internet forums...

i look forward to contributing to and learning from (more of the latter, i suspect) in the future!

-rob

Richard D

Hi, welcome to the site.

We don't currently have FAQ's (whether we should have or not isbeing debated). However, the site does have a great search engine (near top, right). Also we're not the sort of people to scream if you ask something that's been asked before

Post away with queries, experiences, whatever, apart from following the basic forum guidelines we're very easy going round here.

Richard

MichaelW

Welcome to cycle commuting.
To cycle commute you need a job and a bike. That was easy.


When you are looking for info, you have to be wary of sport-related sites, these are not always appropriate to the commuter.
Many bike shops treat cycling as a sport, but those that sell touring bikes usually have a more practical attitude.

A couple of commuting links:

https://userwww.sfsu.edu/~pdorn/Commu...mmuting13.html

https://www.bicyclinglife.com/Effecti...oadsWeHave.htm

Their links pages should point you in useful directions. See Effective Cycling by John Forrester. This is a book/course that encapsulates all the experience of transportational cyclists regarding road use.

How far do you live from work? That can determine the approach you take to riding. What is your current transportation budget ? We can help you set a realistic cycling budget without over or underspending.

Ask away, we are always glad to help a new commuter.

RainmanP

Welcome to BikeForums, Surreal. As Richard said we don't have FAQs yet. However, you can probably pick up some good stuff by looking back through the archives, note the page numbers to click at the bottom of most forum screens. There have been some good threads on getting started in commuting in the last few months to a year. You can do the same in each forum you may be interested in. We look forward to hearing more from you. You will find a lot of very knowledgable and helpful people here.
Regards,
Raymond

aturley

Welcome aboard! I've only been here for a few months, but I can tell you that everyone here is very nice about answering any questions you have. There isn't a lot of posturing or one-up-manship, just some people who really like bikes.

If you're new to bicycling to work, let me give you what I consider to be the most important piece of advice: ALWAYS FOLLOW THE LAW. Get the vehicle code for your state and study the section on bikes. Know exactly where you should be at all times. And follow that. People sometimes say, "Well, I'll ride in the street when it isn't busy, but I'll go on the sidewalks if the street has a lot of fast cars." Don't do it. It will only get you in trouble.

This is the advice I wish someone had given me. It would have saved me some pain and hospital bills. Commuting was my first experience with putting a lot of miles (relatively) on a bike, and I didn't really know what I was doing. Bicycle commuting can be a very safe and enjoyable activity if done correctly and legally.

I wish you luck and many happy commutes.

andy

sunnybear

Hi and welcome...
I am fairly new here as well both to the forum and to commuting, but not to cycling- have done several Cycle Across Maryland, Cycle North Carolina, Mt Mitchell and lots of fun road and mtn bike miles. Lots of great people and lots of great information. Have fun...

LittleBigMan

Hi!

You will enjoy cycling and bicycle commuting--I do.

I would add this to what has been said: mention of John Forrester and Effective Cycling has been made. This is very important. Classes are probably offered in your area for a song.

Cycling is an investment that will pay off handsomely!

JonR

Such as--

"Nothing could be finah
Than to be in Carolina
In the mo-o----o-oo-ornin'!"

(Have to imagine the bouncing ball and little music notes dancing around, sorry)

John E

Forester is comprehensive, but so lengthy and expensive that you may prefer John Franklin's "Cyclecraft" or John S. Allen's "Street Smarts." I own, have read, and recommend all three books.

ahuman

welcome to the bike forum. I think its the best one on the internet.
From what I have read and asked. there is no question to dum they wont answer.. really I learned a lot.
glad to hear you are just starting to ride and commute..
what are you riding and how far is your commute..?
I have a 12 mile commute with a few hill. so i commute with my road bike.



K

surreal

thanks for the replies, everyone!~

ok, here's some info about me and my commute and my bike:

-i am 25 years old, and i go to school about 5 or 6 miles away, and my job is only like a bit more than 3 miles away. opposite directions. on a day like friday, i'd theoretically ride 6 miles west to school, then 9 miles east to work, than three miles west to home. except i havent been riding to school yet. some days(like today, for instance) commuting by bicyle won't be feasible. but it probably will be on monday,wednesday and friday.

-i need to check out the safety/advocacy forum for info on driving thru high-crime areas... as my route to school includes that kind of neighbourhood.

-my bike is a mtn bike; a specialized hardrock. i bought it at the beginning of february. it's wierd; ive had some mechanicial stuff go down with the bike =P but it's pretty cool, in general. i just hope the guys at the shop manage to fix these "teething" problems.

-i have been concerned that i didnt get the best bike for my needs, but i do like to hit dirt trails on occasion...i plan on ditching my car as soon as i find a biker, and relying on my bicycle for most of my transportation needs. i have a motorbike for longer trips, and my gf's car for if/when i need to haul more stuff.

