Agreed. I bought my bike for $160; I never even intended it to be a commuter but honestly, if it a bike works that's the only requisite for it to be a commuter (my commute is 3.3 miles, and I'm car free so I do all other transport with the beast too). If I were you, I wouldn't let the comments of "$500 isn't a lot of money for a bike" discourage you; while it is true I'm happy my "first" bike is cheap. In the 4 or so months since I bought el-cheapo bike, I've bounced around bike brands and models looking for my REAL dream bike. Deciding what's right for you is no easy, or fast, process. And you can still upgrade a few parts with the intention of switching them over to a better bike later (brooks saddle, for example).

Also since I haven't biked in a few years it's good to have a cheap one in case you run into fences, cars, drop the bike, and learn things the hard way like yes, people will walk their dogs in the middle of the road on a long leash even if said dog is totally untrained and will lunge at bikers.

I can't give you any advice on what kind of bike to get (you already got lots anyway), but some local bike shops deal in used bikes. I felt a lot better knowing I got a ride that had been checked out & tuned up by a bike mechanic, and it didn't even cost me that much more than buying off of craigslist. I even talked to one LBS dude who told me if I ever wanted to buy a random craigslist bike, he does free evaluations to tell you if it's a good deal or a rip off. So that was cool and unexpected.

Good luck!
And I do like the suggestion of a 90's mt bike too. I'm thinking of getting one as a beater winter commuter. Steel or nothing + fenders + rack. Instant commuter.

Great bike! Welcome to the forums, Supernose, and just wanted to say THANKS for serving in our military!

Now that you and your wife are expecting a baby, guess your next purchase could be a little wagon for the baby to tow along behind? ;)

Have fun riding!

My first commute is gonna be tomorrow. I was going to wait until Monday, take the weekend to learn the route and all, but I figured what the heck. Just jump on in and try it!

When I first started commuting, I would ride in 1 way and drive the other way. That way, your legs aren't so beat

Especially after a 15 miles commute, you're going to be damn tired if you're not used to it (a sore rear). Also, water, water, water. and maybe an extra energy bar or something if you aren't used to using that much energy usage early in the day. Otherwise, you'll be starving.

Good luck.

Ok, round 1 of my first day commuting down. It was definitely a special experience lol. Coming into work wasn't TOO bad. Mostly downhill, a couple of scary spots if a car isn't paying attention(that my novice eyes saw). My legs feel like jello right now(a good jello, not bad at all), and my butt is some kind of sore haha. My next purchase might be some loose fitting bike shorts. It was a really good ride for my first time, and it's only gonna get better!

The only downside is the ride home, almost all uphill. Not looking forward to that!

Don't try to be 'tough' by going up those hills mashing a high gear. Put your bike in a low comfortable gear and just spin at a good cadence.

Well, looks like the ride home isn't gonna happen. Was letting my boss take a look at it, cause the gears were acting funny on the ride in this morning, he took it out of the office, and first push off he noticed it wasn't shifting. Looked down and the rear derailleur was dangling. Thank God he has his truck today. We're gonna head to the bike shop he uses and get it fixed. Doesn't seem like it's gonna be too hard to fix. The piece of metal that holds the derailleur just snapped, he called it a hanger, and it looks like a pretty simple fix(even to me, who has the mechanical ability of a rock). But, definitely gonna go for a ride as soon as I get this thing fixed!

Sounds like the derailer hanger just has to be replaced. It's an easy fix. A new hanger costs about $7.50 or so. A lot of cyclo-tourists carry spare derailer hangers because that is often considered the most fragile part of a bike, especially when traveling.

Awesome, that's great news to my ears :-)

Good timing, breaking the hanger BEFORE the uphill part! ;-)

While you are at it, practice changing tires. Sooner or later you are going to get a flat. Its no problem if you are prepared (and have the tools), but 15 miles is a long, long walk - even if you only have to walk part of it.

I've actually kind of a silly question. How long(generally speaking) does it take for your butt to get used to the saddle? Not that it was horrible this morning, but it definitely felt like I had received a kick to the shorts at it's worst.

If the saddle is 'right' for you, then a lot of people say 2 or 3 weeks. Whether the saddle is right or not is a long sought question that many have tried to find. Saddle comfort really just comes down to what works for you individually as one for one guy is probably going to be horrible for you. Personally, I just skipped the saddle search and went with getting more padding (one of those gel seat covers).

I assume you aren't wearing biking tailor pants/underwear/shorts?
Cycling gear that goes over your rear have some sort of Chamois padding built in.
I just find it more convenient for a commuter to have the padding vs on the clothing, but if you have a place you can change at work like a bathroom it comes down to preference. I am sure your commute would probably be more comfortable in the more formfitting lycra stuffs.

Nice choice. I think that you will find that you can grow into this one a bit before moving on. If you find yourself wanting more speed through a tucked aero position you can flip that stem and drop your handle bars (or get a multi-angle adjustable stem). You can also buy cheap bolt on drops to see if you like the road bike feel too.

Have fun!

Now that you are on the bike, be safe out there ...
 

Since you have motorcycling experience, much of that will be helpful while bicycling. Just in case you want a quick review of bicycling safely:
League of American Bicyclists video, if you like video
How To Not Get Hit By Cars if you prefer reading a web site.

Well, Day 2 commute to work is done. Definitely better today than Friday. I felt better during the ride, more confident. I left a little bit later, so there was slightly more traffic, but it was all good. I believe I'm getting used to the saddle already, my tail didn't hurt quite like it did on Friday during the ride, so I'm happy about that. The only thing I don't understand is my computer. On Friday it registered the ride being 12.7 miles. Today, 15.85. The only difference in my route today was going around an underpass instead of under it(there's a merge on the other side that's no bueno if there's a lot of cars out), but that definitely doesn't account for 3 miles. I'll see what the computer says tomorrow.

