I've only got one bike; it's a cross bike, but most people would recognize it as a road bike. If I ever own a different bike, I'll have sold or crashed mine first. But I don't have to carry anything to or from work. I leave a pair of walking shoes under my desk, and wear clothes that are compatible with being on a bike and also with writing software.

Another thing I forgot to mention is that most road bike frames can only accept caliper brakes, which usually get in the way of mounting rear racks. Most touring and commuter bikes use cantilever brakes on the rear, with lower side bosses on the seat stays and a pull mechanism in the center or well off to the side, whereas caliper brakes mount at a single point farther up, with a pull mechanism that kind of juts upward, hindering the mounting of racks.

I have two mountain bikes and one road bike. I make sure my bike matches my outfit for the day.

One of my MTBs is outfitted with panniers. When I need to bring a lot to work, I use that one.

Never had side pull brakes interfere with rack mounting. P-clips to the seat stays if the frame doesn't have braze-ons.

I've made fairly easy work of mounting racks to road bikes also. I think of all the modern braking systems, disc brakes provide the biggest hurdles for someone installing a rack, but here are workarounds available.

Some bikes can be tough to get fenders on, however. My old Univega Super Special and Trek 400's fork, brake bridge and calipers allowed full fenders no problemo. My Pinarello won't even fit 28mm tires, let alone 23s and full fenders. I run a backscratcher in the wet, just to keep my butt and backpack clean and mostly dry.

+1. I don't see how road bike brakes would interfere with mounting a rack.

I mix riding a road bike with my hardtail mtb with slicks. The roadbike is fast and sleek. While the mtb feels solid and planted when going on rugged terrain. Also the mtb is more comfortable. But I do appreciate both qualities of these bike types. Given my current commute distance, the travel time is insignificant. However I am more watchful of surface conditions when I am on the road bike, whereas I will bunny hop on curbs, potholes, planks whatever.

For me, my commute is my opportunity to ride, I use a race bike. To each his own though, I use race bike because my commute is race for me-a race against the clock, a race against the bus, a race against that car that almost ran me off the road, etc. If the weather is bad, I take my car or my motorcycle.

I do end up accumulating clothes at work if I ride too many days in a row. I don't mind riding with a back pack in the morning, but when faced with the decision on whether or not to lug my dirty clothes home, I almost always just leave them.

I've also growth accustomed to leaving my computer at work.

If you want to ride fast, get a rode bike.

I used to commute about 15km each way on a Specialized Allez and loved it. I gave up the race tires because a) too many flats and b) I wasn't racing. The only real con was theft. My beloved race bike was stolen. I've switched to an older steel touring bike that weighs more, has racks and fenders and fatty tires that works great, but some days I miss that weightless feeling.

Flat tires are a pain in the neck for me. I've commuted about 5000 miles in the last three years and have had about 12 flat tires. One time I got two flats simultaneously and had to walk the last 5 miles pushing my bike. I've recently switched to heavier gatorskin tires and am hoping that the frequency of flats will go down.

Fortunately I'm able to take my bike into my office so I don't have to worry about leaving it out. I keep a second bike at work, an old steel frame, to go places during the day where I'll need to leave the bike out.

I like carrying my stuff with a rack and bag ,not a backpack. I commute on a univega super10, an older and lugged steel bike with full fenders. I like using 700x35 tires for the crappy roads and trails that i ride on. I also use a touring bike, a mtb with sort of slicks and a ss mtb sometimes. Go with what works for you. I love my studded tires in the winter, 2 diff set ups.

I rode the race bike to work today.



I just glued up some new tubulars this week and decided to use today's ride to work to test them out before Sunday's race. Better to find out about my glue job today than on race day.

"Commuting 17lb crit bike with 50mm carbon tubulars? Isn't that like driving a Porsche GT3 to work?" Yes, yes it is...

I commute 19 miles one way on my touring bike. The rear rack carries my gear in a pannier. The full fenders and 28cc wide tires make it rain friendly, which in Florida in the Summer is a requirement. 9 miles is not too far to ride with a backpack - 10 miles is my limit for backpacking. Any more than that and shoulder ache starts to ruin my ride. Plus, I HATE riding my road bike in the rain - 23cc tires are WAY too slippery when wet, and it's worse if you're wearing a backpack.

I experimented with commuting on my road bike sans luggage (left changes of clothes at work) on days when the forecast was dry. I must say the road bike was more fun, and a little faster, but not hugely so. I just didn't like having to haul mounds of clothes to/from work and then worry about the weather all the time. With my touring bike set up, I take what I need each day and enjoy the rain when it comes.

Perhaps, but if you want to ride fast on Saturday morning, commute during the week on the heavy steel framed, luggage loaded, wide tired touring bike. When I step on my road bike on Saturday morning, it's like stepping out of a semi and into a Corvette. The feeling is delicious.

i have never had a 'proper commuting bike' to be able to determine if there is any disadvantage to riding a roadie to work.

I will be starting my commute soon and am riding an older Cannondale critirium. It is pretty race oriented but I think it will be fine for my 26 mile round trip hilly country road commute. I think maybe I should train a little before I start, does riding at the skatepark count?

I commute 25+ mi RT on numerous bikes, N+1 rule.
90% of the time I commute on my road bike. '80's Trek 1000. Rack and pannier. I just prefer the speed and handling of it. I needed to use P clips on the top of the rack but it had eyelets on the bottom. It'll also never fit full fenders on it.
If it's raining hard enough when I leave for work I'll roll the hybrid with 700 X 25's and full fenders. Of course if it's less than 35F and raining I'll break down and take the car. I do really notice the plush ride of the front suspension hybrid when I take it. I also use the hybrid more in early spring before they have some of the past winters crop of potholes fixed.

