Commuting soon, new to bikes, many questions...
 

So... I haven't ridden a bike since I was 15 and I'm now 27. I'm looking to start commuting to work on a bike. It's 20 miles round trip. Mostly flat asphalt, with a few sidewalks. I plan on riding 5 days a week, rain or shine. I would also like the ability to take my bike over dirt paths, and roads. I have done a little research and I think a hybrid is what I am after. My price range is 250 to 350 dollars. I am 5'7" and weigh around 165lbs, I'm sure this matters too. I don't want a total piece of crap, and I'm cool with something used. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Sounds like you are off to a good start, fenders will make things much more comfortable when it rains for sure. If you are lucky enough to have a bike shop that deals with used bikes and has a good selection that is a good place to start because you can test ride a few and see what feels best. You can certainly find a nice quality bike for that price range, good hybrids are harder to find used than mountain bikes but they are out there.

If you want to make sure you get quality, buy brands you would usually see in bike shops (Giant, Trek, Specialized, etc) Another advantage if you have a shop who sells used stuff is a good shop will do a full tune up before it leaves so you should be good to go for a while

Have fun and enjoy the ride.

Hey there Jakegraff!


:welcome TO BIKE FORUMS


We'll Be Happy To Assist You With Cycling Information!


- Slim :)

I think one of the most important things is to find a bike that you will comforable on, which includes fitting you properly. I would recommend going to a local bike shop that can get you the proper size of frame, adjust it for you and lets you test-ride it.
If you won't feel comfortable on the bike, nothing else will really matter. If you don't like a bike shop's service, it's good to find another bike shop. If you plan on spending
so much time on the bike, its comfort is paramount. The nicest and fanciest bike that would be uncomfortable for you would make your commutes hell and discourage you, most likely. Also, I recommend not compromising on the bike quality unless you absolutely have to. From what you wrote, your bike will see lots of useage. 20 miles a day is a good adventure. Buying a cheap bike and then finding out the parts don't last and it makes your life more difficult than it needs to be would end up costing you more than buying a better-quality bike in the first place. Commuting by bike is so much fun!:D

At that price point your options are going to be limited, but it won't be impossible to get you on the road with a reliable bicycle, with which you can commute.

I'd say that you have three really good options:

1) Keep monitoring your local CL (only buy a used chromoly steel frame bike)

2) Go to www.bikesdirect.com or www.nashbar.com
( Last day 4 free delivery at Nashbar is today! ~ 1/20/12)

3) Go to your friendly Signature Schwinn LBS and checkout some Single Speeds.

a. Coffee 1 Single Speed ( Dirt Trail Ready) ~ $345

b. Willy 1 Single Speed ( Dirt Trail Ready) ~ $330

c. Racer (Not 4 Dirt Trails) ~ $300

Good Luck!

- Slim :)

PS.

WALMART
(* Only consider if someone can check for proper installation of parts)

If all else fails and this turns into an emergency, then go to Walmart and actually begin to mount various bikes for fit.

I will only vouche for the GMC Denali and the Schwinn Varsity. Don't buy any bike at that price point that has a suspended fork. You only want a Rigid Fork!

None of these Walmart bikes, are dirt trail bikes!

Several more suggestions here:

www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy_tour.htm

www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy_al_xi_sc1.htm

www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy_al_xi_sc2.htm

www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy_al_xi_sc3.htm

Hope this helps! :thumb:

The vast majority of used hybrids will have aluminum frames. And I see nothing wrong with buying one of them.

What is your favorite bike shop, where you live ? talk to them,
they will be there to help you before and after the sale.


after you knowhow to spot problems with a used bike,
Then, they may be a good bargain.

Don't start in the deep end. 20 miles RT is a fair amount. Mine is 18. I started with the same mentality and I had to push through a pretty painful stretch. You may hit the same wall and want to quit. 3 times a week to start should be plenty. I didn't, and that wasn't the brightest move on my part.

I like the reccomendations already on buying, but for that distance I'd encourage more of a road geometry where you can get out of the wind and aren't completely upright. I'd also focus on safety gear (visibility vest, helmet) first. Since you will likely need to change clothes, I also wouldn't worry about fenders right away. I personally don't use them.

(PS I ride a cross bike from BD. I think you get good value there)

A hybrid will do the job but you will be better off with a non suspension type such as Specialized Sirrus. Most major brands do them.
2x20miles is a fair way and the alternatives will cost. Work out how much then see if your budget is realistic when amortized over the (5 year) life of a bike.
Budget for accessories: fast tyres, lights, lock, fenders helmet, luggage rack and panniers, repair kit.
Fenders are optional but recommended for wet conditions. Any commuter bike should have the threaded eyelets so they are an option to fit.

If you go for the used market, make sure you know what size you need and dont buy a bike with worn out transmission or you will have to pay for new stuff. I would rather ride a good used bike than a budget new one.