-speaking of hauling more stuff: i wanna get some panniers. anyone have any recomendations? i have found cool stuff at www.inertiadesigns.com; i'm looking at the "expedition" bags. any thoughts/feedback, anyone?

it's good to hear this advice about riding properly, b/c so far, um, i havent really been doing that. you know, following traffic laws, etc. i've changed that since i started lurking this site a few days back. what i dont understand is how i've avoided getting tickets, being that i was riding like a buffoon in front of cops. ah, well...

anyone got good advice on a nice headlight/set of headlights?

thanks, ttyl
-rob

JonR

It's hard to ask a dumb question--a lot easier to give a dumb answer, and I've provided my share of THOSE.

JonR

Originally posted by surreal
-i need to check out the safety/advocacy forum for info on driving thru high-crime areas... as my route to school includes that kind of neighbourhood.-speaking of hauling more stuff: i wanna get some panniers. anyone have any recomendations? i have found cool stuff at www.inertiadesigns.com; i'm looking at the "expedition" bags. any thoughts/feedback, anyone?

For safety, if you can, carry a cell-phone, but not a weapon. And keep alert and show through body language that you're alert: no-goods are much less apt to pick on alert, assertive-looking targets than on meek, sluggish looking ones, just as in the rest of the animal kingdom.

Re: panniers--quality depends in large part on how much you're willing to spend, but also what you need depends in large part on how much you are wanting to carry, and the weather conditions. If you have large feet, like mine, you will appreciate the design that is cut back at the bottom, so your heels don't strike the bags. It's very annoying if every pedal stroke causes contact with the panniers!

Bear in mind that no panniers are completely waterproof: but good quality plastic sacks ARE. So if you're going to have to be in the rain for more than a few minutes, wrap everything inside the bags in good plastic and you'll be spared considerable grief.

what i dont understand is how i've avoided getting tickets, being that i was riding like a buffoon in front of cops.

Hey, I've seen bike cops here riding on sidewalks, so they don't have much room to criticize ordinary cyclists, seems to me...


anyone got good advice on a nice headlight/set of headlights?

Do a search on "lights" etc. and you'll find a wealth of discussion on this topic. I don't think there's a good solution, but there are several adequate ones.

MichaelW

The hardrock is quite OK as a commuter bike, but it really helps to switch to slick tyres. You will go so much faster, and on tarmac they have just as much grip and reliability as knobbly tyres. Some close fitting fenders, like SKS will keep dirty water off you.

Fit a good rack and the toughest pannier bags youy can find. They need to have a quick release system and good stiffening boards. You can go overboard on pockets and zips, I prefer simple ones.

I ride all winter in the dark, and use a blinking rear light (+ reflectors). My front lamp is a standard dynamo lamp wired to a lead acid battery in an old waterbottle, with a constant voltage charger (auto switching from bulk to trickle charge) from an electronics store. It was a fraction of the price of most high power lamps, but has much better battery management than most of them.
Small handlebar mounted rechargeable units or LED ones are not really powerfull or long lasting enough. Hi lamps are a thief magnet, another accessory you have to strip from the bike every time you lock it up.

surreal

michael, jonr--thank you both for the info.

jonr-i hear ya about the folly of carrying a weapon, as there are many ways that a weapon can be more of a detriment than an asset. weapons have no loyalty, and it struck me that my initial idea(mace) could wreck with me just b/c i may be shooting it into the wind on a bicycle...it could come right back into my face! =P

michaelw-i am pretty sure i wanna get the panneirs from www.inertiadesigns.com; the question is, who makes excellent pannier racks? i want something that attaches in several places; ive seen some that attach solely to the seatpost, and this seems less stable to me. i think the products marketed by oldmanmountain seem pretty good, but if anyone using panniers has a specific product they wanna recomend, i'd love to ehar about it!

i'll be sure to check out the fenders you recomended, as i do need a good front fender.

thanks again,
-rob

Richard D

Fenders and front suspension don't go well together

The best fenders for keeping water off you are the full-length ones and are just about impossible to fit with a suspension fork. I've found any fender that is mounted on the fork brace either doesn't provide enough clearance off-road or hits the wheel when the suspension compresses. I'm now using one that mounts in the underneath of the steerer tube and it's a lot better.
Mine's a Filthy Muck Sucker but you can probably get better made (lighter) ones from other manufacturers.

Richard

Rich Clark

I ride through some "interesting" urban landscapes every day. And in the evening on the way home.

I don't worry about it too much because bikes are nearly silent, and you're past any potential problems before you're even noticed.