One of the most important thinks IMO for a road bike in an urban commute is decent wheels and tires. I run all old bikes so they have decent quality 36 hole rims and I keep them trued. Even with decent "flat protection" tires there is so much crap in the streets that a normal 4K year is 5ish flats.

I am planning on building a new road commuter this winter. '87 Trek 400 . It has a nice 531 frame with "sport/touring" geometry. It will fit full fenders and has all the braze ons for rack and fenders. If the budget permits It'll be full Ultegra 10 spd triple with at least 32 hole durable rims.

I'd ride a road bike except that I carry a few items that I'd rather not carry on my back, one of which is my heavy laptop. And I'm worried about theft. While my commuter is a nice older Trek 8000, I don't feel like its on anyone's radar. My roadies would attract a lot of attention.

I dunno what I'd do if I had to take a job where my bike had to be parked on the street. I guess invest about $100-150 worth of bike locks. I'd likely ride the KHS as a sacrifice bike. Well, no, I'd go hit the garage sales for a sacrifice bike. I'd consider any bike parked in the city even with $100 worth of locks on it to be a sacrifice bike.

I used to roll out on this awful Novara hybrid and not bother locking it - even when I went down to Portland! That would be the perfect sacrifice bike, but I gave it to a friend about a year ago.

There are some reasons why you might not want to commute on a road bike but they are not insurmountable. Do you need racks on your bike to carry a briefcase or fenders to help keep your clothes nice on wet roads? If your road bike has the eyelets to attach them (and many entry and mid level bikes do) there is no reason you cannot add them. It is then only an issue of whether you want the racks/fenders on your bike when road riding and/or how tedious it is to remove/replace them for the ride you intend to take today. Similarly, do you want to deal with special shoes when commuting? Is it acceptable to you to put on different pedals when commuting or combination SPD/platform pedals? In other words there are some minor issues you might have to work through that will either lead you to make compromises for both purposes (not always a bad thing) or spend some time reconfiguring between rides. Or maybe your job lets you just ride the road bike as it is and you plan to deal with wet roads by driving those days. The only issue that I know of that would prevent you from riding your road bike would also prevent you from riding any other bike except a folding bike. My commute is part train, part bike and nothing but folders are allowed on the trains I need to ride. It doesn't sound like you face any restriction like that so there is nothing to prevent you from commuting on a road bike or any other bike you own. Bikes are specialized for various uses but except in very extreme cases you can use most bikes for most purposes. Commuting on your road bike should be fine and if over time you decide you want to set up a bike specifically for your commute you can get a commuting bike then. And a commuting bike could just as well be a road bike set up with whatever features you find you want on your commute but not on your road rides....

Ken

c'mon Ken, give us some paragraphs!

I've some stuff that needs to be hauled back to the homestead on a rack, but I've been putting it off for about two weeks. That's how resistant I am to riding anything but the Pinarello home after a hard day at the shop. I dunno how anyone with a choice could roll anything but a road bike when the weather's nice.

KHS with rack and panniers currently resides at the shop when I deem it absolutely necessary that I haul the crap home.

I have a choice, but I still use my Trek MTB with rack, pannier, and slicks. Like I said above, my roadies wouldn't last very long on the street in midtown Manhattan. I also invested in $200 worth of locks, a Kryptonite NY Fahgeddaboudit u-lock and a Kryptonite chain with u-lock shackle (can't remember what the model is.) I STILL couldn't bring myself to take my 1980 vintage custom built Davidson road bike, and wouldn't even think about my Kuota carbon bike, and leave it in the street.

Nah, the Trek is the one bike that I wouldn't miss all that much. It would still hurt in the pocket but I don't have the attachment to it as I do the others. If I had a road bike that was equivalent to the Trek I'd use it, but I don't. There's an old Cannondale that my wife bought before we were married (she wanted to ride with me, but that never quite worked out. We ended up married anyway, cycling isn't everything.) That would be a good choice with a little fixing up. I'd have to replace it though on the trainer as my son uses it indoors when he isn't using the Davidson outdoors. Hmmm, maybe I should look into this... One more bike... She'd kill me...

If I could take it inside there'd be no question, I'd use my road bike.

I commute by road bike as well. I use a backpack for getting my gear to work. Once in a while I go by public transport. These are the days I stuff my backpack extra full with clothing and such needed at work. Saves me some weight during the rides.

Still thinking about a beam rack though...

I remember one day this spring I counted six backpacks under my desk in my office from riding in with clothes and riding home without.

My shift starts at midnight, so I use extra lights and reflectors that I wouldn't necessarily want to tack on to a road bike. I also carry a laptop and a change of clothes that would just be too much in any backpack I'd be willing to ride with.

I commute on the best bike on the planet! a Surly Long Haul Trucker. I don't think it qualifies as a "road bike" but it's not really a "Commuter bike" either. It certainly qualifies as a "Touring bike" though.

I lug a 15" laptop, change of clothes, and shoes when I commute. I don't like using backpacks. And I don't like when my heels hit my panniers. That pretty much pushed me towards getting a bike with long chainstays. If I ever track down a trunk bag that'll hold all the stuff I need to carry, I'll try commuting on the road bike I'm going to acquire sometime this fall. Otherwise I guess I can plan ahead and take in two or three changes of clothes on the trucker on Monday, and leave the laptop at work, then try commuting on the road frame later in the week.