Singlespeed Nashbar for $224: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...202339_202326_

Regarding the commute itself, definitely ride it on the weekend before you set out on your first day of the commute. There's a lot of things that you don't notice from a car. I have a much shorter commute than you, but I never really noticed that going to work was one long slow incline. Never could tell from behind the wheel of my car...definitely felt it that first morning when I was riding in! You may also find that there's a different route that feels more comfortable, maybe because of less traffic, or for better roads (again, you may really feel those cracks/potholes from the bike).

Agreed on riding the route beforehand; that would have saved me some minor embarrassment and a stressful commute.

Commuting rules. I'm about to finish my first year and I'm looking forward to riding even more for year two.

That looks perfect. Great reviews, and I love that I can go either fix or single speed. What a deal!

If you order today, free shipping!

With a 20mi RT commute, you'll find out if you like fixed/SS pretty quick with that thing. :p

Take it easy, Scott!

He's just a newbie.

I'm sure gears would be appreciated though...

- Slim :)

Definitely would not do this every day from the beginning. 3 times a day is more than enough.

In addition to what others have already said, invest in some baby wipes if your workplace doesn't have showers.

Wider tires with very little tread pattern (semi-slick) will roll fast on road, act as suspension from crappy roads, and can handle dry, packed dirt. You'll want knobbies for mud, but knobbies suck for asphalt rides.

I would only consider single speed for a 5 day/week 20 mile round trip if you are (1) already in outstanding shape and (2) have no hills on your commute.

There are probably a lot of good used bikes out there, although it might be hard to evaluate what is "good" if you don't know bikes already. If you find a good deal on a used bike, you might want to put any leftover money from your budget into having a bike shop do a complete tune-up. Hopefully this would include rebuilding bearings like hubs, headset, and bottom bracket that might cost you more money down the road if they fail. Bearings and grease for a hub cost a couple bucks, but even a cheap new wheel will cost at least $50.

Pay close attention to this statement.^^^

One will want to consider drop bars for anything 20+ miles rt because of wind. Rack, panniers, lights, frame pump, multi-tool, patchkit, tube(s), tire levers, cleat, etc. Fenders are necessary for year-round commuting as well. One can get on the up-side of 500.00 for add-ons alone, so watch your local CL, swap meets, etc. for cheap accessories. I found my current Jandd panniers/rack and rain covers for 10.00US at a swap meet.

http://www.bikeisland.com Always free shipping. Tools and a Topeak Road Morph w/gauge frame pump for 35.00 delivered. The best commuter pump in the market. Trust me. Also, Park MTB-3 multi-tool. 20.00US. Great deal on a complete tool.
http://www.nashbar.com Sometimes free shipping, but usually inexpensive.
http://www.campmor.com GREAT year-round clothing site w/deep discounts.

Been commuting year 'round for 25 years and have settled on a 2 bike system. One is a fixed-gear. Would not want to be locked into doing my commute on fg 5 days per week. Having a geared option is nice even w/a flat commute. Both have drop bars. My rt daily commute is 42.2 miles.

Oh yeah, Bontrager Hardcases, Specialized Armadillos, Continental Gatorskins, Schwalbe Marathon Plus are just a few of the flat resistant brand/models w/various supporters/detractors. They're all pricey, but worth every dime when it comes to dramatically slowing one's flat rate.

Have fun and welcome to BF-Commuter sub-forum. :thumb:

PS: Don't ride on the sidewalks.

Not that you need to spend a small fortune to start riding, but I like to think $1 paid upfront is equal to $2 down the road in repairs/upgrades. If you can swing it, you'll probably be better off in the long run. Even $350 to $500 is likely to get you a much better bike. Definitely be savvy in what bike you buy, but don't be cheap cos being cheap will have hidden costs.

You might want to see if you have any bicycle collectives in your area to help you buy and repair an old bike into something very nice. Or if you end up going with a bikedirect buy, they can help you assemble your bike for much less than an LBS would charge. And you even get to learn something about your bike!

I agree that gears are helpful for a new commuter, even on a relatively flat 20 mile rt commute. There's also wind, and if you're riding for ten miles into a steady wind, you might as well be going up hill. Also, you might want to take your bike to other, hillier terrain. I understand the appeal of ss, but I'd go for a geared bike.

Fenders are great for the muck, and some of what you'll need will depend on whether you can change at work. My winter commuter is a mountain bike. The rack on the back serves pretty well as a rear fender (not perfect, but it keeps me from getting the old skunk stripe), and because I do have front suspension (liked the bike when I bought it used and haven't switched out the fork, but I agree with Slim that rigid is better for your purposes) a full fender was hard to find for my front wheel, so I got a mudguard that screwed into my headset from the bottom. Works great.

Here's the main thing--have fun, be safe, get a bike you like, leave yourself time and don't be afraid to ask questions or give yourself a break when you need one. If you're like me, you'll look forward to your commutes days in advance and feel happier, more alert, more energetic and prouder all day long. All the rest is just details.