Today is also the first day I'm gonna be riding home, again, I'm dreading that huge hill. Thank God for low gears!

Is that giant your bike or the boss's? It looks like a very solid bike that you could commute on. I have a hybrid and have had it for about 5 months now. Logged over 1100mi on it since purchase date. I disagree with other posters; it is a very good bike for long distances. It has 700c wheels with (newly added) 28mm tires.

Maybe I should call the manufacturer (K2) and see if they will give me a derailleur hanger to keep in my saddle bag.

This is what it looks like:

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...t/IMG_1060.jpg

I am ashamed to say that it is a "big box store bike" but I've been told it is not a BSO (bike shaped object). I got it at Sports Authority on sale for $299. I believe it is still on sale. Maybe you should go check it out?

The picture is my bike. My boss has the exact same bike(as his commuter, he's got another Road Bike). I rode it in today after getting the hanger fixed on Friday, and it's a world of difference. I think it might've already been bent, cause it was shifting funny on Friday when I rode it in. I'm really pleased with my purchase so far, it's exactly what I wanted. I have a feeling I'm gonna get into this, here's another hobby to add to my list!

Nice bike! Looks like it will be a good one for commuting. It looks like it has some kind of ergonomic grips on it, which is generally something I add to all of my flat bar road bikes. If you feel like you need another place to put your hands, you may want to add bar ends at some point. I find them useful for rides over about 5 miles. They're pretty cheap & a great addition (In my opinion) to my bike setup. Also, I don't know how the pannier was attached, but if it was on a rack, you may find it useful to leave the rack on the bike (without the pannier). I find them useful for times when you have to take home more than you thought expected to & depending on what you carry on your commute, they can be great for holding a backpack instead of having it on your back the whole ride.

Well, congrats on the bike. it looks like you found a great deal.

I'm glad you brought that up, what are those bike ends used for? Does it cause you to drop down a little bit? Or is it just another area to put your hands? I don't seem to have an issue with my hands getting uncomfortable, there are a number of lights I end up stopping at that allow me to adjust my grip and stretch/flex my hands to keep them moving.

Also, I was wrong about the pannier coming along with the bike. All I got was the rack, which I took off. I kept it though, just in case I ever actually need it. As it is right now, I don't carry that much stuff, and having a backpack doesn't really affect me.

So just completed my first ride home. Good lord. I don't know how you people do this. The wind was in my face almost the entire time(which boggles my mind, no matter which way I turn I'm going into the wind????), and that huge hill I was afraid of? Made a complete mess of me. Even in first gear on both front and back(after I'd gone as far as I could in other gears), I had to hop off the bike and walk it up the hill. I know I'm new to this biking thing and all, but holy crap, I at least expected to get more than a quarter of this hill done....nope, couldn't pull it off. It takes me about an hour and a half to get to work in the mornings, took me 2 and a half to get home. That's crazy. Maybe I need to find a route that gets around that hill somewhat...cause it kicked my butt all over the place!

^^^
What is the size of your smallest front chain ring and largest rear cog? Most hybrid bikes do come with a decently low gear, so perhaps it's just a matter of conditioning. There is also a bit of strategy to tackling a hill. You do not want to go 'all out' near the bottom because it's easy to 'go into the red' that way. Instead you need to keep the pace nice and steady until you are nearing the apex of the hill. Only at that point should you give it a little more gas, and only because you can take it easy on the way down.

Either way, I'm sure after a month of so of riding the hill won't seem quite so bad.

Good job man, and welcome back home. The first week, even month is going to be pretty brutal to be honest.

I recommend trying to take it easy as much as you can since it is a long commute. Like riding on MWF, car by TH to give your body rest and a chance to build up your legs. Outside of what is linked here, I am not really seeing a route that would be less hilly. You would know the area better than I would, but it looks like no matter which direction you take towards Linda Vista, it's going up hill.

I suggest switching out to the lowest front gear as soon as you see the hill, and just about start going up it. Then you can continue lowering the gears as you yourself tiring more and more. In your situation, it would be best to keep your legs spinning the pedals than worrying about speed. Attacking the hill early on with a high gear is going to wipe you out fast.

Hey don't get discouraged. IF you are tackling some decent sized hills on your 2nd day of riding don't feel bad AT ALL for having to walk up them. You will improve in conditioning and you will also learn how an when to shift to get up them. Trying to find a better route is a good idea as well. Trust me it will get better. Keep it up man you are doing good. Also the wind being in your face the whole time...get used to it I swear for about 3 months this year every ride both ways I was going into the wind. LOL

Congratulations on your first hill-climb attempt! I know exactly what you mean, I had the same reaction the first time I went uphill. I was like this ain't gonna work and hopped off the bike and walked up.

I might attempt my commute tomorrow from College area to Pacific Beach. Much like yourself the way back is what worries me since I have that huge climb on Montezuma Rd.

You mention the missus is prego, congrats. I'd say get your cycling in now because once the baby is born -- at least in my personal experience -- the first few months you'll be too tired to cycle.

Headwinds gotta love them. Get a lot of that at the beach, makes for building your legs up. Take it easy and be safe out there.

So, I'm considering riding as far as I can, than catching the bus up that hill. Would that be considered cheating by the commuting community(look at that, I'm a poet and didn't know it!)? Really though, I think that'll be what I have to do. I'm so drained for energy today, and I'm absolutely dreading the ride home, even if I'm catching a bus.