I do worry about having a flat or other mechanical breakdown and getting stranded where I'd rather not be. My response is to

(1) guard against flats by using robust kevlar-belted tires, and keeping them properly inflated and maintained;

(2) practice rapid flat repairs and make sure my repair kit is always in usable condition, carry a chain tool, and buy well-built, pre-stressed and well tensioned wheels, and then maintain them;

(3) carry a cell phone where I can reach it without fumbling, programmed to dial 911 by voice activation.

I take these precautions and then don't worry about it any more. I've never had any trouble.

RichC

Rich Clark

Others have mentioned getting slick, higher-pressure tires for road riding. Good advice. I know people who actually own two complete sets of wheels, one with slicks and one with knobbies, and the one with slicks with higher, closer-spaced gears for road-riding.

With a mountain bike you want to make sure that whatever panniers you buy aren't so big that your heels hit them. This is partly a function of your rack; some racks (Tubus, Jandd) are designed to offset the pannier mounting backwards. And this company -- https://www.oldmanmountain.com -- makes front and rear racks for mountain bikes, including those with suspension.

If you plan to ride after dark (hard for a commuter to avoid) don't mess around with anything less than a ni-cad based lighting system with a smart charger, although a lead-acid system can be OK as long as the charger won't overcharge the battery and you don't mind the extra battery weight. I've have good luck with both Performance and NiteRider systems.

Some people believe low-power (3-5W) lights are plenty as long as the beam is well-focused. Personally I say the brighter the better, and it's hard to beat the combination of a spot (to reveal road hazards) and a flood (to illuminate off-axis things like pedestrians, as well as to help in dark turns). I also like dual-lamp systems because of the redundancy.

RichC

bikehard700

Hi there, and welcome. I'm also fairly new to this site, but, I really dig it, as I'm sure you will also.
I have been a commuter in the past... two different times, once 38 miles round trip, and once 27 mile round trip. Both times were on road bikes. If I had the chance, I'd do it again. So, I relate to where you are in the cycling world... I began serious cycling in the mid 70's, and I'm learning new stuff every time I log on.
As you have already experienced... the people on this forum are helpful, humorous, and understanding.

ENJOY...:thumbup:

using the "get more" feature with the smiles, is one of my favorites...:fun: :fun:

surreal

rich w- thanks for the tips on fenders. is it hard to fit rear fenders with panniers at the same time? it isnt encouraging to ehar that bout front fenders w/ front suspension, but i think i get sprayed more from the rear wheel anyway.

rich c-i'll be commuting to school directly across the bridge from you, in camden NJ! that's good advice re: cell phone, but i dont think mine has voice activation features. i need to look into getting something to prevent flats; ive heard about tese wierd liner-thingies that might be of help to me, or i shall look out for better tires, like the ones you sugegsted.

the oldmanmountain racks have appealed to me, but bruce gordon makes what looks like an excellent rack(that should fit my bike) for just a little more money. but i imagine the clearance for my feet would be better with the old man mtn racks....

bikehard: i think you're right, re: this forum. those were some crazy smileys. those are some loooong commutes! i'll be going far shorter distances...for now! =)

-rob

LittleBigMan

Fenders.

I got a swell 6-inch wide stripe up my butt this morning.

Go fenders.

MichaelW

Blackburn racks are the standard. Bruce Gorden are more for expedition touring. Very nice, but expensive.
I use a cheaper Blackburn look-a-like on my commuter, and it works very well, even with heavy shopping.

Arkel make highly regarded panniers. I use Carradice ones, which are made of bomb-proof canvas, but are still lightweight and stiff.

Expensive lighting systems often use genertic sealed beam lamps. You have a flood and a spot, which may focus (so is not road-legal in the UK).
European style Dynamo lamps are specially designed to optimise the 3watts output into a rectangular section on the road, and a star pattern for side visibility. They make much better use of the light, and can appear almost as bright as more powerful systems.
I get about 3 hours use out of my lead acid battery at 3 watts, and find it fine for riding on roads, and even dark tracks.
High power systems are designed for kamikaze night-time off road riding. You need a big power unit or they burn out after an hour.

thbirks

welcome to the forums, Surreal. It's great to hear of a commuting cyclist in Jersey. Both my brother and sister attended Rutgers in Camden, actually my brother is graduating this semester. I ride through Camden when I go to Philadelphia and You definitely want some sturdy tires. There's a great shop at 3rd and Market in Philly called Trophy bikes. They can help you with any commuting hardware you might need.

It may not have occurred to you, but a street map is a great thing to have as a cyclist. I personally avoid highways like RT. 38, 70, and 130. If your sane you'll want to avoid them also.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

surreal

thanks for the welcome, thbirks!

i totally avoid 38/70/130, except when i have to cross 'em. jersey is crazy congested here in 'burban philly. ugh.

when you bike thru camden, what route do you take? i'm thinkin' 561(haddon ave) almost all the way to campus, as it seems safe in most ways. any thoughts?

tia,
-rob